*H And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold Siba the servant of Miphiboseth came to meet him with two asses, laden with two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs, and a vessel of wine.
Ver. 1. Siba was a mean character, but of sufficient discernment to judge that David would gain the day. He came to calumniate his master; and David paid too much attention to him, though his testimony would not have been received in a court of judicature. C. — We must reflect that the mind of David was full of trouble, and devoid of suspicion. H. — But he did wrong (W.) in condemning Miphiboseth unheard. — Raisins. See 1 K. xxv. 18. C. — Figs; (palatharum) which are often called caricarum. M. — Heb. mea kayits, "a hundred of summer" fruits, like fresh grapes, (Num. xiii. 21.) and other fruits, gathered after harvest time. Mic. vii. 1.
*H And the king said to Siba: What mean these things? And Siba answered: The asses are for the king's household to sit on: and the loaves and the figs for thy servants to eat, and the wine to drink if any man be faint in the desert.
Ver. 2. Loaves. Heb. "and to fight." But the Sept. and the Masorets reject the letter l, which causes the difference. C.
*H And the king said: Where is thy master's son? And Siba answered the king: He remained in Jerusalem, saying: To day, will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
Ver. 3. Father: a very improbable story, as the son of Jonathan was lame, and all Israel had declared for Absalom. M.
*H And the king said to Siba: I give thee all that belonged to Miphiboseth. And Siba said: I beseech thee let me find grace before thee, my lord, O king.
Ver. 4. All. In the East, crimes are generally punished with the loss of goods. C. — Kings. He intimates that he had not spoken against his master, with a design to obtain his effects. M.
*H And king David came as far as Bahurim: and behold there came out from thence a man of the kindred of the house of Saul named Semei, the son of Gera, and coming out he cursed as he went on,
Ver. 5. Bahurim, a fortress of Benjamin, about an hour's walk east of Bethania. Adric. xxviii. — It signifies, "chosen youths;" and it is called Almut, or Almon, "youth." 1 Par. vi. 60. &c. Hither Phaltiel conducted Michol. C. iii. 16. C.
* Footnote * 3_Kings 2 : 8
Thou hast also with thee Semei, the son of Gera, the son of Jemini, of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse, when I went to the camp: but because he came down to meet me when I passed over the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying: I will not kill thee with the sword:*H And thus said Semei when he cursed the king: Come out, come out, thou man of blood, and thou man of Belial.
Ver. 7. Belial; contemner of the laws, and murderer. M.
*H And Abisai the son of Sarvia said to the king: Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? I will go, and cut off his head.
Ver. 9. Dog. David's nephew was moved with indignation. He could easily have punished the insolence of Semei. H.
*H And the king said: What have I to do with you, ye sons of Sarvia? Let him alone and let him curse: for the Lord hath bid him curse David: and who is he that shall dare say, why hath he done so?
Ver. 10.—11. Hath bid him curse. Not that the Lord was the author of Semei's sin, which proceeded purely from his own malice, and the abuse of his free-will; but that knowing and suffering his malicious disposition to break out on this occasion, he made use of him as his instrument to punish David for his sins. Ch. — He adored the justice of God; who is often said to do what he does not hinder, or what he only permits. E. — David is here a noble figure of Jesus Christ, excusing his executioners, (H.) and receiving the insults of the Jews, without complaining. C. — If Semei had not been guilty of sin, but acted according to God's will, he could not have been justly punished. 3 K. ii. W.
*H Perhaps the Lord may look upon my affliction, and the Lord may render me good for the cursing of this day.
Ver. 12. Affliction, of which he makes a sort of sacrifice, being convinced that God will not reject the contrite and humble heart. Ps. l. 19. C.
*H And David and his men with him went by the way. And Semei by the hill's side went over against him, cursing, and casting stones at him, and scattering earth.
Ver. 13. Earth, like a man in fury. Acts xxii. 23.
*H And the king and all the people with him came weary, and refreshed themselves there.
Ver. 14. There, on the hill side, (H.) at Bahurim, v. 5. M.
*H And when Chusai the Arachite, David's friend, was come to Absalom, he said to him: God save thee, O king, God save thee, O king.
Ver. 16. Arachite; perhaps descended from the ancient Arachites, who dwelt near Arad and Tripoli, where the pretended Sabbatic river is said to flow; (Jos. Bel. xii. 13.) or rather, as the names are written in a different manner, this person might be a native of Arachi, in Benjamin, west of Bethel. Jos. xvi. 2. C. See C. xv. 32. — Friend. This was his peculiar title of office. 1 Par. xxvii. 33. C. — King. (Salve.) Lit. "Hail, O King," in both places. The salutation is repeated for greater emphasis. H.
*H And Absalom said to him, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? Why wentest thou not with thy friend?
Ver. 17. Friend. He rather accuses him of treachery. H. — But he does not mention the name of king, or of father, lest it should too plainly speak his own condemnation, as an ungrateful rebel. Salien.
*H And Chusai answered Absalom: Nay: for I will be his, whom the Lord hath chosen, and all this people, and all Israel, and with him will I abide.
Ver. 18. Chosen. (Vox populi, vox Dei) Private people are not commonly able, or allowed, to judge of the right, which the prince has to the throne. But here Absalom was manifestly an usurper; and many still adhered to David. C. — Chusai assumes the character of a courtier, and flatters the prince; (Salien) who ought to have been on his guard. See C. xv. 34. C.
*H And Achitophel said to Absalom: Go in to the concubines of thy father, whom he hath left to keep the house: that when all Israel shall hear that thou hast disgraced thy father, their hands may be strengthened with thee.
Ver. 21. Their hands may be strengthened, &c. The people might apprehend lest Absalom should be reconciled to his father; and therefore they followed him with some fear of being left in the lurch, till they saw such a crime committed, as seemed to make a reconciliation impossible. Ch. — This was the most heinous outrage that a son could offer to his father. Jacob resented it to the last. Gen. xlix. 4. Amyntor devoted his son Phœnix to all the furies, for a similar offence. Iliad ix. Armais treated the wives of his brother Sesostris in this manner, when he had resolved to rebel. Joseph. c. Ap. i.
*H So they spread a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and he went in to his father's concubines before all Israel.
Ver. 22. Israel, who saw him enter the tents, (C.) on the flat roof. C. xi. 2. and xii. 11. H. — The wives of the conquered king were reserved for the victor. Smerdis married all the wives of his predecessor, Cambyses. Herod. iii. 68. and 83. C.
*H Now the counsel of Achitophel, which he gave in those days, was as if a man should consult God: so was all the counsel of Achitophel, both when he was with David, and when he was with Absalom.
Ver. 23. Absalom. It tended to promote the end which was desired, (H.) whether good or bad. His prudence is hyperbolically compared with the divine oracles; (M.) and his authority must have had great weight, since David began to take precautions, only after he had heard that Achitophel had joined the rebels; and Absalom was persuaded (C.) to perpetrate so foul and unnatural a crime publicly, no one daring to make any opposition. Chusai was silent; as he was aware that, if he began to contradict this counsellor at first, he would only incur suspicion. H. — The unjust commonly endeavour by all means to attach people to themselves: but God, in the end, turns their counsels against themselves. W.