2 Samuel 20:9 Komentář

How do the clouds return after the rain! No sooner is one of David's troubles over than another arises, as it were out of the ashes of the former, wherein the threatening is fulfilled, that the sword should never depart from his house. I. Before he reaches Jerusalem a new rebellion is raised by Sheba (Sa2 20:1, Sa2 20:2). II. His first work, when he comes to Jerusalem, is to condemn his concubines to perpetual imprisonment (Sa2 20:3). III. Amass, whom he entrusts to raise an army against Sheba, is too slow in his motions, which puts him into a fright (Sa2 20:4-6). IV. One of his generals barbarously murders the other, when they are taking the field (Sa2 20:7-13). V. Sheba is at length shut up in the city of Abel (Sa2 20:14, Sa2 20:15), but the citizens deliver him up to Joab, and so his rebellion is crushed (Sa2 20:16-22). The chapter concludes with a short account of David's great officers (Sa2 20:23-26).

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 20 This chapter gives an account of a new rebellion raised by Sheba, Sa2 20:1; of David's shutting up his concubines unto the day of their death, whom Absalom had lain with, Sa2 20:3; of Amasa being ordered to assemble the men of Judah to crush the rebellion, but being dilatory, Abishai is sent out with David's servants, and was followed by Joab with the men under him, Sa2 20:4; and of the murder of Amasa by Joab, Sa2 20:8; and of Sheba being shut up in the city Abel, Sa2 20:14; whose head, by the means of a wise woman, was delivered to Joab, and so an end was put to the rebellion, Sa2 20:16; and, lastly, of the chief officers in David's camp and court, Sa2 20:23.

And Joab said to Amasa,.... In a friendly manner, with all the air of pleasantry and good humour: art thou in health, my brother? this looked like a friendly salutation to ask of his health, and wish him it, and a loving appellation to call him brother; though they were near of kin, sisters' children, and so own cousins; thus he addressed him, to cover his design: and Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him: as was usual for the eastern people to do when they addressed and saluted one another in an affectionate way, and as the Turks and Arabs do to this day, as travellers relate. Barthius (t) has collected passages from the Greek poets, which show it to be a custom, that when a man asked a favour of another, he caught hold of his beard with the right hand, and of his knee with the left; and in such a posture Joab might easily do what follows. (t) Animadv. ad Claudian. de Raptu Proserp. l. 1. ver. 50. vid. Homer. Iliad. ver. 500, 501. Iliad. 8. ver. 371. & Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 2. c. 19.

Would you like that, in another way also, I should make what I say plainer? Let us look into their case, [to those] who avenge themselves even justly. For concerning the wrongdoers, that they are the most worthless of all people, warring against their own soul, is surely plain to every one.But who avenged himself justly yet kindled innumerable ills and pierced himself through with many calamities and sorrows? The captain of David’s host. For Joab both stirred up a grievous war and suffered unnumbered evils; not one of them would have happened had he but known how to exercise self-control. Let us flee therefore from this sin and neither in words nor deeds do our neighbors wrong.

So with the wicked severally, because they have evil not upon the tongue, but under the tongue, in the words of their mouth they hold out sweet things, and in the thoughts of their heart are plotting mischiefs. For it is hence that Joab held the beard of Amasa with his right hand, whilst secretly putting his left hand to his sword, he shed out his bowels. For to hold the chin with the right hand is to caress as if in kindness. But he puts his left hand to his sword, who in secret strikes in malice. Hence too it is written concerning their head himself; "Under his tongue is mischief and pain." For he that doth not display openly the ill that he designs, does not put forth on the tongue the mischief and pain of those, whose destruction he aims at, but keeps them close under the tongue.

Sheba raises an insurrection, and gains a party in Israel, Sa2 20:1, Sa2 20:2. David shuts up the ten concubines who were defiled by Absalom, Sa2 20:3. Amasa is sent to assemble the men of Judah, Sa2 20:4, Sa2 20:5. And in the mean time Abishai is sent to pursue Sheba, Sa2 20:6, Sa2 20:7. Joab treacherously murders Amasa, Sa2 20:8-12. Joab and the army continue the pursuit of Sheba, Sa2 20:13, Sa2 20:14. He is besieged in Abel; and, by the counsels of a wise woman, the people of Abel cut off his head, and throw it over the wall to Joab; who blows the trumpet of peace, and he and his men return to Jerusalem, Sa2 20:15-22. Account of David's civil and military officers, Sa2 20:23-26.

SHEBA MAKES A PARTY IN ISRAEL. (Sa2 20:1-9) Sheba . . . a Benjamite--Though nothing is known of this man, he must have been a person of considerable power and influence, before he could have raised so sudden and extensive a sedition. He belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, where the adherents of Saul's dynasty were still numerous; and perceiving the strong disgust of the other tribes with the part assumed by Judah in the restoration, his ill-designing heart resolved to turn it to the overthrow of David's authority in Israel. every man to his tents--This proverbial expression may have had its foundation in the fact, that many of the Israelite peasantry adhered to the custom of the patriarchs who tilled land, and yet lived in tents, as Syrian peasants often do still. This was the usual watchword of national insurrection, and from the actual temper of the people, it was followed by effects beyond what he probably anticipated.

took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him--This act, common with two friends on meeting when one of them returns from a journey, indicates respect as well as kindliness, and the performance of it evinced the deep hypocrisy of Joab, who thereby put Amasa off his guard. No wonder, then, that while this act of friendly gratulation after long absence occupied Amasa's attention, he did not perceive the sword that was in Joab's left hand. The action of Joab was indeed a high compliment, but neither suspicious nor unusual and to this compliment, Amasa paying attention and no doubt returning it with suitable politeness, he could little expect the fatal event that Joab's perfidy produced.