2 Samuel 20:21 Comentario

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.

The matter is not so,.... I am not come with the army against this city with any ill will to it, and with an intention to destroy it: the case is this: but a man of Mount Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name; for though he was by birth a Benjaminite, his dwelling was in Mount Ephraim in that tribe; unless there was a place of this name in the tribe of Benjamin, so called from any memorable event there, as the wood of Ephraim, Sa2 18:6. This same man, says Joab: hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David; is in rebellion against the king, even so great and good a king as David; he has lifted up his hand, and blown a trumpet to draw off men from David, and after himself; he has committed acts of hostility and treason; he has drawn his sword, and raised an insurrection and rebellion in the nation: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city: he did not desire any of his followers to be delivered up, only himself, knowing the rebellion would cease upon the delivery of him; and being unwilling that the blood of any Israelite should be shed, whom he had unawares drawn into this rebellion, and who he knew would return to their own cities upon this: and the woman said unto Joab, behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall; she knew the fright the inhabitants of the city were in, and how disposed they were to do anything to save their city; she knew what influence she had among them, and how weak Sheba's party was, and therefore could assure Joab that this should be done.

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.

His head shall be thrown to thee - Thus it appears she had great sway in the counsels of the city; and that the punishment of a state rebel was then, what it is now in this kingdom, beheading.

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.