Matthew Poole and continuators on 2 Samuel 19:29

29 And the k[illegible: 1+ letters]ng said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters ? I have said , Thou and Ziba divide the Land .

For as Ziba was present, so doubtless he was not silent, but said and did what he could to make good his former Charge; which must needs occasion many Words before the King. And the King was not now at leisure for long Debates, and therefore makes an end of the Matter.

To wit, within my self; I have considered the Matter as far as now I can, and upon the whole am come to this Resolution, wherein I expect that thou and he do both acquiesce. Or, I do now say, I pronounce this Sentence in the Cause.

The meaning is either, 1. The Land shall be divided between thee and him, as it was by my first Order, Chap. 9. 10. He and his Sons managing it, and supporting themselves out of it, as they d[illegible: 1+ letters]d before, and giving the rest of the profits thereof to thee. And to this the following words may well enough be accommodated; Yea, let him take all; to wit, to his own sole use. Or, 2. The right and profits of the Land shall be equally divided between you. It seems a very rash and harsh Sentence, and very unbecoming David's Wisdom, and Justice, and Gratitude to Ionathan; and Ziba seems to have deserved Death for falsly Accusing his Master of Treason, rather than a Recompence. But the whole Transaction of the Matter is not here set down. Possibly Ziba might bring plausible Pretences to justifie his Accusation; and it might be pretended, That Mephibosheth neglected the trimming and dressing himself onely in Policy, and that for a season, till David and his Family had Destroyed one another by their C[illegible: 1+ letters]vil Wars, and giving him a fit opportunity to take the Crown. So that David might really be at a loss what to determine. And Ziba had given proof of his Affections to David by an Act of kindness which could not be without hazard to himself, Chap. 16. 1, 2. which Mephibosheth had not done. And possibly, th[illegible: 1+ letters]s was onely a present Sentence, and David resolved to Examme things more throughly when he had more leisure, and then to make a more full and final Determination of the Business; which also he might do, though it be not here Recorded. For we must not think, that nothing was done and said about such things but what is mentioned in Scripture. Besides, Ziba being a powerful man, and the Crown not yet firmly fixed upon the King's Head, David might think fit to suspend his Final Sentence till a more convenient season, and not now to provoke him too much by taking away all his Estate from him at once, but to proceed against him by degrees. Howsoever, this is certain, we cannot pass a right Judgment upon this Action of David's, unless we understood all the Circumstances of it, which we cannot pretend to do.