Matthew Poole and continuators on 2 Samuel 2

AND it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD , saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah : And the LORD said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he said, Unto Hebron .

By Urim, as 1 Sam. 23. 6, 9. and 30. 7, 8. Thus David begins at the right end, and lays his Foundation in Gods counsel and assistance, which now he seeks.

He asketh not whether he should take the Kingdom; for that was appointed and known before; and he would not offend God, nor dishonour his Ordinances with frivolous and unnecessary enquiries; but onely where he should enter upon it; whether in Iudab, as he supposed, because of his relation to that Tribe, and his interest in it; or whether in some other Tribe: for he doth not limit God, but resolves exactly to follow his Counsels.

Which was next to Ierusalem (part whereof the Iebusites now possessed) the chief City of that Tribe, and a City of the Priests: Iosh. 21. 10, &c. and in the very center or middle of that Tribe, to which the whole Tribe might speedily resort, when need required.

3 And his men that were with him, did David bring up, every man with his houshold: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron .

i. e. The Cities or Towns belonging and subject to Hebron, which was the Metropolis, Ios. 21. 11, 12. For in Hebron it self there was not space for them all, because it was filled with Priests, and with David's Court.

4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah : and they told David, saying, That the men of Jabesh-Gilead were they that buried Saul.

This they did upon just grounds, because not onely the Kingdom was promised to that Tribe, Gen. 49. 10. but David was Designed and Anointed by God, whose will both they and all Israel were obliged to observe and obey. And they Piously resolved not to neglect their Duty, though they saw the other Tribes would. Yet their prudent caution and modesty is observable, That they make him King of Iudah onely, and not of all Israel. And therefore there was need of a Third Anointing to the Kingdom over all Israel, which he had chap. 5. 3. But as for that First Anointing 1 Sam. 16. 13. it was onely a designation of the Person who should be King, but not an actual Inauguration of him to the Kingdom.

Marginal references: 1 Mac. 2. 57.; [illegible: 1+ letters] Sam. 31. 13.

5 ¶ And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabesh-Gilead, and said unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him▪

This respect and affection to procure him Burial. For as it is, and ever was esteemed an act of inhumanity to deny Burial to the Dead; so it is an act of mercy and kindness to Bury him.

Marginal references: Or, because.

6 And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness , because ye have done this thing.

i. e. True and real kindness; not in words onely, but also in actions, as you have now done to your King the Lords Anointed.

So far am I from being offended with you for this kindness to my late Enemy, that I will requite it.

7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthned, and † be ye valiant : for your master Saul is dead , and also the house of Judah have anointed me king over them.

Be not afraid lest the Philistines should punish you for this Fact, but take good courage, I will defend you.

Or, though your Master Saul be dead, and so your hearts may faint within you, as if you were now Sheep without a Shepherd.

Marginal references: ‡ Heb. be ye the Sons of valour.; Know this for your comfort that.

8 ¶ But Abner the son of Ner , captain of Sauls host, took Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim .

Partly, out of envy and malice against David; and partly, out of his own ambition and desire of Rule, because he knew that Ishbosheth would have onely the name of King, whilst he had the power.

Called also Eshbaal, 1 Chron. 8. 33. and 9. 39. It being usual with the Hebrews, instead of Baal, the name of false gods, to put Bosheth, which signifies shame, or confusion, or a shameful thing; as appeareth by comparing Iudg. 9. 53. with 2 Sam. 11. 21. and 2 Sam. 4. 4. with 1 Chron. 8. 34. and from Ier. 3. 24. Hos. 9. 10.

A place beyond Iordan, whither he carried him; partly, to secure those Brave and Valiant Men of Iabesh-Gilead to himself; and principally because this place was most remote from David, and from the Philistines too; and therefore here he might recruit his Forces with less disturbance than in other places.

Marginal references: Heb. the host which was Saul's.; Or, Eshbaal. 1 Chr. 8. 33.

9 And he made him king over Gilead , and over the Ashurites , and over Jezreel , and over Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel .

Largely so taken for all the Land of Israel beyond Iordan, as it is Ios. 22. 9. Iudg. 10. 8.

i. e. The Tribe of Asher, as the Chaldee Paraphrast and others understand it.

A large and rich Valley scituate in the Borders of the Tribes of Zebulun, Issachar and Napthali, and so put Synecdochically for them all.

Except Iudah, as it follows.

Marginal references: the rest of.

10 Ishbosheth Sauls son was fourty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and reigned two years : but the house of Judah followed David.

To wit, before the following War broke forth. Compare 1 Sam. 13. 1. For that he Reigned longer, may appear both from the following Verse, and from ch. 3. 1. and from the following History. Though some think he Reigned onely two Years, and that the rest of David's seven Years the Israelites by Abner's instigation stuck to the House of Saul, but were in suspence whether they should confer the Crown upon Mephibosheth the right Heir, but a Child; or upon Ishbosheth a grown man, whom with some difficulty, and after long debates amongst themselves, they preferred.

12 ¶ And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon .

i. e. His Officers, and Commanders, and their Army.

In the Countrey of Benjamin, Ios. 18. 25. near Iudah, to Fight with David's Army, [illegible: 1+ letters]nd to bring back the rest of the Kingdom to Saul's House.

13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out , and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sate down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

To Battel. Qu. How could or durst this one Tribe oppose all the rest? Ans. First, This Tribe was very numberous and valiant of themselves, and they had a King of extraordinary courage, and conduct, and success. Secondly, There were great numbers of the other Tribes which favoured them, as appears from 1 Chron. 12. Thirdly, They had the encouragement of special promises of God, made both to their Tribe, and to David.

i. e. Met the opposite Army, and put themselves into a Posture for Battel.

Marginal references: Heb. them together.; Jer. 41. 12.

14 And Abner said to Joab , Let the young men now arise, and play before us: and Joab said, Let them arise.

Abner trusting to his greater numbers, offers Battel.

i. e. Shew their prowess and dexterity in managing their Weapons, and Fighting together. He speaks like a vainglorious and cruel Man, and a Soldier of fortune, that esteemed it a sport to see Men wounding and killing one another. So this he designed, partly for their Mutual Recreation, and trial of Skill and Valour; and partly, that by this occasion they might be engaged in a Battel.

15 Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin , which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David.

He selected all his Combatants out of that Tribe, both because that was a Warlike and Valiant Tribe; and that he might give the more honour to his own Tribe.

16 And they caught every one his fellow by the head , and thrust his sword in his fellows side; so they fell down together: Wherefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim , which is in Gibeon.

By the hair of the Head, which after their manner was of a considerable length, and therefore gave their Enemy advantage; which every one of them indeavoured to get, and to improve against the other.

Or, the field of Rocks; i. e. of Men who stood like Rocks unmovable, each one dying upon the spot where he fought.

Marginal references: That is the field of strong men, or, of swords.

21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand, or to thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his armour . But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.

If thou art ambitious to get a Trophy or Mark of thy Valour, desist from me who am an old and experienced Captain, and go to some young and raw Soldier, try thy Skill upon him, and take away his Arms from him.

Marginal references: Or, spoil.

22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following of me: Wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I hold up my face to Joab thy brother?

f He was loth to enrage Ioab too much against him, because his guilty Conscience told him that his Cause was bad, and therefore he presaged ill success, and that he might need such a Friend as Ioab, to make his peace with David.

23 Howbeit, he refused to turn aside: Wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear , smote him under the fifth rib , that the spear came out behind him, and he fell down there, and died in the same place : and it came to pass, that as many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died, stood still.

Which was sharp pointed after the manner.

The seat of the Liver and Bowels, where wounds are mortal.

Upon the spot, not being able to go one step further.

Marginal references: Chap. 20. 10.

25 ¶ And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill .

Where, being upon the upper ground, they might better defend themselves.

26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for ever? Knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end ? How long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from following their brethren ?

It will produce dreadful effects, and many Bloody slaughters, if by a further prosecution thou makest them desperate; which is against all the rules of Policy.

By Nation and Religion: whom therefore they should not pursue with so fierce a Rage, as if they were pursuing the Philistines.

27 And Joab said, As God liveth, unless thou hadst spoken , surely then in the morning, the people had gone up every one from following his brother.

Unless thou hadst made the motion that they might Fight, v. 14. It was thou, not I, that gave the first occasion of this Fight. Withal, he intimates, That Almer was the sole cause of this War; and that if he had not given commission and command, the War had never been undertaken, but all things had been ended by an amicable agreement: which might have been made that very morning, if he had so pleased.

Marginal references: Heb. from the morning.; Or, gone away.

28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more .

Either, First, At that time. Or rather, Secondly, In any pitcht Battel.

29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain, and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron , and they came to Mahanaim.

Otherwise called, the Mountains of Bether, Cant. 2. 17. which were beyond Iordan. Or, some other Countrey, now not known by that name: which is the case of hundreds of places.