2 Samuel 20

2Sa 20:1-9.

SHEBA

MAKES A

PARTY IN

ISRAEL.

1. 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.

2. from Jordan even to Jerusalem--The quarrel had broken out shortly

after the crossing of the Jordan, between Judah and the other tribes,

who withdrew; so that Judah was left nearly alone to conduct the king

to the metropolis.

3. the king took the ten women his concubines--Jewish writers say that

the widowed queens of Hebrew monarchs were not allowed to marry again

but were obliged to pass the rest of their lives in strict seclusion.

David treated his concubines in the same manner after the outrage

committed on them by Absalom. They were not divorced, for they were

guiltless; but they were no longer publicly recognized as his wives;

nor was their confinement to a sequestered life a very heavy doom, in a

region where women have never been accustomed to go much abroad.

4. Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within

three days--Amasa is now installed in the command which David had

promised him. The revolt of the ten tribes, probably, hastened the

public declaration of this appointment, which he hoped would be popular

with them, and Amasa was ordered within three days to levy a force from

Judah sufficient to put down the insurrection. The appointment was a

blunder, and the king soon perceived his error. The specified time

passed, but Amasa could not muster the men. Dreading the loss of time,

the king gave the commission to Abishai, and not to Joab--a new

affront, which, no doubt, wounded the pride of the stern and haughty

old general. But he hastened with his attached soldiers to go as second

to his brother, determined to take the first opportunity of wreaking

his vengeance on his successful rival.

8. Amasa went before them--Having collected some forces, he by a rapid

march overtook the expedition at Gibeon, and assumed the place of

commander; in which capacity, he was saluted, among others, by Joab.

Joab's garment, that he had put on was girded unto him--in the fashion

of travellers and soldiers.

a sword . . . and as he went forth it fell out--that is, out of the

scabbard. According to JOSEPHUS, he let it drop on purpose as he was

accosting Amasa, that stooping, as it were accidentally, to pick it up,

he might salute the new general with the naked sword in his hand,

without exciting any suspicion of his design.

He went forth--in a ceremonious manner to meet Amasa, now

commander-in-chief, in order to seem to render to that officer, whom he

considered as usurping his post, a conspicuous honor and homage.

9. 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.

2Sa 20:10-13.

AMASA

IS

SLAIN.

10. smote him . . . in the fifth rib--the seat of the liver and bowels,

where wounds are mortal.

struck him not again--that is, despatched him at the first blow.

11-13. He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go

after Joab--It is a striking proof of Joab's unrivalled influence

over the army, that with this villainous murder perpetrated before their

eyes they unanimously followed him as their leader in pursuit of Sheba.

A soldier conjoined his name with David's, and such a magic spell was in

the word "Joab," that all the people "went on"--Amasa's men as well as

the rest. The conjunction of these two names is very significant. It

shows that the one could not afford to do without the other--neither

Joab to rebel against David, nor David to get rid of Joab, though hating

him.

2Sa 20:14, 15.

JOAB

PURSUES

SHEBA UNTO

ABEL.

14. he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel--beating up for

recruits. But there the prompt marches of Joab overtook and hemmed him

in by a close siege of the place.

15. Abel of Beth-maachah--a verdant place--the addition of "Maachah"

betokening that it belonged to the district Maachah, which lay far up

the Jordan at the foot of Lebanon.

2Sa 20:16-22.

A

WISE

WOMAN

SAVES THE

CITY BY

SHEBA'S

HEAD.

16. Then cried a wise woman--The appeal of this woman, who, like

Deborah, was probably a judge or governess of the place, was a strong

one.

18-20. They were wont to speak in old time--The translation of the

Margin gives a better meaning, which is to this effect: When the people

saw thee lay siege to Abel, they said, Surely he will ask if we will

have peace, for the law

(De 20:10)

prescribes that he should offer peace to strangers, much more then to

Israelitish cities; and if he do this, we shall soon bring things to an

amicable agreement, for we are a peaceable people. The answer of Joab

brings out the character of that ruthless veteran as a patriot at

heart, who, on securing the author of this insurrection, was ready to

put a stop to further bloodshed and release the peaceable inhabitants

from all molestation.

2Sa 20:23-26.

DAVID'S

GREAT

OFFICERS.

23. Now Joab was over all the host of Israel--David, whatever his

private wishes, found that he possessed not the power of removing Joab;

so winking at the murder of Amasa, he re-established that officer in

his former post of commander-in-chief. The enumeration of David's

cabinet is here given to show that the government was re-established in

its wonted course.