Poole on 2 Samuel 17:22-29: The Death of Ahithophel

Verse 22:[1]  Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan:  by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.

[And they passed over Jordan, until the day dawned (similarly Jonathan, Pagnine, Montanus, Tigurinus), ‎עַד־א֣וֹר הַבֹּ֗קֶר]  Until the morning began to dawn (Vatablus).  [Others connect these words with what follows, and thus render the verse:]  They passed over Jordan:  when the morning dawned, not one was missing (Junius and Tremellius); and when dawn came, no one remained, etc. (Syriac, similarly the Arabic).  He passed over the river by night, in such a way that all were sent across before dawn (Martyr); either by small ships, or the ford (Menochius).  No either was wanting in so great labors, or perished in the waters, or wandered away in the darkness.  We acknowledge a type of the true Messiah.  I lost no one[2] (Martyr).

They passed over Jordan; either at the ford, or in boats.

[Not even one was remaining, ‎עַד־אַחַד֙ לֹ֣א נֶעְדָּ֔ר]  Not one was wanting (Munster, thus Jonathan, Junius and Tremellius, Pagnine, Tigurinus); in the morning, with the army inspected, he found that no one was missing (Malvenda out of Junius).  No one remained that did not pass over, etc. (Syriac, similarly the Arabic); no on was wanting, etc. (Montanus).

Verse 23:[3]  And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed (Heb. done[4]), he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to (2 Sam. 15:12) his city, and put his household in order (Heb. gave charge concerning his house;[5] 2 Kings 20:1[6]), and (Matt. 27:5) hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

[He departed to his own house, and to his own city]  That is, which was in his city:  for he had other houses that were not situated in the same city (Vatablus).

[And with his house set in order (thus Tigurinus), ‎וַיְצַ֥ו אֶל־בֵּית֖וֹ]  And he commanded to his house (Septuagint, similarly Montanus); he gave precepts to his family (Pagnine, thus Junius and Tremellius), concerning his family, that is, when he had by some means given commandment concerning what he willed to be done after his death (Vatablus).  And with his estate disposed (Syriac).  And when to his sons he had given precepts and admonitions that he willed (Arabic).  The sense:  He made a Testament.  Thus Isaiah said to Hezekiah, Set thine house in order.  This was great folly; he thinks of his house, fields, etc., but not of his soul and eternal life[7] (Martyr).

Put his household in order; disposed of his estate by will.  Compare Isaiah 38:1.[8]

[He died by hanging, ‎וַיֵּחָנַק]  He strangled (or choked [Septuagint]) himself (Montanus, Pagnine); he was strangled (Tigurinus), either by himself, or by a servant, to whom he gave commandment concerning it (Malvenda).  The term חֶנֶק, which signifies the act of hanging oneself, also signifies indignation, and thus the Arabs use it.  Concerning the Greek term, ἀπήγξατο,[9] see what things we said on Matthew 27:5[10] (Grotius).  Certain of the Hebrews maintain that he was suffocated by a disease (Malvenda), by angina; for they think it absurd that that sensible man hanged himself.  But nearly all more correctly refer it to hanging; that חָנַק in the Niphal conjugation is reflexive, Pagnine teaches (Sanchez).  He did this, 1.  Out of indignation over his rejected counsel (Lyra).  He was intolerant of that rebuff and dishonor (Sanchez).  He preferred to die, rather than to live ingloriously:  for, if Absalom should conquer by the counsel of Hushai, he would not appear to conquer by his own.  2.  Out of fear (Martyr); he averts an infamous and violent hanging with a voluntary hanging (Lapide).  He anticipated the wrath of the victor; for, he foresaw that, with his own counsel spurned, Absalom was most certainly going to perish (Malvenda out of Munster).  He knows that there is no place for reconciliation.  The impious measure others by themselves.  But David was easy to be intreated,[11] and was wont to grant pardon to the penitent.  The bad counsel is the worst for the counselor; he had made a pit for David, into which he himself fell.  The counselor was esteemed as wise, but he was not wise for himself (Martyr).

Hanged himself; partly because he could not endure to outlive his disgrace, and the rejection of his counsel; and partly because he foresaw by this means David would gain time and strength, and in all probability be victorious, and then the storm would fall most heavily upon his head, as the main author and pillar of the rebellion, and the contriver of those two pernicious counsels above mentioned.

Verse 24:[12]  Then David came to (Gen. 32:2; Josh. 13:26; 2 Sam. 2:8) Mahanaim.  And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.

[He came into the camp]  Hebrew:  to Mahanaim[13] (Malvenda).  This is the name of a place (the Greeks in Grotius, thus Lyra, Menochius, Tirinus, Malvenda, Martyr, Vatablus, Sanchez).  This city was close to the region of Gilead, not far from Ammon, as it is gathered out of verse 27 (Tirinus).  This was the most beautiful and most secure city of that region (Josephus in Malvenda, Tirinus).  It was the royal city of Ish-bosheth (Malvenda).  There Jacob had Angels as assistants, Genesis 32, and David was hoping for similar help (Tirinus out of Sanchez), and possessed of a similar fear.  It was a priestly city and a city of refuge.[14]  There he gathered a larger army (Martyr).

Mahanaim; a place in the country of Gilead, bordering upon the land of the Ammonites, verse 27.  See Genesis 32:2; 2 Samuel 2:8.

[And Absalom crossed Jordan]  Not immediately, but after some days, with a convocation of Israelites awaited in keeping with the counsel of Hushai.  It is evident from this, that many, who were far distant from Mahanaim, of which sort were the Ammonites, brought help to David before the coming of Absalom (Sanchez).

Absalom passed over Jordan; not speedily, but when all the men of Israel were gathered together according to Hushai’s counsel, who are said to be with him here, as it follows.

Verse 25:[15]  And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab:  which Amasa was a man’s son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite (or, Jether an Ishmaelite), that went in to (1 Chron. 2:16, 17) Abigail (Heb. Abigal[16]) the daughter of Nahash (or, Jesse; see 1 Chron. 2:13, 16), sister to Zeruiah Joab’s mother.

[Who was called Ithra of Jezreel]  A city of Judah, just as also Ahinoam, the wife of David[17] (Menochius).  Hebrew:  the Israelite[18] (Malvenda, Vatablus, Munster).  With one letter changed, it appears that ‎הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִי, the Ishmaelite, was set down here of old, as in the Hebrew, Greek, and other translations of 1 Chronicles 2:17[19] (Grotius).  But the Hebrew codices constantly read the Israelite here (Malvenda).  He was an Israel by descent, an Ishmaelite by habitation, because he sometimes dwelt among the latter (Vatablus, thus Tirinus, Martyr), as in 2 Samuel 15:18 those six hundred men of David are called Gittites, because they had been at Gath (Sanchez).  Or rather, he was an Isrmaelite by descent, and an Israelite by religion (Menochius out of Sanchez).  He was, in my opinion, a proselyte, who, when he took an Israelite wife, changed his country and name.  Otherwise, why would he call him the Israelite, when there was nothing remarkable in this?  Or is it a remarkable thing for an Israelite woman to marry an Israelite man? (Sanchez).

Ithra an Israelite.  Objection:  He was an Ishmaelite, 1 Chronicles 2:17.  Answer:  Not Amasa; but Ithra, or Jether, Amasa’s father, is there so called, because he was such, either by his birth from such parents, or by his long habitation among them, or for some other reason now unknown.  Compare 2 Samuel 15:18.  And Amasa is here called an Israelite, either because he was a proselyte; or in opposition to Joab, who was of the tribe of Judah, as Amasa was of one of the ten tribes; or rather, to intimate, that although he or his parents were called Ishmaelites for some reason, yet as to their extraction they were indeed Israelites; which if Amasa had not been, it is not probable that he could have had so powerful an influence upon the tribe of Judah as he had, 2 Samuel 19:14.

[That went in]  This manner of speaking indicates a furtive coming together (Menochius and Tirinus out of Sanchez).  Perhaps before the wedding ceremonies; but the more Learned thus express it, who had an affair with her, as a man with his own wife; that is, who took her to wife (Vatablus).

That went in to Abigail, that is, lay with her, whether being first married to her, or not, is uncertain.

[To Abigail the daughter of Nahash]  Nahash here is a name, either, 1.  of a woman, the wife of Jesse (certain interpreters in Malvenda); or, 2.  of a man:  He is Jesse (Vatablus, Hebrews in Munster, Tirinus out of Sanchez), who had two names, as it is evident out of 1 Chronicles 2:13, where the same sons, daughters, and grandchildren are attributed to Jesse, that in this place are said to belong to Nahash (Tirinus out of Sanchez, similarly Martyr, Buxtorf’s Vindication 591).  So that there might be no need of the criticism of Cappel, who in the place of ‎נָחָשׁ/ Nahash wants יִשַׁי/Jesse to be read, because the Septuagint has Ἰεσσαὶ/Jesse; But, 1.  The translators had regard to th sense, substituting the well-known Jesse for the unknown Nahash.  [As it has been previously noted to have been done by them elsewhere.]  2.  Other Greek codices read Ναὰς/Nahash, in conformity with the Hebrew (Buxtorf’s Vindication 591).  Therefore, Amasa and Joab were first cousins, the sons of two sisters (Malvenda).  It is strange how Absalom put his trust in him, against David, his uncle.  But with this honor he placed him under obligation, a man, as it appears, of ambition.  This was the first place after the king, with respect to civil affairs:  otherwise the High Priest was first (Martyr).  Moreover, this was a different Abigail from that one, of whom mention is made in 1 Chronicles 2:16 (Grotius).

The daughter of Nahash.  Nahash is either another name of Jesse; or rather, the name of Jesse’s wife; by whom he had this Abigail, as he had Zeruiah by another wife; so they were sisters by the father, but not by the mother; and Nahash is here named to signify so much.

Verse 26:[20]  So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.

Verse 27:[21]  And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that (see 2 Sam. 10:1; 12:30) Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and (2 Sam. 9:4) Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and (2 Sam. 19:31, 32; 1 Kings 2:7) Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim…

[Shobi the son of Nahash, etc.]  He was either, 1.  an Israelite, who had remained in Rabbah, with it conquered by David (Hebrews in Vatablus).  They maintain that he was called an Ammonite because he was sojourning among them (Martyr).  Or, 2.  he was the brother of Nahash, whom David had conquered in Rabbah (Vatablus).  Or, 3.  he was the brother of Hanun, the son of Nahash king of Ammon, who was formerly merciful towards David.[22]  But his son Hanun affronted the legates of David.  The mercy, therefore, which he was not able to recompense to Hanun, they say he recompensed to the other brother Shobi, and gave the principate to him.  Whence he was grateful towards David, and received him with a liberal hand (Martyr and most interpreters in Martyr, similarly Sanchez, Tirinus, Menochius).  Or, 4.  he was the son of Hanun (certain interpreters in Vatablus).

Shobi, as it may seem, disliked and disowned that barbarous action to the ambassadors; and therefore, when the rest were destroyed, was left king or governor of the residue of the Ammonites.

[And Machir]  The same who was taking care of Mephibosheth.  See 2 Samuel 9:4 (Menochius, thus Malvenda, Martyr).

Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar.  See above, 2 Samuel 9:4.

[Barzillai]  Concerning whom mention will be made later (Martyr).  These appear to have been men of wealth and nobility (Sanchez).

Verse 28:[23]  Brought beds, and basons (or, cups[24]), and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse…

[They bestowed upon him]  Willingly, not waiting until they were asked, which is true mercy.  Thus God is wont, when the usual helps are far away, to succour His own in unexpected ways.  David’s son pursues him with hostile intent:  Strangers, who are not of the tribe of Judah, treat him mercifully.  No prophet is received in his own country, saith Christ.[25]  Let no one prescribe to God the manner of bringing help; He brings help to His own when and how He pleases (Martyr).

[Bedding, etc.]  For, to him were wanting provisions, and all sorts of household stuff.  Therefore, they supplied him with both sorts of things (Martyr).  Many things go under the name of help on account of the time in which they are given.  What price wouldest thou set upon hospitality in a desert, upon a roof in the rain, upon a bath or fire in the cold? Seneca’s Concerning Benefits 6:15.  In Herodotus’ Histories 3, Darius says to Syloson, Ὦ γενναιότατε, etc., O most generous of mortals, thou art the one, who gavest to me, when I had nothing, although small, yet equal even to the greatest things (that I might now receive from thee)[26] (Grotius).

Beds and basons, that is, all sorts of household stuff, as well as other provisions, all which David now wanted.

[Bedding, ‎מִשְׁכָּב [27]]  A bed or couch (Montanus, Pagnine).  The singular in the place of a Plural (Vatablus, thus the Syriac, Arabic, Vatablus, Munster, Tigurinus, Junius and Tremellius).  Beds (Munster); bedding, that is, what things pertain to a bed (Vatablus).  Muslin, linens (Jonathan in Vatablus); ten beds (Septuagint).

[Tapestries, ‎וְסַפּוֹת]  And cups (Montanus), wicker-works (Pagnine), bowls (Tigurinus, Junius and Tremellius, Hebrews in Vatablus), water-pots (Vatablus), pitchers (Jonathan); and coverlets (Syriac, Arabic), tapestries (Septuagint), perhaps spreads and coverings of beds (Menochius).

[Grain (thus Montanus, Pagnine, Septuagint, Jonathan, Castalio), ‎וְחִטִּים]  And wheat (Junius and Tremellius).

[And meal (thus the Septuagint, Jonathan, Pagnine), that is, of wheat:  at the end of the verse he understands meal of legumes, that is, made from leguminous plants (Vatablus), ‎וְקָלִי [28]]  And parched (Montanus), parched ears (Junius and Tremellius), of which sort is oat flour, which is only ground parched (Malvenda out of Junius).  They brought twofold parched ears.  One sort was of wheat, and the other of legumes (Munster).

[And bean, and lentil, and roasted chick-peas, ‎וְקָלִי]  The same word as previously (Malvenda).  [The Septuagint omits it here.  The rest render it:]  parched (Montanus), meal (Pagnine, Jonathan), parched grain (Tigurinus), parched of legumes (Munster).  The word קָלִי/kali in both place is governed by the word that precedes it:  the former is, and flour וְקָלִי, that is to say, parched of flour; but the latter is, bean, and lentil, וְקָלִי, that is to say, parched of bean and lentils (Mariana, similarly Malvenda, Bochart’s A Sacred Catalogue of Animals).  And beans and lentils even parched (Junius and Tremellius).  Beans, lentils, and parched produce (Castalio).  There are two sorts of קָלִי/kali, 1.  of grains; 2.  of legumes (Bochart’s A Sacred Catalogue of Animals 2:1:9:46).

Verse 29:[29]  And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat:  for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, (2 Sam. 16:2) in the wilderness.

[And fatted calves]  Calves giving milk (Septuagint) [according to the Complutensian edition; but σαφφὼθ βοῶν, saphoth[30] of cattle, in the Roman edition].  ‎וּשְׁפ֣וֹת בָּקָ֔ר,[31] and the stand-outs of the cattle; that is, the most excellent and fattest cattle (Malvenda).  And the congealings of the cow (Montanus).  Cheeses of the cow, or bovine (Pagnine, Tigurinus, Syriac, Munster, Castalio, Malvenda).  Cheeses of the milk of cows (Jonathan, Bochart’s A Sacred Catalogue of Animals out of the Hebrews).  So called, either, from its more eminent or projecting form, whence also cheese is called גְּבִינָה/curd/cheese[32] (Malvenda); or from שָׁפָה, which to the Hebrews and Chaldeans signifies, among other things, to filter, or to percolate; but cheese is produced not otherwise than by percolation, so that the whey might flow out.  See Job 10:10; and Tibullus’ Elegies 2:3[33] (Bochart’s A Sacred Catalogue of Animals 1:2:32:316).  The milk of cows (Arabic).

In the wilderness:  that is, having been in the wilderness; which is an easy and common ellipsis.  Or, because of (so the Hebrew particle ב/beth is oft used) the wilderness, which they have passed through, in which provisions are very scarce.

[1] Hebrew:  ‎וַיָּ֣קָם דָּוִ֗ד וְכָל־הָעָם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתּ֔וֹ וַיַּעַבְר֖וּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן עַד־א֣וֹר הַבֹּ֗קֶר עַד־אַחַד֙ לֹ֣א נֶעְדָּ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־עָבַ֖ר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּֽן׃

[2] See John 6:39; 10:28; 17:12.

[3] Hebrew:  ‎ואֲחִיתֹ֣פֶל רָאָ֗ה כִּ֣י לֹ֣א נֶעֶשְׂתָה֘ עֲצָתוֹ֒ וַיַּחֲבֹ֣שׁ אֶֽת־הַחֲמ֗וֹר וַיָּ֜קָם וַיֵּ֤לֶךְ אֶל־בֵּיתוֹ֙ אֶל־עִיר֔וֹ וַיְצַ֥ו אֶל־בֵּית֖וֹ וַיֵּחָנַ֑ק וַיָּ֕מָת וַיִּקָּבֵ֖ר בְּקֶ֥בֶר אָבִֽיו׃ ס

[4] Hebrew:  ‎נֶעֶשְׂתָה.

[5] Hebrew:  ‎וַיְצַ֥ו אֶל־בֵּית֖וֹ.

[6] 2 Kings 20:1:  “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death.  And the prophet Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order (‎צַ֣ו לְבֵיתֶ֔ךָ); for thou shalt die, and not live.”

[7] See Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36, 37.

[8] Isaiah 38:1:  “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death.  And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Set thine house in order (‎צַ֣ו לְבֵיתֶ֔ךָ):  for thou shalt die, and not live.”

[9] 2 Samuel 17:23:  “And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself (‎וַיֵּחָנַק; καὶ ἀπήγξατο, in the Septuagint), and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.”

[10] Matthew 27:5:  “And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself (ἀπήγξατο).”

[11] See James 3:17.

[12] Hebrew:  ‎וְדָוִ֖ד בָּ֣א מַחֲנָ֑יְמָה וְאַבְשָׁלֹ֗ם עָבַר֙ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֔ן ה֕וּא וְכָל־אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עִמּֽוֹ׃

[13] Hebrew:  ‎מַחֲנָיְמָה.

[14] Joshua 21:38.

[15] Hebrew: ‎וְאֶת־עֲמָשָׂ֗א שָׂ֧ם אַבְשָׁלֹ֛ם תַּ֥חַת יוֹאָ֖ב עַל־הַצָּבָ֑א וַעֲמָשָׂ֣א בֶן־אִ֗ישׁ וּשְׁמוֹ֙ יִתְרָ֣א הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִ֔י אֲשֶׁר־בָּא֙ אֶל־אֲבִיגַ֣ל בַּת־נָחָ֔שׁ אֲח֥וֹת צְרוּיָ֖ה אֵ֥ם יוֹאָֽב׃

[16] Hebrew:  ‎אֲבִיגַל.

[17] 1 Samuel 25:43; 27:3; 30:5.

[18] Hebrew:  ‎הַיִּשְׂרְאֵלִי.

[19] 1 Chronicles 2:17:  “And Abigail bare Amasa:  and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmeelite (‎הַיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִי; ὁ Ἰσμαηλίτης, in the Septuagint).”

[20] Hebrew:  ‎וַיִּ֤חַן יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם אֶ֖רֶץ הַגִּלְעָֽד׃ ס

[21] Hebrew: ‎וַיְהִ֕י כְּב֥וֹא דָוִ֖ד מַחֲנָ֑יְמָה וְשֹׁבִ֙י בֶן־נָחָ֜שׁ מֵרַבַּ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־עַמּ֗וֹן וּמָכִ֤יר בֶּן־עַמִּיאֵל֙ מִלֹּ֣א דְבָ֔ר וּבַרְזִלַּ֥י הַגִּלְעָדִ֖י מֵרֹגְלִֽים׃

[22] 2 Samuel 10:2.

[23] Hebrew:  ‎מִשְׁכָּ֤ב וְסַפּוֹת֙ וּכְלִ֣י יוֹצֵ֔ר וְחִטִּ֥ים וּשְׂעֹרִ֖ים וְקֶ֣מַח וְקָלִ֑י וּפ֥וֹל וַעֲדָשִׁ֖ים וְקָלִֽי׃

[24] Hebrew:  ‎וְסַפּוֹת.

[25] Matthew 13:57; Mark 6:4; John 4:44.

[26] When Darius was a mere spearman in the Persian army, Syloson, a merchant and exile governor of Samos, gave Darius a flame-colored mantle, simply because he like it.  When Darius I rose to power, he remembered Syloson’s kindness, and helped him to retake Samos.

[27] שָׁכַב signifies to lie down.

[28] 2 Samuel 17:28:  “Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched (‎וְקָלִי), and beans, and lentiles, and parched (‎וְקָלִי)…”

[29] Hebrew: ‎וּדְבַ֣שׁ וְחֶמְאָ֗ה וְצֹאן֙ וּשְׁפ֣וֹת בָּקָ֔ר הִגִּ֧ישׁוּ לְדָוִ֛ד וְלָעָ֥ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֖וֹ לֶאֱכ֑וֹל כִּ֣י אָמְר֔וּ הָעָ֗ם רָעֵ֛ב וְעָיֵ֥ף וְצָמֵ֖א בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

[30] Σαφφὼθ/sapphoth is a Greek transliteration of שְׁפוֹת/shephot/cream/cheese.

[31] שְׁפוֹת/cream/cheese appears to be related to שָׁפָה, to sweep (off the top).

[32] גבן appears to signify to coagulate, or to be curved.

[33] Tibullus’ Elegies 2:3:13, 14:  “They say the god himself used to drive cows…and taught how to mix rennet in with fresh milk, and to curdle the milky liquid as it was stirred.”