Poole on 2 Samuel 19:1-8: David's Grief, Joab's Rebuke

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Verse 1:[1]  And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.

It was told Joab, by his messengers, upon their return.

Verse 2:[2]  And the victory (Heb. salvation, or, deliverance[3]) that day was turned into mourning unto all the people:  for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.

[Victory was turned unto mourning]  Hebrew:  salvation was made into mourning;[4] that is, was converted into mourning, as in Exodus 4:3, it was made (that is, converted) into a serpent[5] (Piscator).  The reasons for this mourning were:  1.  The transgression of the commandment of the king concerning Absalom (Martyr).  2.  The sorrow of the king (Sanchez).  While the king was mourning, it was not fitting that the people celebrate.  3.  Victories in civil war are wont to be mournful, with some missing relatives, others friends, etc. (Menochius).

Verse 3:[6]  And the people gat them by stealth that day (2 Sam. 19:32) into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

[And the people turned aside, etc., ‎לָב֣וֹא הָעִ֑יר—וַיִּתְגַּנֵּ֥ב הָעָ֛ם]  And the people stole away by entering (coming [Junius]) into the city (Montanus), or, that they might enter the city (Pagnine).  It was coming stealthily into the city (Junius and Tremellius, similarly Castalio, Vatablus, Tigurinus), not with triumph, as victors are wont to do (although even among the Romans they were not triumphing in a civil victory [Martyr]); but as those that by flight were escaped and defeated (Vatablus).  They withdrew themselves stealthily from the entrance of the city (Munster).  From the entering of the city (Septuagint, similarly the Syraic, Arabic, Osiander, Mariana).  Perhaps they entered into the city through not through that gat in which the king was, but through other gates, secretly and stealthily (Menochius).

Gat them by stealth:  Not openly, and orderly, and triumphantly, as conquerors use to do; but secretly, and disorderly, and asunder, as if they were afraid and ashamed, lest David should see them, and look upon them with an evil eye, as those that had a hand in the killing of his dearly beloved son.

Verse 4:[7]  But the king (2 Sam. 15:30) covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, (2 Sam. 18:33) O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

[He covered his head]  Either, out of modesty, lest so great a king should appear openly to weep (Malvenda out of Vatablus); or according to the custom of mourners (Munster, Vatablus, Menochius).  See what things are on 2 Samuel 19 (Tirinus).  Thus the painter depicted Agamemnon mourning with his head wrapped (Martyr).

The king covered his face, as a deep mourner, as one that desired neither to see, nor to be seen by any others.

Verse 5:[8]  And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines…

[Joab, entering, etc.]  He did not console him, but reprehended him, and that sharply and insolently, although he was both his king and his uncle.  Yet others say that the circumstances of the time demanded vehemence of speech; for defection was imminent, and because he was speaking for the king’s advantage, not his own (Martyr).  Joab is like Gaius Silius[9] in Tacitus’ Annals 4, and Antonius Primus[10] in Tacitus’ Histories 3, 4, immoderate in speech, unaccustomed to obedience, excessive in relating what things had won.  Privileges so immoderately boasted of fetch odium rather than favor (Grotius).

[Into the house, ‎הַבָּיִת]  In the place of ‎הַבָּיִתָה, with the directional ה missing.  Into the house where the king was staying, whether he was yet in the upper room, or had descended thence (Piscator).

Joab came into the house; either the gate-house, or his now dwelling-house in the city, to which he was retired, that he might more freely indulge himself in the expressions of his grief.

[Thou hast confounded, ‎הֹבַשְׁתָּ [11]]  Thou hast shamed (Vatablus in Lapide, Junius and Tremellius); that is to say, thou hast caused thy victorious army to be ashamed of their achievement (Junius).  Thou hast made them sad (Arabic).  Thou hast dried up their faces, etc., that is, thou hast made them dry and flaccid because of grief (Malvenda).

Thou hast shamed the faces of all thy servants, by disappointing their just hopes of praises and rewards, and by requiting them with contempt and tacit rebukes.

[Who have saved thy soul]  That is, thy life (Piscator, Menochius), against which Absalom had conspired (Menochius).

[And of thy sons]  Whom he would have killed, in order to establish his rule, just as Abimelech had done, Judges 9:5 (Menochius).  He thus magnifies the ingratitude of the king (Martyr).  Seneca, in Of Consolation:  to Marcia:  With his children and grandchildren sitting near, he did not put off his mourning garment, not without an affront to all his own, of whom, although safe, he was appearing bereft.  And in the same place:  This is indeed the nature of mortals, that nothing is more pleasing that what has been lost; we are quite prejudiced against the things that remain, out of a desire for what has been taken away. (Gataker). 

Thy life, and the lives of thy sons, and of thy daughters, and of thy wives, and of thy concubines; all which Absalom struck at, and had sooner or later actually taken away, if he had not been cut off in such a manner, without expecting thy knowledge or consent; and therefore thy carriage towards them that have saved the lives of thee and thine, with the utmost hazard of their own, is highly unjust and ungrateful.

Verse 6:[12]  In that thou lovest (Heb. by loving,[13] etc.) thine enemies, and hatest thy friends.  For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants (Heb. that princes or servants are not to thee[14]):  for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.

[Thou lovest those hating thee, etc.]  He speaks expressly and categorically; he does not say, thou appearest to love, etc. (Martyr).

[Thou hast declared this day, that thou carest not for thy princes, etc.,כִּ֣י אֵ֤ין לְךָ֙ שָׂרִ֣ים וַעֲבָדִ֔ים]  That not to thee (understanding, either there are concerns for [Pagnine, Munster], or are valued [Junius and Tremellius, Arabic]) princes and servants (Montanus, Jonathan); that they are nothing to thee, that is, that they are esteemed by thee as nothing (Piscator).  Thou carest so little, as if to thee they were non-existent (Martyr).  Thou hast declared that thou hast neither children nor servants (Syriac).

[Then that would please thee]  This is false; for he was desiring his own to be unharmed, but Absalom also (Menochius).  He wanted his son to be kept for a while (Martyr).

Thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends, etc.:  This is not to be understood as exactly true in the rigour of it, but only comparatively and hyperbolically spoken; for David desired their preservation and Absalom’s too:  but it must be considered that Joab was now in a high transport of passion, which might easily hurry him into indecent expressions; and that David’s carriage gave too much colour to such a suggestion; and that such sharpness of speech was in a manner necessary to awaken the king out of his lethargy, and to preserve him from the impendent mischiefs.

Verse 7:[15]  Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants (Heb. to the heart of thy servants,[16] Gen. 34:3[17]):  for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night:  and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

[Arise, etc.]  He adds, not advise, but a command.  He appears to be a man speaking with his own servant (Martyr).

[And, addressing thy servants, give satisfaction to them, etc.]  Hebrew:  and speak to the heart,[18] that is, sweetly and gently, what will be pleasing to thy servants (Vatablus).  Congratulate them on their victory, and bestow, or at least promise, honors and rewards (Martyr).

I swear by the Lord:  this oath was either assertory of what he believed might in reason be expected, as likely in great measure to come to pass; or else promissory; or rather, minatory of what he by his influence could and would effect; and if so, it was much more than became him to say to his sovereign, and could only be excused by the circumstances, which at this time might make it seem necessary:  for David was indeed to blame in taking no more notice of their good service (however Joab might be faulty also in disobeying the king’s express command as to Absalom’s person); and great reason there was that David, as Joab did now advise, should show himself less displeased to the people, who had exposed their lives to preserve him and his.

[If thou go not forth (similarly all interpreters), ‎כִּי־אֵינְךָ֣ יוֹצֵ֗א]  That thou not going forth, etc. (Montanus); unless thou go forth (Syriac, Arabic) to the people, showing that what has been done by them in thy cause is pleasing to thee (Menochius).

If thou go not forth to the gate, to show thyself to thy people, and kindly and thankfully to acknowledge the good service that they have now done thee.

[There is not going to be even one remaining, ‎אִם־יָלִין]  If one will spend the night (Montanus); one will not remain with thee this night (Pagnine, Junius and Tremellius), if in the place of not (Mariana).  All, with thee deserted, will consult their own affairs (Menochius).  Seeing that they have incurred the king’s displeasure at so many hazards, they will seek another to whom they might impute those things (Grotius).  One will not spend the night, that is, at my command.  Βραχιλογία/ brachylogy[19] (Piscator).  Joab says, I will deliver the army and the kingdom to another (Josephus in Martyr).  He was so popular, that he was able to do almost anything he wished.  They will seek for themselves another king, if they are not able to have thee favorable (Martyr).

There will not tarry one with thee this night; the hearts of all thy people will forthwith be irrecoverably alienated from thee, and they will look out for some other person on whom they may set the crown.

[And this will be worse]  For in the multitude and goodwill of his subjects is the glory and well-being of the King (Martyr).

Verse 8:[20]  Then the king arose, and sat in the gate.  And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate.  And all the people came before the king:  for Israel had fled every man to his tent.

[The King arose]  From the place in which he was sitting mourning (Menochius).  He came down from the upper chamber, into which he had previously gone up, so that he might more freely mourn his son in that secluded place (Sanchez).

[And he sat in the gate]  Understanding, of the city, that is, where all were wont to assemble (Vatablus).  He does not harden his heart, but he complies with Joab:  he acknowledged that it was true; he had regard to the matter, not the words and spirit (Martyr).

The king arose, and sat in the gate; he was come forth out of his retirement, and appeared in public on the seat of judgment, at the gate of the city, to receive the addresses of his people, and mind the affairs of the kingdom.

[They came before the King]  So that they might show their zeal for him; so that they might receive the fruit of victory, and obtain rewards and honors (Martyr).

All the people came before the king, to congratulate him for the victory, and to profess their subjection to him.  So Joab’s speech, though very severe and presumptuous, was it seems a word in season, and had that good effect which he designed.

[But Israel fled]  Namely, those that had followed Absalom (Menochius).

[1] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֻּגַּ֖ד לְיוֹאָ֑ב הִנֵּ֙ה הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ בֹּכֶ֛ה וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֖ל עַל־אַבְשָׁלֹֽם׃

[2] Hebrew:  ‎וַתְּהִ֙י הַתְּשֻׁעָ֜ה בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֛וּא לְאֵ֖בֶל לְכָל־הָעָ֑ם כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֣ע הָעָ֗ם בַּיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר נֶעֱצַ֥ב הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ עַל־בְּנֽוֹ׃

[3] Hebrew:  ‎הַתְּשֻׁעָה.

[4] Hebrew:  לְאֵ֖בֶל—וַתְּהִ֙י הַתְּשֻׁעָ֜ה.

[5] Exodus 4:3:  “And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent (‎וַיְהִ֣י לְנָחָ֑שׁ); and Moses fled from before it.”

[6] Hebrew:  ‎וַיִּתְגַּנֵּ֥ב הָעָ֛ם בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא לָב֣וֹא הָעִ֑יר כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר יִתְגַּנֵּ֗ב הָעָם֙ הַנִּכְלָמִ֔ים בְּנוּסָ֖ם בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃

[7] Hebrew:  ‎וְהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לָאַ֣ט אֶת־פָּנָ֔יו וַיִּזְעַ֥ק הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ ק֣וֹל גָּד֑וֹל בְּנִי֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם בְּנִ֥י בְנִֽי׃ ס

[8] Hebrew: ‎וַיָּבֹ֥א יוֹאָ֛ב אֶל־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ הַבָּ֑יִת וַיֹּאמֶר֩ הֹבַ֙שְׁתָּ הַיּ֜וֹם אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־עֲבָדֶ֗יךָ הַֽמְמַלְּטִ֤ים אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם וְאֵ֙ת נֶ֤פֶשׁ בָּנֶ֙יךָ֙ וּבְנֹתֶ֔יךָ וְנֶ֣פֶשׁ נָשֶׁ֔יךָ וְנֶ֖פֶשׁ פִּלַגְשֶֽׁיךָ׃

[9] Gaius Silius (c. 13-48 AD) was a Roman senator, nominated as consul for 49 AD, but executed by Clausius for an affair with the empress Valeria Messalina.  He is remembered as unusually intelligent and attractive.

[10] Marcus Antonius Primus was a first century Roman senator and general.  He is remembered as brave and cunning, but also as avaricious and extravagant.

[11] Here, בּוֹשׁ, to be ashamed, is in the Hiphil conjugation, which frequently carries a causative sense.

[12] Hebrew: ‎לְאַֽהֲבָה֙ אֶת־שֹׂ֣נְאֶ֔יךָ וְלִשְׂנֹ֖א אֶת־אֹהֲבֶ֑יךָ כִּ֣י׀ הִגַּ֣דְתָּ הַיּ֗וֹם כִּ֣י אֵ֤ין לְךָ֙ שָׂרִ֣ים וַעֲבָדִ֔ים כִּ֣י׀ יָדַ֣עְתִּי הַיּ֗וֹם כִּ֠י לֻ֣א אַבְשָׁל֥וֹם חַי֙ וְכֻלָּ֤נוּ הַיּוֹם֙ מֵתִ֔ים כִּי־אָ֖ז יָשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינֶֽיךָ׃

[13] Hebrew:  ‎לְאַהֲבָה.

[14] Hebrew:  ‎אֵ֤ין לְךָ֙ שָׂרִ֣ים וַעֲבָדִ֔ים.

[15] Hebrew: ‎וְעַתָּה֙ ק֣וּם צֵ֔א וְדַבֵּ֖ר עַל־לֵ֣ב עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ כִּי֩ בַיהוָ֙ה נִשְׁבַּ֜עְתִּי כִּי־אֵינְךָ֣ יוֹצֵ֗א אִם־יָלִ֙ין אִ֤ישׁ אִתְּךָ֙ הַלַּ֔יְלָה וְרָעָ֧ה לְךָ֣ זֹ֗את מִכָּל־הָרָעָה֙ אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֣אָה עָלֶ֔יךָ מִנְּעֻרֶ֖יךָ עַד־עָֽתָּה׃ ס

[16] Hebrew:  ‎עַל־לֵ֣ב עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ.

[17] Genesis 34:3:  “And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel (‎עַל־לֵ֥ב הַֽנַּעֲרָֽ׃, to the heart of the damsel).”

[18] Hebrew:  ‎וְדַבֵּ֖ר עַל־לֵ֣ב.

[19] That is, a concise form of speech.

[20] Hebrew: ‎וַיָּ֥קָם הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב בַּשָּׁ֑עַר וּֽלְכָל־הָעָ֞ם הִגִּ֣ידוּ לֵאמֹ֗ר הִנֵּ֤ה הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בַּשַּׁ֔עַר וַיָּבֹ֤א כָל־הָעָם֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נָ֖ס אִ֥ישׁ לְאֹהָלָֽיו׃ ס