2Sa 17:1 Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:
This night - The night of the day on which David fled, and Absalom entered into Jerusalem. Ahithophel’s idea was to fall upon David by surprise, and in the first confusion of the surprised army to seize and kill David only.
Let me now choose out twelve thousand men - out of those that were with Absalom, which shows their number to be large. Had this counsel been followed, David and his little troop would soon have been destroyed; nothing but the miraculous interposition of God could have saved them. Twelve thousand chosen troops coming against him, in his totally unprepared state, would have soon settled the business of the kingdom. Ahithophel well saw that, this advice neglected, all was lost.
Moreover, Ahithophel said unto Absalom - Either at the same time, or quickly after he had given the foregoing advice:
I will arise and pursue after David - he took upon him to be general of the army, as well as a counselor.
2Sa 17:2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:
I will come upon him while he is weary - With traveling, and with grief, and when endeavoring to get some rest by sleep, and so surprise him unawares, when not on his guard, and in no posture of defense.
weak handed - while the number of men with him is small, and before the people from different parts can come to his assistance:
2Sa 17:3 And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.
The man whom thou seekest - namely, David. Ahithophel means to say: “If I can only smite David, there will be no civil war, all the people will peaceably submit.” Only secure David, and all Israel will be on thy side. He is the soul of the whole; destroy him, and all the rest will yield obedience to Absalom as the rightful heir and successor.
2Sa 17:4 And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.
all elders of Israel - it is strange that the elders of Israel should be pleased with it, and agree to and determine upon the death of a prince, who had so many years ruled them with justice and equity, clemency and mercy; and fought their battles for them, and raised their nation to such a pitch of glory it never had before.
2Sa 17:5 Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith.
call now Hushai the Archite - there is something very remarkable in the providence of God, to incline Absalom to have the opinion of Hushai upon this point, when the counsel of Ahithophel was so universally approved of; this can only be ascribed to the will of God, to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, and the wisdom of divine Providence in blinding the mind of Absalom with respect to his counsel, and inclining it to take the opinion of Hushai:
2Sa 17:6 And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not; speak thou.
2Sa 17:7 And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.
2Sa 17:8 For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.
As a bear robbed of her whelps - All wild beasts are very furious when robbed of their young.
they be chafed in their minds - or "bitter in soul"; not merely filled with trouble and anguish, and depressed in their spirits, on account of that, as the phrase sometimes signifies; but enraged and full of wrath at the rebellion raised against their prince, which obliged them with him to leave their habitations; and now being desperate, their all lying at stake, their wives and children, their families and estates, they would fight furiously in the defense of the king and themselves, and not so soon flee as Ahithophel had represented:
2Sa 17:9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.
Some pit, or in some other place - The Hebrew has “in one of the pits,” or “in one of the places.” Hence, “place” must have some defined meaning. It probably is used here, as elsewhere, for a “dwelling-house” or “village,” which might in that district be fortified houses 2Sa_17:12;
in some pit, or in some other place - Some lurking place, as he was acquainted with many when he fled from Saul, and where he preserved himself from him; so that he could never take him, as he would now from Absalom, as he insinuates: but this is not all; not only by this means he would shelter himself, and be in safety; but lying thus concealed with others, and in ambush, there would be danger of his staring out of his hiding place when opportunity should offer, and falling on some of Absalom's troops unawares:
when some of them be overthrown at the first - that is, some of Absalom's party, on whom David and his men coming out of an ambush should fall, and make a slaughter among them first, before they could do anything of consequence; and so having got the first advantage, it would serve to animate them, and dishearten their enemies: Hushai’s argument is that there was no chance of seizing David by surprise as Ahithophel suggested. There was sure to be sharp fighting, and the terror of the names of David, Joab, Abishai, Ittai, and their companions, would magnify the first few blows received into a victory, and Absalom’s men would flee in panic. It is likely that Absalom was not a man of courage, and Hushai, knowing this, adroitly magnified the terror of the warlike prowess of David and his mighty men.
a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom - there has been a defeat of them, and that may cause a defection.
2Sa 17:10 And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men.
he also that is valiant shall utterly melt - That is, whoever should hear of Absalom's forces, or a part of them, being routed, would be intimidated, though ever so courageous, his heart would fail, he would melt like water, Jos_7:5; should he meet with such a rebuff at first setting out.
Whose heart is like the heart of a lion - A lion is well known for its courage as well as strength, and has not only a fierce countenance, hence we read of lion-like men in their faces, 2Sa_23:20; but has a courageous heart.
2Sa 17:11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.
all Israel be generally gathered unto thee - not all the inhabitants of the land, but such as are fit to bear arms. This is opposed to the counsel of Ahithophel, which was only to select twelve thousand men, and send them against David at once; and this is designed chiefly to gain time, since such a collection could not be made soon, and so David would have more time to get farther off, and to prepare the better for his defense; and this advice might be the more agreeable to Absalom, as it promised a greater certainty of success through numbers, and might feed the vanity and ambition of that prince to have such a large army under him, as well as suggested that all Israel were on his side, and at his command.
thou go to battle in thine own person - this was another part of his advice opposed to the counsel of Ahithophel, who proposed to have the command of the twelve thousand men himself, and to leave Absalom at Jerusalem; now Hushai suggests that it would be more to his interest and his honor to take command of the army himself, and go in person into the field of battle; since this would serve to animate his soldiers, when they saw their prince at the head of them, and he would have the glory of the victory, which he might insinuate hereby Ahithophel sought to deprive him of. This advice Hushai was directed to give, and which was taken, that Absalom might fall in battle.
2Sa 17:12 So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.
As the dew - Like the drops of dew, in the vast number of our host, and in our irresistible and unavoidable descent upon our enemies.
So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found - For such a numerous army, which would be spread abroad, could not well fail of finding him out, let him be in what lurking place he would; whereas he might lie concealed, and escape so small a number as twelve thousand men:
2Sa 17:13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.
all Israel shall bring ropes to that city - In besieging a town, hooks or cranes were often thrown upon the walls or turrets, by which, with ropes attached to them, the besiegers, uniting all their force, pulled down the fortifications in a mass of ruins.
2Sa 17:14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.
Absalom and all the men of Israel said - That is, the elders, who before approved of the counsel of Ahithophel.
for the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel - for so it was to Absalom and his party the best and wisest that could be given them; but it was the Lord's will it should be defeated, and therefore the minds of Absalom and of the elders of Israel were blinded:
to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom - his person and cause; that his cause might be ruined, and he himself slain in battle.
2Sa 17:15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.
Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar - After he was returned from the council board, he immediately went to these priests, who he knew were in the interest of David, and to whom he was to communicate, and by them transmit, what passed at Jerusalem, 2Sa_15:35.
2Sa 17:16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.
Now therefore send quickly and tell David - What has been advised to on both sides: Hushai, like a wise and prudent man, knowing, too, Absalom’s weak and fickle character, would not depend upon the resolution, taken at his instigation, not to pursue the king, but took instant measures to advertise David of his danger.
saying, lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness - this advice he gave, because he knew not whether Absalom and the elders of Israel might change their minds, and Ahithophel might, by the strength of his oratory, prevail upon them after all to follow his advice; and therefore, to guard against the worst, he judged it most prudential in David to make all the haste he could from that place where he was; for, if Ahithophel's counsel should take place, he would be in pursuit of him that very night:
2Sa 17:17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and they went and told king David.
A wench - Hebrew “the maid servant,” namely, of the high priest, either Zadok or Abiathar, or possibly one employed in some service in the temple courts. The word wench occurs nowhere else in the Holy Scriptures. In every other place where the word occurs, translators render it handmaid, bondmaid, maiden, womanservant, maidservant, and servant.
Enrogel - The fullers’ well; the place where they were accustomed to tread the clothes with their feet;
2Sa 17:18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down.
whither they went down - to hide themselves from their pursuers, it being dry, as sometimes wells were in the summertime: Josephus says, a woman let them down by a rope.
which had a well in his court — The court was that of the house, and the well an empty cistern. All the houses of the better class are furnished with such reservoirs. Nothing could more easily happen than that one of these wells, in consequence of a deficiency of water, should become dry and it would then answer as a place of retreat, such as David’s friends found in the man’s house at Bahurim. The spreading of a covering over the well’s mouth for the drying of corn is a common practice.
2Sa 17:19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.
Ground corn - Or “peeled barley,” which she spread out as if for the purpose of drying it in the sun.
spread ground corn thereon - just taken out of the mill, before it was sifted, while in the bran; or grain unhusked, or just threshed out, in order to be dried in the sun, and then parched; or wheat bruised for that purpose.
2Sa 17:20 And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.
Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house - As soon as ever she had hid the men she went into the house, as if busy about her usual occupations. Had Absalom’s servants, who had had information from some of the people of Bahurim that the men had come to this house, found her in the court it might have directed their attention to the peeled barley.
when they had sought and could not find them - not only had they searched that house, but very probably others in Bahurim:
2Sa 17:21 And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.
pass quickly over the water - the river Jordan:
2Sa 17:22 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.
by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan - they traveled all night, and before it was morning they had all passed the river in boats, or through the fords.
2Sa 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, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.
Put his household in order - This self-murder could not be called lunacy, as every step to it was deliberate. Ahithophel was probably influenced by deep mortification at the slight put upon him by rejecting his counsel. He foresaw Absalom’s ruin; and he did not choose to witness it, and share in the disgrace: and he could expect no mercy at the hands of David. He was a very bad man, and died an unprepared and accursed death.
hanged himself - so to his other sins added that of suicide, which was done deliberately, as the preceding clause shows; this he did, partly because his proud spirit could not bear it that his counsel should be slighted; and partly because he plainly foresaw that the cause of Absalom would be ruined by neglecting his counsel and following that of Hushai's, whereby he himself would fall into the hands of David, and be put to death by him as a traitor. He had an imitator in Judas, who resembled him in his treason, as well as in his infamous end.
was buried in the sepulchre of his father - though he died an ignominious death, he had an honorable burial.
2Sa 17:24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.
Then David came to Mahanaim - A city on the other side Jordan in the tribe of Gad, Jos_13:26, famous for its being the place where the angels of God met Jacob, Gen_32:1; and was for some time the seat of Ishbosheth the son of Saul, 2Sa_2:8; The same reasons which induced Abner to choose it for Ishbosheth probablv made it a good rallying point for David. It was a strong city, in a well-provisioned country, with a mountainous district for retreat in case of need, and with a warlike and friendly population.
Absalom passed over Jordan - not directly after David, but some time after, when, according to the counsel of Hushai, he had gathered all the warlike men of Israel to him that he could, and with this army pursued his father;
2Sa 17:25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.
Ithra an Israelite - Or “Jether the Ishmeelite” 1Ch_2:17 And Abigail bore Amasa. And the father of Amasa was Jether, the Ishmaelite. He is called Jether the Ishmaelite, 1Ch_2:17; either because he was an Ishmaelite by birth, and being proselyted to the Jewish religion, was called an Israelite; or rather he was an Israelite by birth, and having sojourned in the land of Ishmael some time, was called an Ishmaelite, as Uriah the Hittite, and others.
Abigail the daughter of Nahash - If Zeruiah and Abigail were Jesse’s daughters, the only probable way of reconciling our text with 1Ch_2:16-17 Their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah were Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel, three. And Abigail bore Amasa. And the father of Amasa was Jether, the Ishmaelite. is to suppose that Nahash was Jesse’s wife. If Zeruiah and Abigail were only sisters of David by the mother, then Nahash might be the name of her first husband.
Abigail the daughter of Nahash - so that Joab and Amasa, the generals of David and Absalom, were own cousins, sisters' children, and David uncle to them both; for Abigail and Zeruiah were David's sisters, 1Ch_2:16; children of Jesse, whose name is here called Nahash, having two names, or this was his surname; though others think Nahash is the name of a woman, the wife of Jesse, and that these two sisters had two mothers, but one father; it seems by this expression, "went in to", as if Amasa was not begotten in the conjugal state, but was illegitimate. Thought by some to be another name of Jesse, or according to others, the name of Jesse’s wife. Some of the early commentators have concluded that Abigail and Zeruiah were only step-sisters of David, i.e., daughters of his mother by Nahash and not by Jesse.
Abigail the daughter of Nahash - Nahash is 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.
Amasa captain of the host - From the account in this verse, it appears that Joab and Amasa were sisters’ children, and both nephews to David.
2Sa 17:26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.
the land of Gilead - Which belonged to the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh; here the Israelites that were with Absalom encamped, in order to give battle to David and his men.
2Sa 17:27 And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,
Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim - Barzillai was ancestor, through a daughter, to a family of priests, who were called after him “sons of Barzillai,” and who returned from captivity with Zerubbabel, but were not allowed to officiate as priests, or eat of the holy things, through defect of a proper register Ezr_2:61-63 And of the sons of the priests, the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Koz, the sons of Barzillai (who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name). These looked for their register among those who were counted by genealogy, but they were not found. Therefore they were polluted from the priesthood. And the governor said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things until there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim. It is likely that being wealthy they had neglected their priestly privileges, as a means of maintenance, before the captivity.
Rogelim - Rogelim was situated in the highlands of Gilead, but the exact situation is not known. It had its name from the "fullers" who dwelt here for the convenience of fountains of water to wash their clothes in, being the plural of the word “Rogel,” in “En-Rogel,” 2Sa_17:17.
Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar - the same that brought up Mephibosheth, from whom David received him and took him off of his hands, for which now he requited him, 2Sa_9:4-6 And the king said to him, Where is he? And Ziba said to the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar. And King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar. And Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, and fell on his face and bowed to him. And David said, Mephibosheth! And he answered, Behold your servant!
Shobi, the son of Nahash - or Rabbah, the capital of the Ammonites (see 2Sa_11:1), was possibly a son of Nahash the deceased king of the Ammonites, and brother of Hanun, who was defeated by David (2Sa_10:1-2), and one of those to whom David had shown favour and kindness when Rabbah was taken. At the same time, it is also quite possible that Shobi may have been an Israelite, who was merely living in the capital of the Ammonites, which had been incorporated into the kingdom of David, as it is evident from 2Sa_17:25 that Nahash was not an uncommon name among the Israelites. Shobi 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
2Sa 17:28 Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse,
When David came to Mahanaim, some of the wealthier citizens of the land to the east of the Jordan supplied the men who were with him with provisions. This is mentioned as the first sign that the people had not all fallen away from David, but that some of the more distinguished men were still firm in their adherence.
The supplies they brought, which (besides beds for the weary) consisted of the staple produce of their rich lands and pastures, may be classified as follows: eatables - wheat, barley, flour, beans, lentils, sheep, and cheese; drinkables - “honey and butter” or cream, which, being mixed together, form a thin, diluted beverage, light, cool, and refreshing. Being considered a luxurious refreshment (Son_4:11), the supply of it shows the high respect that was paid to David by his loyal and faithful subjects at Mahanaim.
Brought beds - For David and his men, who, fleeing from Jerusalem in haste, could bring none with them, and therefore were ill provided while in the plains of the wilderness. 2 Samuel 17:28 brought ten embroidered beds, (with double coverings,) and ten caldrons, and earthenware, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and meal, and beans, and pulse, (Septuagint) The Septuagint version says there were ten of them, and that they were of tapestry, wrought on both sides.
2Sa 17:29 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, in the wilderness.
Cheese of kine - milch cows made of the milk of cows. God’s care for David was evident in the kindness of these people.
