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Verse 1. Siceleg, which had been given to David for a retreat. Hither many brave men came to join him.—Fled. Hebrew “was shut up through fear.” Calmet.—Septuagint “was under anxiety.” Bible.
EXPLANATIONS
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Historical chapter commentary
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Verse 2. Hand, like Aod. Judges 3:15. Menochius.—Brethren, of the same tribe. The opinion which they entertained of David, must have been very great, to make them expose themselves to such dangers. In adversity, true friendship and virtue shine the most. Calmet.—The hand of providence is here conspicuous. Tirinus.
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Verse 4. Thirty. Hebrew sheloshim, denotes “the officers” of the army. Calmet.—Prot. style this hero “Ismaiah.”
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Verse 6. Jesbaam. Probably the second after Joab. Calmet. 11:11. Bible.—Of Carehim. Hebrew “the Korhites.” Ken.—So also the Septuagint There were Levites, descendants of Core. Menochius.
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Verse 8. Gaddi, a city of the tribe of Gad, (2 Kennicott. 23) from which many went to join David, when he was in the country of Moab, ( Menochius.) as others of the Gadites did, verse 14.—Mountains. A fierce countenance and swiftness were much commended in soldiers. “The eyes are always first conquered.” Primi in omnibus præliis oculi vincuntur, says Tacitus, Mor. Germ. Calmet. See Proverbs 30:30, 2 Kennicott. 2:18. Menochius.
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Verse 14. Thousand, after David had ascended the throne. Calmet.—At Siceleg he had only 600. Menochius.—Some suppose that each of these officers was worth 100 men, and so forth Vatab.
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Verse 15. Month, Nisan. Tirinus.—Banks. This circumstance enhances their courage. Maundrel (Alep. p. 136) went to see the Jordan, 13th March, 1697, but the river was nine feet from the banks. Its rapidity has perhaps made its bed so much deeper, that it does not overflow so frequently at present. Calmet.
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Verse 16. Hold, in Moab, (1 Kennicott. 22:4. D. Menochius.) or to Siceleg. The people of Benjamin come with those of Juda, to avoid suspicion. Calmet.
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Verse 17. Hands. At that time he had done no injury to any man. Bible.
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Verse 18. Spirit of God ( Calmet. or good will. D.) prompted Amasai, the chief of “the officers.” Calmet.—Band, or “of a company.” Bible.
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Verse 19. Fight. They joined him after he had left the Philistines. Calmet.—But he. Hebrew “they helped them not.” Neither David nor his partizans were involved in this danger, which might have caused their fidelity to be suspected. 1 Kennicott. 29. Bible.
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Verse 20. Thousands: heads of the principal cities. Mic. 5:2. D.
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Verse 21. Rovers of Amalec, 1 Kennicott. 30:1.
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Verse 22. Of God; very great, ( Calmet.) particularly when Isboseth was slain 2 Kennicott. 5:1. Bible.—The angels are to us innumerable, Job 25. An army in concord is compared to them. Worthington.
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Verse 27. Joiada had the post of Eleazar over the Levites, (Numbers 3:32) and was at the head of the warriors of his tribe, while Abiathar was high priest. Calmet.
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Verse 28. Of excellent. Hebrew “of great valour.” Saul had appointed him in the place of Achimelec, and David permitted him to retain his dignity.
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Verse 29. Followed. Hebrew “kept guard at the palace.” These guards submitted to David, like the rest, after the death of Isboseth. Calmet.
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Verse 31. Manasses, west of the Jordan. See verse 37. Bible.
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Verse 32. Should, in agricultural pursuits, in which those of Issachar excelled. Genesis 49:14. Countrymen have often more skill about the weather, then the greatest astronomers, Virg. Georg. i. Menochius. Tirinus.—Others think that these men could calculate when the festivals would occur, (Saint Jerome Trad.) or they were well versed in politics, and so forth See Esther 1:13.
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Verse 40. Nephthali. All, both far and near, contributed to regale the deputies. Calmet.