Bible Commentaries

And when David was a little past the ^a top [of the hill], behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred [loaves] of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

(a) Which was the hill of olives, (2 Samuel 15:30).

And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The ^b asses [be] for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.

(b) Commonly there are no viler traitors than they, who under the pretence of friendship accuse others.

And when king David came to ^c Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name [was] Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.

(c) Which was a city in the tribe of Benjamin.

And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men [were] on his ^d right hand and on his left.

(d) That is, round about him.

The LORD hath returned upon thee all the ^e blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou [art taken] in thy mischief, because thou [art] a bloody man.

(e) Reproaching him, as though by his means Ishbosheth and Abner were slain.

And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath ^f said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?

(f) David felt that this was the judgment of God for his sin, and therefore humbles himself to his rod.

It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will ^g requite me good for his cursing this day.

(g) Meaning, that the Lord will send comfort to his, when they are oppressed.

And the king, and all the people that [were] with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves ^h there.

(h) That is, at Bahurim.

And Absalom said to Hushai, [Is] this thy kindness to thy ⁱ friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?

(i) Meaning, David.

And ^k Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that [are] with thee be strong.

(k) Suspecting the change of the kingdom, and so his own overthrow, he gives such counsel as might most hinder his father's reconciliation: and also declare to the people that Absalom was in highest authority.

And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, [was] as if a man had ^l enquired at the oracle of God: so [was] all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

(l) It was so esteemed for the success of it.