.*. This circumſtance of time is noted. partly as an aggravation »F Abſalom's malice, which was ſo inveterate and imp!acable + and
artly as an a& of 4ſaloms Policy, that both Ammon and David 11.ht more ſecurely comply with his detires, as being now free om all ſuſpicion of revenge. h According to the manner of thoſe ancient times, when Princes did not give themſelves up to ſloth ind Juxury, bur ſpent theirtime and pains in ſome honeit employ- ment. z Either, Firſt, The Ciry cailed Ephraim, or Ephrem, John I. 54. Or, Secondly, The Tribe of Ephraim, towards or nigh into which this place was fituzte.
24 And Ablalom c :me tothe king, and ſaid, Behold, 10w, thy ſervant hath ſheep-ſhearers, Let the king, I
eſeech thee, and his ſervants go with thy ſervant &.
k To the Feaſt, which was uſual upon thoſe occaſions. See Gen. 38. 12 1 Sam. 25. 7, Its
25 And the king {aid to Abſalom, Nay, my ſon, let 15 not all now go, leſt we bs chargeable unto thee. And he preſſed him /: howbeic he would not go, but
bleſſed him m.
I Pretending great deſire of his preſence there, to prevent any jexlouſtes. which otherways he thought would ariſe in the breaſt of a King ſo wiſe and experienced, and under the expeQation of God's dicadful judgements to be inflifted upon his Family. #: Diſmiiſed him with thanks for his kindneſs, and with his Fatherly Bleſſing-
26 Then faid Abſalom, if not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us ». And the King ſaid unto him, Why ihould he go with thee?
n For theKing deſigned ( as thefollowing words ſhew ) to kecp himat home with him as being his eldeſt Son, and Heir of his King- dom: otherways Abſalom would never have made particular mentt-
f Heb. ws
on of him ; which now he was forced to do. Nordid this deſire of Annm's preſence want ſpecious Pretences, as that ſeing the King vw ould not. he who was next to him, might honour. him with his Company ; and that this might be a manifeſt and publick token of that Love and triendſhip which was between him and his Bro« ther, notwithſtanding the tormer occaſion of differences oO 238, But
Chap. Xl T C
10, ent, 1 have mandec + Heb of wala
+ Heb rode.
+ Heb. wut.
| Or,ſet
{ Heb.
according the wora thy ſerwus
f Hebs With a Preat we ing great | Or, 4 mhur,
*1Sam 24. 10! Pfal; 16: h Or, W, emſumed,
T!
LF Chap. x11,
Or wil
i. a
27 But Abſalom preſſed him, that he let Amnon and all the kings ſons go with him 0.
0 Tr is frange that his urgent defire of 4907's company raiſed no ſuſpicion in ſo wiſe a King ; but God blinded hisMind that he might execute his judgements upon David, and bring upon 4- 2m the juſt puniſhment of his lewdnels. :
28 © Now Abſalom had commanded his fervants. ſaying, Mark ye now when Amnons heart is merry wich winep, and when I ſay unto you, Smite Amnon, then kill bim, fear not: || have not I commanded you
_ ſce q ? be couragious, and be Þ valiante
Jhove cn 1 manded you? evil:
2 When he leaſt ſuſpeRs, and will be moſt unable to prevent the q I who am the King's Son, and, when Armor is gone, his
+ Heb-/ons Heir : who therefore ſhall cafily obtain pardon for you, and will -
of valour.
+ Heb, rode.
Heb. (.
| Or,ſetled.
{ Heb.
according to
the word of thy ſervant.
f Heb» With a great weep. ng greatly
| Or, 4%. mourned for his ſon every day.
muy,
* 1 Sam, 24. 10!
Pal; 16; 2:NON, ſeeing he was dead.
Or, was emſumed,
berally reward you. :
29 And the ſervants of Abſalom did unto Amnon as
Abſalom had commanded : then all the. kings fonsa- roſe, and every man Þ gat him up upoi his mule 7,and fled.
» Which were in uſe amongſt the Iſraelites See 1 King. 23. 33- For though they might not promote ſuch mixed kinds of procrea- ation, Levit. 19. 19. yet they might uſe creatures ſo engendred.
30 T Anditcame to paſs, while they were 1a the way, that tidings came to David, ſaying, Abſalom hath ſlain all the kings ſons /, and there is not one of them left.
Which was not improbable, when the Sword was once drawn among them, and one of them killed, which might provoke thereſt to draw their Swords , both to defend themſelves, and to revenge their Brother's death, and thereby occaſion the death of all. And God ſuffered this falſe report to be ſpread for David s greater ter- ror and humiliation.that he who had formerly rejoyced in the tid- ings of Uriah's death might now be tormented with the report of the death of all his Sons. ;
31 Then the king aroſe, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth, and all his ſervants ſtood by with their clothes rent.
22 And Jonadab the ſon of Shimeah, Davids bro- ther ?, anſwered and ſaid, Let not my lord ſuppoſe that they have ſlain all the young men the kings {ons : for Amnon only is dead. for by the j appointment « of Aoſalom this hath been || determined; from the day that he forced his ſiſter Tamar.
t A Man of great eraft and ſubtilty, and one that had exattknow- ledge of 4mnon's Fa&, and of Abſalom's Temper: » Or, by the com- mand ; Heb. mouth, put for command, Numb 3-16, x It was reſolved from that time 1n his Breaſt * but the word of command was not then given to others ; forthet would probably have hindred his de- ſign. But all this he ſeems to have ſpoken fioma probable conjec- ture rather than of certain knowledge, as appears by the ſequel,
33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to heart, to think tnat all the kings 10ns are dead: for Ammon only is dead. |
24 But Abſalom fled y» And the young man that” kept the watch lift up hiseyes, and looked,and behold, there came much people by che way of the hill-fide be- hind him &.
}He v ho had undertaken todefend hisServants flies for his own life. 2 Behind the Watchman : for it ſcems they did nor come 1n the diretRod. where the Watchman looked for them, but ( for ſome reaſon or fanſie th-y had ) ferched a compaſs, and came that way which heleaſt expected them. :
25 And Jonadab ſaid unto the King, Behold the Kings ſons come: Þ as thy ſervant ſaid, 1o it is.
35 Andirt came to paſs as ſoon as he had made an end of ſpeaking, that behold, the kings ſons came,and lifr up their voice and wept: and the king alſo and his ſervants wept Þ very fore.
37 C Bur Abſalom fled, and went to Talmai, the ſon of || Ammihud King of Geſhur *, : and David
©. His Mothers Father, 2 Sam. 2. 3, that he might have preſent proteCtion and ſuſtenance from him ; and that by his mediation he might obtajn his Father's pardon and favour.
28 So Abſalom tled, and went co Gefbur, and was there three years.