q i. e. Worſhip him by the offering of Sacrifices of Thankſgiving to God, for reſtoring me to the place of his preſence and ſervice, & to my Father's favour. But why ſhould not this ſervice have been performed at Sion. or at Gibeon? Here was ſome ground of ſuſpicion; but God blinded Davia'sEyes. that he might bring upon David and upon 4bſalomthe judgements which they ceſerved, and he deſigned.
9 And the king faid unto him, GO in peace. So he
aroſe, and went to Hebron r. e This place he choſe as being an eminent City,and next to Jery-
[alem, the chiefof the Tribe of Judah, and thz place of his birth, and the place 'where his father began his Kingdom, which he took for a goed Omen,and where it is probable that he had ſecured many Friends, and' which was at ſ{>me convenient diſtance from Jeruſalem,
xo { But Abfalem ſent / ſpies throughout all the Tribes of Iſrael, ſaying, As ſoon as ye hear the ſound of the trumpet ?, then ye ſhall ſay, Abſalom reigneth in Hebron.
{ From Hebron. Or, had ſent from Jeruſa'em, that when he went to Hebron, they ſhould go into the ſeveral Tribes to ſift the people, , and to diſpoſe them to Abſalom's Party, and acquaint them with his |
derable Army for his defence and the ſuppreſſion of the Rebels. Be- ſides, the greateſt part of Jeruſalem could not be well defended a-
' gainſt him. And he ſuſpeRted that a =”-_ number of the Citizens :; might take part with Ab/alom, and po
tbly deliver him up into Abſa- lom,s hands: Beſides, if he had made that the Seat of the War, he feared the deſtruQon of that City, which he vehemently deſired to preſerve, becauſe ir was the Chief and Royal City, and the place in which God had appointed to put his Name and Worſhip. More- over, when David conſidered, that God's hand was now againſt him, and that he was now bringing evil upon him out of his own houſe, as he had threatned, _ 12. II. it 1s no wonder if he was intimida- ted and diſpoſed to flee. . EE
15 And the kings ſervants ſaid unto the King, Be-
hold, thy ſervants are ready to do whatſoever my lord + Heb.
the king ſhall Þ appoint. chiſe. 16 And * the king went forth, and all his houſhold * Pfal: 3:
+ after him c : and the king left. ten women which were gx
concubines «, to keep the houſe. "bir for c Or, on foot, by comparing v. 3o: which the King choſe to do, | rather than to ride ; partly, to humble himſelf under the hand of God ; partly, to encourage his Companions in this hard and com- fortleſs March ; and partly, to move Compaſſion in his people to- wards him. &@ For he ſuppoſed that their Sex would prote& them even among Barbarians and their relation to David would gain them ſome reſpect, and, ar leaſt, ſafety fiom his Son. But it ſeems he did not now aQtually conſider that Clauſe of the threatning con« cerning his Wives, ( God diverting his Mind toother things ) or he thought that would be accompliſhed ſome other way, con- ceiving that 4b[alom would abhor the thoughts of ſuch inceſtuous Converſe, eſpecially with Perſons which were now grown 1n Years: 17 And the king went forth, and all the people af. ter him, and tarried e in a place that was far off f+ e Either to reſt and refreſh themſelves a little : or rather in ex-
pettation of others who ſhould or would come after him, that my migh
Chap. Xy. ;
PC:
i He makes wande going f Hel * Ch:
Cedro!
JE”
f Heb. make thee wander 11 going
| Called,
Cedron.
RV.
f Heb.1go. þ a : * Cha, 2.6 fi/þ Soldiers which went with David to Gath, and came up with
II.
might March away in a conſiderable Body, which might both de- fend the King, and invite others to come into their aſlitance. f At ſome convenient diſtance, bur not very far.
13 And all his ſervants paſied on befide him : and all che, Cherethices,and all the Pelethices g, and all the Gittites þ, ſix hundred men, which came. after him
from Gath, pailed on before the king,
z Of whom ſce the notes on chap. 8. 18. h Who were either,firſ?, Iſraelites by Birth, called Gittites, becauſe th:y went with him to Gath. and abode with him in that Country. Or rather, Secondly, Strangers, as Ittai their head is called, wv. 19. and they are called his Brethren, v 20. and probably they were Philiſiines by Birth, born in the City or Territory of Gath, as the following words imply, who by David's Counſel, and Example, and the ſucceſs of his Arms, were won to embrace and profeſsthe true Religion, and had given good proof of their Military Skill,and Valour, and Fidelity to the
King. | "5" ©. Then ſaid the king to Ittai the Girtite,Where-
fore goeſt thou alſo with us? return to thy place z, and.
& abide with the king /: for thou arr a ſtranger, and
alſo an exile -. | 7 Either, Firſt, To thy native Countrey of Gath,where thou wiltſt
be remote from our broils. Or, Secondly, to Jeruſalem, where thy.
ſettled abode now is. k Or, or ; for he could not bath go to Gath, and tarry in Jeruſalem with Abſalom. Although this part of theVerſe lies otherwiſe in the Hebrew Text, and may be rendred thus, Return ( to wit, to Feruſalcm ) and abide with the King ( there; ) for thou art a ſtranger and exile from thy own place ; or, in reſpe#t of thy own place, or, as concerning thy place, i. e. in regaird of the place of thy birth and former habitation. ! With Abſalom, who is now made King by the choice of the People, and therefore is able to give thee that pro- teftion and encouragement which thou deſerveſt ; whereas IT am in a manner depoſed and unable to do for thee what I defired and in- tended. m2 Not much concerned in our affairs, and therefore not fit to be involved in our troubles.
20 Whereas thou cameſt but yeſterday », ſhould I this day + make thee go up and down with us? feing I go whither + I may 0, return thou, and take back thy brethren » : * metcy and truth be with thee 9.
» By which it may be gathered, that theſe were not the 7/raeli-
him from thence to Hebron, which was above thirty Years before this time, but ſome Proſelytes which came from thence more latcly. For though this word yeſterday be ſometimes uſed ofa time long be- fore paſt, as 2 Kings 9- 26. Job 8. 9. 1/a 30. 33. yet itſeemsto be here reſtrained to a ſhorter compals by the fol'owing words, and by the argument here uſed. o I know not whither; having now no certain dwelling place. p Thy Countrymen and Soldiers the G:-
SAMOE DL.
me both it, and his habitation þb.
a Partly, out of Care and Reverence to the Ark, which though
ſometimes it was, and might be carried out to a ce: tain place; yet