18 Now Absalom H53 in his lifetime H2416 had taken H3947 and reared up H5324 for himself a pillar, H4678 which is in the king's H4428 dale: H6010 for he said, H559 I have no son H1121 to keep my name H8034 in remembrance: H2142 and he called H7121 the pillar H4678 after his own name: H8034 and it is called H7121 unto this day, H3117 Absalom's H53 place. H3027
And when Samuel H8050 rose early H7925 to meet H7125 Saul H7586 in the morning, H1242 it was told H5046 Samuel, H8050 saying, H559 Saul H7586 came H935 to Carmel, H3760 and, behold, he set him up H5324 a place, H3027 and is gone about, H5437 and passed on, H5674 and gone down H3381 to Gilgal. H1537
And they said, H559 Go to, H3051 let us build H1129 us a city H5892 and a tower, H4026 whose top H7218 may reach unto heaven; H8064 and let us make H6213 us a name, H8034 lest we be scattered abroad H6327 upon the face H6440 of the whole earth. H776
Their inward H7130 thought is, that their houses H1004 shall continue for ever, H5769 and their dwelling H4908 places to all H1755 generations; H1755 they call H7121 their lands H127 after their own names. H8034
Let his posterity H319 be cut off; H3772 and in the generation H1755 following H312 let their name H8034 be blotted out. H4229
Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Write H3789 ye this man H376 childless, H6185 a man H1397 that shall not prosper H6743 in his days: H3117 for no man H376 of his seed H2233 shall prosper, H6743 sitting H3427 upon the throne H3678 of David, H1732 and ruling H4910 any more in Judah. H3063
The king H4430 spake, H6032 and said, H560 Is not H3809 this H1932 H1668 great H7229 Babylon, H895 that I H576 have built H1124 for the house H1005 of the kingdom H4437 by the might H8632 of my power, H2632 and for the honour H3367 of my majesty? H1923
Now G3303 G3767 this man G3778 purchased G2932 a field G5564 with G1537 the reward G3408 of iniquity; G93 and G2532 falling G1096 headlong, G4248 he burst asunder G2997 in the midst, G3319 and G2532 all G3956 his G846 bowels G4698 gushed out. G1632 And G2532 it was G1096 known G1110 unto all G3956 the dwellers G2730 at Jerusalem; G2419 insomuch as G5620 that G1565 field G5564 is called G2564 in their G846 proper G2398 tongue, G1258 Aceldama, G184 that is to say, G5123 The field G5564 of blood. G129
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Samuel 18
Commentary on 2 Samuel 18 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 18
This chapter puts a period to Absalom's rebellion and life, and so makes way for David to his throne again, whither the next chapter brings him back in peace and triumph. We have here,
2Sa 18:1-8
Which way David raised an army here, and what reinforcements were sent him, we are not told; many, it is likely, from all the coasts of Israel, at least from the neighbouring tribes, came in to his assistance, so that, by degrees, he was able to make head against Absalom, as Ahithophel foresaw. Now here we have,
Bishop Hall thus descants on this: "What means this ill-placed love? This unjust mercy? Deal gently with a traitor? Of all traitors, with a son? Of all sons, with an Absalom? That graceless darling of so good a father? And all this, for thy sake, whose crown, whose blood, he hunts after? For whose sake must he be pursued, if forborne for thine? Must the cause of the quarrel be the motive of mercy? Even in the holiest parents, nature may be guilty of an injurious tenderness, of a bloody indulgence. But was not this done in type of that immeasurable mercy of the true King and Redeemer of Israel, who prayed for his persecutors, for his murderers, Father, forgive them? Deal gently with them for my sake.' When God sends an affliction to correct his children, it is with this charge, "Deal gently with them for my sake;' for he knows our frame.
2Sa 18:9-18
Here is Absalom quite at a loss, at his wit's end first, and then at his life's end. He that began the fight, big with the expectation of triumphing over David himself, with whom, if he had had him in his power, he would not have dealt gently, is now in the greatest consternation, when he meets the servants of David, v. 9. Though they were forbidden to meddle with him, he durst not look them in the face; but, finding they were near him, he clapped spurs to his mule and made the best of his way, through thick and thin, and so rode headlong upon his own destruction. Thus he that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit, and he that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare, Jer. 48:44. David is inclined to spare him, but divine justice passes sentence upon him as a traitor, and sees it executed-that he hang by the neck, be caught alive, be embowelled, and his body disposed of disgracefully.
2Sa 18:19-33
Absalom's business is done; and we are now told,