Poole on 2 Samuel 13:30-39: Absalom's Exile

Verse 30:[1]  And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left.

[A report]  A false report, as it often happens; which, nevertheless, according to the divine purpose was pertaining to the greater punishment of David (Menochius).  A rumor commonly leans toward the worse side.  Vitiated nature delights in evils.  The Devil exaggerates the report, so that David might be more grievously wounded.  Perhaps the one relating these things, when he saw that Amnon was killed, fled, and thought that the same was going to happen to the others (Martyr).

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 the rest 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 terror and humiliation, that he who had formerly rejoiced in the tidings of Uriah’s death, might now be tormented with the report of the death of all his sons.

Verse 31:[2]  Then the king arose, and (2 Sam. 1:11) tare his garments, and (2 Sam. 12:16) lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

[He fell upon the earth, etc.]  Hebrew:  he lay on the earth[3] (Pagnine, Vatablus).  That is, as a sign of grief and mourning (Vatablus).  He was contemplating, 1.  Who were perishing, namely, his sons, than whom nothing was sweeter, whom David loved so dearly, in whom he was taking the greatest pleasure.  2.  By whom the were killed, namely, their brother.  3.  In what manner, that is, by betrayal, and under the pretext of a feast.  Measure for measure, as the Hebrews say.  He had taken pleasure, when he heard that Uriah and others were killed (Martyr).

Verse 32:[4]  And (2 Sam. 13:3) Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead:  for by the appointment (Heb. mouth[5]) of Absalom this hath been determined (or, settled[6]) from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

[But Jonadab, answering]  Not by a prophetic spirit, but from a certain astuteness; or because he was aware of what had happened.  However, he passes over in silence the fact that he was the head and author of those crimes; because that was not known, he stands secure beside the King (Martyr).  Others maintain that it was known by the King, but that he avoided this most impudent man (thus Sanchez).

Jonadab was a man of great craft and subtlety, and one that had exact knowledge of Amnon’s fact, and of Absalom’s temper.

[In the mouth of Absalom he was appointed]  Or, it, understanding, the murder (Vatablus), was appointed (Pagnine, Vatablus); that is, he was always threatening him with death (Mariana); he was always relating to his friends that he was going to kill him (Vatablus out of the Hebrews).

[‎כִּֽי־עַל־פִּ֤י אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ הָיְתָ֣ה שׂוּמָ֔ה]  For upon the mouth of Absalom it was, etc. (Montanus).  In the heart, or mind, of Absalom it was, etc. (Jonathan, Syriac, Arabic); he had immediately determined to kill him (Vatablus, thus Menochius).  In the mouth is not able to be taken properly, because Absalom had covered his resolution with remarkable dissimulation (Menochius).  Of this he was speaking with himself, was meditating nothing else, and perhaps was speaking with intimates.  Fo it is agreeable to contemplate vengeance (Martyr).  For by the predetermination, or commandment, of Absalom was done that which he had planned from the day he forced Tamar (Junius and Tremellius).  Hebrew:  according to the mouth;[7] thus in Numbers 3:16[8] (Junius).  Mouth in the place of word, and word in the place of commandment (Piscator).  What he had proposed; Hebrew, arrangement[9] (Piscator), determination (Junius and Tremellius).  Upon his mouth was the arrangement, determination (certain interpreters in Malvenda).  ‎שׂוּמָה is a passive participle,[10] or a noun (Malvenda).  According to the commandment of Absalom was it appointed from that day, etc. (Tigurinus).  For in the intention of Absalom was this appointed (Munster).

By the appointment, or, by the command; Hebrew, mouth, put for command, Numbers 3:16.  From the day; it was resolved from that time in his breast; but the word of command was not then given to others, for that would probably have hindered his design.  But all this he seems to have spoken from a probable conjecture, rather than of certain knowledge, as appears by the sequel.

Verse 33:[11]  Now therefore (2 Sam. 19:19) let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead:  for Amnon only is dead.

[Let not my Lord put it upon his heart[12] (thus Vatablus)]  Or, to his heart (Piscator); that is, let him not convince himself (Piscator).  Let him not believe words of this sort, namely, all his sons, etc. (Vatablus).

[For Amnon only is dead]  The Masorah, an index of various Hebrew readings in the Bible, suggests that ‎כִּי־אִם/but/surely is written, but only ‎כִּי/for/ since is read.  Nevertheless, the sense is able to be consistent if you translate according to the written ‎כִּי־אִם, but Amnon alone, etc. (Vatablus).

Verse 34:[13]  (2 Sam. 13:38) But Absalom fled.  And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.

[Absalom fled]  Behold what a refuge the servants of the murderer had in Absalom, when he makes for safety by flight.  His servants also fled with him (Sanchez).

Absalom fled; he who had undertaken to defend his servants flees for his own life.

[By an out-of-the-way route from the side of the hill]  They followed short cuts of various ways, and did not proceed by the royal road (Menochius). הֹלְכִ֥ים מִדֶּ֛רֶךְ אַחֲרָ֖יו מִצַּ֥ד הָהָֽר׃, going from the way (or, they were coming in the way [Tigurinus]) behind him/it, from the side of the hill (Montanus, similarly Tigurinus, Vatablus, Septuagint, Malvenda, Jonathan).  The relative is before its own antecedent; that is, by a way that was behind the hill.  Along the side of the hill the watchman began to see them, when they were on the side of the hill; for approach had to be made to the city that way (Vatablus).  He saw them, when they first began to show themselves from the back part of the hill to its side, which was looking towards the city (Malvenda).  It was coming from the way that was behind the hill from its side (Pagnine).  It was coming by the way, on the flank, along the back side of the hill (Munster).  It came by the way from the back side of the hill (Strigelius).  From the road behind him, that is, the watchman; the people was coming from behind him (Mariana).  By the road on the flank of the hill behind him, that is, behind Absalom; that is, who had gone by that way to Baal-hazor, etc. (Dutch).  From the way to that (Hebrew:  after that), the way on the side of the hill (Junius and Tremellius).  From the way which was leading to him, namely, Absalom, mention of whom was made in the beginning of the verse (Piscator).  To that, that is, the house of that one, where the sheep were being sheared (Malvenda).

Behind him; behind the watchman; for it seems they did not come in the direct road, where the watchman looked for them, but (for some reason or fancy they had) fetched a compass, and came that way which he least expected them.

Verse 35:[14]  And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king’s sons come:  as thy servant said (Heb. according to the word of thy servant[15]), so it is.

[According to the word of thy servant]  He boasts of his own foresight.  Such are unwilling that their cleverness be hidden (Martyr).

Verse 36:[16]  And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept:  and the king also and all his servants wept very sore (Heb. with a great weeping greatly[17]).

[1030 BC]  Verse 37:[18]  But Absalom fled, and went to (2 Sam. 3:3) Talmai, the son of Ammihud (or, Ammihur[19]), king of Geshur.  And David mourned for his son every day.

[He fled to Talmai]  He fled to his maternal grandfather, where the laws of God had no standing.  For the cities of refuge had not protected one deliberately murdering a near relative, even with the cause of his anger granted.  Only murder was able with impunity to be avenged on private initiative by the relative closest to the murder victim; but not other injuries, no matter how grievous (Grotius).  He thought himself exposed to the sudden fury of the King and people (Malvenda out of Grotius).

Talmai, the son of Ammihud; his mother’s father, 2 Samuel 3:3; that he might have present protection and sustenance from him; and that by his mediation he might obtain his father’s pardon and favour.

[And so David mourned his son, ‎עַל־בְּנוֹ]  Because of his son (Pagnine).

[All days (thus Osiander, Vatablus, Montanus, Septuagint, Jonathan, English, Tigurinus)]  That is, as long as he mourned; that is, for three years (Vatablus, Dutch), as what follows shows; for afterwards he ceased from his mourning (Dutch).  All the days of his life; which words are often supplied in this manner (certain interpreters in the Dutch).  He was not able to shake from his heart the sad plight of his own son (Osiander).  ‎כָּל־הַיָּמִים, all those days (Junius and Tremellius).  Many days (Syriac, Arabic).

Verse 38:[20]  So Absalom fled, and went to (2 Sam. 14:23, 32; 15:8) Geshur, and was there three years.

Verse 39:[21]  And the soul of king David longed (or, was consumed,[22] Ps. 84:2[23]) to go forth unto Absalom:  for he was (Gen. 38:12) comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

[And king David ceased to pursue Absalom, ‎וַתְּכַל֙ דָּוִ֣ד הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לָצֵ֖את אֶל־אַבְשָׁל֑וֹם]  The verb כָּלָה signifies both to consume and to desire.  Thence the occasion of various interpretations (Mariana).  It was remiss of king David to go out to Absalom (Montanus).  And king David ceased to go out, etc. (Septuagint).  He abstained from going out, etc. (Syriac); he ceased to pursue (Vulgate, Osiander).  He had a number of times previously, with the armed hand of soldiers, searched for him for punishment (Osiander).  It would not have been difficult for David seize Absalom, even with Talmai resisting:  but it seems that it was enough for him to show a heart full of indignation.  He had known in himself the sin of Absalom, since he himself also by fraud had killed a man, whom he had previously desired to inebriate.  Wherefore he did not pursue him with due effort:  since conscience of a similar sin was quenching his ardor.  Conscience of sin renders souls, otherwise constant and daring, timid (Sanchez).   Those that translate it, he ceased to pursue, etc., do not see that the verb ‎תְּכַל is here written in a transitive conjugation (Munster).  And ceased the anger of David, so that he did not lead the army out any more to seek Absalom (Tigurinus).  [Others translate it otherwise:]  while the desire of going forth to Absalom consumed king David.  Hebrew:  ‎לָצֵאת, to go forth.  The Infinitive in the place of the nominative of a transitive verb (Junius).  And it consumed David (that is, he was completely determined) to go forth to Absalom (Forster in Malvenda).  [They observe that תְּכַל, which is here attributed to David, is in the feminine gender:]  Either, 1.  So that it might be signified that his hart was softened and effeminate, as it were; that is to say, and maternal affection moved David to go forth, etc. (Forster in Malvenda).  Scripture is wont, when anyone does anything weak and unworthy of courage and constancy, to attribute to such a one the feminine gender (Glassus’ “Grammar” 83).  Or, 2.  there is an Ellipsis here, either of הַתַּאֲוָה, the desire; in this sense, the desire to go forth consumed him, etc.; or of נֶפֶשׁ/soul (Glassius’ “Grammar” 400).  Desired the soul of the king…to go forth, etc. (Jonathan, Vatablus out of the Hebrews, Glassius, Forster in Malvenda, English, Dutch).  Now, this word is imported out of Psalm 84:2;[24] 119:81,[25] where a similar expression occurs whole (Dutch); but the verb there is not in the Piel, but in the Qal; ‎כָּלְתָה נַפְשִׁי, my soul is consumed or anxiously awaits.  The Ellipsis of נֶפֶשׁ/soul appears to be confirmed by the note of the Masoretes:  תְּכַל is read twice (say they), but in a twofold signification.  The other place is in Genesis 24:19;[26] since in this place the word תְּכַל is taken transitively, it follows, that in the other it is to be explained intransitively of the mind of those (Glassius’ “Grammar” 401).  See Job 19:27[27] (Dutch).  And the soul of David was fainting, or was being consumed, to go forth, etc. (English, Dutch).  He was desiring to go forth, that is, to visit him (Mariana), to meet with him (Strigelius), to send someone to bring him back (Dutch).  He wished one selected to go forth, etc. (Arabic).  The king began to be possessed with the greatest desire for absent Absalom:  and thereupon he was sighing, whenever he remembered his son (Vatablus out of the Hebrews).  [Others make a different supplement:]  And she, understanding, David’s wife (the mother of Absalom) caused David to desire, etc. (Malvenda).  Thus one of the more learned Hebrews (who is Ibn Ezra in Munster), which nevertheless is less approved by others (Vatablus).  But the term mother is also understood elsewhere, as in Numbers 26:59;[28] 1 Kings 1:6[29] (Malvenda).

To go forth unto Absalom, to wit, to visit him, or to send for him.  And thus this word the soul is here understood, partly from the Hebrew verb, which being of the feminine gender, agrees not with David, but with David’s soul; and partly by comparing this with other places, where the same verb is used, and the soul expressed, as Psalm 84:2; 119:81.  But as this supplement may seem too bold, so this version seems not so well to agree with that phrase of going out to Absalom; for David neither desired nor intended to go out to Absalom, but that Absalom should come home to him.  And these words may be and are otherwise rendered, by the most ancient and remarkable interpreters, to this purpose; And king David made an end of going out (to wit, in an hostile manner, as that verb is oft used, Genesis 14:8;[30] 2 Sam 11:1[31]) against (for so the Hebrew particle ‎אֶל/el is oft used, as Jeremiah 34:7;[32] Ezekiel 13:9,[33] 20;[34] Amos 7:15[35]).  Absalom; that is, having used some, though it is probable but cold and remiss, endeavours to pursue after Absalom, and to fetch him from his grandfather’s to receive condign punishment, he now gave over thoughts of it.  Thus the same verb, and that in the same conjugation, is used in the same manner, 1 Kings 3:1, he made an end of building.[36]  It is to be objected, That the Hebrew verb is of the feminine gender, and therefore doth not agree with king David, which is masculine.  It may be answered, That enallage of genders is a most frequent figure; and as the masculine gender is sometimes applied to women when they do some manly and gallant action, Exodus 1:21,[37] so the feminine gender is sometimes used of men when they show an effeminate tenderness in their disposition; which is the case here, as some learned Hebricians have noted.

[Because he was comforted over the death of Amnon, ‎כִּֽי־נִחַ֥ם עַל־אַמְנ֖וֹן כִּֽי־מֵֽת׃]  Because he had received consolation over Amnon, that he was dead (Pagnine, thus Montanus, Syriac, Junius and Tremellius).  Now, the deed was not able to be undone (Junius).  With time mitigating grief and calming fury, especially since he judged that Amnon had give just causes for his death (Tirinus out Sanchez).

[1] Hebrew: וַֽיְהִי֙ הֵ֣מָּה בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְהַשְּׁמֻעָ֣ה בָ֔אָה אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד לֵאמֹ֑ר הִכָּ֤ה אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ אֶת־כָּל־בְּנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְלֹֽא־נוֹתַ֥ר מֵהֶ֖ם אֶחָֽד׃ ס

[2] Hebrew:  ‎וַיָּ֧קָם הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וַיִּקְרַ֥ע אֶת־בְּגָדָ֖יו וַיִּשְׁכַּ֣ב אָ֑רְצָה וְכָל־עֲבָדָ֥יו נִצָּבִ֖ים קְרֻעֵ֥י בְגָדִֽים׃ ס

[3] Hebrew:  ‎וַיִּשְׁכַּ֣ב אָ֑רְצָה.

[4] Hebrew:  ‎וַיַּ֡עַן יוֹנָדָ֣ב׀ בֶּן־שִׁמְעָ֙ה אֲחִֽי־דָוִ֜ד וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַל־יֹאמַ֤ר אֲדֹנִי֙ אֵ֣ת כָּל־הַנְּעָרִ֤ים בְּנֵֽי־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ הֵמִ֔יתוּ כִּֽי־אַמְנ֥וֹן לְבַדּ֖וֹ מֵ֑ת כִּֽי־עַל־פִּ֤י אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ הָיְתָ֣ה שׂוּמָ֔ה מִיּוֹם֙ עַנֹּת֔וֹ אֵ֖ת תָּמָ֥ר אֲחֹתֽוֹ׃

[5] Hebrew:  ‎פִּי.

[6] Hebrew:  ‎שׂוּמָה.

[7] Hebrew:  ‎עַל־פִּי.

[8] Numbers 3:16:  “And Moses numbered them according to the word (‎עַל־פִּי, according to the mouth) of the Lord, as he was commanded.”

[9] Hebrew:  ‎שׂוּמָה.

[10] שִׂים signifies to put, place, or set.

[11] Hebrew:  ‎וְעַתָּ֡ה אַל־יָשֵׂם֩ אֲדֹנִ֙י הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֶל־לִבּוֹ֙ דָּבָ֣ר לֵאמֹ֔ר כָּל־בְּנֵ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מֵ֑תוּ כִּֽי־אִם־אַמְנ֥וֹן לְבַדּ֖וֹ מֵֽת׃ פ

[12] Hebrew:  ‎אַל־יָשֵׂם֩ אֲדֹנִ֙י הַמֶּ֤לֶךְ אֶל־לִבּוֹ֙ דָּבָ֣ר.

[13] Hebrew:  וַיִּבְרַ֖ח אַבְשָׁל֑וֹם וַיִּשָּׂ֞א הַנַּ֤עַר הַצֹּפֶה֙ אֶת־עֵינָ֔ו וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֙ה עַם־רַ֜ב הֹלְכִ֥ים מִדֶּ֛רֶךְ אַחֲרָ֖יו מִצַּ֥ד הָהָֽר׃

[14] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יֽוֹנָדָב֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ הִנֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בָּ֑אוּ כִּדְבַ֥ר עַבְדְּךָ֖ כֵּ֥ן הָיָֽה׃

[15] Hebrew:  כִּדְבַ֥ר עַבְדְּךָ֖.

[16] Hebrew: ‎וַיְהִ֣י׀ כְּכַלֹּת֣וֹ לְדַבֵּ֗ר וְהִנֵּ֤ה בְנֵֽי־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ בָּ֔אוּ וַיִּשְׂא֥וּ קוֹלָ֖ם וַיִּבְכּ֑וּ וְגַם־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ וְכָל־עֲבָדָ֔יו בָּכ֕וּ בְּכִ֖י גָּד֥וֹל מְאֹֽד׃

[17] Hebrew:  ‎בְּכִ֖י גָּד֥וֹל מְאֹֽד׃.

[18] Hebrew:  ‎וְאַבְשָׁל֣וֹם בָּרַ֔ח וַיֵּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־תַּלְמַ֥י בֶּן־עַמִּיח֖וּר מֶ֣לֶךְ גְּשׁ֑וּר וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֥ל עַל־בְּנ֖וֹ כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃

[19] The Ketib, ‎עַמִּיחוּר/Ammihur; the Qere, ‎עַמִּיהוּד/Ammihud.

[20] Hebrew:  ‎וְאַבְשָׁל֥וֹם בָּרַ֖ח וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ גְּשׁ֑וּר וַיְהִי־שָׁ֖ם שָׁלֹ֥שׁ שָׁנִֽים׃

[21] Hebrew:  ‎וַתְּכַל֙ דָּוִ֣ד הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לָצֵ֖את אֶל־אַבְשָׁל֑וֹם כִּֽי־נִחַ֥ם עַל־אַמְנ֖וֹן כִּֽי־מֵֽת׃ ס

[22] Hebrew:  ‎וַתְּכַל.

[23] Psalm 84:2:  “My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth (‎וְגַם־כָּלְתָה) for the courts of the Lord:  my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.”

[24] Psalm 84:2:  “My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth (‎נִכְסְפָ֬ה וְגַם־כָּלְתָ֙ה׀ נַפְשִׁי֘) for the courts of the Lord:  my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.”

[25] Psalm 119:81:  “My soul fainteth for thy salvation (‎כָּלְתָ֣ה לִתְשׁוּעָתְךָ֣ נַפְשִׁ֑י):  but I hope in thy word.”

[26] Genesis 24:19:  “And when she had done (‎וַתְּכַל) giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.”

[27] Job 19:27:  “Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed (‎כָּל֖וּ כִלְיֹתַ֣י) within me.”

[28] Numbers 26:59:  “And the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom she (that is, her mother) bare to Levi in Egypt:  and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.”

[29] 1 Kings 1:6:  “And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and she (that is, his mother) bare him after Absalom.”

[30] Genesis 14:8:  “And there went out (‎וַיֵּצֵא) the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim…”

[31] 2 Samuel 11:1:  “And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth (‎צֵאת), that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah.  But David tarried still at Jerusalem.”

[32] Jeremiah 34:7:  “When the king of Babylon’s army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah (‎עַל־יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְעַ֛ל כָּל־עָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה) that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah (‎אֶל־לָכִישׁ֙ וְאֶל־עֲזֵקָ֔ה):  for these defenced cities remained of the cities of Judah.”

[33] Ezekiel 13:9:  “And mine hand shall be upon the prophets (‎אֶל־הַנְּבִיאִים, against the prophets) that see vanity, and that divine lies:  they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord God.”

[34] Ezekiel 13:20:  “Wherefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against your pillows (‎אֶל־כִּסְּתוֹתֵיכֶנָה), wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the souls that ye hunt to make them fly.”

[35] Amos 7:15:  “And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel (‎אֶל־עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃, against my people Israel).”

[36] Hebrew:  ‎כַּלֹּת֗וֹ לִבְנ֤וֹת.

[37] Exodus 1:21:  “And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them (‎לָהֶם) houses.”