Poole on 2 Samuel 15:30-37: David's Flight from Jerusalem, Part 3

Verse 30:[1]  And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up (Heb. going up, and weeping[2]), and (2 Sam. 19:4; Esth. 6:12) had his head covered, and he went (Isa. 20:2, 4) barefoot:  and all the people that was with him (Jer. 14:3, 4) covered every man his head, and they went up, (Ps. 126:6) weeping as they went up.

[He ascended the incline of olives, ‎בְמַעֲלֵ֙ה הַזֵּיתִ֜ים]  In the ascent (or by the ascent [Pagnine, Munster, Piscator], by the incline [Tigurinus, Junius and Tremellius, Vatablus, Syriac, similarly the Arabic]) of olives (Montanus, Septuagint), or, of the mount of olives (Tigurinus, Junius and Tremellius, Jonathan, Vatablus), that is, by mount Olivet (Vatablus).  There he ascended, both so that by it he might go to the wilderness; and so that he might be a type of Christ, who on that mount sweat blood, etc. (Lapide).

[Weeping]  Not out of dejection of soul, but out of sorrow for his sins (Menochius); because he himself had given the grounds for these many hardships (Martyr).  He know that he had to do, not so much with Absalom, as with God:  and so he determined to engage Him first with the arms of repentance (Lapide out of Sanchez).

[Barefoot]  An expression of mourning.  His sin had its rise from luxuries; now he acts contrariwise, and casts aside the comfort of flesh and feet.  Those are the fruits of real repentance.  Some say that this was a sign of yielding.  For those that yielded a field, etc., to their neighbor were pulling off their shoes, in the books of Deuteronomy and Ruth.[3]  But I prefer the former (Martyr).

He went barefoot, in testimony of his deep sorrow, and humiliation and shame for his sins, whereby he had procured, this evil to himself; for these were the habits of mourners, 2 Samuel 19:4; Esther 6:12; Isaiah 20:3, 4; Jeremiah 14:3, 4; and to take a holy revenge upon himself for his former delicacy and luxury.

[And with the head covered]  The Hebrews, and also the Romans afterwards, were going about with the head bear as free and unencumbered; but in mourning they were covering their head, as it is evident from 2 Samuel 19:4; Jeremiah 14:3, 4 (Lapide almost out of Sanchez, similarly Malvenda, Menochius):  thus he went about, so that he might move the pity of his own (Grotius).

Verse 31:[4]  And one told David, saying, (Ps. 3:1, 2; 55:12, etc.) Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.  And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, (2 Sam. 16:23; 17:14, 23) turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.

[It was told to David, etc. (thus the Septuagint, Jonathan), ‎וְדָוִד֙ הִגִּ֣יד]  Now, he, that is, a certain one, reported, or revealed, to David (Pagnine, similarly Piscator).  There is an Ellipsis of the ל/to before דָוִד/David (Piscator).  Or, understanding Zadok and [I would prefer or] Abiathar (Junius).

One told David, or, David told, that is, David being hereof informed, acquaints his friends and followers with it, to stir them up to join with him in the following prayer against him.

[Ahithophel, etc.]  This was vexing the soul of David; indeed, it left a thorn in him:  therefore, singular patience was necessary.  Nothing sadder was able to be reported to him; for astute counsels are more harmful than the equipment of war (Martyr).

[Infatuate (thus Munster, Pagnine, Jonathan), ‎סַכֶּל]  Render foolish (Junius and Tremellius, Aquila in Nobilius); make futile (Castalio); make ineffective (Syriac, Arabic); dissipate (Septuagint); render vain (Complutensian in Nobilius).  He wishes either that inept counsel might be given by him, or that it might be despised as inept and useless (Menochius).

Turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness; either infatuate him, that he may give foolish counsel; or let his counsel be rejected as foolish, or spoiled by the foolish execution of it.

Verse 32:[5]  And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the (Josh. 16:2) Archite came to meet him (2 Sam. 1:2) with his coat rent, and earth upon his head…

[On which he was going to worship, etc.]  Either, 1.  Because from there a prospect of Jerusalem was open, where the ark was (Martyr, similarly Junius, Grotius, Lyra, Menochius).  There is no superstition here.  For the ark was the place that the Lord had chosen; the ark had promised conjoined.  Thus Daniel turns his face toward Jerusalem.  It appears as if David wishes to bid farewell to the Ark of the covenant (Martyr).  Or, 2.  because before the Temple was erected they were sacrificing in the high places (Sanchez).  Or, 3.  because David was wont, just as Christ was afterwards, to worship God on this mount (Munster).

He worshipped God; looking towards Jerusalem, where the ark and tabernacle was.  Compare 1 Kings 8:44, 48; Daniel 6:10.

Verse 33:[6]  Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be (2 Sam. 19:35) a burden unto me…

[Thou shalt be to me for a burden]  I will be loaded the charge of thee.  David was pressed, not only with his own ills, but also with those of his companions.  He was not abounding in provisions (Martyr).  Perhaps he was better in counsel, than with the sword; perhaps he would be a burden because of age (Menochius).

A burden:  Increasing my charge, and care, and sorrow for what may befall thee, and being but of little use to me:  for it may seem he was an old man, and fitter for counsel than for war.

Verse 34:[7]  But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, (2 Sam. 16:19) I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant:  then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

[And thou say unto Absalom, I am thy servant]  These arts were not deserting David in such evils:  but, when the leonine was not advantageous, he takes up the vulpine, being truly ἀγχίνους/shrewd, and adroit in discovering what things were of use (Grotius).  Question:  Whether this was rightly done by David and Hushai?  Response:  Sometimes God wills something to be done by His saints beyond the common rules; for example, homicide by Abraham, and by Samson.  There is a lie here, but a dutiful one.  If by instinct of God they did this, they did not sin; if by human impulse they sinned, and are not to be excused.  Evils are not to be done, so that good may come[8] (Martyr).

[I am thy servant, O King, ‎עַבְדְּךָ֙ אֲנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶֽהְיֶ֔ה]  Thy servant, O King, I will be (Montanus, thus Pagnine, Tigurinus, Munster, etc.), or I am (Jonathan, Arabic).  Thy servant (a clipped expression, of which we also now make use), I will be of the king (Dutch).

[As I was the servant of thy father, ‎עֶ֣בֶד אָבִ֤יךָ וַֽאֲנִי֙ מֵאָ֔ז]  I was the servant of thy father from then (Pagnine, thus Montanus), or, from formerly (Syriac, Vatablus), for a long time (Vatablus, Junius and Tremellius), formerly (Munster, Strigelius, Dutch), hitherto (English).

[So will I, ‎וְעַתָּה]  And now, that is, hereafter (Vatablus).

As I have been thy father’s servant, etc.:  that is, I will be as faithful to thee as I have been to thy father; which he neither was nor ought to be; and therefore the profession of this was great dissimulation.  And David’s suggesting this crafty counsel may be reckoned amongst his errors; which, proceeding from a violent temptation, and his present and pressing straits, God was pleased mercifully to pardon, and to direct this evil advice to a good end.

[Thou wilt break]  Hebrew:  thou wilt break,[9] or thou wilt crush, for me (Montanus, Pagnine, Septuagint), that is, for my advantage (Vatablus out of Munster).

Verse 35:[10]  And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king’s house, (2 Sam. 17:15, 16) thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

Verse 36:[11]  Behold, they have there (2 Sam. 15:27) with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok’s son, and Jonathan Abiathar’s son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear.

[There are with them the two sons]  So David thought, not knowing that at the command of their fathers they stayed at the spring of Rogel, 2 Samuel 17:17 (Malvenda).

There with them; not in Jerusalem, but in a place near to it, to which they could easily send upon occasion.  See 2 Samuel 17:17.

Verse 37:[12]  So Hushai (2 Sam. 16:16; 1 Chron. 27:33) David’s friend came into the city, (2 Sam. 16:15) and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

[1] Hebrew: ‎וְדָוִ֡ד עֹלֶה֩ בְמַעֲלֵ֙ה הַזֵּיתִ֜ים עֹלֶ֣ה׀ וּבוֹכֶ֗ה וְרֹ֥אשׁ לוֹ֙ חָפ֔וּי וְה֖וּא הֹלֵ֣ךְ יָחֵ֑ף וְכָל־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֗וֹ חָפוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ רֹאשׁ֔וֹ וְעָל֥וּ עָלֹ֖ה וּבָכֹֽה׃

[2] Hebrew:  ‎עֹלֶ֣ה׀ וּבוֹכֶ֗ה.

[3] Deuteronomy 25:9, 10; Ruth 4:7, 8.

[4] Hebrew:  ‎וְדָוִד֙ הִגִּ֣יד לֵאמֹ֔ר אֲחִיתֹ֥פֶל בַּקֹּשְׁרִ֖ים עִם־אַבְשָׁל֑וֹם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּוִ֔ד סַכֶּל־נָ֛א אֶת־עֲצַ֥ת אֲחִיתֹ֖פֶל יְהוָֽה׃

[5] Hebrew: ‎וַיְהִ֤י דָוִד֙ בָּ֣א עַד־הָרֹ֔אשׁ אֲשֶֽׁר־יִשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם לֵאלֹהִ֑ים וְהִנֵּ֤ה לִקְרָאתוֹ֙ חוּשַׁ֣י הָאַרְכִּ֔י קָר֙וּעַ֙ כֻּתָּנְתּ֔וֹ וַאֲדָמָ֖ה עַל־רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃

[6] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֹּ֥אמֶר ל֖וֹ דָּוִ֑ד אִ֚ם עָבַ֣רְתָּ אִתִּ֔י וְהָיִ֥תָ עָלַ֖י לְמַשָּֽׂא׃

[7] Hebrew: ‎וְאִם־הָעִ֣יר תָּשׁ֗וּב וְאָמַרְתָּ֤ לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ עַבְדְּךָ֙ אֲנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶֽהְיֶ֔ה עֶ֣בֶד אָבִ֤יךָ וַֽאֲנִי֙ מֵאָ֔ז וְעַתָּ֖ה וַאֲנִ֣י עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וְהֵפַרְתָּ֣ה לִ֔י אֵ֖ת עֲצַ֥ת אֲחִיתֹֽפֶל׃

[8] Romans 3:8.

[9] Hebrew:  ‎וְהֵפַרְתָּה.

[10] Hebrew: וַהֲל֤וֹא עִמְּךָ֙ שָׁ֔ם צָד֥וֹק וְאֶבְיָתָ֖ר הַכֹּהֲנִ֑ים וְהָיָ֗ה כָּל־הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֤ר תִּשְׁמַע֙ מִבֵּ֣ית הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ תַּגִּ֕יד לְצָד֥וֹק וּלְאֶבְיָתָ֖ר הַכֹּהֲנִֽים׃

[11] Hebrew: הִנֵּה־שָׁ֤ם עִמָּם֙ שְׁנֵ֣י בְנֵיהֶ֔ם אֲחִימַ֣עַץ לְצָד֔וֹק וִיהוֹנָתָ֖ן לְאֶבְיָתָ֑ר וּשְׁלַחְתֶּ֤ם בְּיָדָם֙ אֵלַ֔י כָּל־דָּבָ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר תִּשְׁמָֽעוּ׃

[12] Hebrew:  ‎וַיָּבֹ֥א חוּשַׁ֛י רֵעֶ֥ה דָוִ֖ד הָעִ֑יר וְאַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם יָבֹ֖א יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃