2 Sam. 18 David viewing the armies in their march, giveth them charge of Absalom, 2 Sam. 18:1–5; whose men are smitten: he hanging by his hair on an oak, is slain by Joab, and cast into a pit: his pillar and monument, 2 Sam. 18:6–18. David hearing hereof, 2 Sam.

The people that were with him; which flocked to him thither, so as to make up a small army.

Under the hand of Joab, to wit, for his especial conduct and management in the battle: otherwise Joab was the general of all the forces; nor had David yet taken away that power from him, nor was this a time to do it. But such distributions of forces are usual in battles.

Thou shalt not go forth; for this was Absalom’s great error, into which he was drawn by a Divine infatuation, and by Hushai’s craft, to go to battle in his own person, which was the utter ruin of him and of his cause.

By the gate side, i.e. between the two gates of the city, as it is expressed below, 2 Sam. 18:24.

Deal gently with Absalom; if you conquer, (which he presaged they would by God’s gracious answer to his prayer for the turning of Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness,) take him prisoner, but do not kill him.

So called, not from its situation in the tribe of Ephraim, which was on the other side Jordan, as is evident; but from some memorable action or occurrent of the Ephraimites beyond, Jordan; whether it was their killing of Oreb and Zeeb there, Judg. 7:25, Judg.

The people of Israel, i.e. the soldiers of Absalom; so called, partly to note that all Israel (some few excepted) were engaged in this rebellion, which made David’s deliverance more glorious and remarkable; and partly in opposition to David’s men, who, as to the main body, or most considerable…

The battle was there scattered, i. e. the warriors being beaten in the fight, fled, and were dispersed; the abstract being put for the concrete, as poverty is put for poor men, 2 Kings 24:14, and deceit for the deceiver, and dreams for dreamers, Prov. 12:24, Prov. 13:6.

Absalom met the servants of David, who, according to David’s command, spared him, and gave him an opportunity to escape. His head caught hold of the oak; in which probably he was entangled by the hair of the head, which being very long and thick, might easily catch hold of a bough, especially when…

Why didst thou not smite him down from the oak, and with thy spear nail him to the ground? A girdle; a military belt of more than ordinary price, as a testimony of thy valour and good service. See Poole on “1 Sam. 18:4”.

Or, take heed what (for so the Hebrew pronoun mi is sometimes used, as Judg. 13:17) ye do with the young man. He expresseth David’s sense, though not his words.

Either, first, I should have been guilty of false and perfidious dealing against the king’s express injunction, and that with the manifest hazard of my own life. Or, secondly I should have betrayed my own life.

I may not tarry thus with thee; I must not lose time in contending with thee till I let the occasion slip. Through the heart of Absalom; not properly so called, for he was yet alive after these wounds, and was slain, 2 Sam. 18:15; but through his middle, as the word heart is oft used, as Ps.

Judging that there could be no safety to the king, nor peace to the kingdom, nor security to himself, and all David’s friends and loyal subjects, and good men, if Absalom had lived, as may seem probable from 2 Sam.

Who otherwise were highly incensed against the rebels, and hotly pursued them. But the head of the rebellion being cut off, and the danger thereby past, be puts a stop to the effusion of Israelitish blood.

Laid a very great heap of stones upon him, as a lasting monument of Absalom’s sin and shame, and of the righteous judgment of God upon him. Compare Josh. 7:26, Josh. 8:29, Josh. 10:27. He was first hanged, after a sort, which was an accursed death, Deut.

A pillar, to preserve his name in memory; whereas it had been more for his honour if his name had been buried in perpetual oblivion. But this was the effect of his pride and vain-glory. The king’s dale; a place near Jerusalem so called. Gen. 14:17. He said, I have no son. Object.

And thou shalt not be a messenger of evil tidings, which will be unwelcome to him, and prejudicial to thee.

To Cushi, or, to an Ethiopian; so he might be by birth, and yet by profession an Israelite.

My son; so he calls him with respect both to his younger years, and to that true and tender affection which he had for him.

The way of the plain was the smoother and easier, though the longer way.

Between the two gates; for the gates of the cities then were, as now they are, large and thick; and, for the greater security, had two gates, one more outward, the other inward. Here he sat, that he might hear tidings when any came into the city.

There is tidings in his mouth; he is sent with some special message; which was a very probable conjecture; for if he had run or fled from the enemy, many others would have followed him.

He loves me well, and therefore would not afflict me with evil tidings.

Into thy hand and power; or, to destruction. Compare 1 Sam. 24:18, 1 Sam. 26:8.

The king’s servant, Cushi. I knew not what it was; he seems to tell an untruth, as is evident from 2 Sam. 18:20, because he now plainly perceived what Joab foretold him, that such tidings would be very unwelcome to David.

May they perish and be cut off, as he is.

Went up to the chamber over the gate; retiring himself from all men and business, that he might wholly give up himself to lamentation. David might speak thus from a deep sense of his eternal state, because he died in his sins, without the least testimony of repentance, and because David himself had…