191 And it is declared to Joab, 'Lo, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom;' 2 and the salvation on that day becometh mourning to all the people, for the people hath heard on that day, saying, 'The king hath been grieved for his son.' 3 And the people stealeth away, on that day, to go in to the city, as the people steal away, who are ashamed, in their fleeing in battle; 4 and the king hath covered his face, yea, the king crieth—a loud voice—'My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son.' 5 And Joab cometh in unto the king to the house, and saith, 'Thou hast put to shame to-day the faces of all thy servants, those delivering thy life to-day, and the life of thy sons, and of thy daughters, and the life of thy wives, and the life of thy concubines, 6 to love thine enemies, and to hate those loving thee, for thou hast declared to-day that thou hast no princes and servants, for I have known to-day that if Absalom 'were' alive, and all of us to-day dead, that then it were right in thine eyes. 7 'And now, rise, go out and speak unto the heart of thy servants, for by Jehovah I have sworn, that—thou art not going out—there doth not lodge a man with thee to-night; and this 'is' worse for thee than all the evil that hath come upon thee from thy youth till now.' 8 And the king riseth, and sitteth in the gate, and to all the people they have declared, saying, 'Lo, the king is sitting in the gate;' and all the people come in before the king, and Israel hath fled, each to his tents.
9 And it cometh to pass, all the people are contending through all the tribes of Israel, saying, 'The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, yea, he himself delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines, and now he hath fled out of the land because of Absalom, 10 and Absalom whom we anointed over us 'is' dead in battle, and now, why are ye silent—to bring back the king?' 11 And king David sent unto Zadok and unto Abiathar the priests, saying, 'Speak ye unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye last to bring back the king unto his house? (and the word of all Israel hath come unto the king, unto his house;) 12 my brethren ye 'are', my bone and my flesh ye 'are', and why are ye last to bring back the king? 13 And to Amasa say ye, Art not thou my bone and my flesh? Thus doth God do to me, and thus He doth add, if thou art not head of the host before me all the days instead of Joab.' 14 And he inclineth the heart of all the men of Judah as one man, and they send unto the king, 'Turn back, thou, and all thy servants.' 15 And the king turneth back, and cometh in unto the Jordan, and Judah hath come to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan,
16 and Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite, who 'is' from Bahurim, hasteth, and cometh down with the men of Judah, to meet king David, 17 and a thousand men 'are' with him from Benjamin, and Ziba servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him, and they have gone prosperously over the Jordan before the king. 18 And passed over hath the ferry-boat to carry over the household of the king, and to do that which 'is' good in his eyes, and Shimei son of Gera hath fallen before the king in his passing over into Jordan, 19 and saith unto the king, 'Let not my lord impute to me iniquity; neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely in the day that my lord the king went out from Jerusalem,—for the king to set 'it' unto his heart; 20 for thy servant hath known that I have sinned; and lo, I have come to-day, first of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king.' 21 And Abishai son of Zeruiah answereth and saith, 'For this is not Shimei put to death—because he reviled the anointed of Jehovah?' 22 And David saith, 'What—to me and to you, O sons of Zeruiah, that ye are to me to-day for an adversary? to-day is any man put to death in Israel? for have I not known that to-day I 'am' king over Israel?' 23 And the king saith unto Shimei, 'Thou dost not die;' and the king sweareth to him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:1-23
Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:1-8
(Read 2 Samuel 19:1-8)
To continue to lament for so bad a son as Absalom, was very unwise, and very unworthy. Joab censures David, but not with proper respect and deference to his sovereign. A plain case may be fairly pleaded with those above us, and they may be reproved for what they do amiss, but it must not be with rudeness and insolence. Yet David took the reproof and the counsel, prudently and mildly. Timely giving way, usually prevents the ill effects of mistaken measures.
Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:9-15
(Read 2 Samuel 19:9-15)
God's providence, by the priests' persuasions and Amasa's interest, brought the people to resolve the recall of the king. David stirred not till he received this invitation. Our Lord Jesus will rule in those that invite him to the throne in their hearts, and not till he is invited. He first bows the heart, and makes it willing in the day of his power, then rules in the midst of his enemies, Psalm 110:2,3.
Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:16-23
(Read 2 Samuel 19:16-23)
Those who now slight and abuse the Son of David, would be glad to make their peace when he shall come in his glory; but it will be too late. Shimei lost no time. His abuse had been personal, and with the usual right feeling of good men, David could more easily forgive it.