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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
A Civil War in Israel. (b. c. 1053.)
A CIVIL WAR IN ISRAEL. (B. C. 1053.) Here is, I. A rivalship between two kings—David, whom God made king, and Ishbosheth, whom Abner made king. One would have thought, when Saul was slain, and all his sons that had sens…
Asahel Slain by Abner. (b. c. 1053.)
ASAHEL SLAIN BY ABNER. (B. C. 1053.) We have here the contest between Abner and Asahel. Asahel, the brother of Joab and cousin-german to David, was one of the principal commanders of David's forces, and was famous for s…
Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 2:25-32
Here, I. Abner, being conquered, meanly begs for a cessation of arms. He rallied the remains of his forces on the top of a hill (2 Samuel 2:25), as if he would have made head again, but becomes a humble supplicant to Jo…
David's Wives and Children. (b. c. 1048.)
DAVID'S WIVES AND CHILDREN. (B. C. 1048.) Here is, I. The struggle that David had with the house of Saul before his settlement in the throne was completed, 2 Samuel 3:1. 1. Both sides contested. Saul's house, though beh…
Abner Deserts to David. (b. c. 1048.)
ABNER DESERTS TO DAVID. (B. C. 1048.) Here, I. Abner breaks with Ish-bosheth, and deserts his interest, upon a little provocation which Ish-bosheth unadvisedly gave him. God can serve his own purposes by the sins and fo…
Joab Murders Abner; David's Reflections on Abner's Murder. (b. c. 1048.)
JOAB MURDERS ABNER; DAVID'S REFLECTIONS ON ABNER'S MURDER. (B. C. 1048.) We have here an account of the murder of Abner by Joab, and David's deep resentment of it. I. Joab very insolently fell foul upon David for treati…
Ish-bosheth Slain by His Servants. (b. c. 1048.)
ISH-BOSHETH SLAIN BY HIS SERVANTS. (B. C. 1048.) Here is, I. The weakness of Saul's house. Still it grew weaker and weaker. 1. As for Ishbosheth, who was in possession of the throne, his hands were feeble, 2 Samuel 4:1.…
Ish-bosheth's Murderers Punished. (b. c. 1048.)
ISH-BOSHETH'S MURDERERS PUNISHED. (B. C. 1048.) We have here justice done upon the murderers of Ish-bosheth. I. Sentence passed upon them. There needed no evidence, their own tongues witnessed against them; they were so…
David King over All Israel. (b. c. 1048.)
DAVID KING OVER ALL ISRAEL. (B. C. 1048.) Here is, I. The humble address of all the tribes to David, beseeching him to take upon him the government (for they were now as sheep having no shepherd), and owning him for the…
David Takes Mount Sion. (b. c. 1047.)
DAVID TAKES MOUNT SION. (B. C. 1047.) If Salem, the place of which Melchizedec was king, was Jerusalem (as seems probable from Psalm 76:2), it was famous in Abraham's time. Joshua, in his time, found it the chief city o…
David's Children. (b. c. 1046.)
DAVID'S CHILDREN. (B. C. 1046.) Here is, I. David's house built, a royal palace, fit for the reception of the court he kept and the homage that was paid to him, 2 Samuel 5:11. The Jews were husbandmen and shepherds, and…
David Defeats the Philistines. (b. c. 1046.)
DAVID DEFEATS THE PHILISTINES. (B. C. 1046.) The particular service for which David was raised up was to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines, 2 Samuel 3:18. This therefore divine Providence, in the first plac…
The Removal of the Ark. (b. c. 1045.)
THE REMOVAL OF THE ARK. (B. C. 1045.) We have not heard a word of the ark since it was lodged in Kirjath-jearim, immediately after its return out of its captivity among the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:1-2), except that, onc…
Uzzah Slain for Touching the Ark; The Ark in the House of Obed-edom. (b. c. 1045.)
UZZAH SLAIN FOR TOUCHING THE ARK; THE ARK IN THE HOUSE OF OBED-EDOM. (B. C. 1045.) We have here Uzzah struck dead for touching the ark, when it was upon its journey towards the city of David, a sad providence, which dam…
Michal Despises David. (b. c. 1045.)
MICHAL DESPISES DAVID. (B. C. 1045.) We have here the second attempt to bring the ark home to the city of David; and this succeeded, though the former miscarried. I. It should seem the blessing with which the house of O…
David Expostulates with Michal. (b. c. 1045.)
DAVID EXPOSTULATES WITH MICHAL. (B. C. 1045.) David, having dismissed the congregation with a blessing, returned to bless his household (2 Samuel 6:20), that is, to pray with them and for them, and to offer up his famil…
David's Care of the Ark. (b. c. 1042.)
DAVID'S CARE OF THE ARK. (B. C. 1042.) Here is, I. David at rest. He sat in his house (2 Samuel 7:1), quiet and undisturbed, having no occasion to take the field: The Lord had given him rest round about, from all those…
God's Covenant with David. (b. c. 1042.)
GOD'S COVENANT WITH DAVID. (B. C. 1042.) We have here a full revelation of God's favour to David and the kind intentions of that favour, the notices and assurances of which God sent him by Nathan the prophet, whom he en…
David's Prayer for God's Blessing. (b. c. 1042.)
DAVID'S PRAYER FOR GOD'S BLESSING. (B. C. 1042.) We have here the solemn address David made to God, in answer to the gracious message God had sent him. We are not told what he said to Nathan; no doubt he received him ve…
David's Conquests. (b. c. 1042.)
DAVID'S CONQUESTS. (B. C. 1042.) God had given David rest from all his enemies that opposed him and made head against him; and he having made a good use of that rest, has now commission given him to make war upon them,…
David Conquers Edom. (b. c. 1042.)
DAVID CONQUERS EDOM. (B. C. 1042.) Here is, 1. The court made to David by the king of Hamath, who, it seems was at this time at war with the king of Zobah. He hearing of David's success against his enemy, sent his own s…
David's Administration of the Government of Israel. (b. c. 1042.)
DAVID'S ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL. (B. C. 1042.) David was not so engaged in his wars abroad as to neglect the administration of the government at home. I. His care extended itself to all the parts of h…
David's Kindness to Jonathan's Son. (b. c. 1039.)
DAVID'S KINDNESS TO JONATHAN'S SON. (B. C. 1039.) Here is, I. David's enquiry after the remains of the ruined house of Saul, 2 Samuel 9:1. This was a great while after his accession to the throne, for it should seem tha…
Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 9:9-13
The matter is here settled concerning Mephibosheth. 1. This grant of his father's estate is confirmed to him, and Ziba called to be a witness to it (2 Samuel 9:9); and, it should seem, Saul had a very good estate, for h…