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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
Hanun's Usage of David's Servants. (b. c. 1038.)
HANUN'S USAGE OF DAVID'S SERVANTS. (B. C. 1038.) Here is, I. The great respect David paid to his neighbour, the king of the Ammonites, 2 Samuel 10:1-2. 1. The inducement to it was some kindness he had formerly received…
The Ammonites and Syrians Defeated. (b. c. 1037.)
THE AMMONITES AND SYRIANS DEFEATED. (B. C. 1037.) Here we have, I. The preparation which the Ammonites made for war, 2 Samuel 10:6. They saw they had made themselves very odious to David and obnoxious to his just disple…
Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 10:15-19
Here is, 1. A new attempt of the Syrians to recover their lost honour and to check the progress of David's victorious arms. The forces that were lately dispersed rallied again, and gathered themselves together, 2 Samuel…
David's Sin with Bath-sheba. (b. c. 1037.)
DAVID'S SIN WITH BATH-SHEBA. (B. C. 1037.) Here is, I. David's glory, in pursuing the war against the Ammonites, 2 Samuel 11:1. We cannot take that pleasure in viewing this great action which hitherto we have taken in o…
David's Contrivance to Hide His Crime; David's Contrivance Defeated. (b. c. 1037.)
DAVID'S CONTRIVANCE TO HIDE HIS CRIME; DAVID'S CONTRIVANCE DEFEATED. (B. C. 1037.) Uriah, we may suppose, had now been absent from his wife some weeks, making the campaign in the country of the Ammonites, and not intend…
David Causes Uriah to Be Slain; David Informed of Uriah's Death. (b. c. 1037.)
DAVID CAUSES URIAH TO BE SLAIN; DAVID INFORMED OF URIAH'S DEATH. (B. C. 1037.) When David's project of fathering the child upon Uriah himself failed, so that, in process of time, Uriah would certainly know the wrong tha…
Nathan's Parable; David's Repentance. (b. c. 1036.)
NATHAN'S PARABLE; DAVID'S REPENTANCE. (B. C. 1036.) It seems to have been a great while after David had been guilty of adultery with Bath-sheba before he was brought to repentance for it. For, when Nathan was sent to hi…
David's Humiliation; Birth of Solomon. (b. c. 1036.)
DAVID'S HUMILIATION; BIRTH OF SOLOMON. (B. C. 1036.) Nathan, having delivered his message, staid not at court, but went home, probably to pray for David, to whom he had been preaching. God, in making use of him as an in…
The Conquest of Rabbah. (b. c. 1036.)
THE CONQUEST OF RABBAH. (B. C. 1036.) We have here an account of the conquest of Rabbah, and other cities of the Ammonites. Though this comes in here after the birth of David's child, yet it is most probable that it was…
Amnon's Incest. (b. c. 1032.)
AMNON'S INCEST. (B. C. 1032.) We have here a particular account of the abominable wickedness of Amnon in ravishing his sister, a subject not fit to be enlarged upon nor indeed to be mentioned without blushing, that ever…
The Plot Against Amnon. (b. c. 1032.)
THE PLOT AGAINST AMNON. (B. C. 1032.) What Solomon says of the beginning of strife is as true of the beginning of all sin, it is as the letting forth of water; when once the flood-gates are plucked up, an inundation fol…
Amnon's Death; Absalom's Flight. (b. c. 1032.)
AMNON'S DEATH; ABSALOM'S FLIGHT. (B. C. 1032.) Here is, I. The fright that David was put into by a false report brought to Jerusalem that Absalom had slain all the king's sons, 2 Samuel 13:30. It is common for fame to m…
Joab's Stratagem in Absalom's Favour; The Art of Joab. (b. c. 1029.)
JOAB'S STRATAGEM IN ABSALOM'S FAVOUR; THE ART OF JOAB. (B. C. 1029.) Here is, I. Joab's design to get Absalom recalled out of banishment, his crime pardoned, and his attainder reversed, 2 Samuel 14:1. Joab made himself…
Absalom's Recalled. (b. c. 1029.)
ABSALOM'S RECALLED. (B. C. 1029.) Observe here, I. Orders given for the bringing back of Absalom. The errand on which the woman came to David was so agreeable, and her management of it so very ingenious and surprising,…
Absalom's Return. (b. c. 1029.)
ABSALOM'S RETURN. (B. C. 1029.) Three years Absalom had been an exile from his father-in-law, and now two years a prisoner at large in his own house, and, in both, better dealt with than he deserved; yet his spirit was…
Absalom's Ambition. (b. c. 1027.)
ABSALOM'S AMBITION. (B. C. 1027.) Absalom is no sooner restored to his place at court than he aims to be in the throne. He that was unhumbled under his troubles became insufferably proud when they were over; and he cann…
Absalom's Rebellion. (b. c. 1023.)
ABSALOM'S REBELLION. (B. C. 1023.) We have here the breaking out of Absalom's rebellion, which he had long been contriving. It is said to be after forty years, 2 Samuel 15:7. But whence it is to be dated we are not told…
David's Flight. (b. c. 1023.)
DAVID'S FLIGHT. (B. C. 1023.) Here is, I. The notice brought to David of Absalom's rebellion, 2 Samuel 15:13. The matter was bad enough, and yet it seems to have been made worse to him (as such things commonly are) than…
Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 15:24-30
Here we have, I. The fidelity of the priests and Levites and their firm adherence to David and his interest. They knew David's great affection to them and their office, notwithstanding his failings. The method Absalom t…
David's Request to Hushai. (b. c. 1023.)
DAVID'S REQUEST TO HUSHAI. (B. C. 1023.) Nothing, it seems, appeared to David more threatening in Absalom's plot than that Ahithophel was in it; for one good head, in such a design, is worth a thousand good hands. Absal…
Ziba's Calumny. (b. c. 1023.)
ZIBA'S CALUMNY. (B. C. 1023.) We read before how kind David was to Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, how he prudently entrusted his servant Ziba with the management of his estate, while he generously entertained him at…
David Cursed by Shimei. (b. c. 1023.)
DAVID CURSED BY SHIMEI. (B. C. 1023.) We here find how David bore Shimei's curses much better than he had borne Ziba's flatteries. By the latter he was brought to pass a wrong judgment on another, by the former to pass…
Hushai Deceives Absalom; Ahithophel's Wicked Counsel. (b. c. 1023.)
HUSHAI DECEIVES ABSALOM; AHITHOPHEL'S WICKED COUNSEL. (B. C. 1023.) Absalom had notice sent him speedily by some of his friends at Jerusalem that David had withdrawn, and with what a small retinue he had gone; so that t…
Hushai's Counsel. (b. c. 1023.)
HUSHAI'S COUNSEL. (B. C. 1023.) Absalom is now in peaceable possession of Jerusalem; the palace-royal is his own, as are the thrones of judgment, even the thrones of the house of David. His good father reigned in Hebron…