Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 19:3
And the people got them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
3. gat them by stealth, &c.] Out of respect for the king’s sorrow the army stole into the city silently in small parties, like disgraced fugitives, instead of entering in military order with shouts of triumph for the victory.
that day ] Clearly the day of the battle, which must therefore have been fought in the neighbourhood of Mahanaim. See notes on ch. 2Sa 18:6.
as people, &c.] Better, as the people steal in who have disgraced themselves by fleeing in the battle.
Not openly, and orderly, and triumphantly, as conquerors use to do; but secretly, and disorderly, and asunder, as if they were afraid and ashamed, lest David should see them, and look upon them with an evil eye, as those that had a hand in the killing of his dearly beloved son. 3. the people gat them by stealth .. . to the cityThe rumor of the king’s disconsolate conditionspread a universal and unseasonable gloom. His troops, instead ofbeing welcomed back (as a victorious army always was) with music andother demonstrations of public joy, slunk secretly and silently intothe city, as if ashamed after the commission of some crime. And the people got them by stealth that day into the city,…. Did not march into it in companies, in a public and triumphant manner, as conquerors used to do; but entered in a private manner, one by one, or a very few together, not caring to be seen or known, at least by the king, as fearing they had incurred his displeasure: but
as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle; as if they had been conquered, and not conquerors; nay, had acted a cowardly part, and ran away; and so cared not to be seen, lest they should be reproached, or suffer for their cowardice.
3. Gat them by stealth into the city They entered not by the gate where David sat mourning, but, like thieves, climbed in some other way.
2Sa 19:3 And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
Ver. 3. And the people gat them by stealth. ] As if they had fled in the battle, and were ashamed of their cowardice; or like a dog that claps his tail between his legs, and getteth away as he can.
as = according as.
into the city: 2Sa 19:32, 2Sa 17:24
steal: Gen 31:27
Reciprocal: 2Sa 19:8 – for Israel 2Sa 19:41 – stolen
2Sa 19:3. The people gat them by stealth into the city Not openly and triumphantly, as conquerors use to do; but secretly, as if they thought themselves a kind of criminals, who had contravened the kings command, and were, on that score, in disgrace with him, and, therefore, were afraid and ashamed lest he should see them and look upon them with an evil eye, as persons that had had a hand in killing his beloved son. As people steal away when they flee in battle As if they had lost the day and not been victorious.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments