Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 20:19

I [am one of them that are] peaceable [and] faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?

19. I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel ] I am peaceable and faithful in Israel. The woman speaks in the name of the city, asserting its peaceableness and loyalty. By an irregularity of construction, hardly reproducible in English, the predicate is in the plural, referring to the inhabitants. Lit. I am peaceable faithful ones of Israel.

to destroy a city and a mother ] Lit. to slay: the personification of the city is kept up. On “mother” as applied to a city ( metropolis) see note on ch. 2Sa 8:1.

the inheritance of the Lord] Cp. ch. 2Sa 10:12, 2Sa 14:16; 1Sa 26:19.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

I am one … – The woman speaks in the name of the whole city, which she means to say was peaceable and loyal.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 19. I – peaceable and faithful in Israel] I am for peace, not contention of any kind; I am faithful-I adhere to David, and neither seek nor shall sanction any rebellion or anarchy in the land. Why then dost thou proceed in such a violent manner? Perhaps the woman speaks here in the name and on behalf of the city: “I am a peaceable city, and am faithful to the king.”

A mother in Israel] That is, a chief city of a district; for it is very likely that the woman speaks of the city, not of herself.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Or, I (to wit, the city of Abel, in whose name and person she speaks this) am one of the

peaceable and faithful cities of Israel. Whatsoever Sheba may design, whom we have innocently received into our city before we well understood the matter, we of this city abhor the thoughts of warring and rebelling against the king, as having had no hand in Absaloms late rebellion: which is probable enough, considering both their situation in the utmost borders of the land, very remote from the seat of that civil war; and their open profession of their peaceableness and fidelity or loyalty to the king; which had been impudent if they had been so lately involved in the last war and rebellion.

A city and a mother, i.e. a mother; for great cities are commonly called mothers; as lesser towns or villages subject to them, and depending upon them for direction and defence, are called their daughters, as Eze 16:27,46.

The inheritance of the Lord, i.e. a considerable part of that land which God hath chosen for his peculiar possession. The destruction which thou art about to bring upon us is an injury also to Israel, and to the God of Israel.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

I [am one of them that are] peaceable [and] faithful in Israel,…. Her meaning is, that she was of a city which consisted of peaceable and faithful men, that were peaceable among themselves, and faithful to their king, who never were concerned in any insurrection or rebellion, not in the late one under Absalom:

thou seekest to destroy a city, and a mother in Israel; a metropolitan city, which had several towns and villages under its jurisdiction, which were as daughters to it. Some think she means herself, because very old, supposed c to be Serah, the daughter of Asher, a son of Jacob, which is improbable:

wilt why thou swallow up the inheritance of the Lord? a city which is a part of the land, that is the Lord’s inheritance.

c Jarchi & Kimchi in loc. Hieron. Trad. Heb. in 2 Reg. fol. 79. L.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

19. I peaceable faithful in Israel She speaks in, the name of the whole city, declaring that they were guilty of nothing that called for war.

A mother in Israel A designation of Abel as a mother city, having many towns dependent upon her.

Why wilt thou This question clearly implies that Joab had begun his siege without proper preliminary communication with the inhabitants, and even without making known his purpose or desires.

The inheritance of the Lord The land of Israel consecrated for his chosen people. See marginal references.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2Sa 20:19 I [am one of them that are] peaceable [and] faithful in Israel: thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?

Ver. 19. I am one of them, &c. ] See on 2Sa 20:18 .

Thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel, ] i.e., A metropolis that hath many towns belonging to it; which sucking in the air of this city, as Plutarch speaketh of Rome in Numa’s days, do breathe peaceableness and faithfulness to their rightful sovereign. Or, A mother in Israel, that is, a city that can give mother-like counsel. Or, A mother, that is, a university, such as was afterwards Athens, spared therefore by Sulla, when as else he had destroyed it. a

Why wilt thou swallow up ] As a greedy beast doth his prey.

The inheritance of the Lord? ] Will not such a murdering morsel be thy bane? Art thou so good at committing of sacrilege, at robbing God of his right?

a Plut., Apoph.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)