Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 17:22
Then David arose, and all the people that [were] with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.
They passed over Jordan; either at the ford, or in boats.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Then David arose, and all the people that [were] with him, and passed over Jordan,…. Taking the advice of Hushai:
by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan; they travelled all night, and before it was morning they had all passed the river in boats, or through the fords, and not one was lost in the passage, nor any deserted, see Joh 17:12; and now perhaps David penned the forty second and forty third psalms, Ps 42:1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| Ahithophel’s Death; Absalom’s Pursuit of David. | B. C. 1023. |
22 Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan. 23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father. 24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him. 25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man’s son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab’s mother. 26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead. 27 And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim, 28 Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse, 29 And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.
Here is, I. The transporting of David and his forces over Jordan, pursuant to the advice he had received from his friends at Jerusalem, v. 22. He, and all that were with him, went over in the night, whether in ferryboats, which probably always plied there, or through the fords, does not appear. But special notice is taken of this, that there lacked not one of them: none deserted him, though his distress was great, none staid behind sick or weary, nor were any lost or cast away in passing the river. Herein some make him a type of the Messiah, who said, in a difficult day, Of all that thou hast given me have I lost none. Having got over Jordan, he marched many miles forward to Mahanaim, a Levites’ city in the tribe of Gad, in the utmost border of that tribe, and not far from Rabbah, the chief city of the Ammonites. This city, which Ishbosheth had made his royal city (ch. ii. 8), David now made his head-quarters, v. 24. And now he had time to raise an army wherewith to oppose the rebels and give them a warm reception.
II. The death of Ahithophel, v. 23. He died by his own hands, felo de se—a suicide. He hanged himself for vexation that his counsel was not followed; for thereby, 1. He thought himself slighted, and an intolerable slur cast upon his reputation for wisdom. His judgment always used to sway at the counsel-board, but now another’s opinion is thought wiser and better than his. His proud heart cannot bear the affront; it rises and swells, and the more he thinks of it the more violent his resentments grow, till they bring him at last to this desperate resolve not to live to see another preferred before him. All men think him a wise man, but he thinks himself the only wise man; and therefore to be avenged upon mankind for not thinking so too, he will die, that wisdom may die with him. The world is not worthy of such an oracle as he is, and therefore he will make them know the want of him. See what real enemies those are to themselves that think too well of themselves, and what mischiefs those run upon that are impatient of contempt. That will break a proud man’s heart that will not break a humble man’s sleep. 2. He thought himself endangered and his life exposed. He concluded that, because his counsel was not followed, Absalom’s cause would certainly miscarry, and then, whoever would find David’s mercy, he concluded that he, who was the greatest criminal, and had particularly advised him to lie with his father’s concubines, must be sacrificed to justice. To prevent therefore the shame and terror of a public and solemn execution, he does justice upon himself, and, after his reputation for wisdom, by this last act puts a far greater disgrace upon himself than Absalom’s privy-council had put upon him, and answers his name Ahithophel, which signifies, the brother of a fool. Nothing indicates so much folly as self-murder. Observe, How deliberately he did it, and of malice prepense against himself; not in a heat, but he went home to his city, to his house, to do it; and, which is strange, took time to consider of it, and yet did it. And, to prove himself compos mentis–in his senses, when he did it, he first put his household in order, made his will as a man of sane memory and understanding, settled his estate, balanced his accounts; yet he that had sense and prudence enough to do this had not consideration enough to revoke the sentence his pride and passion had passed upon his own neck, nor so much as to suspend the execution of it till he saw the event of Absalom’s rebellion. Now herein we may see, (1.) Contempt poured upon the wisdom of man. He that was more renowned for policy than any man played the fool with himself more abundantly. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, when he sees him that was so great an oracle dying as a fool dies. (2.) Honour done to the justice of God. When the wicked are thus snared in the work of their own hands, and sunk in a pit of their own digging, the Lord is known by the judgment which he executeth, and we must say, Higgaion, Selah; it is a thing to be marked and meditated upon, Psa 7:15; Psa 7:16. (3.) Prayer answered, and an honest cause served even by its enemies. Now, as David had prayed, Ahithophel’s counsel was turned into foolishness to himself. Dr. Lightfoot supposes that David penned the 55th Psalm upon occasion of Ahithophel’s being in the plot against him, and that he is the man complained of (v. 13) that had been his equal, his guide, and his acquaintance; and, if so, this was an immediate answer to his prayer there (v. 15): Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quickly into hell. Ahithophel’s death was an advantage to David’s interest; for had he digested that affront (as those must resolve often to do that will live in this world), and continued his post at Absalom’s elbow, he might have given him counsel afterwards that might have been of pernicious consequence to David. It is well that that breath is stopped and that head laid from which nothing could be expected but mischief. It seems, it was not then usual to disgrace the dead bodies of self-murderers, for Ahithophel was buried, we may suppose honourably buried, in the sepulchre of his father, though he deserved no better than the burial of an ass. See Eccl. viii. 10.
III. Absalom’s pursuit of his father. He had now got all the men of Israel with him, as Hushai advised, and he himself, at the head of them, passed over Jordan, v. 24. Not content that he had driven his good father to the utmost corner of his kingdom, he resolved to chase him out of the world. He pitched in the land of Gilead with all his forces, ready to give David battle, v. 26. Absalom made one Amasa his general (v. 25), whose father was by birth Jether, an Ishmaelite (1 Chron. ii. 17), but by religion Ithra (as he is here called), an Israelite; probably he was not only proselyted, but, having married a near relation of David’s, was, by some act of the state, naturalized, and is therefore called an Israelite. His wife, Amasa’s mother, was Abigail, David’s sister, whose other sister, Zeruiah, was Joab’s mother (1 Chron. ii. 16), so that Amasa was in the same relation to David that Joab was. In honour to his family, even while he was in arms against his father, Absalom made him commander-in-chief of all his forces. Jesse is here called Nahash, for many had two names; or perhaps this was his wife’s name.
IV. The friends David met with in this distant country. Even Shobi, a younger brother of the royal family of the Ammonites, was kind to him, v. 27. It is probable that he had detested the indignity which his brother Hanun had done to David’s ambassadors, and for that had received favours from David, which he now returned. Those that think their prosperity most confirmed know not but, some time or other, they may stand in need of the kindness of those that now lie at their mercy, and may be glad to be beholden to them, which is a reason why we should, as we have opportunity, do good to all men, for he that watereth shall be watered also himself, when there is occasion. Machir, the son of Ammiel, was he that maintained Mephibosheth (ch. ix. 4), till David eased him of that charge, and is now repaid for it by that generous man, who, it seems, was the common patron of distressed princes. Barzillai we shall hear of again. These, compassionating David and his men, now that they were weary with a long march, brought him furniture for his house, beds and basins, and provision for his table, wheat and barley, c., 2Sa 17:282Sa 17:29. He did not put them under contribution, did not compel them to supply him, much less plunder them; but in token of their dutiful affection to him, and their sincere concern for him in his present straits, of their own good will they brought in plenty of all that which he had occasion for. Let us learn hence to be generous and open-handed, according as our ability is, to all in distress, especially great men, to whom it is most grievous, and good men, who deserve better treatment; and see how God sometimes makes up to his people that comfort from strangers which they are disappointed of in their own families.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
(22) Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.
It is supposed that David wrote Psa 42:1-11 and Psa 43:1-5 upon this occasion; because he speaks there of his remembrance of GOD, as his GOD in covenant, from the land of Jordan and the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar; and I think it more than probable. The HOLY GHOST doth evidently pour out, in a more copious manner, his precious effusions to endear JESUS, when all other comforts run low. Jordan’s sacred river, and the land of Hermon, refreshed the recollection of David concerning former trials. And, Reader, have you not found that past afflictions have brought to the recollection present joy. I believe that GOD’S people would have been strangers to many an holy joy and sweet fellowship with their JESUS, had they been without some of their deepest crosses. We may say, therefore, in this sense, the hill of Mizar, in the sweets of recollecting grace, and mercy after, abundantly overpays the painful ascent of it, in the day of David’s trouble. But let us drop David: let us view JESUS passing over the brook Kidron with his disciples. And, as David and all his troop by the morning light were safely landed on the other side, and there lacked not one of them; so, depend upon it, in the everlasting morning, on the eternal hills, when all the followers of JESUS have waded through the Jordan of death, JESUS will again say, Of all that thou hast given me I have lost none. Joh 17:9 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Sa 17:22 Then David arose, and all the people that [were] with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.
Ver. 22. Then David arose, and all the people that were with him. ] This was a hard task to those that had tired themselves all day before with a long and tedious march: but there was a necessity of doing so. Perquam durum est, sed lex ita scripta est, saith the civilian. Soldiers must suffer hardship.
There lacked not one of them.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jordan. Compare Psa 42:6 and Psa 42:43; both Pss. referring to this period.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
and they passed: 2Sa 17:24, Pro 27:12, Mat 10:16
there lacked: Num 31:49, Joh 18:9
Reciprocal: 1Sa 23:26 – David made haste 2Sa 17:16 – but speedily Psa 42:6 – from the Psa 55:7 – General Psa 124:7 – Our soul
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 17:22. David arose He instantly obeyed the friendly counsel given him, with such diligence and despatch that before the next morning he and all his people were safe on the other side Jordan, which they passed over either at the fords or in boats; and in such a manner, it appears, that none of them perished in the passage. Doubtless David took as much care to retard the passage of his enemies, in case they pursued him, as he had before done to hasten his own.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
17:22 Then David arose, and all the people that [were] with him, and they passed over Jordan: {l} by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.
(l) They travelled all night, and by morning had all their company passed over.