Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 19:40
Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.
Conducted the king; attended upon him on his journey towards Jerusalem.
And also half the people of Israel; whereas the men of Judah came entirely and unanimously to the king, as is noted here, and above, 2Sa 19:14, the Israelites of the other tribes came in but slowly, and by halves, as being no less guilty of the rebellion than the tribe of Judah; but not encouraged and invited to come in by such a particular and gracious message as they were. And this is here mentioned as the occasion both of the contention here following, and of the sedition, 2Sa 20.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
40-43. the king went on to Gilgal, .. . and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half thepeople of IsraelWhether from impatience to move on or fromsome other cause, David did not wait till all the tribes had arrivedto conduct him on his return to the capital. The procession began assoon as Amasa had brought the Judahite escort, and the preferencegiven to this tribe produced a bitter jealousy, which was nearlykindling a civil war fiercer than that which had just ended. A war ofwords ensued between the tribesIsrael resting their argument ontheir superior numbers; “they had ten parts in the king,”whereas Judah had no more than one. Judah grounded their right totake the lead, on the ground of their nearer relationship to theking. This was a claim dangerous to the house of David; and it showsthe seeds were already sown for that tribal dissension which, beforelong, led to the dismemberment of the kingdom.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then the king went on to Gilgal,…. Which, according to Josephus n, was fifty furlongs from Jordan, six miles and a quarter:
and Chimham went on with him; after Barzillai had left them, and accompanied the king to Jerusalem:
and all the people of Judah conducted the king; to Jerusalem; who came to meet him, 2Sa 19:15;
and also half the people of Israel; or a part of them, as the word used signifies, and not always an equal half, so Kimchi observes; even such of Israel as went out with David at first, and the a thousand men of Benjamin that came to meet him, 2Sa 19:17.
n Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Quarrel between Israel and Judah about the restoration of the king. – 2Sa 19:40. David went across to Gilgal (in the plain of the Jordan: Jos 4:19), and Chimham ( Chimhan is a modified form for Chimham: 2Sa 19:37) had gone over with him, and all the people of Judah had brought the king over (the Keri is an easier reading than the Chethib , “and as for the people, they had,” etc.), and also “half the people of Israel,” namely, beside the thousand Benjaminites who came with Shimei (2Sa 19:17), other Israelites who dwelt in the neighbourhood.
2Sa 19:41 All the men of Israel, i.e., the representatives of the other tribes of Israel, came to meet the king in Gilgal; and being annoyed at the fact that the men of Judah had anticipated them, they exclaimed, “Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away?” i.e., fetched thee thus secretly without saying a word to us. “All David’s men” were all his faithful adherents who had fled with him from Jerusalem (2Sa 15:17.).
2Sa 19:42 The men of Judah replied against ( ) the men of Israel: “The king stands near to us” (inasmuch as he belonged to their tribe), “and wherefore then art thou angry at this matter? Have we eaten from the king (i.e., derived any advantage from our tribe-relationship to him, as the Benjaminites did from Saul, according to 1Sa 22:7), or received anything for ourselves therefrom?” is an infinitive abs. Niph. with a feminine termination, borrowed from ; literally, “or has taking been taken for us.”
2Sa 19:43 The Israelites were annoyed at this answer, and retorted, “I (Israel) have ten portions in the king, and also more than thou in David; and wherefore hast thou despised me?” They considered that they had ten shares in the king, because they formed ten tribes, in opposition to the one tribe of Judah, as the Levites did not come into consideration in the matter. Although David was of the tribe of Judah, he was nevertheless king of the whole nation, so that the ten tribes had a larger share than one tribe. refers to the fact, that Judah took no notice at all of the tribes of Israel when fetching back the king. , “and was not my speech the first to fetch back my king?” (On the fact itself, see 2Sa 19:10-11.) is an emphatic dat. commodi, and is to be taken in connection with , notwithstanding the accents. “And the speech of the men of Judah became fiercer (more violent) than the speech of the men of Israel.” With these words the historian sums up briefly the further progress of the dispute, for the purpose of appending the account of Sheba’s rebellion, to which it gave rise.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
| Quarrel between Israel and Judah. | B. C. 1023. |
40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel. 41 And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David’s men with him, over Jordan? 42 And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king’s cost? or hath he given us any gift? 43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
David came over Jordan attended and assisted only by the men of Judah; but when he had advanced as far as Gilgal, the first stage on this side Jordan, half the people of Israel (that is, of their elders and great men) had come to wait upon him, to kiss his hand, and congratulate him on his return, but found they came too late to witness the solemnity of his first entrance. This put them out of humour, and occasioned a quarrel between them and the men of Judah, which was a damp to the joy of the day, and the beginning of further mischief. Here is, 1. The complaint which the men of Israel brought to the king against the men of Judah (v. 41), that they had performed the ceremony of bringing the king over Jordan, and not given them notice, that they might have come to join in it. This reflected upon them, as if they were not so well affected to the king and his restoration as the men of Judah were, whereas the king himself knew that they had spoken of it before the men of Judah thought of it, v. 11. It seemed likewise as if they intended to monopolize the king’s favours when he had come back, and to be looked upon as his only friends. See what mischief comes from pride and jealousy. 2. The excuse which the men of Judah made for themselves, v. 42. (1.) They plead relations to the king: “He is near of kin to us, and therefore in a matter of mere ceremony, as this was, we may claim precedency. It was into our country that he was to be brought, and therefore who so fit as we to bring him?” (2.) They deny the insinuated charge of self-seeking in what they had done: “Have we eaten at all of the king’s cost? No, we have all borne our own charges. Hath he given us any gift? No, we have no design to engross the advantages of his return; you have come time enough to share in them.” Too many that attend princes do so only for what they can get. 3. The men of Israel’s vindication of their charge, v. 43. They pleaded, “We have ten parts in the king” (Judah having Simeon only, whose lot lay within his, to join with him), “and therefore it is a slight upon us that our advice was not asked about bringing back the king.” See how uncertain the multitude is. They were lately striving against the king, to drive him out; now they are striving about him, which shall honour him most. A good man and a good cause will thus recover their credit and interest, though, for a time, they may seem to have lost them. See what is commonly the origin of strife, nothing so much as impatience of contempt or the least seeming slight. The men of Judah would have done better if they had taken their brethren’s advice and assistance; but, since they did not, why should the men of Israel be so grievously offended? If a good work be done, and well done, let us not be displeased, nor the work disparaged, though we had no hand in it. 4. The scripture takes notice, by way of blame, which of the contending parties managed the cause with most passion: The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than those of the men of Israel. Though we have right and reason on our side, yet, if we express ourselves with fierceness, God takes notice of it and is much displeased with it.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
(40) All the people.The tribe of Judah, deeply moved by the measures and words of David, had united generally in his restoration; the other tribes, who had first proposed to return to their allegiance (2Sa. 19:9-10), had not had time to join in the present movement, or had not generally known of it, and only Shimei with his one thousand Benjamites, and doubtless others living near, together with the tribes east of the Jordan, represented altogether as half the people of Israel, were able to come together.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
QUARREL AT GILGAL BETWEEN JUDAH AND ISRAEL OVER THE KING’S RETURN, 2Sa 19:40-43.
40. Gilgal In the Jordan plain just east of Jericho; the ancient camping-ground of Israel under Joshua, and the spot where the kingdom was confirmed to Saul when he returned successful from a war fought beyond the Jordan. Compare notes on 1Sa 11:12-15.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Sa 19:40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.
Ver. 40. And also half the people of Israel. ] i.e., A part of them; so many as well could, and had a mind to it.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
all . . . half. A whole-hearted act on the part of Judah: and a half-hearted act on the part of Israel. This explains what follows.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Chimham: Heb. Chimhan
all the people: 2Sa 19:11-15, Gen 49:10, Mat 21:9
Reciprocal: Gen 31:46 – an heap 2Sa 19:37 – Chimham 2Sa 20:2 – from Jordan
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 19:40. All the people of Judah That is, the elders and great men of Judah. Also half the people of Israel Whereas the men of Judah came entirely and unanimously to the king, the Israelites, of the other tribes, came in but slowly, and by halves, as being no less guilty of rebellion than the tribe of Judah; but not encouraged to come in by such a gracious message as they were. And this is here mentioned as the occasion both of the contention here following, and of the sedition, chap. 20.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
19:40 Then the king went on to {r} Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of {s} Israel.
(r) Where the tribe of Judah waited to receive him.
(s) Who had taken the side of the king.