Verse 1

choose out. Septuagint and Vulgate read "choose for myself".

men. Hebrew. "ish. App-14.

I will. Ahithophel manifests personal vengeance. See note on 2 Samuel 16:21 with 2 Samuel 17:11.

this night. Compare Psalms 4:8. Psalm 4 is concerning inheritances. David"s was in jeopardy (2 Samuel 17:2), but his trust was in Jehovah"s favour (2 Samuel 15:26; 2 Samuel 22:20. Psalms 18:19).

Verse 4

pleased = was good in the eyes of,

and = and [in the eyes of] all.

Verse 5

Call now. Hebrew "Call thou "(compare "thou", 2 Samuel 17:6); but Septuagint and Vulgate read "Call ye".

Verse 7

counsel . . . given. Hebrew counsel . . . counselled. Figure of speech Polyptoton (App-6) = the good counsel (but "not good "now).

Verse 8

men. Hebrew. "enosh. App-14.

mighty men. Hebrew. gibborim. App-14.

chafed = bitter.

minds = souls. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.

Verse 9

Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6.

Verse 10

valiant men = sons of valour.

Verse 11

as. Figure of speech Parcemia. App-6.

thou = thou thyself. Hebrew "thy face". Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Part), App-6, put to emphasise the whole person. to battle. Hebrew. karat), never used of battle (which is milhamah). Bikkrab, rendered "to battle", is an abbreviation for bekirbah = "in the midst of them", which is the reading of the Septuagint and Vulgate.

in thine own person. By all this emphasis Hushai represents Ahithophel"s personal malice (which need not disturb Absalom) as being personal pride aimed against Absalom. See verses: 2 Samuel 17:1-3, "I will arise"; "I will come"; "I will smite"; "I will bring back", &c.

Verse 12

as = according as.

Verse 14

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.

evil = the evil. Heb, ra`a". App-44.

Verse 17

En-rogel. Now the Virgin"s Fount, on east side of Ophel, or Jebus, from which the Zinnor runs up to the citadel. See note on 2 Samuel 5:8. Compare Joshua 15:7; Joshua 18:16, and App-68, on "Zion".

a wench = a maidservant. Compare Matthew 26:69. Mark 14:66. Luke 22:56. John 18:17.

Verse 18

went down. Wells mostly dry in summer.

Verse 20

said. Probably misdirecting them.

Verse 22

Jordan. Compare Psalms 42:6 and Psalms 42:43; both Pss. referring to this period.

Verse 23

put his household in order = gave charge unto his household.

hanged himself. Not so much because his counsel was not, taken, but because his revenge was not taken on David (see note on 2 Samuel 11:3; 2 Samuel 16:21, and 2 Samuel 17:1), and that the conspiracy must fail. Same word in Matthew 27:5 as in Septuagint here (apegxato), as though to invite the comparison of Judas with Ahithophel.

Verse 24

all. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Genus). App-6. The whole put for the greater part

Verse 25

made = set, or appointed.

captain of = captain over.

Ithra an Israelite = Jether an Ishmeelite. See 1 Chronicles 2:17.

went in to. Probably meaning seduced. If so, it would be during David"s stay in Moab (1 Samuel 22:3, 1 Samuel 22:4 Abigail. David was probably half-brother to Abigail, and Zeruiah, having the same mother; he having Jess for his father, they having Nahash.

sister to Zeruiah. Implying that she was not sister to David.

Verse 27

Nahash. Compare 2 Samuel 10:2.

Machir. He had brought up Mephibosheth. Compare 2 Samuel 9:1

Verse 28

and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton (App-6), 2 Samuel 17:28 and 2 Samuel 17:29, emphasising the items.

Verse 29

butter. Scarce in Lo-debar. Compare 2 Samuel 9:4. The word means place of "no pasture".