Verse 4
A thousand chariots - It is strange that there were a thousand chariots, and only seven hundred horsemen taken, and twenty thousand foot. But as the discomfiture appears complete, we may suppose that the chariots, being less manageable, might be more easily taken, while the horsemen might, in general, make their escape. The infantry also seem to have been surrounded, when twenty thousand of them were taken prisoners.
David houghed all the chariot horses - If he did so, it was both unreasonable and inhuman; for, as he had so complete a victory, there was no danger of these horses falling into the enemy's hands; and if he did not choose to keep them, which indeed the law would not permit, he should have killed them outright; and then the poor innocent creatures would have been put out of pain. But does the text speak of houghing horses at all? It does not. Let us hear; ויעקר דוד את כל הרכב vayeakker David eth col harecheb, And David disjointed all the chariots, except a hundred chariots which he reserved for himself. Now, this destruction of the chariots, was a matter of sound policy, and strict piety. God had censured those who trusted in chariots; piety therefore forbade David the use of them: and lest they should fall into the enemy's hands, and be again used against him, policy induced him to destroy them. The Septuagint render the words nearly as I have done, και παρελυσε Δαυιδ παντα τα ἁρματα.
He kept however one hundred; probably as a sort of baggage or forage wagons.
Verse 6
Brought gifts - Paid tribute.
Verse 7
David took the shields of gold - We know not what these were. Some translate arms, others quivers, others bracelets, others collars, and others shields. They were probably costly ornaments by which the Syrian soldiers were decked and distinguished. And those who are called servants here, were probably the choice troops or body-guard of Hadadezer, as the argyraspides were of Alexander the Great. See Quintus Curtius.
Verse 9
Toi king of Hamath - Hamath is supposed to be the famous city of Emesa, situated on the Orontes, in Syria. This was contiguous to
Hadadezer; and led him to wage war with Toi, that he might get possession of his territories. For a comparison of the 10th verse, see [1Chr 18:9].
Verse 13
David gat him a name - Became a very celebrated and eminent man. The Targum has it, David collected troops; namely, to recruit his army when he returned from smiting the Syrians. His many battles had no doubt greatly thinned his army.
The valley of salt - Supposed to be a large plain abounding in this mineral, about a league from the city of Palmyra or Tadmor in the wilderness.
Verse 14
He put garrisons in Edom - He repaired the strong cities which he had taken, and put garrisons in them to keep the country in awe.
Verse 16
Joab - was over the host - General and commander-in-chief over all the army.
Ahilud - recorder - מזכיר mazkir, remembrancer; one who kept a strict journal of all the proceedings of the king and operations of his army; a chronicler. Or, remembrancer, or, writer of chronicles.
Verse 17
Seraiah - the scribe - Most likely the king's private secretary. See [1Chr 24:3] (note).
Verse 18
Benaiah - The chief of the second class of David's worthies. We shall meet with him again.
The Cherethites and the Pelethites - The former supposed to be those who accompanied David when he fled from Saul; the latter, those who came to him at Ziklag. But the Targum translates these two names thus, the archers and the slingers; and this is by far the most likely. It is not at all probable that David was without a company both of archers and slingers. The bow is celebrated in the funeral lamentation over Saul and Jonathan; and the sling was renowned as the weapon of the Israelites, and how expert David was in the use of it we learn from the death of Goliath. I take for granted that the Chaldee paraphrast is correct. No weapons then known were equally powerful with these; the spears, swords, and javelins, of other nations, were as stubble before them. The bow was the grand weapon of our English ancestors; and even after the invention of firearms, they were with difficulty persuaded to prefer them and leave their archery.
Introduction
David inquires after the family of Jonathan, and is informed of Mephibosheth his son, [2Sam 9:1-4]. He sends for him and gives him all the land of Saul, [2Sam 9:5-8]; and appoints Ziba the servant of Saul, and his family, to till the ground for Mephibosheth, [2Sam 9:9-13].
Verse 1
Is there yet any that is left - David recollecting the covenant made with his friend Jonathan, now inquires after his family. It is supposed that political considerations prevented him from doing this sooner. Reasons of state often destroy all the charities of life.
Verse 3
That I may show the kindness of God unto him? - That is, the utmost, the highest degrees of kindness; as the hail of God, is very great hail, the mountains of God, exceeding high mountains: besides, this kindness was according to the covenant of God made between him and the family of Jonathan.
Verse 4
Lo-debar - Supposed to have been situated beyond Jordan; but there is nothing certain known concerning it.
Verse 7
Will restore thee all the land - I believe this means the mere family estate of the house of Kish, which David as king might have retained, but which most certainly belonged, according to the Israelitish law, to the descendants of the family.
And thou shalt eat bread at my table - This was kindness, (the giving up the land was justice), and it was the highest honor that any subject could enjoy, as we may see from the reference made to it by our Lord, [Luk 22:30] (note): That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. For such a person David could do no more. His lameness rendered him unfit for any public employment.
Verse 9
I have given unto thy master's son - Unless Ziba had been servant of Jonathan, this seems to refer to Micha, son of Mephibosheth, and so some understand it; but it is more likely that Mephibosheth is meant, who is called son of Saul instead of grandson. Yet it is evident enough that the produce of the land went to the support of Micha, (see [2Sam 9:10]), for the father was provided for at the table of David; but all the patrimony belonged to Mephibosheth.
Verse 10
Thou therefore, and thy sons - shall till the land - It seems that Ziba and his family had the care of the whole estate, and cultivated it at their own expense, yielding the half of the produce to the family of Mephibosheth. Ziba was properly the hind, whose duty and interest it was to take proper care of the ground, for the better it was cultivated the more it produced; and his half would consequently be the greater.
Verse 11
So shall thy servant do - The promises of Ziba were fair and specious, but he was a traitor in his heart, as we shall see in the rebellion of Absalom, and David's indulgence to this man is a blot in his character; at this time however he suspected no evil; circumstances alone can develope the human character. The internal villain can be known only when circumstances occur which can call his propensities into action; till then he may be reputed an honest man.
Verse 13
Did eat continually at the king's table - He was fit for no public office, but was treated by the king with the utmost respect and affection.
Introduction
The king of Ammon being dead, David sends ambassadors to comfort his son Hanun, [2Sam 10:1], [2Sam 10:2]. Hanun, misled by his courtiers, treats the messengers of David with great indignity, [2Sam 10:3-5]. The Ammonites, justly dreading David's resentment, send, and hire the Syrians to make war upon him, [2Sam 10:6]. Joab and Abishai meet them at the city of Medeba, and defeat them, [2Sam 10:7-14]. The Syrians collect another army, but are defeated by David with great slaughter, and make with him a separate peace, [2Sam 10:15-19].