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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comKeil and Delitzsch Commentary - 2 Samuel 15:1 - 15:1
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2Sa 15:1-3
Absalom seeks to secure the people's favour. - 2Sa 15:1. Soon afterwards (this seems to be the meaning of כֵּן מֵאַחֲרֵי as distinguished from כֵּן אַהֲרֵי; cf. 2Sa 3:28) Absalom set up a carriage (i.e., a state-carriage; cf. 1Sa 8:11) and horses, and fifty men as runners before him, i.e., to run before him when he drove out, and attract the attention of the people by a display of princely pomp, as Adonijah afterwards did (1Ki 1:5). He then went early in the morning to the side of the road to the gate of the palace, and called out to every one who was about to go to the king “for judgment,” i.e., seek justice in connection with any matter in dispute, and asked him, “Of what city art thou?” and also, as we may see from the reply in 2Sa 15:3, inquired into his feelings towards the king, and then said, “Thy matters are good and right, but there is no hearer for thee with the king.” שֹׁמֵעַ signifies the judicial officer, who heard complainants and examined into their different causes, for the purpose of laying them before the king for settlement. Of course the king himself could not give a hearing to every complainant, and make a personal investigation of his cause; nor could his judges procure justice for every complainant, however justly they might act, though it is possible that they may not always have performed their duty conscientiously.
2Sa 15:4
Absalom also said, “Oh that I might be judge in the land, and every one who had a cause might come before me; I would procure him justice!” יְשִׂמֵנִי מִי is a wish: “who might (i.e., oh that one might) appoint me judge,” an analogous expression to יִתֵּן ot מִי (vid., Gesenius, §136, 1, and Ewald, §329, c.). עָלַי placed before יָבִא for the sake of emphasis, may be explained from the fact that a judge sat, so that the person who stood before him rose above him (comp. Exo 18:13 with Gen 18:8). הִצְדִּיק, to speak justly, or help to justice.
2Sa 15:5
And when any one came near to him to prostrate himself before him, he took him by the hand and kissed him. It was by conduct of this kind that Agamemnon is said to have secured the command of the Grecian army (Euripid. Iphig. Aul. v. 337ff.).
2Sa 15:6
Thus Absalom stole the heart of the men of Israel. גִּנֵּב לֵב does not mean to deceive or cheat, like לֵב גִּנֵּב in the Kal in Gen 31:20, but to steal the heart, i.e., to bring a person over to his side secretly and by stratagem.