Paul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 Samuel 20:14 - 20:26

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Paul Kretzmann Commentary - 2 Samuel 20:14 - 20:26


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The Death of Sheba

v. 14. And he,
Joab, went through all the tribes of Israel, moving ever northward through the country of the ten tribes, unto Abel and to Beth-maachah, in the territory of Naphtali, and all the Barites; and they were gathered together and went also after him, his army was continually increased by the addition of chosen young men who flocked to his standards.

v. 15. And they came and besieged him,
Sheba, in Abel of Beth-maachah, and they cast up a bank, threw up a high embankment, against the city, and it stood in the trench, it reached the height of, and was joined to, the outer wall or works of the fortress; and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, the inner wall, to throw it down.

v. 16. Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear! Say, I pray you, unto Joab, Come near hither that I may speak with thee.

v. 17. And when he,
acting upon her suggestion, was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou Joab? And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

v. 18. Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time, saying,
it was a proverbial saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel; and so they ended the matter. The discretion and wisdom of the city's inhabitants were so widely known that their advice was acted upon without question. So in this case the inhabitants of Abel should first have been consulted before laying siege to the city.

v. 19. I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel,
for she speaks in the name of the entire city. Thou seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel, one of the chief cities of the nation; why wilt thou swallow up the inheritance of the Lord?

v. 20. And Joab,
struck by the sensibility of the argument, answered and said, Far be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy, in a ruthless and senseless manner.

v. 21. The matter is not so,
he had no intention of being willfully cruel; but a man of Mount Ephraim, Sheba, the son of Bichri, by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even against David; deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to-thee over the wall, or "through the wall," through one of the openings or loopholes.

v. 22. Then the woman went unto all the people,
the citizens of Abel, in her wisdom, laying the proposition of Joab before them, which she persuaded them to accept. And they cut off the head of Sheba, the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he, his purpose having been attained, blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. The return march was begun at once. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

v. 23. Now, Joab was over all the host of Israel,
the commander-in-chief of the armies; and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites, the king's body-guard, including his runners and the official executioners;

v. 24. and Adoram was over the tribute,
overseer of the public works; and Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was recorder; chancellor;

v. 25. and Sheva was scribe,
secretary of state; and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests;

v. 26. and Ira, also, the Jairite was a chief ruler about David,
confidential couselor. In spite of many mistakes of men the work of the Lord, also in His Church, must go forward according to His intentions.