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2 Samuel 20:23
Verse
Context
Sheba’s Rebellion
22Then the woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn and his men dispersed from the city, each to his own home. And Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.23Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites; 24Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;
Summary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Joab was over all the host - He had murdered Amasa, and seized on the supreme command: and such was his power at present, and the service which he had rendered to the state by quelling the rebellion of Sheba, that David was obliged to continue him; and dared not to call him to account for his murders without endangering the safety of the state by a civil war. Benaiah - over the Cherethites - Benaiah was over the archers and slingers. See the notes on Sa2 8:18.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
David's Ministers of State. - The second section of the history of David's reign closes, like the first (Sa2 8:16.), with a list of the leading ministers of state. The author evidently found the two lists in his sources, and included them both in his work, for the simple reason that they belonged to different periods, as the difference in the names of some of the officers clearly shows, and that they supplemented on another. The list before us belongs to a later period of David's reign than the one in Sa2 8:16-18. In addition to the office-bearers mentioned in 2 Samuel 8, we find here Adoram over the tribute, and Ira the Kairite a confidential counsellor (cohen: see at Sa2 8:18), in the place of the sons of David noticed in Sa2 8:18. The others are the same in both lists. The Chethib הכרי is to be read הכּרי (cf. Kg2 11:4, Kg2 11:19), from כוּר, perfodit, and is synonymous with הכּרתי (see at Sa2 8:18). Adoram is the same person as Adoniram, who is mentioned in Kg1 4:6 and Kg1 5:14 as overseer over the tributary service in the time of Solomon; as we may see from the fact, that the latter is also called Adoram in Kg1 12:18, and Hadoram in Ch2 10:18. Hadoram is apparently only a contracted form of the name, and not merely a copyist's mistake for Adoniram. But when we find that, according to the passage cited, the same man filled this office under three kings, we must bear in mind that he did not enter upon it till the close of David's reign, as he is not mentioned in Sa2 8:16., and that his name only occurs in connection with Rehoboam's ascent of the throne; so that there is no ground for assuming that he filled the office for any length of time under that monarch. המּס does not mean vectigal, i.e., tribute or tributary service, but tributary labourers. The derivation of the word is uncertain, and has been disputed. The appointment of a special prefect over the tributary labourers can hardly have taken place before the closing years of David's reign, when the king organized the internal administration of the kingdom more firmly than before. On the tributary labourers, see at Kg1 5:13. Ira the Jairite is never mentioned again. There is no ground for altering Jairi (the Jairite) into Jithri (the Jithrite), as Thenius proposes, since the rendering given in the Syriac ("from Jathir") is merely an inference from Sa2 23:38; and the assumption upon which this conclusion is founded, viz., that Ira, the hero mentioned in Sa2 23:38, is the same person as Ira the royal cohen, is altogether unfounded.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
DAVID'S GREAT OFFICERS. (Sa2 20:23-26) Now Joab was over all the host of Israel--David, whatever his private wishes, found that he possessed not the power of removing Joab; so winking at the murder of Amasa, he re-established that officer in his former post of commander-in-chief. The enumeration of David's cabinet is here given to show that the government was re-established in its wonted course. Next: 2 Samuel Chapter 21
John Gill Bible Commentary
Now Joab was over all the host of Israel,.... Established in the post in which he formerly was; either having been never displaced, which though David thought to do, he was not able to effect it, because of his power and influence with the people; or if he had displaced him, which by some things in this chapter seemed to be the case, yet Amasa being dead, and the rebellion crushed by Joab, which still made him more haughty, and increased his popularity, David saw it most advisable to replace him; and because mention is made of him, as established in his office as general over the whole army, an account is given of the rest of David's officers; and the rather, as it was a sort of beginning his reign anew, after quelling the above rebellions: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites, and over the Pelethites; was continued in his post, see Sa2 8:18.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Here is an account of the state of David's court after his restoration. Joab retained the office of general, being too great to be displaced. Benaiah, as before, was captain of the guards. Here is one new office erected, which we had not (Sa2 8:16-18), that of treasurer, or one over the tribute, for it was not till towards the latter end of his time that David began to raise taxes. Adoram was long in this office, but it cost him his life at last, Kg1 12:18.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
20:23-26 This list of David’s leaders and the similar list in 8:15-18 bracket chs 9–20 in David’s life. Even after the major crises described in these 12 chapters, David’s monarchy did not fall apart; he still had an intact administration. 20:23 In 8:16, Joab was called “commander of the army,” but here he is commander of the army of Israel. David’s wider control of Israel was established when the northern secessionist movements were defeated.
2 Samuel 20:23
Sheba’s Rebellion
22Then the woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn and his men dispersed from the city, each to his own home. And Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.23Now Joab was over the whole army of Israel; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites; 24Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder;
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- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Matthew Henry
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Joab was over all the host - He had murdered Amasa, and seized on the supreme command: and such was his power at present, and the service which he had rendered to the state by quelling the rebellion of Sheba, that David was obliged to continue him; and dared not to call him to account for his murders without endangering the safety of the state by a civil war. Benaiah - over the Cherethites - Benaiah was over the archers and slingers. See the notes on Sa2 8:18.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
David's Ministers of State. - The second section of the history of David's reign closes, like the first (Sa2 8:16.), with a list of the leading ministers of state. The author evidently found the two lists in his sources, and included them both in his work, for the simple reason that they belonged to different periods, as the difference in the names of some of the officers clearly shows, and that they supplemented on another. The list before us belongs to a later period of David's reign than the one in Sa2 8:16-18. In addition to the office-bearers mentioned in 2 Samuel 8, we find here Adoram over the tribute, and Ira the Kairite a confidential counsellor (cohen: see at Sa2 8:18), in the place of the sons of David noticed in Sa2 8:18. The others are the same in both lists. The Chethib הכרי is to be read הכּרי (cf. Kg2 11:4, Kg2 11:19), from כוּר, perfodit, and is synonymous with הכּרתי (see at Sa2 8:18). Adoram is the same person as Adoniram, who is mentioned in Kg1 4:6 and Kg1 5:14 as overseer over the tributary service in the time of Solomon; as we may see from the fact, that the latter is also called Adoram in Kg1 12:18, and Hadoram in Ch2 10:18. Hadoram is apparently only a contracted form of the name, and not merely a copyist's mistake for Adoniram. But when we find that, according to the passage cited, the same man filled this office under three kings, we must bear in mind that he did not enter upon it till the close of David's reign, as he is not mentioned in Sa2 8:16., and that his name only occurs in connection with Rehoboam's ascent of the throne; so that there is no ground for assuming that he filled the office for any length of time under that monarch. המּס does not mean vectigal, i.e., tribute or tributary service, but tributary labourers. The derivation of the word is uncertain, and has been disputed. The appointment of a special prefect over the tributary labourers can hardly have taken place before the closing years of David's reign, when the king organized the internal administration of the kingdom more firmly than before. On the tributary labourers, see at Kg1 5:13. Ira the Jairite is never mentioned again. There is no ground for altering Jairi (the Jairite) into Jithri (the Jithrite), as Thenius proposes, since the rendering given in the Syriac ("from Jathir") is merely an inference from Sa2 23:38; and the assumption upon which this conclusion is founded, viz., that Ira, the hero mentioned in Sa2 23:38, is the same person as Ira the royal cohen, is altogether unfounded.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
DAVID'S GREAT OFFICERS. (Sa2 20:23-26) Now Joab was over all the host of Israel--David, whatever his private wishes, found that he possessed not the power of removing Joab; so winking at the murder of Amasa, he re-established that officer in his former post of commander-in-chief. The enumeration of David's cabinet is here given to show that the government was re-established in its wonted course. Next: 2 Samuel Chapter 21
John Gill Bible Commentary
Now Joab was over all the host of Israel,.... Established in the post in which he formerly was; either having been never displaced, which though David thought to do, he was not able to effect it, because of his power and influence with the people; or if he had displaced him, which by some things in this chapter seemed to be the case, yet Amasa being dead, and the rebellion crushed by Joab, which still made him more haughty, and increased his popularity, David saw it most advisable to replace him; and because mention is made of him, as established in his office as general over the whole army, an account is given of the rest of David's officers; and the rather, as it was a sort of beginning his reign anew, after quelling the above rebellions: and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites, and over the Pelethites; was continued in his post, see Sa2 8:18.
Matthew Henry Bible Commentary
Here is an account of the state of David's court after his restoration. Joab retained the office of general, being too great to be displaced. Benaiah, as before, was captain of the guards. Here is one new office erected, which we had not (Sa2 8:16-18), that of treasurer, or one over the tribute, for it was not till towards the latter end of his time that David began to raise taxes. Adoram was long in this office, but it cost him his life at last, Kg1 12:18.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
20:23-26 This list of David’s leaders and the similar list in 8:15-18 bracket chs 9–20 in David’s life. Even after the major crises described in these 12 chapters, David’s monarchy did not fall apart; he still had an intact administration. 20:23 In 8:16, Joab was called “commander of the army,” but here he is commander of the army of Israel. David’s wider control of Israel was established when the northern secessionist movements were defeated.