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II Samuel
Chapter
17 (Continued)
21~~Now
it came to pass, {advance of historical narrative}
after
they {the revolutionary patrol} had 'marched on'/'moved out',
that
they {the couriers} ascended out of the dry cistern.
Then
they went and reported {gave a detailed report}
to
king David, and they said to David,
"Move
out quickly, and ford/cross the river.
For
thus . . . has Ahithophel advised/counseled against you."
{we previously had the details so no need to re-record them here}
22~~Then
David moved out {rapidly},
and
all the people {army and civilians}
who
were with him,
and
they crossed over the Jordan {River}.
By
dawn/'the morning light' there was not one
who
had not crossed over the Jordan.
{means this was a night crossing and all made it fine}
{Final
Result of Clandestine Warfare}
23~~And
when Ahithophel saw/'made an estimate of the situation'
that
his plan/advice/counsel was not adopted/executed,
he
saddled his ass, and went to his chateau . . .
to
his hometown/city . . .
and
when he had put his 'affairs in order'
{Idiom: literally: 'household in order' - means he updated his will,
and made arraignments for his death - very rational unto the end}
he
hanged himself, and died/'committed suicide'.
Then he was buried in the 'Family Mausoleum/'sepulcher of his father'.
{David's
Headquarters and Absalom's first Move}
24a~~Then
David went to Mahanaim.
{Note: David marched his column with the Jordan to his left and the Mountains to his right. Then he turned left and went to Mahanaim which he made his headquarters for the upcoming battle.}
24b~~And
Absalom crossed the Jordan {River} . . .
he
and 'his entire army/'all the men of Israel' with him.
{Note: This phrase indicates that the majority of the professional Jewish army aligned themselves with Absalom. From Josephus and other extra-biblical sources, we can trace how Absalom delayed by going to Shechem to gather together an army of about 250,000 men which gave David the time to prepare for the fight (as was Hushai's plan).}
{Amasa
made Field Commander of Revolutionary Forces}
25~~In
the mean time, Absalom had appointed Amasa
commander
of the army to replace Joab
{who stayed loyal to David}.
Now
Amasa was a bastard/'son of a man'
{Amasa's name means 'people of Jesse' - so his line would be
associated with David's father - though he is an Ammonite and an
Ishmaelite}
whose
{father's} name was Ithra/Jether the Ishmaelite . . .
{Jether was a passing Arab who seduced Abigail who gave birth to
the bastard son Amasa}
who
{Jether} seduced Abigail, daughter of Nahash
{daughter of the king of Amnon when he was the husband of
David's mother as we will see},
{half}
sister to Zeruiah, Joab's mother
{Zeruiah and David were full brother and sister having Jesse as their
father}.
{Note: David's father Jesse was the second husband of David's mother. Originally she was the first wife of King Nahash of Amnon. She apparently gave King Nahash only a daughter, Abigail, so he divorced her (apparently a friendly divorce and that explains why King Nahash was such a good friend of David). So, David's mother came to Israel and married Jesse. She had 8 sons with Jesse, David being the youngest. Apparently, it was her dowry that gave them so many sheep for David to watch. So, Abigail is the half-sister of David and Zeruiah (David's full sister). Amasa is David's illegitimate nephew. Joab and Amasa and Absalom are all first cousins. See also I Chronicles 2:17 on Amasa's birth.}
{Geographical
Location of Battle of Civil War}
26~~So
Israel and Absalom bivouacked in the land of Gilead.
{Note: From here on for the next section, 'Israel' refers to Absalom's his revolutionary army. Next, the land of Gilead is on the East side of the Jordan River- 60 miles long and 20 miles wide. The battle was fought on the East side of the Jordan River - in the north trans-Jordania area. }
{The
Administration of Logistical Grace to David through -Three Honorable Men}
27-29~~Now
it came to pass,
when
David came to Mahanaim,
that
{prince} Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah
{king}
of the people/children of Ammon,
{King Nahash was a friend of David - and this son will also be a
friend - when he died his oldest son Hanun rebuked David's
ambassadors (II Samuel 10:4) and David marched on them -
apparently Shobi stayed loyal to David and is now supplying him}
and
Machir/Makir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar,
{this man was the eldest son of Manasseh. He cared for
Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan son of Saul and friend
of David}
and
Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim
{a city also north of Mahanaim}, 28~~
{he was 80 years old and a great wealthy land-owner/industrialist
of the day - Gileadite also means he is of the tribe of Manasseh -
in II Samuel 19:31-39 he escorted David to the Jordan river, but
would not live with David in Jerusalem so he took his son instead
(I King 2:7 Solomon was told by David to show kindness to all the
sons of Barzillai}
provided/brought/furnished
sleeping-beds, and bowls/basins,
and
pots/'earthen vessels', and wheat, and barley, and flour,
and
roasted grains, and beans, and lentils, and dried foods, 29~~
and
honey, and curds, and sheep, and cheese from cow's milk,
for
David, and for the people who were with him, to eat.
For
they 'had thought and concluded',
"The
people are hungry, and exhausted,
and
thirsty . . . in their 'desert trek'."
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