(38) And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel? (39) And I am this day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to his wickedness.
What David meant by this expression, that the sons of Zeruiah were too hard for him, I know not, unless it was that they were too mighty in themselves and important to his interest at present, to punish, as he wished, this sin. But, in either sense, it was no compliment to David's love of justice or his faithfulness. And we find that this event was so deeply impressed upon his mind, that on his death bed he gave charge to Solomon to punish it. See 1 Kings 2:5-6.