2 Samuel 19:11 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

Speak unto the elders of Judah; who being the first and chief abettors of Absalom's rebellion, despaired of ever obtaining the king's grace and pardon, and therefore were backward to promote the king's restoration. To his house; to his royal palace at Jerusalem. To the king, even to his house, i.e. even to Mahanaim, where now the king's house and family is. Thus sometimes one word is taken in divers senses in the same verse, as Matthew 8:22. Or rather thus, About bringing the king back to his house: for, first, Those words are very fitly and easily understood here out of the foregoing member of the verse; such defects being usual in the Hebrew, which is a very concise or short language. So it is Exodus 22:15 Deuteronomy 1:4, &c. Secondly, It seems most reasonable to understand the same phrase, to his house, being twice here used in the same sense in both places, to wit, of his house in Jerusalem; and this is most agreeable to rule and to Scripture usage. Thirdly, Thus the words have more emphasis than the other way; for if the speech came to the king at Mahanaim, it matters not whether it found him in his house there, or in the gate-house, or in the field. Fourthly, David had no house in Mahanaim which could properly be called his house, as he had in Jerusalem. And then the parenthesis should close before those last words, even to his house, or even to his own house, to wit, that at Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 19:11

11 And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.