Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, i.e. whosoever scaleth the fort, or getteth up to the top of it, where the gutter was. And the lame and the blind, or even, or especially (for the Hebrew particle vau signifies both ways) the lame and the blind; i.e. those of them who are set to defend that place; who, as they pretend, should be only the lame and the blind. Others understand it of their idols or images. But they could not properly be said to be smitten, i. e. killed; as that word is used here, and elsewhere. That are hated of David's soul: this belongs to the Jebusite, and the lame and the blind; and it is explained in 2 Samuel 5:6. He shall be chief and captain: these words are fitly supplied out of 1 Chronicles 11:6, where they are expressed; and they must needs be understood to make the sense complete. And such ellipses or defects of a part of the sentence are usual in promises, and oaths, and conditional offers, such as this was. Wherefore they said, The blind and the lame shall not come into the house, i.e. whence it became a proverb, or a common saying, used by David and others upon this occasion. Or otherwise, The blind and the lame Jebusites were set to keep the house, i.e. the fort of Zion; and to keep others from coming into it; but now they are shut out of it, and none of them, to wit, either,
1. Of the Jebusites; or,
2. Of blind and lame persons, shall be admitted to come into it again; which David might resolve, and ordain, to keep up the memory of this great exploit, and of the insolent carriage of the Jebusites, and their unhappy success. Or, The blind and the lame shall not come into my house, to wit, into the king's palace. And although this might be a general rule and decree of David s, yet he might dispense with it in some special cases, as in that of Mephibosheth. But it is not necessary that this should be a proverb; for the words may be thus rendered, as it is in the margin of our Bible, Because they had said, even the blind and the lame, He (i. e. David) shall not come into the house; or, Because they (i. e. the Jebusites) had said, The blind and the lame shall hinder him; (which words are easily supplied out of 2 Samuel 5:6, where having spoken of this more largely, it was sufficient here to mention the most emphatical words, as is usual in such cases;) he shall not come into the house, or hither, as they say, 2 Samuel 5:6. i. e. into the fort; for the word house is used very largely and generally in the Hebrew language, for any place, as Judges 16:21.