CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES.—
2 Samuel 20:14. “Abel.” Lit., meadow, and the name of several places in Palestine, but from its proximity to Beth-Maachah (with which it is sometimes joined, 2 Samuel 20:15; 1 Kings 15:20; 2 Kings 15:29), known to be the present Christian village of Abilel-Kamh (wheat meadow) in the extreme north of the country.
2 Samuel 20:15. “They.” “Him”. Evidently the first pronoun refers to Joab and his followers, and the second to Sheba. “A bank.” “The first preparation for a siege was the construction of a causeway, or embankment, for wheeling the battering rams and other military machines close to the walls,” (Jamieson). “It,” i.e., the embankment, “in the trench,” rather, by the wall.
2 Samuel 20:16. “A wise woman.” (See 2 Samuel 14:2). Some suppose her to have been, like Deborah, a judge or leader.
2 Samuel 20:18. “They were wont,” etc. These words are variously explained, but the most natural construction appears to be that Abel had formerly been famed for the wisdom of its inhabitants, and that it was unfair to besiege the city without consulting them. Erdmann observes that “negotiation before laying siege to a city (and a foreign city, indeed), such as the woman here refers to, is prescribed in the law. (Deuteronomy 20:10 sqq. comp. Numbers 21:21.)
2 Samuel 20:19. “A mother.” A chief city. (See on 2 Samuel 8:1). The villages surrounding such a city were called her daughters. (See the margin in Numbers 21:25; Numbers 21:32) etc.
2 Samuel 20:21. “Hath lifted,” etc. Some have supposed that the inhabitants of Abel now learned for the first time of the guilt of Sheba.
2 Samuel 20:22. “The woman went,” etc. To report the result of her parley, and to counsel the inhabitants to give up Sheba. “And Joab returned,” etc. “The issue of this occurrence, how David received the victorious Joab, is omitted in our present narrative; he was, doubtless, now also forbearing to a man who as a soldier was indispensable to him, and who, with all his punishment—deserving savagery, always meant well for his government.” (Ewald.)
2 Samuel 20:23. “The enumeration of David’s cabinet is here given to show that the government was re-established in its wonted course.” (Jamieson.) “Benaiah” (see on 2 Samuel 8:18).
2 Samuel 20:24. “Adoram.” Or Adoniram. “The nature of his office is indicated 1 Kings 5:14 sq. compared with 1 Kings 4:6.” (Erdmann.) He continued in office until the time of Rehoboam (see 1 Kings 12:18, and is called Hadoram in 2 Chronicles 10:18).
2 Samuel 20:25. “Ira.” Not mentioned elsewhere. For his office see on chap, 2 Samuel 8:18, where David’s sons are mentioned as holding such a position. The other names and offices enumerated are alike in both places.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— 2 Samuel 20:14-26
THE DEATH OF SHEBA
I. A peace-maker is a blessing, both to the victors and the vanquished. A victorious commander may deservedly win great praise when be wins a great battle, because he may really be the means of bringing peace to a nation. Yet the blood of many may cry against him, because he can only gain his end by the loss of many, and the tears and maledictions of those whom he defeats mingle with the rejoicings of those whom he saves. And not only so, the blood of many of his own faithful followers must flow to win him reputation and success, so that, if he be a truly humane man, he will feel indeed that “there is nothing so terrible as a victory except a defeat,” and will rejoice greatly if wrongs can be put right in any other way. Greatly are they to be held in honour, who, by wise words and deeds, avert so great a catastrophe as war, especially that most terrible form of it—civil war. It was Joab’s good fortune to have such a mediator at the siege of Abel—one who had sufficient good sense and influence enough with both parties to put an end to the strife without injury to the innocent on either side. For this good office this nameless woman deserves to be held in honourable remembrance now, as she doubtless was by her fellow-countrymen of her own day. To her must be awarded the blessing of the peace-makers—to be “called the children of God.”
II. The life of one man is sometimes justly sacrificed to secure the life of many. Sheba had no reason to complain that the citizens of Abel bought their own safety with his head. Although it is cowardly and wrong at all times to act upon the doctrine of Cairaphas (John 11:50) and save many at the expense of one, yet it is right to do this when the one man is the sole cause of the impending calamity, when the mass of the people have been misled and injured by him, and when there can be no safety for them while he lives. Such appears to have been the state of things in relation to Sheba and the inhabitants of Abel, and therefore they only acted in accordance with a recognised and just law when they delivered his head to Joab.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
2 Samuel 20:20. Joab, in the prosecution of war, does not seem chargeable with peculiar “swiftness to shed blood,” inasmuch as he could exclaim, as if indignant of the imputation, “Far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy!” But when his private and personal interests were affected, he then gave full scope to his furious passions, without regard either to God or men. A man’s general conduct may be good, and even exemplary, so that on the whole he may move in the world with reputation and usefulness, yet one indulged lust or passion may lead him on to crime and infamy.—Lindsay.
Spiritually the case is ours; every man’s breast is as a city inclosed; every sin is as a traitor that lurks within those walls. God calls to us for Sheba’s head, neither hath he any quarrel to our person, but for our sin. If we love the head of our traitor above the life of our soul, we shall justly perish in the vengeance. We cannot be more willing to part with our sin than our merciful God is to withdraw his judgments.—Bp. Hall.