2 Samuel 15:25-27 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The king said,—Carry back the ark of God— David sent back the high-priests, as knowing that their character was too sacred to suffer any violence from the usurper, though he knew their fidelity to himself; and for the rest, he wholly submitted himself to the divine disposal. He besought God, as Alexander Severus told his soldiers a generous and a wise man should, praying for the best things, and bearing what should befal. David saw plainly that God had raised this war against him in punishment of his guilt; that God had raised up this evil to him out of his own house: find I imagine that I now hear him taking up the same lamentation which Alphonsus the wise, king of Arragon, afterwards did upon a like occasion: "I wonder not so much at my people's ingratitude to me, as at my own to GOD." In this spirit of humiliation, David would not presume to have the ark, the symbol of the divine presence, borne before him in the war: that was an honour of which he deemed himself utterly unworthy; and therefore, referring himself and his affairs with entire resignation to the disposal of the Divine Providence, he remanded Zadok and Abiathar back to the city with the ark. When David had given the reasons relating to himself, why he would not have the ark carried before him into the field, he then adds a reason personal to Zadok, Art not thou a Seer? Return in peace. It should seem from hence, that Zadok was a prophet: however, as a priest, he was a teacher; and as such bound to stay with his people in the greatest exigencies, and instruct them in their duty; besides that, by staying to do his duty to his people, he might also do good offices to his prince. And, accordingly, David concerted both with Zadok and Abiathar a method of corresponding with him, and sending him intelligence of all the enemies' measures by their sons, Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.