And say ye to Amasa, [Art] thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.
Ver. 13. And say ye to Amasa.] Who having been Absalom's captain general, had still the command of the strong tower of Zion, and of the city of Jerusalem, and so might have raised further troubles and tragedies had he not been thus won over by promise of free pardon and highest preferment.
Art thou not of my bone? &c.] Mine own sister's son, and not a bastard neither, as some would prove from 2 Samuel 17:25. And should not good blood bewray itself?
God do so to me, and more also.] Ita faciat mihi Deus, et ita pergat. So? How? So as I cannot tell how: it importeth the heaviest penalty: it being a fearful thing to fall into the punishing hands of the living God.
In the room of Joab.] Who, though faithful to David, yet was always overbold with him, and therefore suspected by him, nequid novi in eum moliretur, saith Theodoret, lest he should work some treason. The murder of Abner also was fresh in David's memory, who it seemeth was resolved to cut him off (as the French king did Biron lately), which he could not have done but by making Amasa generalissimo, who was of great power with all Israel. Thus David had designed it likely; but God had otherwise ordered it.