2 Samuel 15:7. After forty years— Or rather, after four years. The Syriac and Arabic, whom Houbigant follows, read after four years. As there is no event from which the forty years can be dated, very great has been the distress of the advocates for that reading. But Josephus, Theodoret, the Manuscripts mentioned in the Benedictine edition of Jerome's version, the canon of the Hebrew verity, (supposed to be made about the ninth century, and altered by some correcting hand,) the reading of the famous Latin Bible of Sextus, the Latin manuscript in Exeter college library, marked C. 2Sa 2:13 and the ancient Latin manuscript written in Gothic characters, and the variations of which are published in Blanchini's Vindiciae, all have it four. See Kennicott's Dissert. vol. 2: p. 358 and Houbigant's note.

2 Samuel 15:8. Thy servant vowed a vow— This vow is conceived exactly in the patriarchal style, and, if true, shews, that however he might have been tempted by his grandfather to serve the gods of Geshur, yet he continued determined against idolatry; which David, we may assure ourselves, was highly delighted to hear, and accordingly gave a ready consent to the performance of his vow.

2 Samuel 15:10. But Absalom sent spies— Before he left Jerusalem, Absalom took care to send his emissaries throughout all the tribes; doubtless under colour of inviting persons of distinction to the sacrifice, but in reality to carry the watchword and signal before agreed on between them.

2 Samuel 15:11. With Absalom went two hundred men— But there followed Absalom two hundred men, who, called from Jerusalem, went after him with a simple heart, and who were entirely ignorant of the whole affair. Houbigant.

2 Samuel 15:12. Absalom sent for Ahithophel— Ahithophel's junction with Absalom seems to have given the finishing stroke to the rebellion. He was too sagacious to discover himself, till he saw all things favourable and prosperous on the part of Absalom; and they both very well judged that his accession to the conspiracy in those circumstances was the likeliest means to secure its success.

2 Samuel 15:13. The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom— Some reason may be assigned for this. In every nation there are always turbulent and discontented spirits, who promise themselves some benefit from a change. Saul's party was not yet entirely extinct, and Joab, who was David's prime minister, behaved with an insufferable pride and insolence. His crimes, which were very black, and which David was afraid to punish, reflected upon the king himself; and David's other ministers might have grown insolent in times of uninterrupted success. But what gave the fairest pretence of all, was, probably, the obstruction of the civil administration of justice; for had there not been something of this, Absalom, I think, could have had no grounds for making such loud complaints. See 2Sa 15:3-4 and Grotius on the place.

2 Samuel 15:14. Arise, and let us flee— As the danger was instant, David took his measures accordingly. The city was not in a condition to sustain a siege; and if it were, he did not care to expose a favourite city, built by himself, and the residence of the tabernacle of God, to all the evils incident to sieges, and almost inseparable from them. Nor, perhaps, did he care to trust the inhabitants of a place so long exposed to the taint of Absalom's temptations; see Psalms 55. Well acquainted with the young man's impetuosity, and the madness of the people, David judged it much better to give way to the fury of the flood, than attempt to stem it in the fullness of its overflowing.

2 Samuel 15:19. Ittai the Gittite— The Jews say, that this Ittai was the son of king Achish, and that, being obliged to quit Gath on account of his attachment to David, he came to offer him his services at the head of the six hundred men mentioned in the foregoing verse, who, as well as himself, had embraced the Jewish religion; an opinion which seems as probable as any other. It is very certain, however, that they came but the day before, 2 Samuel 15:20.; and David, from a principle of generosity, knowing them fatigued with their journey, would have had them turned back, which Ittai gallantly refused to do, vowing that wherever David was, in death or in life, there would he, his servant, be also; 2 Samuel 15:21.

2 Samuel 15:30. And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept, &c.— A more memorable event surely was never recorded in history, nor a more moving spectacle ever exhibited to mortal eyes: a king, venerable for his years and victories, sacred in the character both of his piety and prophesies, renowned for prowess, and revered for wisdom, reduced to the condition of a fugitive, to a sudden and extreme necessity of flying for his life, and from the presence of his own son, his darling and delight. In this condition he went up the mount, and, when he reached the summit of it, fell down prostrate before God. Josephus tells us, that when he reached the top of the mountain, he took a view of the city, and prayed to God with abundance of tears. It may be thought worth notice, that Josephus should tell us, that David wept and viewed the city in the same spot from which the Evangelist informs us our blessed Saviour wept over it.

2 Samuel 15:32. Behold, Hushai the Archite came— When David heard that Ahithophel was among the conspirators, he saw his danger in all its strength. A hot-headed young man, high in vanity, extravagant in hope, and easily overset with success, was not an object of much terror to a man of David's great experience and consummate wisdom; but the prowess, popularity, and numbers of such a man, conducted by the calm skill and prudence of an Ahithophel, was sufficient matter of just fear. David, however, sunk not under it; but had recourse, as usual, to the protection of that God who only could relieve him, and who had never failed him in distress; beseeching Him, who leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools, to confound and infatuate the counsel of Ahithophel. God, in answer to his prayers, sends him a friend; Hushai met him on the top of the hill, with expressive signs of sympathetic sorrow, willing to join his suffering king: but David has more useful employment for him at Jerusalem; by pretending to serve Absalom, he might defeat the advice of Ahithophel, and, getting into the secrets of the Cabinet, by Zadok's sons, inform David of them. The dissimulation of Hushai, and the advice of David, in this case, will hardly admit of excuse. Thus far we may say, that David, with respect to Absalom, was not only a king, but a father attacked by his own son; that he always preserved a great affection for him, and did not design to injure him in the least, but rather proposed to hinder him from doing more mischief, and to bring him to his duty again. But we are to follow no man any farther than as he corresponds with the great copy of all morality given us in the Gospel. Nothing can justify deceit, lying, or treachery.