ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for 2 Samuel 19

2 Sam 19:2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning. David lets his own grief overcome his kingly responsibilities and even his gratitude to God for saving the nation.

2 Sam 19:4–6 Because David has covered his face with grief, he has covered with shame the faces of his loyal servants. you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. The words for “love” and “hate” here can mean “be loyal” and “be disloyal.”

2 Sam 19:8 David makes peace with his men, behaving as king and sitting in the gate.

2 Sam 19:10 why do you say nothing? The question highlights the factions that developed within Israel and Judah concerning David’s return to the throne.

2 Sam 19:13–14 commander of my army. It seems shocking for David to demote the victorious loyal general Joab in favor of the soundly defeated rebel general Amasa (17:25). Perhaps David did this because Joab had disobeyed his specific order not to kill Absalom (18:5, 14). He may also have promoted Amasa out of a desire to reunite the nation—which is exactly what happened (he swayed the heart of all the men of Judah).

2 Sam 19:15 Gilgal was an important religious center near Jericho and the Jordan River (Josh. 4:19; 5:10; 1 Sam. 10:8; 11:14; 15:21). Its location is uncertain.

2 Sam 19:16–23 At the Jordan (see v. 15), David meets various people he had encountered during his flight from Jerusalem. David wants this to be a day of rejoicing, not revenge. However he apparently did not fully forgive Shimei (see 1 Kings 2:8–9, 36–46).

2 Sam 19:24–30 David also met Mephibosheth the son of Saul (actually Jonathan’s son [4:4] and Saul’s grandson) after David had come to Jerusalem. The narrator does not state whether Mephibosheth or Ziba is telling the truth, but Mephibosheth’s sorrow (19:24) and gracious humility (v. 30) suggests that he is the honest one. In a city facing invasion, it is not surprising that a lame Mephibosheth (v. 26) was stuck when his own donkey was taken by Ziba.

2 Sam 19:31–40 As he crossed the Jordan (see v. 15), David also met Barzillai, who had helped him in Mahanaim (v. 32; see 17:27). David never forgot Barzillai’s help (1 Kings 2:7).

2 Sam 19:41–43 Apparently David left Mahanaim and came to the Jordan without allowing time for all the northern tribes to come and accompany him. They resent this, being the larger group and considering themselves more loyal to David (vv. 9–11) than Judah. The men of Judah retort that David did not favor his own tribe with grants (unlike Saul in 1 Sam. 22:7).