2 Samuel 15

2 Samuel 15

Meyer - Our Daily Homily - 2 Samuel 15:26 Here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him. There is the patience of hope. We love to gird ourselves in the vehemence of our self-will, to go where we choose, to rule the lives of others; but as the years pass and our pride is humbled, the sinews of our strength slackened, and the radiance of early prospects overcast, we are willing to hand ourselves over to our Father, saying, “Behold, here am I; let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him.” It was thus that Isaac was passive in the hands of Abraham. It was thus that Jesus spoke to His Father, “I come to do thy will, O my God.” It was thus that the maiden who was blessed above women, answered the angel’s message. It was thus that Paul, when urged not to go up to Jerusalem, avowed his willingness to live or die, as the Lord might choose. God is ever working upon us through circumstances; and, as in the present case, sometimes He overrules the plottings of wicked men to fulfill His Divine purpose. His will is sometimes brought to us in a cup which a Judas holds to our lips. How blessed to be able to say, as we go forth to meet our Father’s will, Behold, here am I! and to look beyond the plottings and machinations of our enemies to One who loves us infinitely. Whatever He permits must be good. Good, if driven as an exile from our home; good, if exposed to the revilings of a Shimei; good, if the heart breaks in bitter tears. All must be good which the good Lord permits or appoints. Many were the afflictions of David, but out of them all he was delivered. When he had learned the lesson, the rod was stayed. God did not take away His mercy from him. Thou too art in His hands, and He will certainly bring thee again, and show thee the city and His habitation. 2 Samuel 15:27 The king said also to Zadok the priest, "Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace and your two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. BGT 2 Samuel 15:27 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Σαδωκ τῷ ἱερεῖ ἴδετε σὺ ἐπιστρέφεις εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐν εἰρήνῃ καὶ Αχιμαας ὁ υἱός σου καὶ Ιωναθαν ὁ υἱὸς Αβιαθαρ οἱ δύο υἱοὶ ὑμῶν μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν LXE 2 Samuel 15:27 And the king said to Sadoc the priest, Behold, thou shalt return to the city in peace, and Achimaas thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar, your two sons with you. KJV 2 Samuel 15:27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer? return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. NET 2 Samuel 15:27 The king said to Zadok the priest, "Are you a seer? Go back to the city in peace! Your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan may go with you and Abiathar. CSB 2 Samuel 15:27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Look, return to the city in peace and your two sons with you: your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan. ESV 2 Samuel 15:27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. NIV 2 Samuel 15:27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, "Aren't you a seer? Go back to the city in peace, with your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan son of Abiathar. You and Abiathar take your two sons with you. NLT 2 Samuel 15:27 The king also told Zadok the priest, "Look, here is my plan. You and Abiathar should return quietly to the city with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan. NRS 2 Samuel 15:27 The king also said to the priest Zadok, "Look, go back to the city in peace, you and Abiathar, with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar. NJB 2 Samuel 15:27 The king said to Zadok the priest, 'Look, you and Abiathar go back quietly into the city, with your two sons, your own son Ahimaaz and Jonathan son of Abiathar. NAB 2 Samuel 15:27 The king also said to the priest Zadok: "See to it that you and Abiathar return to the city in peace, and both your sons with you, your own son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar's son Jonathan. YLT 2 Samuel 15:27 And the king saith unto Zadok the priest, 'Art thou a seer? turn back to the city in peace, and Ahimaaz thy son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar, your two sons with you; GWN 2 Samuel 15:27 "Aren't you a seer?" the king asked Zadok the priest. "Go back to the city peacefully, and take your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan with you. BBE 2 Samuel 15:27 The king said further to Zadok the priest, See, you and Abiathar are to go back to the town in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz, your son, and Jonathan, the son of Abiathar. a seer: 2Sa 24:11 1Sa 9:9 1Ch 25:5 return: 2Sa 15:34,36 17:17 2 Samuel 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries DAVID COMMANDS ZADOK TO RETURN The king said also to Zadok the priest, "Are you not a seer? - Some versions see this as a question (NASB, ESV, NIV), with the implication is that Zadok is in fact a "seer" a synonym for a prophet, but that may not be the actual intended meaning. Other versions see it as a declaration or even a command - CSB = ""Look, return to the city in peace." NLT = ""Look, here is my plan." NRSV = ""Look, go back to the city in peace." NJB = "'Look, you and Abiathar go back quietly into the city" TECHNICAL NET NOTE - The Greek tradition understands the Hebrew word as an imperative (“see”). Most Greek manuscripts have ἴδετε (idete); the Lucianic recension has βλέπε (blepe). It could just as well be taken as a question: “Don’t you see what is happening?” The present translation takes the word as a question, with the implication that Zadok is a priest and not a prophet (i.e., “seer”) and therefore unable to know what the future holds. Return to the city in peace (shalom) and your two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar - David has a purpose for these sons to convey the message from his spies in Absalom's court as to what Absalom was planning to do. Seer (07203)(roeh from raah - to see with the eyes) means a seer, an authoritative person who receives and communicates a message from God, perhaps with emphasis on the visual nature of the message. Gilbrant - The meaning of rōʾeh is divided into two categories. Once, it refers to a “vision” or “hallucination,” apparently induced by drunkenness (Isa. 28:7). All other uses of rōʾeh refer to a “seer.” Rōʾeh, or “seer,” was the original title used for a nāvîʾ (HED # 5204), “prophet” (1 Sam. 9:9, 11). Samuel (1 Sam. 9:18; 1 Chr. 9:22; 26:28) and Hanani (2 Chr. 16:7, 10) were both called “seers.” Another synonym for “seer” is chōzeh, and Gad is called both nāvîʾ and chōzeh (2 Sam. 24:11). In fact, 1 Chr. 29:29 uses all three terms, referring to Samuel the “seer” (rōʾeh), Nathan the prophet (nāvîʾ) and Gad the seer (chōzeh) (Complete Biblical Library) SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHET (the different Hebrew terms) Robert Culver - Seer (synonym of nabi “prophet,” properly a Qal participle of the verb rāʾâ, “seeing or one who sees.” It is used many times in this general sense. It is used twelve times in the OT, however, as an alternate for nabi “prophet.” It is always rendered “seer.” Inasmuch as the nābîʾ, spokesman for God, received his message by seeing visions this name was appropriately employed. It is always used with the article (hārōʾeh) except once at II Sam 15:27 where the sense requires the anarthrous form; sometimes it has the holem full, (rôʾeh), sometimes defective (rōʾeh). Often this name designates a prophet whose name also is given: Samuel, Zadok, Hanani. The name alternates with ḥōzeh, used sixteen times, a word of almost the same meaning. Apparently rōʾeh is the earliest name, “For he that is now called a prophet (nābîʾ) was beforetime called a seer (rōʾeh, I Sam 9:9). Gad was both nābîʾ and ḥōzeh (II Sam 24:11). These three terms are used for the OT prophet in a single passage, ”Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold they are written in the history of Samuel the seer (rōʾeh), and in the history of Nathan the prophet (nābîʾ), and in the history of Gad the seer (ḥōzeh, I Chr 29:29). “Since, quite obviously, the same individual can be designated by the three terms, what if any, is the distinction between them? … The word nābîʾ … stressed the objective or active work of the messenger of the Lord in speaking forth God’s Word. The terms rōʾeh and ḥōzeh, translated seer on the other hand emphasized the subjective element, namely the receiving of divine revelation by seeing. In Isa 30:10 the rebellious Israelites say to the seers, “See not.” The term prophet emphasized the prophet’s utterances, rōʾeh and bosʿh indicated his method of receiving divine communication” (Hobart E. Freeman, An Introduction to the OT Prophets, Moody, 1968, pp. 40–41). See also Man of God (Deut 33:1; II Kgs 4:9, etc.) and “servant” of the Lord (I Kgs 14:18; II Kgs 9:7; 17:13, etc.) and “messenger” of the Lord (Hag 1:13; Mal 1:1). Lexicons list one occurrence (Isa 28:7) of the form rōʾeh II, as a noun meaning prophetic vision. Inasmuch as Hebrew participles may be used as nouns and indeed partake of many noun characteristics (Gesenius, Hebrew Grammar, p. 116) it might be best to regard this single occurrence as a present active participle of rāʾâ meaning here the act of seeing, somewhat as the same form earlier in the chapter (v. 4) means the “one who sees.” (See TWOT) Roeh - 12x/11v - seer(10), seer's(1), seers(1). 1 Sam. 9:9; 1 Sam. 9:11; 1 Sam. 9:18; 1 Sam. 9:19; 2 Sam. 15:27; 1 Chr. 9:22; 1 Chr. 26:28; 1 Chr. 29:29; 2 Chr. 16:7; 2 Chr. 16:10; Isa. 30:10. The related word "roeh" is used in Isa 28:7 "visions." 2 Samuel 15:28 "See, I am going to wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me." 2Sa 15:23 2Sa 16:2 2Sa 17:1,15-16 2 Samuel 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: 2 Samuel 17:15-16+ Then Hushai (DAVID'S SPY IN ABSALOM'S COURT IN JERUSALEM) said to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, “This is what Ahithophel counseled Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what I have counseled. 16 “Now therefore, send quickly (THEY WOULD SEND WORD VIA THEIR SONS) and tell David, saying, ‘Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means cross over, or else the king and all the people who are with him will be destroyed.’” Source: Life Application Study Bible - borrow DAVID WOULD WAIT FOR SPY'S WARNING TO CROSS JORDAN See, I am going to wait at the fords of the wilderness - NLT = "I will stop at the shallows of the Jordan River" The fords or points for easily crossing the Jordan was where David would first wait and from which they could retreat across the Jordan, if necessary! And it would soon prove necessary! Until word comes from you (pronoun plural referring to Zadok & Abiathar, their sons serving as couriers) to inform me - NLT = "Let me know what happens in Jerusalem before I disappear into the wilderness." And word did come from Zadok and Abiathar! We learn in chapter 17 that David would cross the Jordan (and go to Mahanaim - see map above) when he was warned by Hushai that Absalom was coming to destroy him (2Sa 17:15-16+). Walton - The “fords in the desert” is a reference to the fords near Jericho, about a day’s journey from Jerusalem. Rather than taking the symbolic step of leaving his kingdom entirely, David plans to encamp on the west bank of the Jordan River, about four miles from the mouth of the river as it empties into the Dead Sea. He would rest here and await news of the developments in Jerusalem (see 2Sa 17:16+). (See page 345 in IVP Background Commentary - OT) 2 Samuel 15:29 Therefore Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there. 2 Samuel 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ARK RETURNS TO JERUSALEM Therefore - The priests obey their king. Note Absalom has one of David's counselors (Ahithophel) but he has no spiritual advisers in the form of priests. Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there - Zadok and Abiathar would not be spiritual advisers to Absalom when he set up his throne in Jerusalem, because they remained loyal to King David. 2 Samuel 15:30 And David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went, and his head was covered and he walked barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his head and went up weeping as they went. the ascent: Zec 14:4 Lu 19:29,37 21:37 22:39 Ac 1:12 Mount of Olives: Ps 42:3-11 43:1,2,5 Lu 19:41 his head was covered: 2Sa 19:4 Es 6:12 Jer 14:3,4 barefoot: Isa 20:2,4 Eze 24:17,23 weeping: Ps 126:5,6 Mt 5:4 Ro 12:15 1Co 12:26 2 Samuel 15 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries City of David on left, Mount of Olives on Right DAVID LEAVERS HIS BELOVED CITY WEEPING And David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went, and his head was covered and he walked barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his head and went up weeping as they went - David's demeanor (wept...head...covered...barefoot) all spoke of his deep morning at having to depart the city he loved. The people mourned like their king.