2 Samuel 13:28

AMNON IS SLAIN. (Sa2 13:28-36)

Absalom had commanded his servants, saying . . . when Amnon's heart is merry with wine . . . kill him, fear not--On a preconcerted signal from their master, the servants, rushing upon Amnon, slew him at the table, while the rest of the brothers, horror-struck, and apprehending a general massacre, fled in affrighted haste to Jerusalem.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

2Sa 13:28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.

Ver. 28. Now Absalom had commanded his servants.] His assassins, whom some conceive to have been Geshurites of his mother’s country, ready to flee thither with him, as 2Sa 13:37.

When Amnon’s heart is merry with wine.] See on 2Sa 13:13.

And when I say unto you, Smite Amnon.] So cowardly he was that he durst not do it himself, saith Pellican.

Then kill him, fear not.] This bloody command he uttered in plainer terms than did Tarlton, bishop of Winchester, when he gave order for the death of King Edward in these words unpointed, and therefore of doubtful interpretation, Edvardum occidere nolite timere bonum est.

Have not I commanded you?] Am not I the next heir to the crown? and so shall be able both to secure you and reward you.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Sa 13:28-29. When Amnon’s heart is merry — When he least suspects, and will be most unable to prevent the evil. Have not I commanded you? — I who am the king’s son, and, when Amnon is dead, next heir to the crown, and who therefore can easily stand between you and the danger of your being called to an account for what you do, or can obtain pardon for you, and not only so, but have it in my power to reward you. The servants did as Absalom had commanded — And Amnon fell. Thus did Absalom at one blow revenge himself upon his sister’s ravisher, and rid himself of his rival in his father’s favour, and only obstacle, as he apprehended, to his crown. Now is the threatened sword drawn in David’s house, which will not depart from it. His eldest son falls by it, through his own wickedness, and his father, by conniving at that wickedness, is accessory to his death. Then all the king’s sons arose and fled — Terrified at what they saw, they started up from the table, seized every man his mule, and fled home as fast as they could. But fast as they fled, fame reached the palace before them, and told David that Absalom had destroyed all his sons.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Such is the pride of the wicked masters, that in all their wicked commandments they think to be obeyed.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

28. Now Absalom had commanded] And Absalom commanded. Absalom felt himself bound in honour to avenge his sister’s wrong, and moreover welcomed the pretext for getting rid of Amnon, who stood between himself and the succession to the throne.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now Absalom had commanded his servants,.... Before he and his guests were set down to the entertainment:

saying, mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; as he was determined to make him if possible, and as he supposed he would be, knowing his inclination to drink:

and when I say unto you, smite Amnon, then kill him; smite him that he die, and be sure he is dead before you leave him:

fear not, have not I commanded you? who am your lord, the king's son, and will then be heir to the crown; fear not, I will protect you; let all the blame be laid to me, if any; I will be answerable for it, you have nothing to do but to obey my commands:

be courageous, and be valiant; show yourselves to be men of courage and valour, not fearing the king's sons, or any in company, or what will be the consequences of it; do your business effectually, and leave all with me; it is very reasonably supposed that Absalom had not only in view to revenge the rape of his sister, but to get himself next heir to the crown.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

It is I: the blame will fall on me; I will rescue all from danger. These servants were probably infidels, of Gessur, and fled with their master. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

When Amnon’s heart is merry with wine; when he least suspects, and will be most unable to prevent the evil.

Have not I commanded you; I who am the king’s son, and, when Amnon is gone, his heir; who therefore shall easily obtain pardon for you, and will liberally reward you?

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

28. Have not I commanded you — No guilt will be on you, for I take all the responsibility on myself; only obey you my orders.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Smite Amnon. The order was given before the banquet began, and every arrangement made to render the attack successful. Though Tamar"s wrong was the mainspring of Absalom"s conduct, yet neither he nor his men would forget that Amnon stood between him and the crown; and Amnon, entirely off his guard, never very wise at his best, and with his senses made dull by wine, seems to have fallen an easy prey. And as soon as the murder was committed, the rest of the king"s sons, though all had attendants with them, fled in dismay, not knowing what might be the extent of Absalom"s purpose. It is said that they fled on mules, this being the first place in which this animal is mentioned, as the word so translated in Gen_36:24 really means "hot springs," and is so translated in the Revised Version. The breeding of hybrids was forbidden in Lev_19:19, and probably they were procured, as were horses, by trade. Up to this time the ass had been used for riding; but now David had a favourite, (1Ki_1:33) and Solomon received mules as tribute. (1Ki_10:25) Horses seem to have been used chiefly for chariots.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Merry - When he least suspects, and will be most unable to prevent the evil. I - I who am the king's son, and, when Amnon is gone, his heir: who therefore shall easily obtain pardon for you, and will liberally reward you.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Absalom then commanded his servants to put Amnon to death without fear, as he had commanded, as soon as his heart should become merry with wine and he (Absalom) should tell them to smite him. The arrangement of the meal is passed over as being quite subdrdinate to the main purpose of the narrative; and the clause added by the lxx at the close of Sa2 13:27, καὶ ἐποίησεν ἈβεσσαλὼϚ πότον κατὰ τὸν τοῦ βασιλέως, is nothing more than an explanatory gloss, formed according to Sa1 25:36. The words "Have not I commanded you?" implied that Absalom would take the responsibility upon himself.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)