2 Samuel 15:2

2Sa 15:2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was [so], that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city [art] thou? And he said, Thy servant [is] of one of the tribes of Israel.

Ver. 2. And Absalom rose up early.] As ambition is restless, and like the crocodile, groweth as long as it liveth. Hereby, also, he would make the people believe that he was very solicitous of their good, since up so early for the purpose.

That when any man that had a controversy.] So he showeth himself, as Jerome {a} calleth Crates, Gloriae animal, popularis aurae vile mancipium, basely popular.

{a} Epist. ad Julian. Consolator.

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_15:2-6

And Absalom rose up early in the morning.

Courtesy wins hearts

Lady Montague, speaking of gentle manners, remarked: Civility costs nothing, but buys everything. Said Burleigh to Queen Elizabeth: Win hearts, and you have the brains and the purses of all.

Servile flattery

Compare the description of Bolingbrokes behaviour which Shakespeare puts into the mouth of Richard II.:--

Ourself and Bushy, Bagel here and Green,

Observed his courtship to the common people;

How he did seem to dive into their hearts

With humble and familiar courtesy,

What reverence he did throw away on slaves,

Wooing poor craftsmen with the craft of smiles.

King Richard II., Act_1:1-26, Sc. 4.

(A. F. Kirkpatrick, M. A.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Sa 15:2. Absalom rose up early — He accustomed himself to rise betimes in the morning, that he might make a show of solicitude for the good of the public, and of every private person. When any man came to the king for judgment — The king, it appears, reserved all weighty causes for his own hearing; and appeals were made to him from the other courts. Absalom called to him — Preventing him with the offers of his assistance. And, as if he were ready to make particular inquiry into the state of his cause, and intended, to take peculiar care of his interest, kindly inquired concerning his city, family, situation in life, and the place of his abode.

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

That is, noting of what city or place he was.

Or, controversy.

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

Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate--Public business in the East is always transacted early in the morning--the kings sitting an hour or more to hear causes or receive petitions, in a court held anciently, and in many places still, in the open air at the city gateway; so that, as those whose circumstances led them to wait on King David required to be in attendance on his morning levees, Absalom had to rise up early and stand beside the way of the gate. Through the growing infirmities of age, or the occupation of his government with foreign wars, many private causes had long lain undecided, and a deep feeling of discontent prevailed among the people. This dissatisfaction was artfully fomented by Absalom, who addressed himself to the various suitors; and after briefly hearing their tale, he gratified everyone with a favorable opinion of his case. Studiously concealing his ambitious designs, he expressed a wish to be invested with official power, only that he might accelerate the course of justice and advance the public interests. His professions had an air of extraordinary generosity and disinterestedness, which, together with his fawning arts in lavishing civilities on all, made him a popular favorite. Thus, by forcing a contrast between his own display of public spirit and the dilatory proceedings of the court, he created a growing disgust with his father's government, as weak, careless, or corrupt, and seduced the affections of the multitude, who neither penetrated the motive nor foresaw the tendency of his conduct.

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

2. beside the way of the gate] By the side of the road leading to the gate of the king’s palace, where he sat to transact business. Cp. ch. 2Sa_19:8. From this practice the Sultan’s government is still popularly called in Turkey “the Sultan’s gate,” and the Sublime Porte, which is the French equivalent of Bab-i-Humayoon (the high gate), the name of the principal gate of the palace at Constantinople, is used by us as a synonym for the Turkish government.

a controversy] Better, a suit, as in 2Sa_15:4.

of one of the tribes of Israel] Belongs to such and such a tribe or city: naming the particular one in each case.

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.

And Absalom rose up early,.... Every morning, to show how diligent and industrious he should be, and closely apply himself to business, was he in any office trader the king, and especially when he should be king himself; this he did to ingratiate himself into the affections of the people:

and stood beside the way of the gate; either of the king's palace, so Josephus (d), or of the city, where courts of judicature are held: the former seems most probable by what follows:

and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment; that had a controversy with another man on any account, and came to the king to have it decided according to law, or the rules of justice and equity:

then Absalom called unto him, and said, of what city art thou? which question he asked, only to lead on to some further discourse:

and he said, thy servant is of one of the tribes; that is, of one of the cities of the tribes of Israel, and not of a city of another nation.

(d) Antiqu. l. 7. c. 9. sect. 1.

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

Beside the way of the gate - See Rth 4:1 note.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Israel. Absalom rises early for wickedness. He assumes the character of a more zealous and disinterested judge, as if to contrast his conduct with the remissness of some appointed by the king; though the Holy Ghost bears witness to the integrity of David, chap. viii. 15. Who would not be deceived by such appearances, if the arts of hypocrites had not taught us to examine things to the bottom, and to be upon our guard? If thy eye be evil, thy whole body will be darksome. [Matthew vi. 23.] The intention decides all. (Haydock)

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).

Rose up early; thereby making a show of self-denial, and diligence, and solicitude for the good of the public, and of every private person, as he had opportunity.

Beside the way of the gate; either, first, Of the king’s palace. Or rather, secondly, Of the city; for that was the place of judicature or judgment, for which these men came.

Absalom called unto him, preventing him with the offers of his assistance.

Of what city art thou? as if he were ready to make particular inquiry into the state of his cause.

Of one of the tribes of Israel; or rather, of one city (which word is easily understood out of the foregoing question) of the tribes of Israel, i.e. of an Israelitish city, either this or that; of such or such a city.

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

2. The way of the gate — The way to the gate of the city, along which persons having complaints were wont to come. The gate of the city was the well known place of the ancient court. Rth_4:1.

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

The way of the gate. The gate would be that of the royal palace, where the king gave audience and administered justice. At the gate of the city the elders were the judges, and, though the higher authority of the king may have weakened the action of this citizen court, yet passages such as Isa_50:2-3 and Jer_5:28 imply, not only its continued existence, but also that it retained much importance. Probably all causes between citizens were tried by it, just as causes in the country were tried by the mishpachah; (see note on 2Sa_14:7) but with an appeal in weighty matters to the king. It is a mistake to suppose that David altogether neglected his judicial functions. On the contrary, the woman of Tekoah obtained an audience, as a matter of course; and Absalom would not have risen up thus early unless David had also taken his seat in the early morning on the royal divan to administer justice. It was the suitors on their way to the king whom Absalom accosted, and made believe that he would be more assiduous in his duties than his father, and that he would have decided every suit in favour of the person to whom he was talking, whereas really one side alone can gain the cause. Still, we may well believe that, guilty himself of adultery and murder, and with his two eider sons stained with such terrible crimes, David"s administration of justice had become half hearted. And thus his sin again found him out, and brought stern punishment. For Absalom used this weakness against his father, and, intercepting the suitors on their way, would ask their city and tribe, and listen to their complaint, and assure them of the goodness of their cause, and lament that, as the king could not hear all causes easily himself, he did not appoint others to aid him in his duties. It was delay and procrastination of which Absalom complained; and as many of the litigants had probably come day after day, and not succeeded in getting a hearing, they were already in ill humour and prepared to find fault. Now, as David possessed great powers of organization, we may well believe that he would have taken measures for the adequate administration of law had it not been for the moral malady which enfeebled his will. In the appointment of Jehoshaphat and Seraiah (2Sa_8:16, 2Sa_8:17) he had made a beginning, but soon his hands grew feeble, and he did no more.

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

Early - Thereby making a shew of solicitude for the good of the public, and of every private person. Called him - Preventing him with the offers of his assistance. And as if he were ready to make particular enquiry into the state of his cause.

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

Avsholom rose early. Every morning.

From one of the tribes of Yisroel. From so and so tribe.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.