2 Samuel 2:13

2Sa 2:13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out, and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

Ver. 13. And then sat down.] David and his men were loath to fight, unless it were in their own necessary defence. He remembered his oath to Saul, not to attempt against his house: and therefore came not hither himself in person, but sent Joab, with directions to hold off till needs must.

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.

2:13 The pool of Gibeon extends down some 80 feet to the water table. Archaeologists estimate that the original diggers had to remove about 3,000 tons of limestone to create it.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(13) Joab the son of Zeruiah.—Zeruiah was David’s sister (1Ch_2:16), and Joab the most prominent of her three distinguished sons. Subsequently, by his successful leading of the forlorn hope in the siege of Jerusalem (1Ch_11:6; comp. 2Sa_5:8), he became permanently established as commanaer-in-chief of David’s army. He was undoubtedly among “the brethren of David” who came down to him at the cave of Adullam (1Sa_22:1), though he is not mentioned by name, like his brother Abishai (1Sa_26:6-9), in the narrative of David’s outlawry.

The pool of Gibeon is a large reservoir or tank, arranged to store the overflow from a subterranean reservoir fed by a spring in the rocky hill-side. Its ruins still remain, about 120 feet long by 100 broad. The hostile forces halted in full sight of each other on the opposite sides of the pool.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13. Joab the son of Zeruiah] The eldest of David’s three nephews, the son of his sister Zeruiah (1Ch_2:16). Next to the king himself he occupies the most conspicuous position in the history of David’s reign. Already he appears to have acted as commander-in-chief of the army, though his formal appointment to that post was the reward of his valour at the capture of Jebus (1Ch_11:6; 2Sa_8:16). In this capacity he (a) conducted the war against the Syrians and Ammonites (2Sa_10:7); (b) completed the conquest of Edom (1Ki_11:15-16); (c) defeated the Ammonites in a second war, and took their capital (2Sa_11:1; 2Sa_12:26).

With a too ready subservience he carried out David’s plan for getting rid of Uriah (2Sa_11:14 ff.), a service which increased his influence over David, by giving him the possession of his guilty secret. (See Blunt’s Undesigned Coincidences, Part II. ch. II.) We find Him scheming to secure the restoration of Absalom to David’s favour (2 Samuel 14), yet remaining loyal to David in Absalom’s rebellion (2Sa_18:2).

The vindictive unscrupulousness of his character is illustrated by his murder of Abner in revenge for the death of Asahel (2Sa_3:27); of Absalom, in spite of David’s express command (2Sa_18:14); of Amasa, who was appointed to supersede him (2Sa_20:10).

Too valuable to be dispensed with, too fierce to be controlled, he was a continual source of vexation to David (2Sa_3:39), who gave Solomon a dying charge not to leave his crimes unpunished (1Ki_2:5-6). His complicity in Adonijah’s rebellion filled up the measure of his iniquity, and he met a traitor’s death in spite of his taking sanctuary at the altar in Gibeon (1Ki_2:28-34).

by the pool of Gibeon] “A few rods from the village [of El-Jib], just below the top of the ridge towards the north, is a fine fountain of water. It is in a cave excavated in and under the high rock, so as to form a large subterranean reservoir. Not far below it, among the olive trees, are the remains of another open reservoir, perhaps 120 feet in length by 100 in breadth.” Robinson, Bibl. Res. I. 455. The “pool of Gibeon” may well be the waters of this fountain and reservoir. It is again referred to in Jer_41:12 as “the great waters that are in Gibeon.”

they sat down] i.e. halted and encamped.

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 Joab the son of Zeruiah,.... A sister of David, and this her son was general of David's army:

and the servants of David, went out; that is, his army went out from Hebron to Gibeon, which was twenty four miles (d) to meet that under Abner; for though he had but one tribe with him, and Ishbosheth had all the rest, yet Judah was a numerous, powerful, and warlike tribe; and besides many out of the other tribes had joined them, and, above all, God was on their side, and they had his promise to rely upon with respect to the establishment of the kingdom in the house of David, and his power and providence to trust in, and therefore went out boldly and cheerfully to meet the armies of Israel under Abner:

and met together by the pool of Gibeon; the same perhaps with the great waters in Gibeon, Jer 41:12,

and they sat down, the one on the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool; facing one another, and watching each other's motions.

(d) Bunting's Travels, p. 146.

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

On the east of the hill (El-jib, the ancient Gibeon) is a copious spring, which issues in a cave excavated in the limestone rock, so as to form a large reservoir. In the trees further down are the remains of a pool or tank of considerable size (120 feet by 110 feet). This is doubtless “the pool of Gibeon.”

Sat down - i. e. halted and encamped.

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

Went out, to battle.

Quest. How could or durst this one tribe oppose all the rest?

Answ. First, This tribe was very numerous and valiant of themselves, and they had a king of extraordinary courage, and conduct, and success. Secondly, There were great numbers of the other tribes which favoured them, as appears from 1Ch 12. Thirdly, They had the encouragement of special promises of God, made both to their tribe and to David.

Met together, i. e. met the opposite army, and put themselves into a posture for battle.

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

13. Joab — Who here appears as leader of David’s men, but was not made captain of his hosts till after the capture of the Jebusites. Chap. 2Sa_5:8, and 1Ch_11:6.

The pool of Gibeon — The same as the great waters of Gibeon mentioned Jer_41:12. It is probably identical with the great reservoir still seen just northeast of the city, and supplied with water from a fine fountain in the rocks just above it. The fountain “is in a cave excavated in and under the high rock, so as to form a large subterranean reservoir. Not far below it, among the olive trees, are the remains of another open reservoir, about the size of that at Hebron, perhaps one hundred and twenty feet in length by one hundred feet in breadth. It was doubtless anciently intended to receive the superfluous waters of the cavern.” — Robinson.

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

The pool of Gibson. As Gibeon, which lay about six miles northwest from Jerusalem, was twenty-six miles distant from Hebron, and about the same distance from Mahauaim, it is plain that David knew of Abner"s march. Possibly he had been summoned to yield his kingdom up to Ishbosheth as the rightful lord, but, while taking no measures to extend his rule, he felt himself justified in defending his election to be king ever Judah. The pool of Gibeon is described by Robinson ("Researches," 2:136) as "an open tank about a hundred and twenty feet in length and a hundred in breadth, surrounded by a grove of olive trees. Above it, excavated in the rock, is a subterranean reservoir, to receive the water from a copious spring, from which the overflow descends into the tank below." As neither party was willing to shed the first blood in a civil war, of which the Philistines would reap the benefit, they both halted in sight of one another on opposite sides of the hill, with the tank below them in the middle.

Vers. 13-17. (GIBSON.)

Fratricidal strife.

that place was called Helkath-Hazzurim" (ver. 16). The hostile attitude assumed by Abner appeared to David to render necessary active measures in self-defence. It is not said that he inquired of the Lord. If he had done so the conflict which ensued between brethren might possibly have been averted. As it was, he sent an army of observation under the command of Joab, who (although not mentioned before) had doubtless accompanied him in his exile, (1Sa_22:1) and was now general of his forces. And Joab and "the servants of David" marched to Gibeon and encamped opposite Abner "and the servants of Ishbosheth" (ver. 13). At length Abner, impatient of delay, challenged a conflict between certain picked men on each side, not merely "to see which were best" (Josephus), but either to decide the day by the issue or to draw on a general engagement. Joab readily accepted the challenge, and the conflict commenced. It was

I BEGUN RECKLESSLY. "Let the young men arise and play fight before us." "Let them arise" (ver. 14).

1. Self-interest, ambition, and envy often quench the love of brethren (vers.26, 27), and indispose them to seek reconciliation with each other.

2. The indulgence of evil passion blinds men to the consequences of theirwords and actions.

3. Familiarity with scenes of strife and war tends to produce insensibility tohuman suffering and slaughter. That a deadly struggle could be spoken of as a pastime shows how lightly life was estimated and how heartlessly it was sacrificed. "Ambitious and bloody men often consider the dire trade of war and the slaughter of their fellow creatures as a mere diversion" (Scott).

Some seek diversion in the tented field, And make the sorrows of mankind their sport. But war"s a game which, were their subjects wise, Kings should not play at. (Cowper.)

II WAGED FEROCIOUSLY. "And they caught each other by the head," etc. (ver. 16).

1. When the love which should prevail among brethren gives place towrath, that wrath is generally most intense and cruel. Civil wars are proverbially more bitter than any other.

2. Men are sometimes so intent upon injuring their opponents as to forgetto defend themselves, and rush upon their own destruction.

3. The attempt to end strife by means of strife is commonly vain; "it israther a spur to further effusion of blood than a bridle to hinder the same." "What can war but endless war still breed?

4. The issue of the conflict does not necessarily prove the justice of thecause.

5. Mutual strife tends to mutual extermination. "All they that take thesword shall perish by the sword". (Mat_26:52) The "field of sharp blades" was a lasting memorial of destructiveness rather than of courage; a warning rather than a pattern.

III EXTENDED RAPIDLY. "And there was a very sore battle that day," etc. (ver. 17).

1. The strife of a few excites the wrathful passions of many, by whom it iswitnessed.

2. Every injurious word and act furnishes an additional impulse to wrathand retaliation; and the conflict goes on increasing.

3. That which at first may be easily checked passes entirely beyond Control."the beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water," etc. (Pro_17:14 Pro_26:21)

IV ENDED LAMENTABLY. "Abner was beaten," and three hundred and sixty of his men died; Joab"s brother Asahel was slain, with nineteen of David"s servants. "In war God punishes the sins of both parties.

1. He who gave the challenge and commenced the conflict was the first tocomplain of the result (ver. 26), and was bitterly reproached as the cause thereof (ver. 27).

2. He who accepted the challenge was filled with grief and revenge.

3. Both sides experienced heavy loss and sorrow.

4. Even David could not but regret the weakening of the nation in presenceof the common foe; or fail to see in the strife of brethren the consequences of his own faithlessness. (1Sa_27:1, 1Sa_27:10, 1Sa_27:11) If he had not taken up his abode with the Philistines the conflict would probably never have occurred.

REMARKS.

1. When men commence a quarrel they little know where it will end.

2. Strife should be diligently checked at the beginning.

3. "Let us fight that good fight only whereof the apostle speaks, which isbetween the flesh and the spirit, which only hath the profitable end, the glorious theatre, the godly armour, and the blessed reward of assured triumph" (Guild) D.

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

Met - That is, met the opposite army, and put themselves in a posture for battle.

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