2 Samuel 2:6

2Sa 2:6 And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.

Ver. 6. And now the Lord show kindness and truth unto you.] God’s mercy and his truth go commonly coupled in holy Scripture. His mercy moveth him to promise, his truth to perform. "For thy word’s sake" - thy truth - "and according to thine own heart" - thy mere mercy - "hast thou done all these things." {2Sa 7:18-21}

And I also will requite you this kindness.] He had punished the Amalekite: he promiseth to requite these Jabeshites. By rewards and punishments duly administered, the public weal is preserved, saith Plato. David could tell that "he that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God." {2Sa 23:3}

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.

According to his promise, which is to recompense them that are merciful.

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

(6) I also will requite you.—David’s message of kindness and blessing is quite in accordance with his whole bearing towards Saul and his house, and. at the same time, was one of wise policy. The literal rendering is, I also show you this good, the Hebrew not conveying directly the idea of future recompense, as in the English. The thought is that David, as now the rightful king of Israel, appreciates the act, and wishes to show publicly his favour to the men of Jabesh-gilead. He then, in the following verse, suggests the propriety of their now recognising him as the successor of their lost monarch and friend.

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

6. the Lord shew kindness and truth unto you] Kindness and truth, i.e. mercy and faithfulness, are attributes of God’s character often coupled together. See Exo_34:6; Psa_25:10; Psa_40:11; Psa_57:3; Psa_86:15, &c.

I also will requite you this kindness] Render, I also will shew you this good, viz. the honourable embassy of thanks, and the friendly spirit which it attested.

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 now the Lord show kindness and truth unto you,.... Or true kindness; confer real favours, bestow upon you good and substantial blessings, blessings indeed!

and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing. He not only prayed to God to bless them and reward them for it, but would remember them himself, and at a proper opportunity would show favour to them for this act of kindness to Saul. De Dieu proposes to consideration whether it may not be as well interpreted to this sense, "and I also do you this kindness" because of it; that is, have done you this honour by sending messengers to you, to thank you for it, and by wishing a blessing upon you on account of it, and by praising and commending you for it; but the former sense seems best.

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

And truth, or a real kindness. God will reward you for the sincere piety which you have shewn towards the dead. (Calmet) --- Will. I do, by these messengers, thank you. (Louis de Dieu)

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).

Kindness and truth, i. e. true and real kindness; not in words only, but also in actions, as you have now done to your king, the Lord’s anointed.

I also will require you this kindness; so far am I from being offended with you for this kindness to my late enemy, that I will requite it.

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

6. Kindness and truth — Prominent marks of the divine government. Compare Exo_34:6. Kind to his people by being true to his promises.

I will also requite you this kindness — Rather, I also do you this kindness, namely, the attention and honour shown in the blessings I give you through these messengers. Some have thought that David here promises them future favours, but in that case the words this kindness would refer to their act towards Saul, and make the following because ye have done this thing, redundant.

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

Kindness and truth - That is, true and real kindness; not in words only, but also in actions, as you have done to your king. I will requite - So far am I from being offended with you for this kindness to my late enemy.

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

"And now," sc., that ye have shown this love to Saul your lord, "may Jehovah show you grace and truth." "Grace and truth" are connected together, as in Exo 34:6, as the two sides by which the goodness of God is manifested to men, namely in His forgiving grace, and in His trustworthiness, or the fulfilment of His promises (vid., Psa 25:10). "And I also show you this good," namely the prayer for the blessing of God (Sa2 2:5), because ye have done this (to Saul). In Sa2 2:7 there is attached to this the demand, that now that Saul their lord was dead, and the Judaeans had anointed him (David) king, they would show themselves valiant, namely valiant in their reverence and fidelity towards David, who had become their king since the death of Saul. ידיכם תּחזקנה, i.e., be comforted, spirited (cf. Jdg 7:11). It needed some resolution and courage to recognise David as king, because Saul's army had fled to Gilead, and there was good ground for apprehending opposition to David on the part of Abner. Ishbosheth, however, does not appear to have been proclaimed king yet; or at any rate the fact was not yet known to David. וגם does not belong to אתי, but to the whole clause, as אתי is placed first merely for the sake of emphasis.

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.)

General Information:

David speaks to the people of Jabesh Gilead.

this thing

They buried Saul.

let your hands be strong

Here "hands" refers to the people of Jabesh Gilead. AT: "be strong" (See: Synecdoche)

anointed me king

In this symbolic act, they poured oil on David's head to show that he was selected to be the king. (See: Symbolic Action)

translationWords

covenant

faithful

hand

die

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.