2 Samuel 20:11

2Sa 20:11 And one of Joab’s men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that [is] for David, [let him go] after Joab.

Ver. 11. And one of Joab’s men stood by him.] This soldier was left there by Joab to justify the fact, and to advise them to march on, notwithstanding it. One interpreter saith that these words are a bitter jeer of a certain servant insulting over dead Amasa, and extolling the wicked act of his master Joab.

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 20:11-13. One of Joab’s men stood by him — By the command of his master, who knew that this would occasion disorder among Amasa’s soldiers, and therefore left a man there on purpose to deliver the following message: He that favoureth Joab — He that would have Joab to be general, rather than such a perfidious rebel as Amasa. And he that is for David — He that wisheth David good success against Sheba, and against all rebels. He cunningly joins David and Joab together, as if their interests were inseparable. When the man saw that all the people stood still — Wondering at the spectacle, and inquiring into the occasion of it. He removed Amasa out of the highway — Perceiving that it both incensed them against Joab, and hindered the king’s service. And cast a cloth upon him — But the covering of blood with a cloth cannot stop its cry to God for vengeance. All the people went on after Joab — They that were behind did not know that Amasa was killed, and so marched on without any scruple.

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

He stood by Amasa at Joab’s appointment.

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

He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab--It is a striking proof of Joab's unrivalled influence over the army, that with this villainous murder perpetrated before their eyes they unanimously followed him as their leader in pursuit of Sheba. A soldier conjoined his name with David's, and such a magic spell was in the word "Joab," that all the people "went on"--Amasa's men as well as the rest. The conjunction of these two names is very significant. It shows that the one could not afford to do without the other--neither Joab to rebel against David, nor David to get rid of Joab, though hating him.

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

Verse 11. He that favoureth Joab] As if he had said, There is now no other commander besides Joab; and Joab is steadily attached to David: let those therefore who are loyal follow Joab.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(11) One of Joab’s man.—Com. 2Sa_20:7. Time was too precious for Joab himself to wait. He must put down the rebellion of Sheba by rapid action, and thereby render himself impregnable in the high office which had been his, and which he had now again usurped. He left one of his trusty men, however, by the body of Amasa, with a battle cry which should suggest that he had rightly been put to death for his doubtful loyalty, and that all who were attached to Joab and loyal to David should follow Joab. Joab’s real motive for murdering Amasa, as for murdering Abner (2Sa_3:27), was personal jealousy and ambition.

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

11. one of Joab’s men] One of Joab’s young men, perhaps one of his armour-bearers (ch. 2Sa_18:15), remained by the corpse at Joab’s command in order to invite Amasa’s followers to join Joab. Time was too precious for Joab himself to lose a moment.

He that favoureth Joab, &c.] Lit. He that delighteth (ch. 2Sa_15:26) in Joab. He appeals to their personal attachment to himself as general, and to their loyalty to David; insinuating that Amasa was not faithful to the king, and had met his death justly for his treachery. Joab’s real motive in murdering Amasa, as before in the case of Abner, was jealousy.

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 one of Joab's men stood by him,.... By the body of Amasa; no doubt by the order of Joab, to satisfy the people as they came up, and reconcile them to this fact, and to exhort them not to stop, but to follow after Joab; for though Amasa their general was dead, Joab had taken the command of the army, and the pursuit was carried on with as much rigour as ever:

and said, he that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab: he that likes Joab should be general, and is in the interest of David, let him make no stay here, but follow after Joab; Joab and David are put together, as if their interests were the same; though there seems to be an indecency in placing Joab first.

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

He that favoreth Joab ... - This speech, addressed to Amasa’s followers as well as Joab’s, shows very distinctly that the rivalry between Joab and Amasa, and David’s purpose to make Amasa captain in Joab’s room, were well known; and shows also the real reason why Joab killed Amasa. What is added, “and he that is for David,” was intended to identify Joab’s cause with David’s, and also to insinuate that Amasa had not been loyal to David (2Sa 20:5 note).

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

Some men. The same author [Josephus?] and the Hebrew only mention "one of," &c. (Haydock) --- Behold. Thus they insult over him, being attached to Joab. Hebrew, "Who loves Joab? and who is David? Let him follow Joab;" or, "who is this who wished to supplant Joab? and who desired to be in David’s favour, after Joab? (Calmet)

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).

One of Joab’s men, left there on purpose to deliver the following message.

He that favoureth Joab; he that would have Joab to be general, rather than such a perfidious rebel and traitor as Amasa.

He that is for David; he that wisheth David good success against Sheba, and against all rebels; whereby he implies that though this fact of his was done against the king’s command, yet it was for his interest and defence.

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

11. One of Joab’s men stood — Doubtless he was instructed to do so by Joab himself.

By him — By the bloody corpse of Amasa.

He that favoureth Joab… after Joab — There is no other commander now, and his heart is still loyal to David. Thus Joab’s bold and fearless action defeats the purposes of his king.

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

One of Joab"s men. Joab left one of his personal followers to prevent any halt of the people round Amasa"s body, and to suggest that he was a traitor. For he was to say to them as they came up, not only that "whosoever had pleasure in Joab," but also that "all who were for David, were to go after Joab." All loyal men were to regard him as captain of the host, and to disobey him would be rebellion. Naturally they would conclude from this that Amasa had not really been true to David, and that his death was the punishment inflicted on him for his past guilt.

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

One - Left there on purpose to deliver the following message. favoureth Joab - He that would have Joab to be general, rather than such a perfidious rebel as Amasa. For David - He that wisheth David good success against Sheba, and against all rebels.

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

he who is for David

To be "for" someone means to support them. AT: "he who supports David" or "he who is loyal to David" (See: Idiom)

Amasa lay wallowing in his blood

"Amasa lay squirming in his blood." Amasa may have still been alive and rolling in his blood, but he was probably dead by this time. It is described this way to show how gruesome his body looked. AT: "Amasa lay dead in his blood" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

all the people stood still ... came by him stood still

This means they stopped walking and were staring at Amasa's dead body. AT: "all the people stood still staring at the dead body ... came by him stood still, staring at his dead body" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

he carried Amasa

"he carried Amasa's body"

After Amasa was taken off the road

This may be stated in active form. AT: "After the man took Amasa off the road" (See: Active or Passive)

in pursuit of

This abstract noun can be stated as a verb. AT: "pursuing" (See: Abstract Nouns)

translationWords

favor

David

blood

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