2 Samuel 20:12

2Sa 20:12 And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.

Ver. 12. And Amasa wallowed in blood.] Beating himself, and sprunting in the last pangs of death. Thus God punished him for his rebellion against his uncle, though David had both pardoned and preferred him.

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_20:12

And when the man maw that all the people stood still.

Horror at sight of a slaughtered man

What unutterable, illimitable pity it seems that our horror at the corpse of a slaughtered man should not have been made just so much stronger as to render war impossible! It looks as if human nature has been within half an inch of escaping that Upas tree of all evils (Chas. Buxton.)

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

Verse 12. Amasa wallowed in blood] It is very likely that Amasa did not immediately die; I have known instances of persons living several hours after their bowels had been shed out.

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

(12) The people stood still.—These were probably the very people whom Amasa had just been gathering from Judah and Benjamin. Whoever they may have been, they were naturally overcome and paralysed for the moment at the sight of the great leader whom the king had just promoted wallowing in his blood. Joab’s warrior, seeing the effect of their consternation, removed and concealed the body, and the pursuit then went on.

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

12. all the people] Here and in 2Sa_20:13, the troops which Amasa had been mustering.

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 Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway,.... By which it seems, that though the wound was mortal, and of which he died, that as yet there was life in him, and through the pain he was in, and the pangs of death on him, he rolled himself about in his own blood in the high road, where the fact was committed:

and when the man saw that all the people stood still; gazing at the shocking sight, and could not be prevailed upon to go on:

he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field; which was adjoining to it:

and cast a cloth upon him; that the body might not be seen:

when he saw that everyone that came by him stood still; and so retarded the people in their march, to prevent which he took the above method, and it was a very prudent one.

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

All the people ... - i. e., the levies which Amanda had been leading to Jerusalem; they were irresolute as to what they should do, and the stoppage at Amasa’s body very nearly led to their refusing to follow Joab. But upon the prompt removal and hiding of the body they passed on and followed Joab, their old captain.

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

A certain. Hebrew, "the man" stationed by Joab, near the body, to inform those who passed, that he had been justly slain. Josephus, ([Antiquities?] vii. 10,) who observes, that this crime of Joab proceeded from envy, and was less deserving of excuse than the murder of Abner. (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).

Wallowed, Heb. rolled himself, being in the pangs of death; yet having so much life left as to move himself a little, though not to raise himself up from his place.

In blood; in his own blood, which was shed there.

All the people, to wit, the soldiers which were upon their march.

Stood still; wondering at the spectacle, and inquiring into the author and occasion of it.

He removed Amasa out of the highway into the field; perceiving that it both incensed them against Joab, and hindered the king’s present service.

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

12. Stood still — Horror-stricken at the ghastly sight, as formerly at the sight of the murdered Asahel, (2Sa_2:23;) and probably many were in doubt as to who was now their captain.

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

He removed Amasa. The admonition to move on failed; for the sight was terrible and tragic, and all as they came along stopped to see what had happened, and inquire the cause. (comp. 2Sa_2:23) The man, therefore, had the corpse carried out of the way, and threw over it a cloth, really a coat the loose upper mantle worn over the tunic (see note on beged,. (1Sa_19:13) Whereupon the people renewed their march, most of them not knowing what had occurred, and the rest urged to it by the warning voice of Joab"s servitor.

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

Stood still - Wondering at the spectacle, and enquiring into the author and occasion of it. Removed - Perceiving, that it both incensed them against Joab and hindered the king's service. Cast a cloth upon him - But the covering of blood with a cloth cannot stop its cry to God for vengeance.

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

When he saw that all who passed by it remained there. When the man saw that everyone who passed by it would remain there.

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.