2 Samuel 15:14

15:13-23 David determined to quit Jerusalem. He took this resolve, as a penitent submitting to the rod. Before unrighteous Absalom he could justify himself, and stand out; but before the righteous God he must condemn himself, and yield to his judgments. Thus he accepts the punishment of his sin. And good men, when they themselves suffer, are anxious that others should not be led to suffer with them. He compelled none; those whose hearts were with Absalom, to Absalom let them go, and so shall their doom be. Thus Christ enlists none but willing followers. David cannot bear to think that Ittai, a stranger and an exile, a proselyte and a new convert, who ought to be encouraged and made easy, should meet with hard usage. But such value has Ittai for David's wisdom and goodness, that he will not leave him. He is a friend indeed, who loves at all times, and will adhere to us in adversity. Let us cleave to the Son of David, with full purpose of heart, and neither life nor death shall separate us from his love.

(14) Let us flee. —The sequel abundantly proved the wisdom of David’s course. Ahithophel also ( 2Samuel 17:1-2 ) and Hushai ( 2Samuel 17:7-13 ) recognised that delay would be fatal to Absalom’s cause. His rebellion was thoroughly unreasonable, and must lose ground with time given for reflection. By this course also much of the horror of civil war was averted, and Jerusalem saved from “the edge of the sword.”

2 Samuel 15:14 . David said, Arise, and let us flee — As soon as he had received information of what had passed, he saw the danger was instant, and took his measures accordingly. He knew Absalom would lose no time to accomplish his design, and that the nature of it required him to strike home at once. David therefore orders his servants, soldiery, and friends, to depart from Jerusalem immediately. For, though the fort of Zion was strong, and he might have defended himself there for some time, yet he had not laid in provisions for a long siege; and, if he had been once besieged there, Absalom would have got speedy possession of his whole kingdom, whereas, if he marched abroad, he might raise a considerable army for his defence. Besides, the greatest part of Jerusalem could not be well defended against an enemy. And if it could, “he did not care to expose a favourite city, built by himself, and the residence of the tabernacle of God, to all the evils incident to sieges, and almost inseparable from them. Nor, perhaps, did he incline to trust the inhabitants of a place so long exposed to the taint of Absalom’s temptations.” This, some think, appears from the 55th Psalm, which, they suppose, was meditated and poured out in prayer to God upon the discovery of Absalom’s conspiracy.

And from thence it is evident that he had discerned the seeds and workings of a conspiracy in the city, and that Ahithophel was at the bottom of it: and not only so, but that David foresaw his sudden and sad end. — Delaney. For we shall not else escape from Absalom — He was well acquainted with the young man’s impetuosity, and the madness of the people, and therefore judged that the only method to be pursued, in order to safety, was to give way to the fury of the flood, and not attempt to stem it in the fulness of its overflowing.

14 . let us flee ] For the moment David’s courage seems to have failed him. The calamities predicted by Nathan (ch. 2 Samuel 12:11 ), stared him in the face: a sack of Jerusalem with all the horrors of civil war seemed imminent: he could not face them, and retreat proved in the end to be the wisest course. Time was gained; the first violence of rebellion spent itself; his loyal subjects recovered from their alarm and rallied to defend him. Ahithophel was perfectly right in discerning that delay would be fatal to the enterprise (ch. 2 Samuel 17:1-2 ).

Verse 14. - Arise, and let us flee. The rebellion of Absalom, and David's humiliating flight, bring out all the better parts of the king's character, and set him once again before us as a man after God's own heart. For this period is richly illustrated by the psalms which were written under the pressure of this great affliction, and which are marked by firm confidence in God, and an assured sense of the Divine nearness and protection. Psalm 41 . shows how poignant was his anguish at Ahithophel's treachery, but it inspired no fear: "As for me, thou up. holdest me in mine integrity, and settest me before thy face forever" ( Psalm 41:12 ). It was a firm faith which prompted such words. In Psalm 63 , written "in the wilderness of Judah," before David had reached the Jordan, he gives utterance to his grief at the loss of his religious privileges at Jerusalem; but Jehovah is still his strong Tower, and his dwelling will be in God's tabernacle forever. Psalm 3 . and 4. are his morning and evening hymns written "when he fled from Absalom his son." Psalm 55 is one more sad even than Psalm 41 . He describes in it his panic stricken feelings when the news reached him, his longing to escape from the turmoil of life, and flee into the wilderness and be at rest; and his grief at his desertion by men in whose company he had worshipped in the house of God.

Upon this follows an outburst of vehement indignation, made the more bitter by the sense of the treachery whereby he had been duped into connivance with Absalom's plans (ver. 21); but amidst it all his confidence was unshaken that if he cast his burden upon God, "he would sustain him, and never suffer the righteous to be moved." Finally, in Psalm 27 , we have the contrast between Jehovah's abiding goodness and the inconstancy of men; while Psalm 61 . and 62. were probably written at Mahanaim, when David s anguish of mind was being assuaged, and a calm confidence was taking its place. Everywhere in all of them David speaks as one who had now given all his heart to God. As regards his terror and flight ( Psalm 55:5-8 ), it may seem strange that David should have withdrawn so hurriedly from a city so strong as Jerusalem. But we must not suppose that he had a standing army, and his few Cherethites and Pelethites could have made no head against the nation. Probably, too, the fortifications of the city were incomplete ( Psalm 51:18 ); and even if in good order, yet, cooped up in Jerusalem, David would have left the whole country in Absalom's power, and finally, after a long blockade, he must have been driven by famine to surrender.

And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from {h} Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. (h) Whose heart he saw that Satan had so possessed that he would leave no mischief unattempted.

And smite the city - David's kind nature induced him to spare Jerusalem the horrors of a siege, and the risk of being taken by assault. He had no standing army with which to resist this sudden attack from so unexpected a quarter. Possibly too he remembered Nathan's prophecy 2 Samuel 12:10-12 .

Arise, and let us flee; for though the fort of Zion was strong and impregnable, and he might have defended himself there; yet he had not laid in provisions for a long siege; and, if he had been once besieged there, Absalom would have got speedy and quiet possession of his whole kingdom; whereas if he marched abroad, he might raise a considerable army for his defence, and the suppression of the rebels. Besides, the greatest part of Jerusalem could not be well defended against him. And he suspected that a great number of the citizens might take part with Absalom, and possibly deliver him up into Absalom’s hands. Besides, if he had made that the seat of the war, he feared the destruction of that city, which he vehemently desired to preserve, because it was the chief and royal city, and the place in which God had appointed to put his name and worship. Moreover, when David considered that God’s hand was now against him, and that he was now bringing evil upon him out of his own house , as he had threatened, 2 Samuel 12:11 , it is no wonder if he was intimidated and disposed to flee.