2 Samuel 13:37

But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(37) Went to Talmai.—His maternal grandfather. (See Note on 2Samuel 3:2-5.) This verse may be considered parenthetical:—The king’s sons came . . . and wept sore. (“Only Absalom fled and went to . . . Geshur.”) In this case the omission of “David” in the latter clause of the verse is explained, as the nominative is easily supplied from 2Samuel 13:36.

For his son every day.—Amnon is certainly the son here meant, for whom David continually mourned until his grief was gradually assuaged by the lapse of time.

Benson Commentary

2 Samuel 13:37. David mourned for his son every day — Either for the murder of Amnon, or for Absalom, who was lost as to any comfort he could have from him. “Thus did God, by withdrawing his restraining grace from Amnon, and leaving him a prey to his own passions, raise up evil to David out of his own house; a daughter ravished by her own brother; that brother murdered by another brother; and that other in exile on that account; and soon to perish by a fate yet more deplorable, had it not been more deserved! And now began another and more dreadful prophecy of Nathan to be fulfilled upon David, before his eyes: the sword was now first brought in upon his house, attended with this dreadful assurance of never departing from it.” — Delaney.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

13:30-39 Jonadab was as guilty of Ammon's death, as of his sin; such false friends do they prove, who counsel us to do wickedly. Instead of loathing Absalom as a murderer, David, after a time, longed to go forth to him. This was David's infirmity: God saw something in his heart that made a difference, else we should have thought that he, as much as Eli, honoured his sons more than God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the marginal reference.

Ammihur (see the margin) is found as a Punic name.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Sa 13:37-39. Absalom Flees to Talmai.

37. Absalom fled, and went to Talmai—The law as to premeditated murder (Nu 35:21) gave him no hope of remaining with impunity in his own country. The cities of refuge could afford him no sanctuary, and he was compelled to leave the kingdom, taking refuge at the court of Geshur, with his maternal grandfather, who would, doubtless, approve of his conduct.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Talmai, the son of Ammihud; his mother’s father, 2 Samuel 3:3; that he might have present protection and sustenance from him; and that by his mediation he might obtain his father’s pardon and favour.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But Absalom fled,.... As before related, but here repeated for the sake of what follows:

and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur: his mother's father, see 2 Samuel 3:3, where he might hope for protection and safety:

and David mourned for his son every day; or "all the days" (q), i.e. of the three years Absalom was in Geshur, about the end of which he was comforted concerning Amnon, as the following verses show. Some think it was for Absalom he mourned, but rather for Amnon. The reason why he mourned for him, when he did not for his child by Bathsheba, who died, because that was an infant, this a grown man, and heir to his crown, and was slain by the sword of his brother, and so fulfilled a threatening to himself on account of his own sin, which, hereby no doubt, was brought fresh to his mind.

(q) "cunctis diebus", V. L. "omnibus diebus", Pagninus, Montanus.

Geneva Study Bible

But Absalom fled, and went to {p} Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

(p) For Maachah his mother was the daughter of this Talmai, 2Sa 3:3.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

37. But Absalom fled, &c.] Now Absalom had fled and gone to Talmai. The narrative goes back to 2 Samuel 13:34. Talmai was Absalom’s grandfather. See note on ch. 2 Samuel 3:3.

And David mourned] David has fallen out of the Heb. text, but is found in the Sept. and Vulg., and is clearly necessary to the sense.

for his son] Amnon, not Absalom, is meant. His first feeling towards Absalom was one of anger.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 37, 38. - So Absalom fled. The triple repetition of these words, and the fragmentary style, make it probable that we have here an abridgment of a longer narrative. So in ver. 35 the words probably are a summary of a more circumstantial account of Absalom's doings after his young men had slain Amnon. (On Talmai and Geshur, see notes on 2 Samuel 3:3.) 2 Samuel 13:37

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

"Only Absalom had fled and gone to Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur." These words form a circumstantial clause, which the writer has inserted as a parenthesis, to define the expression "the king's sons" more particularly. If we take these words as a parenthesis, there will be no difficulty in explaining the following word "mourned," as the subject (David) may very easily be supplied from the preceding words "the king," etc. (2 Samuel 13:36). To the remark that David mourned all his life for his son (Amnon), there is attached, just as simply and quite in accordance with the facts, the more precise information concerning Absalom's flight, that he remained in Geshur three years. The repetition of the words "Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur" may be accounted for from the general diffuseness of the Hebrew style. Talmai the king of Geshur was the father of Maacah, Absalom's mother (2 Samuel 3:3). The lxx thought it necessary expressly to indicate this by inserting εἰς γῆν Χαμαχάαδ (al. γῆν Μαχάδ).