Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 17:22–end
Here is, I. The transporting of David and his forces over Jordan, pursuant to the advice he had received from his friends at Jerusalem, Sa2 17:22. He, and all that were with him, went over in the night, whether in ferryboats, which probably always plied there, or through the fords, does not appear. But special notice is taken of this, that there lacked not one of them: none deserted him, though his distress was great, none staid behind sick or weary, nor were any lost or cast away in passing the river. Herein some make him a type of the Messiah, who said, in a difficult day, Of all that thou hast given me have I lost none. Having got over Jordan, he marched many miles forward to Mahanaim, a…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 17:29
in the wilderness--spread out beyond the cultivated tablelands into the steppes of Hauran.
Next: 2 Samuel Chapter 18
Adam Clarke on 2 Samuel 17:28
Brought beds - These no doubt consisted in skins of beasts, mats, carpets, and such like things.
Basons - ספות sappoth. Probably wooden bowls, such as the Arabs still use to eat out of, and to knead their bread in.
Earthen vessels - כלי יוצר keley yotser. Probably clay vessels, baked in the sun. These were perhaps used for lifting water, and boiling those articles which required to be cooked.
Wheat, and barley, etc. - There is no direct mention of flesh-meat here; little was eaten in that country, and it would not keep. Whether the sheep mentioned were brought for their flesh or their milk. I cannot tell.
According to Mr. Jones, "the Moors of west Barbary use the flour of parched barley, whi…
Read the whole note in the consoleJohn Gill on 2 Samuel 17:29
And honey and butter,.... Honey was much in use with the ancients; Homer (b) speaks of it as a part of the provisions at a feast, and as food with which persons were nourished and brought up; and the ancient Scythians lived on milk and honey (c); and this and butter were pretty much the food of the people in Judea; see Isaiah 7:15,
and sheep; with which and goats the land of Gilead abounded; see Sol 4:1,
and cheese of kine: made of the milk of cows, as it commonly is:
for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat; and no doubt they brought wine with them for them to drink; the men that brought these, some brought one sort, and some another, or however different parcels of the s…
