Ver. 1. Now the days of David.] Days are one of the shortest measures of time; but long enough to decipher man’s life by. We are Ερημεροβιοι. That he should die.] Death is the only king against whom there is no rising up. (Proverbs 30:31) He may give for his motto that of Terminus, Nulli cedo, I give place to none. And he charged Solomon his son, saying.] Natural motion is more swift and violent toward the end of it. And grace will bestir itself when it hath not long to act; being oft most lively in those that lie a-dying.
Ver. 2. I go the way of all the earth.] Behold, I die, as Genesis 48:21. Be thou strong, therefore, and show thyself a man.] sc., In understanding and courage, (1 Corinthians 14:20) making up thy want of years by thy virtues, and not prevaricating either for fear or favour. The least deviation in the greatest and highest orb is both most sensible and most dangerous.
Ver. 3. And keep the charge of the Lord.] Piety maketh true magnanimity. The “spirit of a sound mind” is “a spirit of power,” (2 Timothy 1:7) and “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” (Proverbs 1:7) To walk in his ways,] i.e., To imitate him, saith Vatablus, and to resemble him, as much as is possible.
Ver. 4. If thy children take heed to their way.] Walking circumspectly and by rule; not at random, at all adventures. Here observe that God’s promises are with a condition; which is as an oar in a boat, or stern of a ship, and turneth the promise another way.
Ver. 5. What Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me.] Why, what did Joab to David? Pellican justifieth him, and commendeth Joab highly for a good man; but few interpreters are of his mind. David had much ado with him all along, and complained of his insolences, which yet he dared not punish, till in his old age the armies fell off from him, and Benaiah, captain of the guard, was able to deal with him. What is it that David here meaneth which Joab had done against him, is uncertain. The Hebrews tell us, that he showed David’s letters to him concerning the death of Uriah, which was much to his disgrace. Others hold that the death of Absalom still stuck in David’s stomach, together with that rough and rude language which Joab gave him for his excessive mourning thereupon. Theodoret thinketh it was his siding with Adonijah, and the evil that he might yet work against Solomon, whom he never loved, but held him unworthy to reign for his scandalous birth. And what he did to the two captains, &c.] This seemeth to be the very thing that he did against David; for besides that the sovereign is smitten in the subject, David had given the public faith to these two captains for their safety, and, therefore, appropriateth their slaughter, as good reason he had. And put the blood of war upon his girdle, &c.] In a bold and public way, as if he had bragged of his murders; like as Alexander Pheraeus is said to have consecrated the javelin wherewith he slew his uncle Polyphron, and called it his god Tychon, of great luck. Plutarch, in Pelopida.
Ver. 6. Do therefore according to thy wisdom,] q.d., He is of a turbulent spirit, and will be apt enough to give thee just occasion to fall upon him. See that it be thoroughly done, for it lieth upon my conscience, that he hath hitherto passed unpunished. Of his adultery and murder we hear not a word, because he had made a thorough peace with God for those sins in his lifetime; he had compounded with his judge, &c.: but the cases of Joab and Shimei troubled him on his death bed. And let not his hoar head, &c.] Let him be well punished, though he is now old, and hath done great exploits.
Ver. 7. For so they came to me.] So as I now desire thee to do to them, as did they to me when I was in distress—viz., they fed and relieved me, for which I hold myself their perpetual debtor. Eaten bread, we say, is soon forgotten; but not with the thankful. Agesilaus, king of Sparta, was always very grateful for any courtesies that he received; and used to say, that it was not only an unjust thing not to be thankful, but if a man did not return greater kindness than he received. How bountifully dealt the Lord Cromwell with Francis Frescobald, the Florentine, who had sometime relieved him in his great necessity, furnishing him with a horse, clothes, and money to bear his charges from Italy to England. Plut. Act. and Mon.
Ver. 8. Thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gerah.] Some think that, moved by David’s favour in forgiving him, (2 Samuel 19:23) he would not take part with Adonijah. (1 Kings 1:8) But if it were the same Shimei, and not rather another and better of his name, (1 Kings 4:18) yet now he must answer for his old faults. So that deferring payment is no breach of bond: there will come a time wherein the Lord will have a full blow at the impenitent person, be the pretences of impunity what they will. Which cursed me with a grievous curse.] Heb., Strong; Gr., Dolorous; Chald., Bitter. Indeed his mouth was “full of cursing and bitterness,” as if he had been as far as hell to fetch every word. (2 Samuel 16:5-13) And I sware to him.] See on 2 Samuel 19:23.