John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 9. Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king , etc.] A sister’s son of his, and a general in the army, who could not bear to hear the king abused in this manner: why should this dead dog curse my lord the king ? be suffered to do it with impunity; a “dog” he calls him, because of his vileness and baseness, and because of his impudence, and on account of his reproachful and abusive language, aptly signified by the snarling and barking of a dog; and a “dead” dog, as being useless, detestable, and abominable: let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head ; go over the plain where David and his men were, to the hill on which Shimei was, and strike off his head with his sword; which he could easily do, and soon put an end to his cursing.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 5-14 - David bore Shimei's curses much better than Ziba's flatteries; by thes he was brought to pass a wrong judgment on another, by those to pass right judgment on himself: the world's smiles are more dangerous tha its frowns. Once and again David spared Saul's life, while Saul sough his. But innocence is no defence against malice and falsehood; nor ar we to think it strange, if we are charged with that which we have bee most careful to keep ourselves from. It is well for us, that men ar not to be our judges, but He whose judgment is according to truth. Se how patient David was under this abuse. Let this remind us of Christ who prayed for those who reviled and crucified him. A humble spiri will turn reproaches into reproofs, and get good from them, instead of being provoked by them. David the hand of God in it, and comfort himself that God would bring good out of his affliction. We may depen upon God to repay, not only our services, but our sufferings.
Original Hebrew ויאמר559 אבישׁי52 בן1121 צרויה6870 אל413 המלך4428 למה4100 יקלל7043 הכלב3611 המת4191 הזה2088 את853 אדני113 המלך4428 אעברה5674 נא4994 ואסירה5493 את853 ראשׁו׃7218
