John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 2. And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab , etc.] Very likely that which made the centre of the army, since Joab was the general of the army; though this distribution was made when David thought to have headed the army himself, and so made with respect to that: and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother ; who was next to Joab in the army, and fought with him against the Syrians and Ammonites, ( 2 Samuel 10:10,11); and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite ; of whom (see Samuel 15:19); of these two parts consisted the right and left wings of the army: and the king said unto the people ; the soldiers, and particularly the officers: I will surely go forth with you myself also ; in which he seemed very resolute and peremptory; and this he proposed to do, not merely to animate the soldiers with his presence, and to show that he was willing to hazard his life with them, but chiefly for the sake of Absalom, to preserve his life, if possible.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - How does David render good for evil! Absalom would have only Davi smitten; David would have only Absalom spared. This seems to be resemblance of man's wickedness towards God, and God's mercy to man, of which it is hard to say which is most amazing. Now the Israelites se what it is to take counsel against the Lord and his anointed.
Original Hebrew וישׁלח7971 דוד1732 את853 העם5971 השׁלשׁית7992 ביד3027 יואב3097 והשׁלשׁית7992 ביד3027 אבישׁי52 בן1121 צרויה6870 אחי251 יואב3097 והשׁלשׁת7992 ביד3027 אתי863 הגתי1663 ויאמר559 המלך4428 אל413 העם5971 יצא3318 אצא3318 גם1571 אני589 עמכם׃5973
