2 Samuel 13:28

Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

2 Samuel 13:28-29. When Amnon’s heart is merry — When he least suspects, and will be most unable to prevent the evil. Have not I commanded you? — I who am the king’s son, and, when Amnon is dead, next heir to the crown, and who therefore can easily stand between you and the danger of your being called to an account for what you do, or can obtain pardon for you, and not only so, but have it in my power to reward you. The servants did as Absalom had commanded — And Amnon fell. Thus did Absalom at one blow revenge himself upon his sister’s ravisher, and rid himself of his rival in his father’s favour, and only obstacle, as he apprehended, to his crown. Now is the threatened sword drawn in David’s house, which will not depart from it. His eldest son falls by it, through his own wickedness, and his father, by conniving at that wickedness, is accessory to his death. Then all the king’s sons arose and fled — Terrified at what they saw, they started up from the table, seized every man his mule, and fled home as fast as they could. But fast as they fled, fame reached the palace before them, and told David that Absalom had destroyed all his sons.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

13:21-29 Observe the aggravations of Absalom's sin: he would have Ammon slain, when least fit to go out of the world. He engaged his servants in the guilt. Those servants are ill-taught who obey wicked masters, against God's commands. Indulged children always prove crosses to godly parents, whose foolish love leads them to neglect their duty to God.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He mentions Amnon as being the king's first-born. If he could not have the king's company, let him at least have that of the heir apparent, and the king's other sons.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Sa 13:28-36. Amnon Is Slain.

28. Absalom had commanded his servants, saying … when Amnon's heart is merry with wine … kill him, fear not—On a preconcerted signal from their master, the servants, rushing upon Amnon, slew him at the table, while the rest of the brothers, horror-struck, and apprehending a general massacre, fled in affrighted haste to Jerusalem.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

When Amnon’s heart is merry with wine; when he least suspects, and will be most unable to prevent the evil.

Have not I commanded you; I who am the king’s son, and, when Amnon is gone, his heir; who therefore shall easily obtain pardon for you, and will liberally reward you?

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Now Absalom had commanded his servants,.... Before he and his guests were set down to the entertainment:

saying, mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; as he was determined to make him if possible, and as he supposed he would be, knowing his inclination to drink:

and when I say unto you, smite Amnon, then kill him; smite him that he die, and be sure he is dead before you leave him:

fear not, have not I commanded you? who am your lord, the king's son, and will then be heir to the crown; fear not, I will protect you; let all the blame be laid to me, if any; I will be answerable for it, you have nothing to do but to obey my commands:

be courageous, and be valiant; show yourselves to be men of courage and valour, not fearing the king's sons, or any in company, or what will be the consequences of it; do your business effectually, and leave all with me; it is very reasonably supposed that Absalom had not only in view to revenge the rape of his sister, but to get himself next heir to the crown.

Geneva Study Bible

Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not {m} I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.

(m) Such is the pride of the wicked masters, that in all their wicked commandments they think to be obeyed.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

28. Now Absalom had commanded] And Absalom commanded. Absalom felt himself bound in honour to avenge his sister’s wrong, and moreover welcomed the pretext for getting rid of Amnon, who stood between himself and the succession to the throne.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 28. - Smite Amnon. The order was given before the banquet began, and every arrangement made to render the attack successful. Though Tamar's wrong was the mainspring of Absalom's conduct, yet neither he nor his men would forget that Amnon stood between him and the crown; and Amnon, entirely off his guard, never very wise at his best, and with his senses made dull by wine, seems to have fallen an easy prey. And as soon as the murder was committed, the rest of the king's sons, though all had attendants with them, fled in dismay, not knowing what might be the extent of Absalom's purpose. It is said that they fled on mules, this being the first place in which this animal is mentioned, as the word so translated in Genesis 36:24 really means "hot springs," and is so translated in the Revised Version. The breeding of hybrids was forbidden in Leviticus 19:19, and probably they were procured, as were horses, by trade. Up to this time the ass had been used for riding; but now David had a favourite mule (1 Kings 1:33), and Solomon received mules as tribute (1 Kings 10:25). Horses seem to have been used chiefly for chariots. 2 Samuel 13:28

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Absalom then commanded his servants to put Amnon to death without fear, as he had commanded, as soon as his heart should become merry with wine and he (Absalom) should tell them to smite him. The arrangement of the meal is passed over as being quite subdrdinate to the main purpose of the narrative; and the clause added by the lxx at the close of 2 Samuel 13:27, καὶ ἐποίησεν ἈβεσσαλὼϚ πότον κατὰ τὸν τοῦ βασιλέως, is nothing more than an explanatory gloss, formed according to 1 Samuel 25:36. The words "Have not I commanded you?" implied that Absalom would take the responsibility upon himself.