Teks -- 2 Samuel 17:28-29 (NET)

17:28 brought bedding, basins, and pottery utensils. They also brought food for David and all who were with him, including wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, 17:29 honey, curds, flocks, and cheese. For they said, “The people are no doubt hungry, tired, and thirsty there in the desert.”

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: 2Sa 17:29 - In

Having been in the wilderness. Thus God sometimes makes up to his people that comfort from strangers, which they are disappointed of in their own families.

JFB: 2Sa 17:27-29 - when David was come to Mahanaim

The necessities of the king and his followers were hospitably ministered to by three chiefs, whose generous loyalty is recorded with honor in the sacred narrative.

JFB: 2Sa 17:27-29 - Shobi

Must have been a brother of Hanun. Disapproving, probably, of that young king's outrage upon the Israelite ambassadors, he had been made governor of Ammon by David on the conquest of that country.

JFB: 2Sa 17:27-29 - Machir

(See 2Sa 9:4). Supposed by some to have been a brother of Bath-sheba, and

JFB: 2Sa 17:27-29 - Barzillai

A wealthy old grandee, whose great age and infirmities made his loyal devotion to the distressed monarch peculiarly affecting. The supplies they brought, which (besides beds for the weary) consisted of the staple produce of their rich lands and pastures, may be classified as follows: eatables--wheat, barley, flour, beans, lentils, sheep, and cheese; drinkables--"honey and butter" or cream, which, being mixed together, form a thin, diluted beverage, light, cool, and refreshing. Being considered a luxurious refreshment (Son 4:11), the supply of it shows the high respect that was paid to David by his loyal and faithful subjects at Mahanaim.

JFB: 2Sa 17:29 - in the wilderness

Spread out beyond the cultivated tablelands into the steppes of Hauran.

Clarke: 2Sa 17:28 - Brought beds

Brought beds - These no doubt consisted in skins of beasts, mats, carpets, and such like things

Clarke: 2Sa 17:28 - Basons

Basons - ספות sappoth . Probably wooden bowls, such as the Arabs still use to eat out of, and to knead their bread in

Clarke: 2Sa 17:28 - Earthen vessels

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

Clarke: 2Sa 17:28 - Wheat, and barley, etc.

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, which is the chief provision they make for their journeys, and often use it at home; and this they carry in a leathern satchel."These are ordinarily made of goat-skins. One of them now lies before me: it has been drawn off the animal before it was cut up; the places where the fore-legs, the tail, and the anus were, are elegantly closed, and have leathers thongs attached to them, by which it can be slung over the back of man, ass, or camel. The place of the neck is left open, with a running string to draw it up, purse-like, when necessary. The skin itself is tanned; and the upper side is curiously embroidered with red, black, blue, yellow, and flesh-coloured leather, in very curious and elegant forms and devices. Bags of this kind are used for carrying wine, water, milk, butter, grain, flour, clothes, and different articles of merchandise. This is, as I have before stated, the Scripture bottle. Mr. Jones farther says: "Travellers use zumeet, tumeet, and limereece. Zumeet is flour mixed with honey, butter, and spice; tumeet is flour done up with organ oil; and limereece is flour mixed with water for drink. This quenches the thirst much better than water alone; satisfies a hungry appetite; cools and refreshes tired and weary spirits; overcoming those ill effects which a hot sun and fatiguing journey might well occasion.

This flour might be made of grain or pulse of any kind: and probably may be that which we here term parched corn and parched pulse; and in the forms above mentioned was well calculated, according to Mr. Jones’ s account, for the people hungry, weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness. This was a timely supply for David and his men, and no doubt contributed much to the victory mentioned in the following chapter

A Remarkable account of maternal affection in a she-bear: "In the year 1772, the Seahorse frigate and Carcass bomb, under the command of the Hon. Captain C. J. Phipps, afterwards Lord Mulgrave, were sent on a voyage of discovery to the north seas. In this expedition the late celebrated admiral Lord Nelson served as midshipman. While the Carcass lay locked in the ice, early one morning, the man at the masthead gave notice that three bears were making their way very fast over the frozen sea, and were directing their course towards the ship. They had no doubt been invited by the scent of some blubber of a seahorse that the crew had killed a few days before, which had been set on fire, and was burning on the ice at the time of their approach. They proved to be a she-bear and her two cubs, but the cubs were nearly as large as the dam. They ran eagerly to the fire, and drew out from the flames part of the flesh of the seahorse that remained unconsumed, and ate voraciously. The crew from the ship threw great lumps of flesh of the seahorse, which they had still left upon the ice, which the old bear fetched away singly, laid every lump before her cubs as she brought it, and dividing it, gave each a share, reserving but a small portion to herself. As she was fetching away the last piece, they levelled their muskets at the cubs, and shot them both dead; and in her retreat they wounded the dam, but not mortally. It would have drawn tears of pity from any but unfeeling minds, to have marked the affectionate concern expressed by this poor beast in the dying moments of her expiring young. Though she was sorely wounded, and could but just crawl to the place where they lay, she carried the lump of flesh she had fetched away, as she had done the others before, tore it in pieces and laid it down before them; and when she saw that they refused to eat, she laid her paws first upon one, and then upon the other, and endeavored to raise them up; all this while it was piteous to hear her moan. When she found she could not move them, she went off; and being at some distance, looked back and moaned. This not availing to entice them away, she returned, and smelling around them, began to lick their wounds. She went off a second time, as before; and having crawled a few paces, looked again behind her, and for some time stood moaning. But still her cubs not rising to follow her, she returned to them again, and with signs of inexpressible fondness went round one, and round the other, pawing them and moaning. Finding at last that they were cold and lifeless, she raised her head towards the ship, and growled a curse upon the murderers, which they returned with a volley of musket balls. She fell between her cubs, and died licking their wounds.

Had this animal got among the destroyers of her young, she would have soon shown what was implied in the chafed mind of a bear robbed of her whelps.

TSK: 2Sa 17:28 - beds // basins // earthen vessels // wheat

beds : These no doubt consisted of skins of beasts, mats, carpets, and such like. 2Sa 16:1, 2Sa 16:2; 1Sa 25:18; Isa 32:8

basins : or, cups, Sappoth , probably wooden bowls, such as the Arabs still eat out of, and knead their bread in.

earthen vessels : Keley yotzair , literally, ""vessels of the potter.""So when Dr. Perry visited the temple of Luxor in Egypt, he says, ""We were entertained by the Caliph here with great civility and favour; he sent us, in return of our presents, several sheep, a good quantity of eggs, bardacks ,""etc. The bardacks , he informs us, were earthen vessels, used ""to cool and refresh their water in, by means of which it drinks very cool and pleasant in the hottest seasons of the year.""See Harmer, chapter vi. Oba 1:3

wheat : Mr. Jones says, ""Travellers use zumeet , tumeet , and limereece . Zumeet is flour mixed with honey, butter, and spice; tumeet is flour done up with organ oil, and limereece is flour mixed with water, for drink. This quenches thirst much better than water alone, satisfies a hungry appetite; cools and refreshes tired and weary spirits,""etc.

TSK: 2Sa 17:29 - cheese of kine // for David // to eat // The people // in the wilderness

cheese of kine : 1Sa 17:18

for David : Luk 8:3; Phi 4:15-19

to eat : 2Sa 17:2; Psa 34:8-10, Psa 84:11

The people : Jdg 8:4-6; Ecc 11:1, Ecc 11:2; Isa 21:14, Isa 58:7

in the wilderness : 2Sa 16:2, 2Sa 16:14

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: 2Sa 17:28 - Beds and basons

Beds and basons i.e. all sorts of household stuff, as well as other provisions, all which David now wanted.

Poole: 2Sa 17:29 - in the wilderness

i.e. Having been

in the wilderness which is an easy and common ellipsis. Or, because of (so the Hebrew particle beth is oft used) the wilderness , which they have passed through, in which provisions are very scarce.

Haydock: 2Sa 17:28 - Beds // Tapestry // Vessels // Pulse

Beds, will all the necessary furniture, coverlets, &c. Roman Septuagint, "ten beds, with fur on both sides." ---

Tapestry. Some would translate, "bottles," (Chaldean) or "cauldrons;" (Roman Septuagint) but other editions agree with the Vulgate. ---

Vessels. These are necessary, as much as things of greater magnificence. Precious metals were then rarely used in the kitchen. ---

Pulse, ( cicer ) or "parched peas." Hebrew kali, is thus twice translated, as it had been rendered parched corn. It signifies any thing "parched." The ancients made great use of such food in journeys, as the Ethiopians and Turks do still. (Atheneus ii. 13.; Busbec. iii.; Bellon. ii. 53.) (Calmet)

Haydock: 2Sa 17:29 - Calves // Wilderness

Calves. Many translate the Hebrew, "cheese of kine." (Theodotion) ---

"Calves fed with milk." (Haydock) ---

Wilderness, where they had been; unless this be placed out of its natural order. (Calmet) ---

The value of a present depends greatly on the time when it is made. (Haydock) ---

"How much dost thou esteem a hospitable reception in a wilderness?" &c. (Seneca, Ben. vi. 15.)

Gill: 2Sa 17:28 - Brought beds // and basins, and earthen vessels // and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn // and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse

Brought beds,.... For David and his men, who, fleeing from Jerusalem in haste, could bring none with them, and therefore were ill provided while in the plains of the wilderness; the Septuagint version says there were ten of them, and that they were of tapestry, wrought on both sides, and such the ancients used ^z, see Pro 7:16; and so ten basins in the next clause:

and basins, and earthen vessels; to put their food and liquors in, and eat and drink out of, and for other services:

and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn; or "kali", which was made of the above corn ground into meal, and mixed with water or milk, and eaten with honey or oil, as there was another sort made of pulse, later mentioned:

and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse; or "kali", made of these in the above manner. Some think ^a coffee is meant, but without reason.

Gill: 2Sa 17:29 - And honey and butter // and sheep // and cheese of kine // for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat // for they said, the people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness

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 Isa 7:15,

and sheep; with which and goats the land of Gilead abounded; see Son 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 same, and did not join in one present; for they came from different parts:

for they said, the people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness; where they had been some time, and out of which they had just come, and so weary with travelling, and therefore brought beds to lie down and rest upon; and being hungry and thirsty, through want of bread and water in the wilderness, they brought them both eatables and drinkables; for though the latter is not expressed, it is to be understood, as the word "thirsty" supposes.