Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Carry back the ark - David shows here great confidence in God, and great humility. The ark was too precious to be exposed to the dangers of his migrations; he knew that God would restore him if he delighted in him, and he was not willing to carry off from the city of God that without which the public worship could not be carried on. He felt, therefore, more for this public worship and the honor of God, than he did for his own personal safety.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And the king said unto Zadok, carry back the ark of God into the city,.... The reason of which is not easy to account for, since being carried back it would fall into the hands of the conspirators; and now the priests were with it to take care of it, and there might be occasion to inquire at it before the Lord; but David thought it being a sacred thing would not be violated by Absalom and his men, and that it would be safest in its own habitation or tabernacle, which David had built for it; for, that the reason of it should be, what Procopius Gazaeus suggests, cannot be given into, that he could not bear to carry about him the law, which accused of adulteries and murders:

if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord: if he will appear for me, be on my side, and deliver me from those who have risen up against me:

he will bring me again: to Jerusalem, and to his palace there:

and show me both it and his habitation; the ark, and the tabernacle he had erected for it, 2 Samuel 6:17.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:

Carry back — Out of care and reverence to the ark, which though it might be carried our to a certain place; yet he might justly think unfit to carry it from place to place he knew not whither, and out of respect to the priests, whom, by this means, he thought he should expose to the rage of Absalom, as he had before exposed them to Saul's fury.

Habitation — That is, the tabernacle which David had lately built for it, chap6:17, in which the ark, and God, by means hereof, ordinarily dwelt.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 Samuel 15:25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me [both] it, and his habitation:

Ver. 25. Carry back the ark.] He believed that in his banishment God would be unto him as "a little sanctuary," [Ezekiel 11:16] and not withdraw from him his powerful presence and assistance.

If I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, &c.] This was a piece of David’s piety, thus patiently and peaceably to submit to God’s holy will and pleasure; well content to be wholly at his disposal. So did David Pareus when forced to flee out of Heidelberg, not long before it was taken by the Spaniard. Hear him in his "Heidelberga Vale."

“ Sic est, Sancte Deus, sio fert tua sancta voluntas:

Ergo silens oris comprimo labra mei.

Quin me redde meis si vis; si reddere nolis,

En adsum, quo me pergere eunque voles. ”

Of Mr Robert Bolton {a} also, that most eminent preacher, it is reported, that dying and desiring to be dissolved, he was told that it was indeed better for him to be dissolved, but the Church of God could not miss him, nor the benefit of his ministry: he sweetly replied in these very words of David, If I shall find favour, &c.; but if otherwise, lo here I am, let him do what seemeth good in his eyes. The like equanimity was in Ferdinand II, emperor.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Carry back the ark of God into the city; partly, out of care and reverence to the ark, which though sometimes it was and might be carried out to a certain place; yet he might justly think unfit to carry it from place to place he knew not whither, and to expose it to all the hazards and inconveniences to which he himself was likely to exposed; partly, out of respect to the priests, whom, by this means, he thought he should expose to the rage of Absalom, as he had before exposed them to Saul’s fury on another occasion 1Sa 22; and partly, that by this, means he might have the better opportunity to search out and to counterwork Absalom’s plots; which was so necessary, not only for himself, but for the defence and maintenance of the ark, and all God’s ordinances, and of the true religion.

His habitation, i.e. the tabernacle which David had lately built for it, 2 Samuel 6:17, in which the ark, and God, by means thereof, ordinarily dwelt. And hereby he insinuates another reason of his returning the ark to Jerusalem, be cause there was the tabernacle made for the receipt of it.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

City. Abiathar had consulted the Lord for David, and received no answer; whence the king concluded that he had not suffered enough. (Menochius) --- David displays a faith which could hardly have been expected of the carnal Jews. He confesses that God will reward the virtuous, and punish the wicked, independently of the ark, the symbol of his presence, and of which he deemed himself unworthy. (Calmet)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

if I shall find favour, &c. God"s grace is the basis of all blessing. Compare Numbers 14:8. Deuteronomy 10:15. Deuteronomy 22:20. 1 Kings 10:9. 2 Chronicles 9:8. Psalms 18:19; Psalms 41:11; Psalms 86:2 (marg). Acts 7:46.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:

Carry back

12:10,11; 1 Samuel 4:3-11; Jeremiah 7:4

he will bring

Psalms 26:8; 27:4,5; 42:1,2; 43:3,4; 63:1,2; 84:1-3,10; 122:1,9; Isaiah 38:22

habitation

6:17; 7:2

Reciprocal: Numbers 14:8 - delight;  1 Samuel 22:3 - till 1know;  2 Chronicles 9:8 - which delighted;  Psalm 131:2 - quieted;  Ecclesiastes 9:1 - that the;  Daniel 9:25 - restore and to build Jerusalem;  Jonah 4:8 - and wished;  Acts 21:14 - The will;  James 4:15 - If