Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Joab blew the trumpet - He knew that the rebellion was now extinguished by the death of Absalom; and was not willing that any farther slaughter should be made of the deluded people.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Blew the trumpet - To stop the pursuit and slaughter 2 Samuel 2:28; 2 Samuel 20:22.

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible

THE FIGHTING ENDED; ABSALOM WAS BURIED

"Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel; for Joab restrained them. And they took Absalom, and threw him into a great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones; and all Israel fled every one to his own home. Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar which is in the King's Valley, for he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance"; he called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom's monument to this day."

"They threw him ... into a great pit in the forest" (2 Samuel 18:17). The use of the definite article here (`THE' great pit, as in the Masoretic Text ) seems to indicate that it was well known."[20]

"The King's Valley" (the King's Dale in the KJV) (2 Samuel 18:18). "This is the same as the Vale of Shaveh (Genesis 24:17 ASV). Here the king of Sodom met Abraham, but the exact location of the place is unknown."[21] Young also pointed out that, "Absalom's Tomb which is today pointed out in the valley of the Kidron is of Roman manufacture and probably resulted from a later tradition."[22] Bennett thought that the purpose of introducing this word about the monument in this passage was that of showing the contrast between the monument Absalom wanted and the one he actually received.[23] Payne conjectured that, "Absalom had erected that monument in the King's Valley upon the occasion of the death of his three sons (1 Samuel 14:27)."[24]

THE NEWS OF THE GREAT VICTORY SENT TO DAVID

By Joab's having taken charge of the line of communications with David, it is evident that he was the supreme commander of the three divisions of David's Army.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And Joab blew the trumpet,.... As the sign of a retreat:

and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; upon the sound of the trumpet, the meaning of which they understood:

for Joab held back the people: from shedding any more blood; the head of the conspiracy being removed, the thing would be crushed at once; and Joab neither chose to slay any more, nor take any prisoners, to be tried as traitors, being unawares, without thought, drawn into this rebellion.

Geneva Study Bible

And Joab ^d blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.

(d) For he had pity on the people, who were seduced by Absalom's flattery.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

and held back the people — Knowing that by the death of the usurper there was no occasion for further bloodshed, he put an end to the pursuit and thereby evinced the temperate policy of his conduct. However harsh and unfeeling to the king Joab may appear, there can be no doubt that he acted the part of a wise statesman in regarding the peace and welfare of the kingdom more than his master‘s private inclinations, which were opposed to strict justice as well as his own interests. Absalom deserved to die by the divine law (Deuteronomy 21:18, Deuteronomy 21:21), as well as being an enemy to his king and country; and no time was more fitting than when he met that death in open battle.

Keil & Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

Immediately afterwards Joab stopped any further pursuit, “for Joab spared the people,” i.e., he wanted to spare them.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 Samuel 18:16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.

Ver. 16. For Joab held back the people.] From pursuing the rebels, as pitying their seduction: he knew as well how to use victory, as to get it, which Hannibal did not.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Who otherwise were highly incensed against the rebels, and hotly pursued them. But the head of the rebellion being cut off, and the danger thereby past, be puts a stop to the effusion of Israelitish blood.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

16.Blew the trumpet — The signal for the people to come together: the death of Absalom virtually ending the rebellion.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

2 Samuel 18:16. Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned — He knew Absalom’s men had been drawn unthinkingly into this rebellion, and would return to their duty, now they had none to head them. For Joab held back the people — Who otherwise, being highly incensed against the rebels, would have hotly pursued, and made still greater slaughter among them. In this Joab acted like a wise and merciful man, who wished to stop the further effusion of Israelitish blood.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.

Joab blew the trumpet, and ... held back the people. Knowing that, by the death of the usurper, there was no occasion for further bloodshed, he put an end to the pursuit, and thereby evinced the temperate policy of his conduct. However harsh and unfeeling to the king Joab may appear, there can be no doubt that he acted the part of a wise statesman in regarding the peace and welfare of the kingdom more than his master's private inclinations, which were opposed to strict justice as well as his own interests. Absalom deserved to die, by the divine law (Deuteronomy 21:18; Deuteronomy 21:21), as well as being an enemy to his king and country; and no time was more fitting than when he met that death in open battle.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) Blew the trumpet.—Comp. 2 Samuel 2:28; 2 Samuel 20:22. With the death of Absalom the rebellion was at an end, and Joab would stop further slaughter.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.

blew the trumpet

2:28; 20:22; Numbers 10:2-10; 1 Corinthians 14:8

Reciprocal: Judges 9:55 - General