2 Samuel 15:1

Absalom's Conspiracy

1 After this Absalom ¹got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

2 Samuel 15:1 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 15:1

And it came to pass after this
After the reconciliation of David and Absalom, and the latter was admitted to court again:

that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses;
to make himself look grand and respectable among the people; perhaps he got these from his grandfather at Geshur in Syria:

and fifty men to run before him;
which added to his pomp and magnificence; and such great personages in later time have had; Nero the Roman emperor never went on a journey with less than a thousand calashes or chariots, and a great number of men that ran before him {c}: and this was tacitly setting himself up for king, at least preparing for it, as Adonijah afterwards did in the same way and manner, ( 1 Kings 1:5 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 Suetonius in Vit. Neron. c. 30. Vid. Senecae, Ep. 87. & 123.

2 Samuel 15:1 In-Context

1 After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

2 And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, "From what city are you?" And when he said, "Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,"

3 Absalom would say to him, "See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you."

4 Then Absalom would say, "Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice."

5 And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Kings 1:5