And David said to Abishai
For it seems he would have nothing to say to Joab, being displeased with him for slaying Absalom, and having removed him from his posts; and therefore speaks to the next officer in his army, Abishai; though Josephus F16 says, he addressed himself to Joab, contrary to the express words of the text:
now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than [did] Absalom;
gain a greater party, and give more trouble to subdue him, unless suppressed in time:
take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him;
without waiting for Amasa, and the troops he was assembling; delays in such a case as an insurrection being dangerous, which ought to be nipped in the bud, and crushed as soon as possible; in order to which, he bids him take his servants that were about him, his bodyguards, and pursue Sheba:
lest he get him fenced cities;
where he may secure himself, and hold out a siege a long time, and give a great deal of trouble:
and escape us;
for the present; or "escape our eyes", as the "Keri", or marginal reading is; we shall lose sight of him, and not know which way he is gone, if he is not pursued quickly.