2 Samuel 15:11

11 He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him as guests, but they knew nothing of his intentions.

2 Samuel 15:11 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 15:11

And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, [that
were] called
Invited by him to go with him and partake of his peace offerings, as the payment of his vow in Hebron; part of which was made a feast of for his friends, whomsoever he should think fit to invite, as he did to the number of two hundred, and for the entertainment of whom a large provision ought to be made; the Jews ^F8 have a tradition, that he had leave of his father only to invite two to go with him, and that he asked two more unknown to the first, and so on, two after two, until they amounted to two hundred:

and they went in their simplicity;
to partake of the feast of the peace offerings, to which they were invited; being quite harmless and upright in their intentions, having no thought of disloyalty and rebellion in their breasts:

and they knew not anything;
of an intended conspiracy; howbeit, doubtless many of them were drawn into it when got thither; and as these may be supposed to be some of the principal men of Jerusalem, it was a great weakening of David's interest, and laid a considerable foundation for Absalom to begin upon.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 9. fol. 194. 4.

2 Samuel 15:11 In-Context

9 “All right,” the king told him. “Go and fulfill your vow.” So Absalom went to Hebron.

10 But while he was there, he sent secret messengers to all the tribes of Israel to stir up a rebellion against the king. “As soon as you hear the ram’s horn,” his message read, “you are to say, ‘Absalom has been crowned king in Hebron.’”

11 He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him as guests, but they knew nothing of his intentions.

12 While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors who lived in Giloh. Soon many others also joined Absalom, and the conspiracy gained momentum.

13 A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”