2 Samuel 15:1

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

2 Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the road into the gate; and when anyone brought a suit before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out and say, "From what city are you?" When the person said, "Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,"

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

4 Absalom said moreover, "If only I were judge in the land! Then all who had a suit or cause might come to me, and I would give them justice."

5 Whenever people came near to do obeisance to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of them, and kiss them.