2 Kings 15:1
Now after these things Absalom made himself chariots, and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
Open 2 Kings 15:1 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Igitur post hæc fecit sibi Absalom currus, et equites, et quinquaginta viros qui præcederent eum.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- Καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ ἅρματα καὶ ἵππους καὶ πεντήκοντα ἄνδρας παρατρέχειν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַֽיְהִי֙ מֵאַ֣חֲרֵי כֵ֔ן וַיַּ֤עַשׂ לוֹ֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם מֶרְכָּבָ֖ה וְסֻסִ֑ים וַחֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אִ֖ישׁ רָצִ֥ים לְפָנָֽיו
Haydock's commentary
Before him. Romulus instituted the 300 guards, whom he called Celeres, for the like purpose. (Calmet)
Absalom's ambition could not wait patiently for the death of his father, who was not yet sixty years old, and had been first anointed forty years before, ver. 7. He looked upon himself as the heir apparent, Amnon being now slain, and Cheliab (or Daniel) either dead, as it is thought, or unfit for government, while Solomon was only eight years old. (Salien)
The quality of his mother, and his own personal qualifications, made him despise his brethren, and he began to assume the equipage of a king. (Calmet)
David considered this as only the effect of juvenile vanity, and he had not a mind to irritate him, without the utmost necessity. (Salien)
Hebrew, "Absalom prepared for himself a chariot, (Protestants, chariots) and horses," &c. (Haydock)
It is not certain whether he had any other horsemen but those who mounted the chariots. Horses were then very scarce in Israel. (Calmet)
Adonias afterwards imitated his brother's ambition, during his father's life; (3 Kings i. 5.) so that evil was continually raised up against David, out of his own house, chap. xii. 11.
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Ambrose On the Duties of the Clergy, Chapter XXII. We must observe a right standard between too great mildness and excessive harshness. They who endeavour to creep into the hearts of others by a false show of mildness gain nothing substantial or lasting. This the example of Absalom plainly enough shows
114. Absalom was King David’s son, known for his beauty, of splendid appearance and in the heyday of youth; so that no other such man as he was found in Israel. He was without a blemish from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. He had for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men to run before him. He rose at early dawn and stood before the gate in the way, and whoever he knew to be seeking the judgment of the king, he called to himself, saying: “From what city art thou?” And he answered: “I thy servant am of one of the tribes of Israel.” And Absalom answered: “Thy words are good and right. Is there none given thee by the king to hear thee? Who will make me a judge? And whosoever will come unto me, that hath need of judgment, I will give him justice.” With such words he cajoled them. …