2 Samuel 10
The Folly of Fools Brings Folly
Intro
David’s Kindness to Outsiders
Hunan's Response to Kindness
False men are ready to think others as false as themselves; and those that bear ill-will to their neighbours are resolved not to believe that their neighbours bear any good-will to them. They would not thus have imagined that David dissembled but that they were conscious to themselves that they could have dissembled, to serve a turn. Unfounded suspicion argues a wicked mind. Bishop Patrick’s note on this is that “there is nothing so well meant but it may be ill interpreted, and is wont to be so by men who love nobody but themselves.” Men of the greatest honour and virtue must not think it strange if they be thus misrepresented.
Joab’s Surprising Confession
John Calvin points out that Joab cites the two causes for which a nation may justly initiate war: “the good and common safety of the people, and the honour of God.”9 All other reasons for starting a war, other than the protection of assailed people and the freedom of religion, are illegitimate and unjust in God’s sight.