There, he invited. Invited Language like that of "He invited his guests."¹ "Avsholom invited all the king's children."² Language denoting "inviting".

footnotes: ¹ Tsaphania 1:7. ² Shmuel II, 13:23.

Rally the men of Yehudah. That they should be here within three days.

And then you be back here [to meet me]. After three days be sure to be back here before me because he [Dovid] wanted to chase after Shevah, the son of Bichri.

But was delayed past the appointed time. He found Rabbis who had begun to learn a tractate in the Talmud, as is stated in Sanhedrin.³

Take your master's servants. Now that Amosoh, the commanding officer was delayed and had not yet brought the soldiers of Yehudah, you take from the men in my entourage and chase after him.

To escape to out of our sight. And he will escape right before our eyes, this is an abbreviated verse.⁴

footnotes: ⁴ Missing the word עַצְמוֹ.

Close to his loins. Very close to his body along the width of his loins, this was not the usual way of carrying a sword. He did so to make it easy for it to fall out so it would not be necessary to take it out of its sheath.

He started out [towards Amosoh.]. Towards Amosoh.

And it fell out. The sword [fell out] from its sheath because it was smooth and sharp and was not hanging on the side of his thigh but it was along the width of his loins. As soon as he [Yoav] leaned forward towards the ground it [the sword] fell out of its sheath and he grabbed it with his right hand without Amosoh noticing anything.

When he saw that all who passed by it remained there. When the man saw that everyone who passed by it would remain there.

When it was withdrawn. When it was removed as we find. "When the impurities are removed from silver",⁵ and as find "When the wicked are removed from before the king".⁶

footnotes: ⁵ Mishlei 25:4. ⁶ Ibid, 25:5.

He [Shevah] went through all the tribes of Yisroel. Shevah, the son of Bichri [went] to convince them to declare him king over them.

All the Beirim. I do not know what it is.

And it [the city] held by virtue of its inner wall. [Yonoson translates:] "They surrounded it strongly." Some interpret וַתַּעֲמדׁ בַּחֵל to have a meaning like "the inner wall and the outer wall".⁷ They had [already] cause the outer wall to fall and it [the city] fortified itself to hold fast by virtue of the inner wall.

footnotes: ⁷ Eichoh 2:8.

Are you Yoav? That it is said of you "Who sits among the wise at their assembly."⁸

footnotes: ⁸ Further on 23:8.

You should have talked [peace] first. You should have talked peace first. If they had answered you that they wanted peace and had opened their city to you then you should not have gone to war against them.

If you had asked [for peace] with Oveil. If your soldiers had asked for peace with this city called Oveil.

They would have completely [cooperated]. The people of the city would have immediately made peace with you.

I am [from the people of the city] that are loyal and trustworthy to Yisroel. I am from the people of the city that are loyal and trustworthy to Yisroel and to the king. An Aggadic Midrash [states:] this was Serach, the daughter of Asher. I faithfully rewarded those who faithful [to God]: Through me, the location of Yosef's coffin was revealed to Moshe. I told Yakov that Yosef was alive.

Far be it, far be it from me. Far be it from me, far be it from the king.

Lifted his hand against the king, Dovid. Against the king even if it were not Dovid he is punishable by death. Alternatively if it were against Dovid [who is a scholar] even if he was not the king, he [Shevah] is punishable by death. All the much more so [now that he has rebelled] against the king, against Dovid. This is how this verse is expounded upon in the Midrash Koheles.

The woman came [and spoke] to all the people. It is taught in a Tosefta:⁹ "She said to them, 'Since both he will be killed and they will be killed [they should] hand him over to them.¹⁰ If he were able to be saved, for example he was inside and you were on the outside and you were in mortal danger [fighting Yoav] [but] he could escape¹¹ [then we have a rule that] it is prohibited to let one person be killed in order to save another, [therefore, you cannot] have him killed to save yourselves. But now that he is [anyway] going to be killed with you because the walls have been breached and there is no possibility of escape,¹² [then] it is better that he alone die and you should not die along with him.' Rebbe Shimon said, this is what she said to them, 'Anyone who has rebelled against the kingdom of the House of Dovid is punishable by death.'¹³

footnotes: ⁹ Terumos 7:23. ¹⁰ To Yoav’s men. ¹¹ While you would be fighting. ¹² For anyone. ¹³ Threfore Shevah must be killed in order for you to be spared.

Yoav commanded the entire army. Despite the fact that Dovid had said to Amosoh, "I will make you the commanding general in Yoav's stead",¹⁴ now that Amsoh was dead Yoav was not replaced. And because of Yoav [remaining commander], he [Dovid] had to appoint his [Yoav's] friends.¹⁵

footnotes: ¹⁴ Earlier in 19:14. ¹⁵ To the positions mentioned in the next few verses.

Eiroh the Yoiri. Yonoson translated: "Eiroh who gives forth light from Tekuah." And so is he referred to in this book Eiroh ben Eikash of Tekuah. He was called Yoiri because it is taught in Menochos,¹⁶ "Tekuah was first in [olive] oil," because olive oil was prevalent there from which candles are lit [in the Beis Mikdosh].

footnotes: ¹⁶ Menochos 85b.

Was a Kokein for Dovid. He [Dovid] would give him [Eiroh] all his Kehunah gifts, that is what our Rabbis explained.¹⁷ The simple explanation of the verse is that he [Dovid] made him [Eiroh] an officer and a judge.

footnotes: ¹⁷ Eiruvin 63a.