2 Samuel 20:3

WEB

David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody, and provided them with sustenance, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

KJV

And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

Commentary

And David came to his house at Jerusalem,.... His palace there, which was in that part of the city called the fort of Zion, and city of David: and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house; when he fled from Jerusal em because of Absalom, Sa2 15:16 , and put them in ward; partly as a punishment for easily yielding to the lust of Absalom, and partly that they might not be seen, which would bring to remembrance his sin: and fed them; he did not put them to death, nor put them away, but kept them thus confined, and made a proper provision for them, not suffering them to marry any other, and be maintained by them: but went not in unto them: into their apartments to lie with them, having been defiled by his son, Sa2 16:22 , so they were shut up unto the day of their death; kept in the ward till they died: living in widowhood; neither used by the king as his concubines, as they had been before, nor suffered to many any other; or "in the widowhood of life" (o), which is so expressed, to distinguish it from widowhood made by death; this was such sort of widowhood as obtained while their husband was living; so the Targum,"widows of their husband alive,'' or remaining. (o) "in viduitate vitae", Pagninus, Montanus.