When David returned to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace, and he placed them in a house under guard. He provided for them, but he no longer slept with them. They were confined until the day of their death, living as widows.
David, in the midst of his triumphs, has here the affliction to see his kingdom disturbed and his family disgraced. I. His subjects revolting from him at the instigation of a man of Belial, whom they followed when they forsook the man after God's own heart. Observe, 1. That this happened immediately upon the crushing of Absalom's rebellion.
Commenting on 2 Samuel 20:1-3
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 Jerusalem because of Absalom, Sa2 15:16, and put them in ward; partly as a punishment for...
the king took the ten women his concubines--Jewish writers say that the widowed queens of Hebrew monarchs were not allowed to marry again but were obliged to pass the rest of their lives in strict seclusion. David treated his concubines in the same manner after the outrage committed on them by Absalom.