Front matter (continued, part 49)
David loved his son and undoubtedly was convicted about the way he had pampered him, but how could he get out of this dilemma? Joab provided the solution to the problem.
Joab reasons with the king (vv. 1–20). Just as Nathan had confronted David the sinner by telling him a story (12:1–7), so Joab confronted David the father and king by putting a fabricated account of a family problem into the mouth of a woman who was both wise and a very good actress. She came to the king dressed in mourning and told him about her family troubles. Her two sons had an argument in the field and the one killed the other. (This sounds like Cain and Abel, Gen. 4:8–16.) The other relatives wanted to slay the guilty son and avenge his brother's blood (Num. 35:6ff.; Deut. 19:1–14), but she opposed them. Killing her only son would put an end to her family and "quench her coal" (v. 7). According to the law, the surviving son was guilty and should be slain (Ex. 21:12; Lev. 24:17), but she wanted the king to pardon her surviving son.
From murder to exile (13:37–39) Twice we're told that Absalom fled (vv. 34, 37), and he probably did it during the confusion that ensued when the king's sons fled. Only Absalom and his guilty servants knew what was going to happen at the feast, so everybody else was caught unawares. They were all witnesses of the "murder most foul" and could easily testify that Absalom was guilty.
Absalom fled eighty miles northeast to the home of his maternal grandparents in Geshur, where his grandfather Talmai was king (3:3). No doubt this safe haven had been arranged beforehand, and it's likely that Talmai would have enjoyed seeing his grandson crowned king of Israel. Back in Jerusalem, David mourned over his firstborn son Amnon, but in Geshur, the exiled son was no doubt plotting how he could take the kingdom away from his father. Normal grief heals
Nathan's story about the ewe lamb touched the heart of David the shepherd, and this story about a
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discussed the subject with David on more than one occasion, and he was overjoyed that the matter was now settled. Geshur was about eighty miles from Jerusalem, and Joab would waste no time making the journey, so Absalom could have been back home a week or ten days later.
warring family moved the heart of David the father. His first response was to assure her he would "take up the case" (v. 8), but that wasn't good enough for her. Sometimes the wheels of government turn slowly, and her case was a matter of life and death. When she said she would assume the guilt of whatever decision he made, David promised to protect her if anybody approached her about the matter (vv. 9–10). But the woman still wasn't satisfied, so she asked the king to take an oath to assure her that her son would not be slain, and David agreed (v. 11). Taking an oath in the Lord's name was binding and could not be ignored.
However, there were restrictions placed on the crown prince. He had to remain on his own land, which almost amounted to house arrest, and he wasn't allowed to go to the palace and see his father. Perhaps David was testing his son to see if he could be trusted, or David may have thought that these restrictions would assure the people that the king wasn't pampering his difficult son. However, these limitations didn't hinder the expansion of Absalom's popularity, for the people loved and praised him. The fact that he had plotted the murder of his half brother and had proved his guilt by running away meant very little to the people, for people must have their idols, and what better idol than a young handsome prince? Lack of character was unimportant; what really mattered was status, wealth, and good looks.10 In contemporary language, Absalom was a he-man, someone with "machismo," and the people envied and admired him. Times have not changed.
The woman now had David in a corner (vv. 12–17). If he had agreed to protect a guilty son whom he did not know, how much more was he obligated to protect his own son whom he loved! She had come to him with a matter involving the future of one small family, but the matter concerning Absalom concerned the future of an entire nation. The king didn't want to see her only son and heir destroyed, but he was willing for the crown prince to be left in exile. He forgave the murderer of her son, so could he not forgive the man who plotted the murder of Amnon? How much longer will the king wait before he sends for his son? After all, life is brief, and when life ends, it's like water spilled into the earth and can't be recovered. Slaying the murderer can't bring back the victim, so why not give him another chance?
Whatever Absalom may have had, one thing he didn't have was a large number of sons to carry on his "famous" name. The three sons mentioned in verse 27 must have died very young, because 18:18 informs us that Absalom had no sons living at that time. We aren't surprised that he named his daughter after his sister Tamar. Always the egotist, Absalom erected a pillar to remind everybody of his greatness.
God is no respecter of persons, and His law is true, but even God devises ways to show mercy and forgive offenders (v. 14). He punishes sin, to be sure, but He also seeks for ways to reconcile sinners with Himself. (She may have had in mind Ex. 32:30–35 and 34:6–9.) Had He not forgiven David's sins? The woman confessed that she was afraid that her family would slay her son and rob her of the inheritance God had given them.
Joab brings Absalom to the king (vv. 28–33). A deceptive "wise woman" could see the king's face, but the king's own son was banished from his presence. Absalom put up with this arrangement for two years, trusting that Joab would bring about reconciliation between himself and his father, but Joab did nothing. Absalom knew that being banished from the king's presence meant he wasn't expected to be heir to the throne, and more than anything else, Absalom wanted to be king of Israel. A shrewd man like Joab must have realized that Absalom had designs on the throne and that the prince's growing popularity could provide him the support he needed to take over the kingdom. Knowing how volatile the situation was, the discerning general stayed away from Absalom lest he give the impression he was being controlled by the egotistical prince.
It was a stirring speech and David took it to heart. But being a wise man, he realized that the full import of the woman's plea went far beyond the boundaries of her family and property. David had insight enough to know that she was speaking about the king, Absalom, and the future of the nation of Israel, God's inheritance. At this point he also must have understood that the entire story was pure fiction and that somebody else was behind all that the so-called widow had spoken. Then the truth came out that indeed it was Joab who had plotted the whole thing, but his motive was a noble one: "Your servant Joab did this to change the present situation" (v. 20 niv).
After two years of waiting, during which he had summoned Joab twice and been ignored, Absalom decided that drastic action was necessary. He commanded his servants to set fire to his neighbor's barley crop, and his neighbor happened to be Joab.11 This got the general's attention, for the law required that an arsonist repay the owner of a field whose crop he had destroyed (Ex. 22:6). People knew about the fire, so Joab could visit Absalom without fear of being misunderstood.
Joab gives thanks to the king (vv. 21–27). No doubt it was Joab who brought the woman to have this audience with the king, and he probably remained in the room and heard all that the woman and the king said to each other. David had sworn to protect the woman and her son, so the king could do nothing but allow Absalom to come home, and he ordered Joab to go to Geshur and bring the exile back to Jerusalem. Joab's words in verse 22 suggest strongly that he had
Absalom presented Joab with two alternatives:
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because by doing so, he was almost confessing that he knew something about the plot. However, David and his servants knew that Jonadab was Amnon's confidant, and no doubt they concluded that he and Amnon had discussed Absalom's attitude and concluded that there was danger in the air. Jonadab was too shrewd a man to implicate himself before the king. 8 See "Of Revenge" in The Essays of Francis Bacon. 9 God solved this problem for lost sinners by sending His Son to die on the cross, and thus He upheld the law but at the same time provided salvation for all who trust Christ. See Romans 3:19–31. 10 How heavy was the hair that Absalom's barber cut from his head? It all depends on the weight of the "royal shekel" (v. 26). If it was 11.5 grams, then the haircut produced about five pounds of hair. Baldness was ridiculed in Israel (2 Kings 2:23). 11 The parallels between Absalom and Samson are interesting. Both were distinguished by their hair, for Samson was a Nazirite (Judg. 13:1–5), and both set fields on fire (Judg. 15:4–5). The loss of his hair caused Samson's defeat (Judg. 16:17ff.), and it's probable that Absalom's thick hair helped to trap his head in the tree branches, where Joab found him and killed him (2 Sam. 18:9–17).
either take him to the king and let him receive his son and forgive him, or take him to court and prove that he was guilty of a capital crime and deserved to die. Absalom would rather be slain than go on living in shameful house arrest. Joab was on the horns of a dilemma, for it was he who had masterminded Absalom's return to Jerusalem. Joab knew that the people would never permit their favorite royal personage to be tried and convicted of a crime, but how could Joab guarantee that the king would be reconciled to his son? Joab gave Absalom's message to David and David invited his son to come to see him, and the king received him with a kiss of reconciliation. Father and son were together after five years of separation (13:38; 14:28). There is no record that Absalom was repentant and sought his father's forgiveness, or that he visited the temple and offered the required sacrifices. Father and son were together again, but it was a fragile truce and not a real peace. Absalom still had his hidden agenda and was determined to seize David's throne. Now that the prince was free, he could be visible in the city and enjoy the adulation of the crowds, while at the same time quietly organizing his sympathizers for the coming rebellion. David was about to lose his throne and crown, his concubines, his trusted adviser Ahithophel, and ultimately his son Absalom. It would be the darkest hour in David's life.
CHAPTER SEVEN 2 Samuel 15:1—16:14 DAVID'S ESCAPE TO THE WILDERNESS I
Notes 1 Even after his death, Absalom's name and memory reminded people of evil (2 Sam. 20:6; 1 Kings 2:7, 28; 15:2, 10; 2 Chron. 11:20–21). 2 It's likely that David's second son, Chileab (or Daniel), died young, for apart from the royal genealogy, he is not mentioned in the biblical account (1 Chron. 3:1). 3 Perhaps she was thinking of Abraham and Sarah (Gen. 20:12), but that was before the law of Moses. 4 When Dinah was raped (Gen. 34), it was her full brothers Simeon and Levi who avenged her (see Gen. 29:32–35; 30:17–21.) 5 The Hebrew for "Amnon" is a diminutive form: "Has that little Amnon been with you?" Absalom didn't hide his utter dislike for his half brother. 6 Did anybody know that Solomon was God's choice for the next king? Perhaps not, for the Lord hadn't revealed it. According to some chronologists, Solomon's birth occurred before Amnon's sin against Tamar, but Bathsheba had given birth to three other sons before she gave birth to Solomon (2 Sam. 5:14; 1 Chron. 3:5; 14:4). God promised David that one of his sons would succeed him and build the temple (2 Sam. 7:12–15), but it isn't recorded that He announced the name of the son at that time. Amnon and Absalom had already been born, and the announcement sounds as if the designated son would be born in the future. First Chronicles 22:6–10 indicates that at some point the Lord had told David that Solomon would be his successor (see 28:6–10; 29:1). Whether they knew it or not, both Amnon and Absalom were fighting a losing battle. 7 It seems strange that Jonadab would make this announcement,
t's one thing to experience God's power when you're facing giants or fighting armies, and quite something else when you're watching people tear your world apart. God was chastening David, but David knew that God's power could help him in the hour of pain as well as in the hour of conquest. He wrote in one of his exile psalms, "Many are they who say of me, 'There is no help for him in God.' But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head" (Ps. 3:2–3 nkjv). David recognized that God's loving hand of discipline was upon him, and he admitted that he deserved every blow. But he also believed that God's gracious hand of power was still at work in his life, that the Lord hadn't forsaken him as He forsook Saul. The Lord was still working out His perfect will, and never did David rise to greater heights of faith and submission than when he was forced to leave Jerusalem and hide in the wilderness.
The passage introduces us to three kings.
Absalom—Israel's counterfeit king (15:1–12) If ever a man was equipped to be a demagogue1 and lead people astray, that man was Absalom. He was a handsome man whose charm was difficult to resist (14:25–26), and he had royal blood in his veins from both his father and his mother. The fact that he had no character wasn't important to most of the people who,
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ical kisses of Judas when he greeted Jesus in the garden (Matt. 26:47–50; Mark 14:45).
like sheep, would follow anybody who told them what they wanted to hear and gave them what they wanted to have. Newspaper editor H. L. Mencken's definition of a demagogue is rather extreme, but he gets the point across: "One who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots." Novelist James Fenimore Cooper expressed it accurately: "One who advances his own interests by affecting a deep devotion to the interests of the people."
It took only four years for Absalom's magnetism to draw together a large number of devoted followers throughout the whole land. The people Absalom met returned home and told their friends and neighbors that they had spoken personally to the crown prince, and over the four-year period, this kind of endorsement won Absalom many friends. His rapid success at influencing the minds and hearts of a nation warns us that one day a leader will arise who will control the minds of people around the world (Rev. 13:3; 2 Thess. 2). Even the people of Israel will be deceived and sign a covenant with this ruler, and then he will turn on them and seek to destroy them (Dan. 9:26–27). Jesus told the Jewish leaders of His day, "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive" (John 5:43 nkjv). Absalom had been deceiving his siblings and the Jewish nation for years, and when the right time came, he took a bold step and lied to his father (vv. 7–9). The prince was no longer under house arrest, so there was no need to get permission to leave Jerusalem, but in so doing he achieved several purposes. First, he could tell anybody who asked that he had his father's permission to go to Hebron to fulfill the vow he had made while exiled in Geshur. Second, it allayed any fears that might arise because of Absalom's former feast at which Amnon was killed. Third, it gave credence to his invitation to two hundred key people in David's administration who willingly attended the feast. When the guests saw these two hundred important people in Hebron, they must have been impressed. The fact that this was a feast connected with the fulfilling of a vow gave it the aura of a religious assembly (Deut. 23:21–23), for sacrifices were offered to the Lord. What could go wrong at a feast dedicated to the Lord? Absalom was now using the name of the Lord to hide his sins.4
Absalom was not only a consummate liar, but he was a patient man who was able to discern just the right hour to act. He waited two years before having Amnon murdered (13:23), and now he waited four years before openly rebelling against his father and seizing the throne (v. 7).2 When you read the "exile psalms" of David, you get the impression that at this time King David was ill and didn't have his hands on the affairs of the kingdom, thus giving Absalom opportunity to move in and take over.3 With great skill, the egotistical prince used every device at his disposal to mesmerize the people and win their support. David had won the hearts of the people through sacrifice and service, but Absalom did it the easy way—and the modern way—by manufacturing an image of himself that the people couldn't resist. David was a hero; Absalom was only a celebrity. Alas, many of the people had gotten accustomed to their king and now took him for granted.
Absalom's campaign must have begun shortly after his reconciliation with his father, for now he was free to go wherever he pleased. His first move was to begin riding in a chariot pulled by horses and accompanied by fifty men who were his bodyguard and who announced his presence. The prophet Samuel had predicted this kind of behavior by Israel's kings (1 Sam. 8:11), and Moses had warned against the acquisition of horses (Deut. 17:16). David wrote in Psalm 20:7 (nkjv), "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God."
Since David wasn't available to the people, Absalom met them personally on the road to the city gate when they came early each morning to have their grievances examined and their cases tried. The city gate was the "city hall" of the ancient cities (Ruth 4:1ff.; Gen. 23:10; Deut. 22:15; 25:7), and he knew there would be many disgruntled people there wondering why the court system wasn't functioning efficiently. (See 2 Sam. 19:1–8.) Absalom would greet these visitors like old friends and find out where they came from and what their problems were. He agreed with all of them their complaints were right and should be settled in their favor by the king's court. It was gross flattery of the most despicable kind, but the people loved it. Absalom boasted that he would handle kingdom matters better if only he were a judge (v. 4), which was a subtle way of criticizing his father. When people started to bow to him because he was the crown prince, he reached out his hand and stopped them, pulled them to himself and kissed them (v. 5). This reminds us of the hypocrit-
Absalom's masterstroke was to win the support of Ahithophel, David's smartest counselor, and when the guests saw him at the feast, they felt confident that all was well. But Ahithophel did more than attend the celebration; he also joined Absalom in revolting against King David. It was probably Ahithophel who masterminded the entire operation. After all, David had violated Ahithophel's granddaughter Bathsheba and ordered her husband killed. (See 23:34; 1 Chron. 3:5.) This was Ahithophel's great opportunity to avenge himself on David. However, in supporting Absalom, Ahithophel was rejecting Bathsheba's son Solomon, whom God would choose to be the next ruler of Israel. At the same time, Ahithophel was taking steps toward his own death for, like Judas, he rejected the true king and went out and committed suicide. (See 17:23; Ps. 41:9; 55:12–14; Matt. 26:21–25; John 13:18; Acts 1:16.) Ahithophel had deceived David his king and sinned against the Lord, who had chosen David.
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Why did Absalom decide to start his insurrection in Hebron? For one thing, it was the former capital of Judah, and perhaps there were people there who resented David's moving the capital to Jerusalem. Absalom was born in Hebron and could claim special kinship with the residents. Hebron was a sacred city to the Jews because it was assigned to the priests and had a connection with Caleb (Josh. 21:8–16). Located about twenty miles southwest of Jerusalem, Hebron was a walled city and the ideal city from which to invade Jerusalem and seize the throne. With two hundred of David's officials "imprisoned" behind Hebron's walls, it would be simple for Absalom to take over the kingdom.
David and his people crossed the Kidron (v. 23), which in winter flowed powerfully on the east side of Jerusalem and had to be crossed to reach the Mount of Olives. The scene reminds us of our Lord's experience when He went to the garden (John 18:1). At that very hour, Judas, one of His own disciples, was betraying Him and arranging for His arrest. The people wept as they quickly moved along and their king wept with them, though perhaps for a different reason (vv. 23, 30). His own son had betrayed him, along with his friend and confidential adviser, and the foolish people for whom the king had done so much were ignorant of what was going on. David might have prayed as Jesus did on the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34).
David—Israel's true king (15:13–23) Absalom and Ahithophel had their trumpeters and messengers ready to act, and at the signal, the word quickly spread throughout the land: "Absalom is king! He reigns from Hebron!" The anonymous messenger who informed David actually helped to save the king's life. However lethargic David may have been before now, he immediately moved into action, because David always did his best during a crisis.
Was David feeling the weight of guilt as once again Absalom, his beloved son, defied God's will and broke his father's heart? He and his son had been reconciled, but the young man had shown no contrition for his sins nor had he asked forgiveness from his father or from the Lord. "The sword shall not depart from your household" had been the ominous sentence from the mouth of God's prophet, and it was being fulfilled. Bathsheba's baby had died and Amnon had been murdered. David didn't want Absalom to die (18:5), but the young man would be slain by Joab, the third "installment" in David's painful payment (12:6). Adonijah would also die in an aborted attempt to become king (1 Kings 1), and then the debt would be paid.
David takes charge (vv. 13–16). His first official order was for his family, officials and special bodyguard to leave Jerusalem immediately. If Absalom had the whole nation following him, it would be easy for armies from Judah and the northern tribes to surround Jerusalem and leave no way of escape. David knew that the same Absalom who killed Amnon would also kill his brothers and possibly even his father, so it was imperative that everybody flee. Furthermore, if Absalom had to attack Jerusalem, he would slaughter the inhabitants, and there was no reason for hundreds of innocent people to die. It was just like David to risk his own life and abandon his own throne in order to protect others. The servants pledged their loyalty to the king (v. 16) and so did his bodyguard (vv. 18–22). The ten concubines David left behind to manage the household would be violated by Absalom (16:20–23), an act that declared he had taken over his father's kingdom.
For the second time in his life, David is forced to flee into the wilderness to save his life. As a young man, he fled the jealous rage of King Saul, and now he was seeking refuge from the hypocritical deceptions of his son Absalom and his former counselor, Ahithophel. By leaving Jerusalem, David had spared the city a bloodbath, but now he and his family were in danger, and what was the future of the kingdom and God's covenant with David?
Jehovah—Israel's sovereign King (15:24—16:14) When you read David's exile psalms, you can't help but see his trust in God and his conviction that no matter how disordered and disturbed everything was, the Lord was still on His throne. No matter how David felt, he knew that the Lord would always keep His covenant and fulfill His promises. Psalm 4 might well have been the song David sang to God that first evening away from home, and Psalm 3 what he prayed the next morning. In Psalms 41 and 55, he poured out his heart to the Lord, and the Lord heard him and answered in His time. Psalms 61, 62, and 63 allow us to look into David's troubled heart as he asks God for guidance and strength. Note that each of these three psalms ends with a strong affirmation of faith in the Lord. We today can have courage and assurance in our own times of difficulty as we see how the Lord responded to David and his great needs.
David mobilizes the forces (vv. 17–22). David and the people with him escaped to the northeast, moving from Jerusalem opposite the direction of Hebron. When they came to the last house in the suburbs of Jerusalem, they rested and David reviewed his troops. These included David's personal bodyguard (the Cherethites and the Pelethites, 8:18; 23:22–23) as well as six hundred Philistines who had followed David from Gath and were under the command of Ittai (1 Sam. 27:3). Ittai assured David that they were completely loyal to the king. This Gentile's testimony of fidelity to David (v. 21) is one of the great confessions of faith and faithfulness found in Scripture and ranks with that of Ruth (1:16) and the Roman centurion (Matt. 8:5–13).5
David weeps (v. 23). The key word in this section is "passed over" or "crossed over," used nine times.
The Lord acknowledges David's faith
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death. David's friend and counselor Ahithophel had turned against him, and the people for whom David had often risked his life were abandoning him to follow an egotistical rebel who was never chosen by God. If ever a man had a right to weep, it was David. Like disobedient children being spanked, it's easy for people to weep when they're being chastened for their sins, and then forget about the pain when the spanking is over. But David's tears went much deeper. He was not only concerned for the welfare of his rebellious son but also for the safety of the nation and the future of Israel's God-given ministry to the world. God's covenant with David (2 Sam. 7) assured him that his throne would last forever, and this is fulfilled in Christ, but the promise also implied that Israel would not be destroyed or the lamp of David permanently extinguished (1 Kings 11:36; 15:4; 2 Kings 8:19; 21:7; Ps. 132:17). God would be faithful to keep His covenant, and David knew that his throne was safe in the hands of the Lord.
(15:24–29). Zadok and Abiathar shared the high priestly duties and had helped to bring the ark to Jerusalem (1 Chron. 15:11ff.), so they thought it wise to take the ark to David. Absalom had usurped his father's throne, but the priests would not allow him to have the throne of God. They joined David's camp and brought many of the Levites with them, and Abiathar offered sacrifices (v. 24 niv) and no doubt called upon God to guide and protect the king.
But David told them to take the ark back to Jerusalem! He didn't want the throne of God treated like a good-luck charm as in the days of Eli when the glory departed from Israel (1 Sam. 4). Absalom and his men were trying to turn David's glory into shame (Ps. 4:2), but God's favor was upon the king and He would restore him to his throne. David had seen God's power and glory in His sanctuary (Ps. 63:2), and he would see it by faith there in the wilderness. But even if God rejected David, the king was prepared to accept Jehovah's sovereign will (v. 26).6 Eli had made a similar statement (1 Sam. 3:18), but it was resignation, not dedication. In David's case, the king was totally yielding to the Lord and saying, "Not my will but your will be done."
The Lord answers David's prayer (15:31–37). Another messenger arrived in David's camp and informed the king that Ahithophel had deserted him for Absalom (see v. 12). "Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" (Ps. 41:9 nkjv). "For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; then I could bear it.… But it was you, a man my equal, my companion and my acquaintance" (Ps. 55:11–14). What do you do when one of your closest confidants betrays you? You do what David did—you pray and you worship. "O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount … he worshipped" (v. 31).
Faith without works is dead, so David assigned the two priests to be his eyes and ears in Jerusalem and to send him all the information that would help him plan his strategy. Zadok's son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar would be the messengers and bring the information to him. David was a gifted tactician, and when you read 1 Samuel 19—28, you discover that he had an effective spy system that kept him informed of Saul's every move. David would have agreed with the counsel attributed to Oliver Cromwell, "Put your trust in God, my boys, and keep your powder dry." Whatever Absalom might do to the king's officials, he wasn't likely to lay hands on the Lord's priests and Levites, and they could go about their work almost unnoticed. When the two priests and their sons returned to Jerusalem with the ark, Absalom's followers must have interpreted their action as four votes for the new king.
And then David saw Hushai, who was the answer to his prayer! Hushai is called "David's friend" (v. 37; 1 Chron. 27:33), which implies he was a friend at court and a special counselor to the king. He was an Arkite, which means he came from a group of people who descended from Canaan and thus were Gentiles (Gen. 10:17; 1 Chron. 1:15). The town of Arka was located in Syria, about two hundred miles north of Damascus and five miles east of the sea. David's conquests had reached that far north, and some of the people had begun to worship the true God of Israel and to serve the king.
The Lord sees David's tears (15:30). "The Bible was written in tears, and to tears it will yield its best treasures," said A. W. Tozer.7 David was a strong and courageous man, but he wasn't afraid to weep openly. (Real men do weep, including Jesus and Paul.) We read about David's tears in Psalm 6, which might well have been an exile psalm (vv. 6–8), as well as in Psalms 30:5, 39:12, and 56:8. "Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping" (Ps. 6:8 nkjv). "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise" (Ps. 51:17 nkjv).
As he had done with Zadok and Abiathar and their two sons, so David did with Hushai: he sent him back to Jerusalem to "serve" Absalom. All five men were taking risks for the sake of the Lord and the kingdom, but they considered it an honor to serve their king and help restore him to the throne. All of the people to whom David gave special assignments could say, "We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands" (v. 15 nkjv). This would be a fine statement for believers to adopt today as an expression of their devotion to Christ.
David certainly had much to weep over, for his sins had brought sorrow and death to his family. Amnon had been murdered and Tamar violated, and now Absalom—the king's own son—was in the process of usurping the throne of Israel and heading for certain
Hushai came to Jerusalem just as Absalom arrived, and the people's excitement at greeting the new king probably enabled Hushai to enter the city without
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Philistine army when they died. The fact that David was miles away from the battlefield when their deaths occurred didn't seem to matter to Shimei. This loyal Benjamite probably blamed David for the death of Saul's son Ish-Bosheth, who inherited Saul's throne, and also Abner, Saul's loyal commander; and, of course, Uriah the Hittite as well. "You have come to ruin because you are a man of blood!" (v. 8). Shimei was breaking the law while giving vent to his hatred of David, for Exodus 22:28 says, "You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people" (nkjv).
being noticed, or perhaps he strengthened his position by joining the crowd. Of course, later Hushai would greet the king and go to work doing all he could to obstruct his plans and keep David informed. If there's one thing better than getting an answer to prayer it's being an answer to prayer, and Hushai was the answer to David's prayer. Humanly speaking, were it not for Hushai's counsel to Absalom, David might have been slain in the wilderness.
The Lord meets David's needs (16:1–4). When David met Hushai, it was an answer to prayer, but when he met Ziba, the encounter met an immediate need but created a problem that wasn't settled until David returned to the throne. Ziba had been one of Saul's land managers as well as a custodian of Jonathan's crippled son, Mephibosheth (chap. 9). Knowing that Ziba was an opportunist with evil motives, David was suspicious about Ziba's presence, his gifts, and the absence of Mephibosheth, who had been cared for by David. Ziba had brought a string of donkeys (niv) for David and his family to use, as well as generous amounts of bread, wine, and fruit. The gifts were needed and appreciated, but David was concerned about the motive behind them.
David's attitude was one of submission because he accepted Shimei's abuse as from the hand of God. David had already announced that he would accept anything the Lord sent to him (15:26), and now he proved it. When David considered that he was an adulterer and a murderer who deserved to die, yet God let him live, why should he complain about some stones and dirt? And if Absalom, David's own son, was out to kill him, why should a total stranger be punished for slandering the king and throwing things at him? David had faith that God would one day balance the books and take care of people like Absalom and Shimei. Perhaps David was thinking of Deuteronomy 32:35: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay" (niv; see Rom. 14:17–21). When David regained the throne, he pardoned Shimei (19:16–23), and later Solomon restricted him to Jerusalem where he could be watched. When Shimei arrogantly overstepped his bounds, he was arrested and executed (1 Kings 2:36–46).
Ziba lied to the king and did his best to discredit his young master, Mephibosheth. David was weary and deeply wounded within, and it wasn't the best time for him to be making character decisions. He accepted Ziba's story—which was later discredited (19:26–27)—and made a rash judgment that gave Ziba the property that rightfully belonged to Mephibosheth. "He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him" (Prov. 18:13). God's leaders must constantly be on guard lest they make unwise decisions on the basis of incomplete information.
David and the people went beyond Behurim some twenty miles to the ford of the Jordan River, possibly near Gilgal or Jericho, and there they rested. Very early the next morning they crossed the river and proceeded to Mahanaim (17:22, 24), where Jacob had prepared to meet his brother Esau and had wrestled with God (Gen. 32). Perhaps David remembered that event and gained courage as he thought of the army of angels that God sent to protect Jacob.
God honors David's submission (16:5–14). Through Ziba's lies, Satan attacked David as a serpent who deceives (2 Cor. 11:3; Gen. 3:1–7), and then through Shimei's words and stones, Satan came as a lion who devours (1 Peter 5:8). Ziba told lies and Shimei threw stones, and both were making it hard for David. The king was now near Bahurim8 in the tribe of Benjamin, where the pro-Saul forces were still strong. Shimei was on the hillside opposite David and above him, and it was easy for him to throw stones and clumps of dirt at David and his people. David was exhausted and discouraged, and yet he never rose to greater heights than when he allowed Shimei to go on attacking him. Abishai was only too willing to cross over and kill the man who was attacking the king, but David wouldn't allow it. Abishai had also wanted to kill Saul in the camp of Israel (1 Sam. 26:6–8), and he assisted his brother Joab in murdering Abner (2 Sam. 3:30), so David knew that his words were not to be treated lightly.
What did all this suffering accomplish for David? It made him more like Jesus Christ! He was rejected by his own people and betrayed by his own familiar friend. He gave up everything for the sake of the people and would have surrendered his own life to save his rebellious son who deserved to die. Like Jesus, David crossed the Kidron and went up Mount Olivet. He was falsely accused and shamefully treated, and yet he submitted to the sovereign will of God. "[W]ho, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously" (1 Peter 2:23 nkjv).
David had lost his throne, but Jehovah God was still on the throne and would keep His promises with His servant. Faithful to His covenant, the Lord remembered David and all the hardships that he endured (Ps. 132:1), and He remembers us today.
"Get out, get out, you man of blood, you scoundrel!" shouted Shimei, but David didn't retaliate. Shimei was blaming David for the death of Saul and his sons, for after all, David was officially in the
Notes 1 The word "demagogue" comes from two Greek words: demos
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prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I" (Ps. 61:1–2 nkjv).
(people) and agogos (guiding). A true leader uses his authority to help people, but a demagogue uses people to gain authority. Demagogues pretend to be concerned about the needs of the people, but their only concern is to get into power and enjoy the fruits of their dishonesty. 2 Hebrew texts vary from "four" to "forty." If forty is the correct number, we don't know the starting point—forty years from what event? Some chronologists date Absalom's rebellion at between 1023 and 1027 BC. This would be approximately forty years from David's anointing by Samuel, but why select that event? It seems reasonable to accept "four" as the correct number and date it from Amnon's reconciliation with his father (14:33). 3 Most students identify Psalms 3, 4, 41, 55, 61–63, and 143 as "exile psalms," and some add Psalms 25, 28, 58, and 109. Both Psalms 41 and 55 indicate that David was not well, and see 61:6–7. If indeed David was ill, then he was unable to meet the people and hear their problems; and Absalom took advantage of this situation. 4 David once lied about attending a feast as a device to deceive King Saul (1 Sam. 20:6). Thus do our sins find us out. 5 David faced a similar test when he was serving as commander of the bodyguard of Achish, king of the Philistines (1 Sam. 29). 6 David's statement "Behold, here am I" reminds us of Abraham (Gen. 22:1, 11), Jacob (Gen. 31:11; 46:2), Moses (Ex. 3:4), Samuel (1 Sam. 3:4, 16), and Isaiah (Isa. 6:8). It is a statement of surrender. 7 God Tells the Man Who Cares (Christian Publications, 1970), 9. 8 It was at Bahurim that David's wife Michal said good-bye to her second husband as she was returned to David, and the man wept bitterly (3:13–16). Now it was David who was weeping.
What did David experience during those difficult days?
David's throne was usurped (16:15–23) This paragraph picks up the narrative that was interrupted at 15:37 so we could learn about David's escape and his encounters with Ziba and Shimei. Thanks to David's speedy departure, Absalom's rebellion was a bloodless coup and he took Jerusalem unopposed, which was just what David wanted (15:14). Unlike Absalom, David was a man with a shepherd's heart who thought first about the welfare of his people (24:17; Ps. 78:70–72). Hushai won Absalom's confidence (vv. 16–19). As soon as possible, Hushai entered the king's audience chamber and officially presented himself to the new king. He didn't want Absalom to think he was a spy, although that's exactly what he was. He was God's man in Jerusalem to frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel. Absalom was no doubt surprised to see his father's counselor in Jerusalem, but his sarcastic greeting didn't upset Hushai, who spoke respectfully to him. Hushai's words to Absalom must be read very carefully or they will be misunderstood.
Hushai gave the usual respectful greeting "God save the king," but he didn't say "King Absalom." In his heart, he was referring to King David, but the new king didn't understand what Hushai was saying. In his pride, Absalom thought Hushai was calling him the king. Again, note that Hushai doesn't mention Absalom's name or say that he will serve the new king. In verse 18, Hushai is speaking about David, for the Lord had never chosen Absalom to be Israel's king; and Hushai didn't promise to serve Absalom but to serve "in the presence" of David's son. In other words, Hushai would be in the presence of Absalom, but he would be serving the Lord and David. A proud man, Absalom interpreted Hushai's words to apply to himself, and he accepted Hushai as another counselor. This decision was of the Lord and prepared the way for Absalom's defeat.
CHAPTER EIGHT 2 Samuel 16:15—18:33 DAVID'S BITTERSWEET VICTORY W
hen General Douglas MacArthur spoke before the United States Congress on April 19, 1951, he made the famous statement, "In war there is no substitute for victory." But more than one military expert has maintained that armed forces can only win battles and that in the long run, nobody really wins a war. Why? Because the price is too high. For every word in Hitler's book Mein Kampf, 125 people died in World War II. In view of modern atomic weapons, nobody would "win" World War III.
Absalom followed Ahithophel's counsel (vv. 20–23). Absalom had two important tasks to perform before he could rule the kingdom of Israel. The first was that he had to seize his father's throne and let it be known that he was officially the king. Unlike his father David, who sought the mind of the Lord through the Urim and Thummim or from a prophet, Absalom looked to human experience and wisdom—and from a human point of view, Ahithophel was among the very best. However, Ahithophel didn't seek the mind of the Lord nor did he want the will of the Lord. His primary goal was to avenge himself against David for the sin he had committed against his granddaughter Bathsheba and her husband, Uriah the Hittite.
David's army and Absalom's army were about to engage in battle in a civil war that neither father nor son could "win," but both sides could lose. If David won, it meant death for his son Absalom and his friend Ahithophel; if Absalom won, it could mean death for David and other members of his family. In modern terms, it was a "catch-22" situation; in ancient terms, it would be a "pyrrhic victory."1
Absalom was trusting his charm, his popularity, his army, and the wisdom of Ahithophel, but David was trusting the Lord. "Hear my cry, O God; attend to my
It was customary for a new king to inherit the previous king's wives and harem, so when Absalom
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anybody who came near. David's army was too experienced in war to be unprepared for a sudden attack. A sudden attack by a small army would not work. If the invading army were repulsed, word would spread that Absalom's forces had been defeated, and then all his men would flee. Absalom would then begin and end his reign with a military disaster.
followed Ahithophel's counsel, he was declaring that he was now king of Israel (see 3:7, 12:8 and 1 Kings 2:22). By taking his father's concubines, Absalom was making himself totally abhorrent to his father and breaking down every possible bridge for reconciliation. The new king was telling his followers that there was no turning back and the revolution would continue. But unwittingly, he was doing even more: he was fulfilling Nathan's prophecy that David's wives would be violated in public (12:11–12). David had been on the roof of his house when he lusted after Bathsheba (11:2–4), and that's where David's wives would be violated.
Then Hushai presented a plan that overcame all these difficulties. First, the new king himself must lead the army, and it must be the biggest army he could assemble "from Dan to Beersheba." This suggestion appealed to Absalom's inflated ego, and in his imagination he could see himself leading the army to a great victory. Of course, he wasn't a seasoned military man, but what difference did that make? What a way to begin his reign! Absalom didn't stop to consider that it would take time to gather his forces "from Dan to Beersheba," time that David could use to cross the Jordan River and "get lost." Hushai, of course, was interested in buying time for David so he could "get lost."
David's prayer was answered (17:1–28) Having achieved his first purpose and taken over the royal authority, Absalom now had to deal with the second matter and make sure that David and his followers didn't return and take back the kingdom. The solution was simple but drastic: he had to find his father and kill him. For guidance, Absalom turned to his two counselors for help.
With such a large army at his command, Absalom didn't have to depend on a difficult surprise attack but could "fall on" David's men over a wide area, like the morning dew that falls on the ground. Wherever David's men fled, they would see Absalom's forces and there would be no escape. Instead of sparing David's forces, Absalom's army would wipe them out so they couldn't cause trouble in the future. Realizing that Absalom might be worried about the time element, Hushai answered his objections in verse 13. If during the delay in rounding up his troops Absalom heard that David had taken his men into a walled city, the task would be even easier. The whole nation would obey their new king and work together taking the city apart, stone by stone! What a demonstration of power!
Hushai's counsel prevailed (vv. 1–14).2 Humanly speaking, if Absalom had followed Ahithophel's plan, David would have been slain and Absalom's problems solved. But David had prayed that God would turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness (15:31), and God used Hushai to do just that. Note that Ahithophel put himself front and center by using phrases like "Let me now choose … I will arise … I will come …" and so on. He wanted to be the general of the army because he wanted personally to supervise the murder of his enemy King David. His plan was a good one: use a small army that could move swiftly, attack suddenly at night, and have David's death as the one great goal. Ahithophel would then bring back David's followers and they would swear loyalty to the new king. It would be a quick victory and very little blood would be shed.
Ahithophel's matter-of-fact speech was forgotten as Hushai's grand plan, punctuated with vivid mental pictures, gripped the hearts and minds of Absalom and his leaders. God had answered David's prayer and confused the counsel of Ahithophel. Absalom would ride at the front of his army, intent on victory, but he would meet with humiliating defeat. "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations" (Ps. 33:10–11 nkjv).
Hushai wasn't in the room when Ahithophel outlined his plan, so Absalom called him in and told him what his favorite counselor had said. Directed by the Lord, Hushai took an entirely different approach and focused on the ego of the young king. Hushai's reply isn't a series of "I will" statements about himself but rather a series of statements about the new king that couldn't help but ignite Absalom's imagination and inflate his ego. Hushai laid an effective verbal trap, and Absalom fell into it.
David's spy system worked (vv. 15–22). David and his people were camped at the fords of the Jordan, about twenty miles from Jerusalem, and the two runners were waiting at En Rogel in the Kidron Valley, less than a mile from Jerusalem. Hushai gave the message to the two priests and told them to tell David to cross over the Jordan as quickly as possible. He was not to delay. If Absalom changed his mind and adopted Ahithophel's plan, then all might be lost. Zadok and Abiathar told an anonymous maidservant; she took the message to Jonathan and Ahimiaaz, who immediately ran a mile south to the house of a collaborator in Bahurim. However, a young man saw them leave and
First, Hushai explained why Ahithophel's counsel wasn't wise "at this time," although it had been wise at other times (vv. 7–10). As for focusing only on the murder of David, Absalom knew that his father was a great tactician and a mighty warrior, surrounded by experienced soldiers who feared nothing. All of them were angry because they'd been driven from their homes. They were like a bear robbed of her cubs. (Hushai is a master of metaphor!) Furthermore, David was too smart to stay with the troops; he would hide in a safe place where he couldn't be trapped. His men would be on guard and would set ambushes and kill
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Absalom's army was commanded by Amasa, who was David's nephew and Joab's cousin (v. 25). Of course, Absalom was commander in chief (17:11). How sad that son was fighting against father, uncle against nephew, cousin against cousin, and citizen against citizen. War is bad enough, but a civil war makes an even worse war. Absalom and his men crossed the Jordan, intending to meet David's army somewhere near the forest of Ephraim, about three miles northwest of Mahanaim. The forest of Ephraim was probably named by some Ephraimites who crossed the river and settled on the western side in the region of Gilead.
recognized the priests' sons. Wanting to impress the new king, he told Absalom what was happening, and Absalom's guards started out after the two young men.
At this point, the account reads like the story of the two spies recorded in Joshua 2. Rahab hid the two spies under stalks of flax on the roof of her house. The wife in Bahurim hid the two runners in a cistern, covered the opening with a cloth, and sprinkled grain on the cloth. The cloth looked like it was there to provide a place to dry grain in the sun. Not obligated to assist Absalom in his evil plans, the woman sent the guards off in the wrong direction, and the young men were saved. They arrived at David's camp, gave the king the facts, and urged him to cross the Jordan immediately, which he did. The guards returned to Jerusalem empty-handed, but Absalom didn't see their failure as a serious problem. How wrong he was!
David's son was slain. (18:1–18) Knowing that the enemy was soon to arrive, David numbered his troops, divided them into three companies, and placed Joab, Abishai, and Ittai as their commanders. Whatever approach Absalom and Amasa used, David's men would be able to maneuver and help each other. David offered to accompany the army, but the people told him to stay in a place of safety in the walled city. (See 21:15–17, which occurred long before Absalom's rebellion.) "There are ten thousand of us but only one of you!" they argued. They knew that Absalom's soldiers would go after the king and not worry about the soldiers. If David stayed in the city, he could send out reinforcements if they were needed. David accepted their decisions; he didn't want to fight his son anyway.
Ahithophel took his own life (v. 23). Why? Was it because Absalom hurt his feelings by rejecting his counsel? No, it was because he knew that Hushai's counsel would bring about Absalom's defeat, and Ahithophel was serving the wrong king. As a traitor against King David, Ahithophel would either be slain or banished forever from the kingdom. Rather than humiliate himself and his family in his death, he put his affairs in order and hanged himself. His suicide reminds us of what Judas did (Matt. 27:5) and points to what David had written in two of his wilderness psalms (Ps. 41:9; 55:12–15; see John 13:18). In Acts 1:15–22, Peter referred to two other psalms that concerned Judas (Ps. 69:25 and 109:8).
But neither did he want the army to fight his son! Absalom had stood at the gate in Jerusalem and attacked his father (15:1–6); now David stood at a city gate and instructed the soldiers to go easy on Absalom. Absalom certainly hadn't been gentle with his father! He had murdered Amnon, driven David out of Jerusalem, seized his throne, violated David's concubines, and now he was out to kill David. That doesn't sound like the kind of man you would want to protect, but if David had one fault, it was pampering his sons (1 Kings 1:5–6; see 1 Sam. 3:13). But before we criticize David, we must remember that he was a man after God's own heart. Let's be thankful that our Father in heaven hasn't dealt with us according to our sins (Ps. 103:1–14). In His grace, He gives us what we don't deserve, and in His mercy He doesn't give us what we do deserve. Jesus didn't deserve to die, for He was sinless, yet He took the punishment that belonged to us. What a Savior!
Ahithophel had been a faithful servant of the king and the kingdom until he determined in his heart to get vengeance on David for what he did to Bathsheba and Uriah. This desire for revenge so obsessed him that he ceased to be a servant of the Lord and began to serve his own sinful desires. He knew of Absalom's ambitions but kept them hidden from David, and he cooperated with the crown prince in the palace coup. But with all of his wisdom, Ahithophel was supporting the wrong king, and the Lord had to judge him. Both Ahithophel and Absalom ended up hanging from a tree. How tragic it is when a man or woman leads an exemplary and useful life and then fails dishonorably at the end. There are old fools as well as young fools, and Ahithophel was one of them. All of us need to pray that the Lord will help us to end well.
Friends cared for David (vv. 24–29). David and his party forded the river and came to Mahanaim, the former capital of the ten tribes when Saul's son IshBosheth was king (2:8). It was at Mahanaim ("two camps, two hosts") that Jacob saw the army of angels God had sent to protect him (Gen. 32), but David had no such vision. However, God often uses human "angels" to help His servants, and this time it was Shobi, Machir, and Barzillai. They brought provisions for the king and his people and saw to it that they were adequately cared for. God prepared a table for David as his enemies were approaching (Ps. 23:5).
The battle spread out across the area, and many soldiers died because of the density of the forest. We don't know how many men perished on each side, but it's likely that most of the ten thousand dead belonged to Absalom's army. Both the sword and the forest devoured their victims. (This metaphor has been used before in 1:22 and 2:26.) But God didn't need a sword to stop the rebel Absalom; He simply used the branch of a tree! How much his heavy head of hair contributed to this accident isn't recorded, but it's ironic that the
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conveyed with compassion and skill. To keep Ahimaaz safe, Joab selected a person known only as "the Cushite," who was possibly one of his own servants. Better that a foreign servant be slain than the son of a Jewish priest. However, after the Cushite left, Ahimaaz continued to annoy Joab and ask for permission to run. There was nothing good or bad to add to the news, so why run? Weary of hearing the young man's pleas, Joab gave him permission to go.
thing he was so proud of (14:25–26) turned out to assist in his death. Indeed, pride does lead to judgment. Another example is Samson (Judg. 16). "He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them" (Job 5:13 nkjv).
The soldiers who encountered Absalom hanging from the tree didn't dare touch him, but Joab had his own agenda. It was Joab who had orchestrated the reconciliation of David and Absalom, and now Joab ignored David's orders and killed the young man.3 Absalom rejected Ahithophel's plan to "kill the king only," but Joab accepted it! There's a hint in verse 11 that Joab had quietly spread the word that he would reward any soldier who killed the rebellious son. The soldier who could have won the reward refused to kill Absalom for two reasons: he didn't want to disobey the king, and he wasn't sure Joab would defend him if the king found out about it. After all, David killed the man who said he killed Saul (1:1–16) as well as the two men who killed Saul's son Ish-Bosheth (4:1ff.). The soldier knew that Joab didn't want to be caught issuing an order to kill the king's son when the king commanded otherwise. The death of Absalom marked the end of the war and the rebellion, so Joab withdrew his troops.
Ahimaaz reminds us of those bothersome people who want to be important but have nothing much to say. He took the long, easy route to Mahanaim through the valley, while the Cushite took the short, direct route over difficult terrain. Ahimaaz was a young man without a real message or the ability to convey that message in the right way. As the Cushite ran, he meditated on how to tell King David that his son was dead. What's the sense in running if you don't know how to share the news?
The scene shifts to Mahanaim where David is seated between the outer and inner gates of the city, waiting for the watchman in the tower to give him word that a messenger is on his way from the battlefield.4 Even though he was unprepared to speak to the king, Ahimaaz put forth every effort and passed the Cushite on the road. David said, "He is a good man. He comes with good news" (v. 27 niv). It's obvious that the character of the messenger has nothing to do with the contents of the message, but David was grasping for any straw of hope available.
Both Absalom and Ahithophel died on trees, and to an Israelite, hanging a body on a tree was evidence that the deceased was cursed by God (Deut. 21:22–23; Gal. 3:13). When you consider the crimes these two men committed, is it any wonder they were cursed? Yet God in His grace forgave David of the same crimes and allowed him to live. At one time, Absalom was the most popular man in the kingdom, but he ended up being buried in a pit, his body covered with stones. Apparently his three sons had died (14:27), so there was no one left in his family to perpetuate his name, so he erected a pillar to keep his name alive (v. 18). Even the original pillar is gone, and the so-called Tomb of Absalom seen today in the Kidron Valley is from the days of the Herods. "The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot" (Prov. 10:7 nkjv).
Before he arrived at the gate, Ahimaaz was so anxious to give the news that he called out, "All is well."5 Then he came to the king, bowed before him and told him that Joab had won the battle. When David asked about Absalom, the young messenger was not prepared or equipped to share the bad news, so he made an excuse that was undoubtedly a lie. In his feeble attempt to go down in history as the man who brought the news from the forest of Ephraim to Mahanaim, Ahimaaz ended up having nothing to say that David wanted to hear. What he said was correct, but he didn't say enough. He ended up standing to one side and watching the Cushite deliver the right message in the right way.
David's heart was broken (18:19–33) The war was over and the rebellion ended. All that remained was for Joab to notify the king and return him safely to Jerusalem. But it was a bittersweet victory for David. When the enemy is your own son, there can be no triumph and no celebration.
During my pastoral ministry, I've occasionally had to be the bearer of bad news. I can recall praying, pondering, and putting myself in the place of the waiting people, all the while trying to assemble words that would bring the least amount of hurt. It wasn't easy. Someone has defined "tact" as "the knack of making a point without making an enemy," and the Cushite had tact.
Ahimaaz was a well-known runner (v. 27), and he volunteered to take the news to the king at Mahanaim, some three miles away. As enthusiastic as the young man was, he didn't realize what he was asking; for David was known to take out his anger and sorrow on the messengers (1:4–16; 4:8–12)! Although the word "tidings" that Ahimaaz used could apply to any kind of news, it usually referred to "good news," and there was no good news that day. Joab knew his king very well and knew that the report of Absalom's death must be
The text says that David "trembled violently" when he comprehended that Absalom had been slain. No doubt he had prayed that the worst would not happen, but it happened just the same. In one sense, David pronounced his own sentence when he said to Nathan, "And he shall restore the lamb fourfold" (12:5), for this was the final payment of David's great debt. The baby had died, Tamar was raped, Amnon was slain and now
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in Jerusalem. All the tribes, including David's own tribe of Judah, had participated in Absalom's rebellion to some extent; now it was time for them to bring their king back to Jerusalem. Years of intrigue and intertribal conflict left Israel a deeply divided nation, and there was a desperate need for a strong display of unity and loyalty. This chapter describes five steps David took to bring about the healing of the nation.
Absalom was dead. David tasted once again the pain of forgiven sin.
David's tears reveal the broken heart of a loving father. Speaking about David's sorrow, Charles Spurgeon said, "[I]t would be wise to sympathize as far as we can, than to sit in judgment upon a case which has never been our own."6 David wept when he heard about the death of Jonathan and Saul (1:11–12), the murder of Abner (3:32), and the murder of Amnon (13:33–36), so why shouldn't he weep over the death of his beloved son Absalom? Once again, we see the heart of God revealed in the heart of David, for Christ died for us when we were sinners and living as the enemies of God (Rom. 5:7–10). David would have died for Absalom, but Jesus did die for us!
David focuses his perspective (19:1–8) The saintly Scottish pastor Andrew Bonar (1810–1892) used to say, "Let us be as watchful after the victory as before the battle." It's possible to win the battle but lose the victory, which is what happened to David after Joab defeated Absalom and his army. What should have been a day of celebration for David's army at Mahanaim became a confused time of embarrassment and shame as the people1 stole back into the city as if they had been humiliated by defeat. They had risked their lives for king and country, and were now treated like criminals!
David's problem wasn't that he grieved over his son, for grief is a very human response and tears are a part of the healing. His problem was that he grieved excessively and wouldn't permit himself to be comforted. His response was abnormal. He neglected himself and his responsibilities and had to be soundly rebuked by Joab before he would take steps to return to Jerusalem and save the kingdom. His troubles weren't over, but the Lord would empower him to be the ruler He wanted him to be.
It was very unlike David to be insensitive to the sacrifices his men made as they served him (see 23:13–17; 1 Sam. 30:21–30), but that day he was so obsessed with the death of Absalom that he could think of nothing else. By isolating himself from his men, the king turned a military victory into an emotional defeat. David was not only a great warrior but also a deeply emotional poet and musician, a man who could go from the depths of despair into the heights of glory while writing one psalm. David had experienced a difficult time after the death of Amnon (13:37–39), and the death of his favorite son Absalom left him inconsolable. David's attitude puzzled his followers, who saw Absalom as a liar, a murderer, a traitor, and a rebel.
The Lord can heal a broken heart, if we give all the pieces to Him and obey Him by faith.
Notes 1 In 279 BC, the army of Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, defeated the Romans at Asculum at such great cost that he said, "One more such victory and we are lost." 2 For a detailed study of the speeches of Ahithophel and Hushai, and why God used Hushai's counsel, see chapters 1–4 of my book Preaching and Teaching with Imagination (Baker Books). 3 The word in 18:14 translated "darts" in the KJV and "javelins" in the NIV can mean rod, staff, or even scepter. They were probably javelins sharpened at one end. Joab thrust them into Absalom's body, and then the ten men around the tree finished the job. 4 The scene reminds us of Eli the priest waiting at the gate for news concerning the ark of the covenant (1 Sam. 4:12ff.). 5 This is the familiar Hebrew word shalom, which among other things means "peace, health, well-being." David uses the word in his questions: "Is the young man Absalom shalom?" (vv. 29, 32). 6 The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. 24, 505.
Certainly we expect a father to grieve over the tragic death of a son and overlook the son's mistakes and sins. But leaders must still lead, even if their hearts are broken; that's one of the prices that leaders must pay. On October 10, 1950, Sir Winston Churchill was introduced at the University of Copenhagen as "the architect of victory" in World War II. Churchill replied: "I was only the servant of my country and had I, at any moment, failed to express her unflinching resolve to fight and conquer, I should at once have been rightly cast aside." David the father forgot that he was also David the king and that he still had his crown because his brave soldiers put the good of the nation ahead of their own personal interests.
CHAPTER NINE 2 Samuel 19:1—40 DAVID'S RETURN AND RENEWED PROBLEMS T
Joab's short but cutting speech jolted the king back to reality, and David took his place at the gate—where his men came to him and where he acknowledged their brave service. It's likely that David didn't yet know that it was Joab who engineered Absalom's death and burial, otherwise his response might have been different. It didn't take long for David to find out what Joab and his men did, and this helped to precipitate David's naming
he repeated theme in this chapter is "bringing back the king" (vv. 10, 11, 12, 15, 41). David was across the Jordan in Mahanaim, but he belonged
2 Samuel & 1 Chronicles
them great relief, for it meant that David was pardoning all the officials who had followed Absalom. Amasa had been Absalom's general whose assignment it was to search for David and destroy him, but now David was making his nephew (and Joab's cousin) the leader of his great army.
Amasa as general of the army (v. 13; and see 1 Kings 2:5). The one thing that's missing in the entire Absalom episode is David's seeking the mind of the Lord as he made decisions. The younger David called for the Urim and Thummim or asked for the counsel of a prophet, but apart from his prayer in 15:31, we don't find David requesting guidance. Of course, the wilderness psalms record his concerns and prayers, so we know he wasn't depending on himself and his leaders alone. But we wish David had sought God's direction as he dealt with Absalom and the problems he created. When it came to dealing with his sons, David needed all the help he could get, but perhaps he wouldn't admit it. It's never too late for God to work.