2 Samuel 20:4-7 – Don’t procrastinate

What David faced when he returned to the throne was a nation in tatters. He had to deal with the shame that Absalom had caused by humiliating the ten concubines whom he had left to look after the palace. The king took steps to ensure that they were sustained and given security while living in seclusion as widows. David now had to tackle the uprising led by Sheba. This worthless fellow, a Benjamite, led the northern tribes of Israel in open revolt, urging them to detach themselves from the reign of David. The people of Israel, goaded by him, then left and returned each to their own homes. It was a matter that called for urgent action.

To David, Sheba’s revolt was even more urgent than the trouble that Absalom had created. He knew that the matter had to be dealt with at the quickest time. It was a catastrophe in the making if the mutiny was not dealt with swiftly. So he mobilized Amasa and gave him three days to rally the people of Judah to deal with it. Amasa, however, delayed in recruiting the people. Since time was of the essence, David quickly tasked and commissioned Abishai to pursue the rebel. The matter was so urgent to David that he placed Joab’s men, as well as his mercenary bodyguards, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all his available mighty men under Abishai to pursue Sheba.  David did not want him to find a fortified city to take refuge.

David obviously knew the urgency if he hoped to squelch Sheba’s rebellion. He saw the danger that any delay in apprehending Sheba would cause the revolt to escalate. He did not want a situation where Sheba could locate a fortified city, seek shelter in it, and from there picked up momentum in his rebellion. So he urgently despatched Amasa to gather the people so that the rebellion could be halted. Verse  5 said that “Amasa went to call out the men of Judah, but he delayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.” The connective “but” is very telling. It provides the contrast. David was urgent but Amasa was not. We are told that he “delayed longer than the set time.” In other words, Amasa was sluggish. He procrastinated. David quickly despatched Abishai and placed all resources at his disposal to suppress the rebellion. We all know how detrimental procrastination can be to an impending crisis. In life, opportunities and time are lost when not seized at the right moments with timeliness. In his book, David Copperfield, Charles Dickens gave this advice, he said, “My advice is, never do to-morrow what you can do today. Procrastination is the thief of time. Collar him!” Ephesians 5:16 tells us to redeem the opportunity for the days are evil. Don’t be done in by procrastination, seize every opportunity, and make it count!

2 Samuel 20:1-3 – Learn to disagree agreeably

The last scene of 2 Samuel 19 described the dispute between the people of Israel and the people of Judah at Gilgal. And we were told that the latter group of people were more aggressive and harsher. The disagreement between the two groups and the harsh words hurled from both sides literally sparked off a rebellion. Now in the opening verse of 2 Samuel 20, we are introduced to a Benjamite described as a worthless fellow, Sheba by name. He appeared to be a person of influence among the contentious party. So he arose and blew a trumpet and declared that the northern tribes would no longer recognize David as their king. Then the men of Israel instantly obeyed his leading and withdrew to follow him, and no longer associated themselves with David. The tribe of Judah, however, remained faithful and steadfast to their king from Jordan to Jerusalem.  

The return of David should have been a day of celebration and rejoicing but it became a day of division instead. He should have returned to a glorious welcome but unfortunately was marred and greeted by a people in contention. Sadly, the king had to return home with just some escorts and the rest of his subjects in open strife and disharmony. Sheba's words were not only unkind, but they were also disrespectful and a show of disregard for the king. Here David was referred to as only the son of Jesse. The northern tribes of Israel then broke rank with the tribe of Judah. With Sheba’s rebellious words, every man then went home.

The first thing David did when he returned home was to deal with the ten concubines whom he had left behind. They were humiliated by Absalom in a show of force to usurp his father’s throne. Since they were forced by Absalom to sleep with him, they were deemed to be his wives and possession. Now that he was dead, those ten poor violated concubines were destined to live as widows. So, David had them treated as such but provided for their security and sustenance. They remained secluded from society until the day they died.  

What happened between the tribe of Judah and the rest of Israel underscored the importance of unity. As believers, we may differ in opinions and may see things from different angles and disagree in matters. But we must learn to respect each other and learn to disagree agreeably. We must focus on the common objectives we share and accept the differences we have. Everyone is entitled to his or her own view. So long as that person’s position is not a flagrant departure from the sound principle of God’s Word, we must not insist that everyone must accept our point of view. For unity's sake, we must share what is common and to accept each other when we have differences. We must not let our convictions divide but rather to let our love for God and His Word unite us. The Lord Jesus commands us to be united in brotherly love.

2 Samuel 19:40-43 – Go for the core not the peripheral

Acceding to Barzillai’s request, David accompanied by Chimham, crossed the Jordan together with the people of Judah and half the people of Israel. When they came to Gilgal, a commotion erupted between the people of Judah and some of the people from the northern tribes of Israel. They complained to David that they were not given the privilege of escorting the king across the Jordan and felt left out of the honor. How petty could they get? They were making a mountain out of a molehill.

Meanwhile, the people of Judah were not blameless as well. They could have easily ignored the needless grouses and petty nit-picking, but they chose to engage them in the inconsequential fray. They insisted that they had the right to be the first in escorting David across the Jordan because the king hailed from their tribe, the tribe of Judah. They asserted that they did not take advantage of the situation, neither were they compensated for their effort. Forgetting that it was David who had sent Zadok and Abiathar to initiate and spur them into action. Now they wanted to make it look as if they had acted voluntarily. The ten tribes of Israel then retorted saying that they were ten tribes and hence should have had ten times the claim to the privilege than the people of Judah. Besides, they were the ones who had first proposed to reinstate David to the throne. They felt that they were being treated with contempt by the people of Judah.  But the people of Judah were the more aggressive and seemed to have the upper hand.

The lesson: when one fails to see the broad objective of a mission, there is the tendency to get petty. There is the human penchant and proclivity to want to be at the forefront of glamour. If only the people of Israel as well as the people of Judah could see that their ultimate objective was similar. And that finally David had crossed the Jordan and returned to the throne. If only they had focused less on themselves, or the prestige and glamour that they had missed, but instead set their eyes on the fact that David had safely returned to his throne in Jerusalem, they would not bicker over such a small matter. Isn’t this true in God’s work today? Many leaders still behave like the sons of Zebedee in the days of Jesus, who clamored to be more prominent than the rest of the apostles. They wanted to be the first among equal. This can also happen to churches, whose leaders cherish ideas of grandeur and want to be the biggest, the best, and the one with the most up-to-date programs. With such an ambition, one tends to lose sight of the core and grasp at the peripheral. What is more relevant in Christian life and mission is this: Is Jesus Christ in His rightful place in our lives and our ministries? Don’t climb up the ladder only to find it leaning against the wrong wall!  

2 Samuel 19:31-39 – Be grateful in life

Barzillai was described as a wealthy man from Rogelim. In 2 Samuel 17:27 we are told that he was one of those that brought provisions for David as he was making his escape from Absalom. Together with Shobi the son of Nahash from Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, Machir the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, Barzillai brought  “beds, basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans, lentils, parched seeds, honey, curds, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and for the people who were with him (David), to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

In these nine verses, Barzillai, one of those three benefactors of David, came to the Jordan to accompany the king across the Jordan. Being grateful for all that Barzillai had done for him while he was at Mahanaim and for his presence now, the king invited the 80 years old Barzillai to join him in Jerusalem. David wanted to reciprocate his kindness and to take care of him for the remaining years of his life. But Barzillai courteously declined the offer. While he appreciated the king’s offer, he turned down the kind gesture. At his age, the pleasures of life no longer appealed to him. He was contented with the ordinary things of life for he only wanted to live a simple life. So he requested the king to let him return to his own land where he could die peacefully and be buried in his father’s land.  

However, he requested David to take Chimham, his son with him to Jerusalem. The king agreed to take Chimham with him to reciprocate what Barzillai had done for him.  He will show kindness to Barzillai’s son and promised to do for that son whatever the father deemed appropriate. David then bade farewell and blessed Barzillai with a kiss and sent him away, before he returned to his place.   

David showed himself to be a grateful person. What he offered Barzillai reminds us of the proverbs, “one good turn deserves another.” We must seek to return a favor to someone who had been kind to us. This in essence is a demonstration of one’s gratitude. We must seek to live life gratefully. Life really changes when we make gratitude a way of life. It changes our focus from ourselves to the people who have blessed us. Let us be grateful people. This would require that we pause often and give thanks to God and the people who have contributed and impacted our lives. An attitude of gratitude will always bring joy into our hearts! 

2 Samuel 19:24-30 - Living life honestly and truthfully

When David had crossed the Jordan he was met by Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan who appeared before him disheveled and unkempt. He seemed to be in mourning since the day that David left Jerusalem. Second Samuel 19:24 explained that “he had neither cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.” David, obviously unhappy that he did not follow him into exile, forthrightly asked him why he did not accompany him to go into exile? To David, it was an issue of loyalty and he wanted to ascertain where Mephibosheth stood. Seizing the opportunity, Mephibosheth explained that Ziba had deceived him. Since he was a cripple, he wanted to saddle a donkey and leave with David but was unable to do so himself as he was lame.  The implication is that Ziba who was assigned to assist him did not want to do so. He went on further and claimed that Ziba had maligned him and misrepresented him to the king.  

However, he was confident that the king, as an angel of God, would be able to discern the truth and act aptly. Mephibosheth further conceded that his grandfather’s clan was far gone. Had it not been for David who befriended him and showed him kindness, he would be long dead. He acknowledged that David had been gracious and treated him like his own and had generously allowed him to dine at the table with him.  Mephibosheth was confident that David would be able to tell the truth. And if the king chose to punish him, he would willingly submit to his judgment and not utter a word of complaint.   

Who was telling the truth? Mephibosheth or Ziba? Unable to tell which version was true, David hurriedly decided that the properties that were once Saul would be divided between them. Mephibosheth replied that he was willing for Ziba to have it all. For what mattered to him was not the properties but that the king was safe and had safely returned.

David had treated Mephibosheth kindly although he could have finished him if he wanted. But he chose to honor his bosom friend, Jonathan by taking care of his crippled son. Mephibosheth was granted the privilege to dine at the king’s table though he did not expect it. Hence it seems unlikely that he would betray the king. Furthermore, he was a cripple, and to seize the throne he had to depend on Ziba. And they would have to come against a strong and healthy Absalom. Whereas Ziba was a scheming man. He seemed like one who would take advantage of the misfortune of others. Besides, he did not follow David into exile. He only brought provision for him. And on learning of Absalom’s death and David’s soon return, he quickly acted probably because he did not want the truth of the matter to be discovered.

Mephibosheth was the unfortunate victim of Ziba’s slanders. His unkempt demeanor when he met David when the latter crossed the Jordan said it all. The lesson we pick up here is about the need to live honestly and truthfully in good conscience before God. Falsehood and slanders can never silence the truth. When we are true to God, others, and ourselves, no one can spin a yarn about us that will not be unraveled.  We must always live life honestly and truthfully in good conscience before God.

2 Samuel 19:16-23 – Be merciful like our Heavenly Father

Absalom’s death had brought about different reactions and responses from different people. The first sixteen verses described how the northern tribes squabbled about bringing David back to the throne. Recalling how he had brought them victory over the Philistines, some wonder why it took so long for the king to be restored to the throne. Then we saw how David on his part got Zadok and Abiathar to spur the nonchalant elders of the tribe of Judah to initiate some movement to bring him back to the throne. To achieve his objective, David also offered Amasa, his other nephew, the position of commander of the army which was held by the haughty Joab.

Now in 2 Samuel 19:16-23, two persons were particularly singled out. They came with their men to greet David at the Jordan with their people. One was Shimei from the clan of Saul who came with a thousand men from the tribe of Benjamin. Remember how he cursed David as he was making his way out of Jerusalem to escape from his son, Absalom. The other was Ziba who came with his fifteen sons and twenty servants. He was the one David had assigned to steward the property of Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan. He met the king with provision while he was escaping from Absalom. In that meeting, he also maligned his master Mephibosheth, giving the impression that the latter was ungrateful for what the king had done for him. Thinking what Ziba said was true, David had impulsively decreed all that was given to Mephibosheth to be given to him. Hence, we can understand why these two should now come anxiously to greet David. They wanted to placate their wrong with the hope of avoiding a severe punishment. In some sense, they came out of desperation.

Shimei came falling down before the king as he was about to cross the Jordan, begging to be forgiven for what he had done. He acknowledged the wrong he had done to David, as the king, was making his way up Mount Olivet to escape from Absalom. He mitigated his wrong by pointing to the fact that he was the first to come and receive the king back to his throne in Jerusalem. Abishai, the brother of Joab, felt strongly that Shimei deserved to be executed for cursing the Lord’s anointed. But David refused to be vindictive and chided Abishai for his attitude. To David, this was a day of celebration and not a day to seek vengeance. He then swore an oath to spare Shimei for the treasonous crime that the latter had committed.

How David dealt with Shimei gives us a lesson on being merciful. He could have done a tip for tap and publicly humiliated Shimei for the way the latter had publicly humiliated him. He could have ordered his immediate death and Abishai would have gladly carried it out. But David refused to lower himself and behave beneath the dignity of his position. In so doing David, emulating God, was acting magnanimously. Like David, it is better for us to err being overly merciful than to err lacking it. In William Shakespeare’s book, The  Merchant of Venice, Portia asserted that mercy is twice blessed. It not only blesses the giver but also the receiver. We who have received mercy must also live and act mercifully. For Jesus, our Lord puts it this way in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall receive mercy.” And again in Luke 6:36, we are reminded to “Be merciful, just as your (Heavenly) Father is merciful.” Finally, James 2:3 tells us that “…judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.” To be merciful is to display the trait of God. Without mercy and forgiveness, hell would be a place for the living. Let us remember that to err is human but to forgive is divine.

2 Samuel 19:9-15 – Be conciliatory

Unaccustomed to not having a king, the people of Israel became restless. Absalom, who usurped the father’s throne, was dead and gone and each man had fled to their own tent. David, the king, who led them to win many battles over the Philistines, was still in exile. Thinking of the time the latter had delivered them from the Philistines, they were genuinely concerned about the enemies who might return to trouble them. Without a king, they would once again be at their mercy. The people wanted to reinstate David as king. With each day that he was not restored to the throne, they became more impatient. In their dilemma, they squabbled and wrangled and wondered why it took so long to have the king reinstated. Meanwhile, waiting in Mahanaim, David was not in a hurry.

While the northern tribes were arguing about restoring the king to the throne, the tribe of Judah seemed to be passive. They were nonchalant and did not take any initiative to have David restored even though the whole of Israel had already acknowledged him as their ruler. Besides, they were his nearest kin because David hailed from the tribe of Judah. Contacting Zadok and Abiathar, whom he had left behind in Jerusalem, David told them to speak to the elders. The mission of the two priests was to challenge and goad the people of Judah into action. They were also given the task to persuade Amasa, David’s other nephew, to deflect and join the uncle, who was offering him the post of Joab as commander of his army. This move also suggests that David had begun to grow wary of Joab who was becoming increasingly haughty. By giving Amasa the position, David had made the right move. He was seeking reconciliation. Soon, he had the support of the men of Judah and they were the first to rally behind him. They sent words to the king to return to Jerusalem with his men. David and his men then made their way to Jordan. In the meantime, the people of Judah came and congregated at Gilgal to receive the king and help him cross the Jordan.    

It is gratifying to note the people of Israel realized how effective David was in their past. They recalled how he had delivered them from the hands of the Philistines. Now that Absalom had died, the right thing to do was to reinstate David to the throne. Having deflected to Absalom’s side, they could easily have persisted in their stubborn way and continue to fight and resist David, but they did not. They were willing to return the throne to David because they appreciated what he had done for them before. This tells us that all of us need to realign when we realize our wrong. None of us can claim to be immune to misstep. What is more important is what should be done when we have taken a wrong turn? Obviously, we need to realign and return to do what’s right. The first lesson we pick up from the people of Israel is about having the courage to acknowledge one’s wrong and to take steps to amend and reinstate what is right.  

Secondly, David’s initiative to spur the people of Judah to action shows us the need to be willing to seek reconciliation even when we are in the right. When we are wronged will we take the initiative to make the first move to be reconciled? David did. And he engineered the move using his trusted priests, Zadok and Abiathar. Would we do the same? Remember our Lord’s words in Matthew 5:23-24. He said, “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.”

2 Samuel 19:1-8 – Handling grief

On hearing the news of his son’s death, nothing could equal David’s grief that day. He could not be consoled and was heard bawling uncontrollably in his chamber. Joab was notified of the king’s grief. And the day of victory quickly soon turned into a day of gloom. What would have been an occasion of celebration became a day of mourning for the people. The king’s continuous agony soon set off a disquiet among his people. Words spread quickly among his fighting men that David was grieving for his dead son. Instead of marching confidently home with their heads held high in victory, his men had to creep home surreptitiously and stealthily as if they had been humiliated in a great defeat. Meanwhile, covering his face, David was heard crying out aloud, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” His emotion had gotten the better of him.

Joab could sense that if something was not done quickly, the morale of the people would soon be eroded. If there was anyone more suitable for the unpleasant job of alerting the king to save the situation, it had to be Joab. He boldly came to David and gave his appraisal of the situation. He was forthright in telling the king what would happen if he continued to wallow in his despair. Joab’s approach though disrespectful was needful. It was difficult to get the king out of his despondency any other way. Joab audaciously told him that the way he was behaving would make the people feel as if they had done something wrong. He told the king that his emotion was misplaced. Pointing to the king that in his grief, his reaction was signaling to the people that he seemed to love those who hated him, and he hated those who loved him. Joab was speaking sense to David. In telling the king that “for I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased” he jostled the king out of his doldrums. Boldly, Joab told the king, “Now, therefore, arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go out, surely not a man will pass the night with you, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.” What he did appear to have elbowed the king into action. So the latter went out and sat at the city gate and his supporters came and gathered around him.  

David’s experience tells us that it is possible for a person to be overtaken by grief to a point of being incapable of making sound decisions. He was so overwhelmed by his anguish that he was not able to consider the feelings of people who had acted in his interest. Grieving can be a very self-absorbing experience. No one outside of that grieving person can fully understand the depth of the person’s pain. It is comforting to know that Jesus is available in our grief. We can be assured that He understands us perfectly. He knows our thoughts and feelings, for He can be touched by our weaknesses. In sorrow always remember to take it to the Lord in prayer. He is ever ready to embrace us in His loving arms!

2 Samuel 18:28-33 – A total consecration for God

Running as fast as he could, Ahimaaz was the first to reach David. As he was approaching Mahanaim where David was eagerly waiting, he hollered out breathlessly  saying, “All is well.”  Then coming before the king, he prostrated and said to him “Blessed is the Lord your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king.” The king, however, was only interested to know about his son. So he asked Ahimaaz, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz avoided the answer. He said that when he was sent by Joab and the other runner, he only saw a great tumult and did know the reason. He was probably giving a very indirect hint. Since his answer suggested that he was not fully apprised of what had happened, David told him to stand aside. He went aside and stood still as instructed.

Just then the Cushite arrived with the same good news. Gingerly, he said to the king, “Let my lord the king receive good news, for the Lord has freed you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you.” Again David was only interested to know about Absalom. Diplomatically and with great tact the Cushite answered, “Let the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be as that young man!”. He heard what he did not wish to hear and immediately knew that his son had been killed in the battle. Straightaway, he beelined for his chamber and he bawled uncontrollably. He wished that it were him who had died instead of  Absalom. The depth of his love for Absalom was seen in the five times he uttered the two words “my son.”

Without a doubt, the LORD was with David’s men in this fight with Absalom. Hence the Cushite could confidently say “…the Lord has freed you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you.” This reminds us that if the Lord is for us, who can stand against us. Rebellion and treason exact a price. In this case, it was the death of a treacherous son. Absalom’s rebellion is a grim reminder of our own rebellion against God. Like his treason against the king, ours is against the King of kings. Like his rebellion that demanded the death of a son, ours also required the death of a Son. In our guilty place, the perfect and sinless Son of God died, hung on that cursed tree at Calvary for us. The fight Absalom was involved in was for a physical kingdom but ours was for the eternal kingdom. In both situations, restoring the kingdom required the death of a son. In Absalom’s case, David could not bear the price he paid, but in our case, it was a price God willingly paid. Think silently for a while. Imagine the great grief of David at the loss of his son. Now think of how much more painful it must have been for God to watch His perfect Son hanging between heaven and earth, dying not for his treason but ours. We owe God and our Lord Jesus Christ a great debt of gratitude, a debt we can never repay even with a million lifetimes. The only appropriate response in the light of all that God had done for us is the complete and total surrendering of our lives to Him. Nothing short of a hundred percent response would ever be a worthy response. What is our response?!

2 Samuel 18:24-27 – Be optimistic but realistic

Earlier, we were told that David had divided all his men into three groups with his commanders, Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, each leading a group into the battle with his son. Absalom of course had a much larger but less experienced force. As David’s three commanders were leaving for the battle with their men, he was heard telling them to deal kindly with Absalom, his renegade son. What he said was overheard by all the men. The lives of his men were needlessly put at risk to seriously consider David’s request to treat Absalom kindly. The king was obviously insensitive to the safety of his men to have made that request. He failed to realize that if they had to obey him, they would be in needless jeopardy. This was truly an unobjective request. It was inconsiderate of him to place his love for his own son over the safety of the men. Nonetheless, we did not detect any violent objections. Except for Joab, it was apparent that David had very loyal men.      

In 2 Samuel 18:24 as his men left for the battle, David was said to be seating anxiously between the two gates of Mahanaim, waiting for news from the battleground. Meanwhile, his watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall to look out for anyone returning with news from the battleground. Soon the watchman saw a lone man running towards Mahanaim, so he called out and reported to the king. David surmised that if he was not being chased by others, he probably had good news to report. As he drew nearer to the gate, the watchman saw another man running by himself after the first man. Since he was also running toward the city without anyone pursuing him,  David also concluded that he must also be another bearer of good news. As those two runners came even closer to the gate, the watchman recognized that the first runner was Ahimaaz. According to what we were already told in 2 Samuel 18:23, he had outrun the Cushite who started out for the city earlier. When David was told that the first runner was Ahimaaz, he immediately and confidently concluded he was bearing good news for him.  

David’s expectation was unrealistic. Here was his rebelling son seeking to take his life. yet he wanted his men to deal with him kindly. In other words, he valued his loyal men less than that of his rebellious son. It is a wonder that they did not openly and violently oppose his unobjective request. To be objective in life, we need to have realistic expectations. One wonders what news was David expecting to have as he sat between the gates of Mahanaim, waiting for the report? He had needlessly put his men into an untenable situation. To have unrealistic expectations is a failure to rightly appraise a situation. It demonstrates one’s inability to recognize the truth concerning the situation, especially the difficulty involved in what one hopes to accomplish. Unrealistic expectations often chip away one’s relationship with others. The more unrealistic expectation one has, the more heartaches one will generate. We can have expectations in life, but what we need is to make sure that we are not longing for the impossible. Be optimistic in life but always be realistic.   

2 Samuel 18:19-23 – Being loyal and committed

To announce the good news that the enemy had been defeated would be easy if not for the fact that the enemy was Absalom and that he was killed. So the question to Joab was: who should be more suitable to bear the unpleasant news to the king? The son of Zadok, Ahimaaz, who was a sympathizer of David, volunteered to bring the news to the king. Verse 20 tells us that Joab denied him the opportunity for reasons unexplained. Here are two possible explanations for his refusal. Firstly, having disobeyed the king’s request to deal kindly with his son, he was afraid that Ahimaaz, who was sympathetic to David, might just blurt out matter-of-factly concerning Absalom’s death and how he was killed. This would needlessly create trouble for him, and he would become the object of the king’s displeasure. Secondly, Joab could have recalled how David earlier did not treat the messenger that brought news of Jonathan and Saul’s death kindly. In that incident, David had the messenger executed. And Joab did not want Ahimaaz to suffer the same outcome. If this is the reason, sending the Cushite would make more sense. Thirdly, the Cushite could well be one of the ten that had emulated him and speared Absalom to death. If he was, then he would certainly be more cautious in breaking the news since he had participated in the killing of Absalom.  

So Joab sent the Cushite instead of Ahimaaz. But the latter was very insistent, and he persistently pleaded with Joab to let him bring the news to David. Joab’s reluctance was seen in how he tried to reason him out of the task. He asked Ahimaaz why he was so eager to break the news to David, knowing that he would not receive any reward. But Ahimaaz was not thinking of the reward, he was prepared to endure any outcome of being the bearer of the news. His allegiance to the king was obvious and he was committed to him regardless. Joab reluctantly relented. It was likely that he did not expect Ahimaaz to outrun the Cushite. Taking a different route home, Ahimaaz outran the Cushite.  

From the action of Ahmaaz, we learn a lesson on allegiance. He was so loyal and committed to David that he would gladly do anything for him. He was prepared to take the risk of conveying the unpleasant news to the king even if it meant that he had to bear with any unpleasant outcome. His heart was with David. So eager was he that though he started out the journey later, he reached David earlier than the Cushite. Concerning our relationship with Christ, we all like Ahimaaz, need to show allegiance, and be loyal and committed to Him. Lacking allegiance, it would be hard to follow Jesus ardently and serve Him diligently. Loving and being committed to Him will require us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. Are we willing to give up comfort and pleasure so that we can live faithfully for Him? Can we say like Paul, “… one thing I do… forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”? We will never regret being loyal to Jesus.

2 Samuel 18:16-18 – The danger of unfettered pride and power

What a tragic ending for a man who was so privileged. Absalom was so well-endowed. This is what 2 Samuel 14:25-26 said of him. ^“Now in all Israel was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no defect in him.” We are also told that when he cut his hair which was only done once at the end of the year, it would weigh about 200 shekels by the royal standard. The picture we have of Absalom was: he was physically attractive but totally insensitive to the ways and will of God. While a good look in life is a gift and is welcomed, it is the character of a person that really matters. What good is it to be handsome and charming but lacking a sincere heart and an honest character? Remember, God looks at the heart and not at the outward appearances. If one does not take care of one’s heart, one’s good looks do not matter at all.

Here in three verses, we find Absalom dead. A young man so charismatic and with so much to look forward to, yet so tragically terminated. Why? Unfettered pride and greed. Now that he was dead, there was no point for the fight to go on, so Joab blew the trumpet to end all hostilities. Unceremoniously and hastily, Joab’s men took his lifeless body, threw it into a deep ditch, and covered it with a pile of stones. Every one of Absalom’s crestfallen men quickly scattered and scurried each to his own tent, signaling their total defeat. Verse 18 tells us that Absalom did not have an heir to propagate his name. Being a conceited person, and did not have a son to perpetuate his name, he vainly built a monument to himself in the King’s Valley in remembrance of himself, long before his death. 

      

The monument Absalom built bears testimony of his pride and his unhealthy desire for reputation, power, and pre-eminence. He wanted to perpetuate his name but in an obtrusive way. This was probably what motivated him to contrive all the underhanded means to achieve fame. Instead of promoting honor and glory, Absalom’s vain attempt led to shame and perpetual disdain. His death and the monument he built remain as a warning and admonition to us on how we should navigate through the pitfalls of life. Pride and unfettered lust for power are ingredients for one’s downfall. These were the very baits the enemy of our soul would use to tempt us. Value the life and privilege that God has granted us. Do not let pride and the quest for power disrupt God’s plan for us. What God has destined will never be taken from us, when we choose to walk humbly and uprightly before Him. It will certainly come in His perfect timing. In His time He makes all things beautiful!

2 Samuel 18:9-15 – Live life with caution and integrity

Although inexperienced, Absalom was overconfident. Long on appearance but short on substance, he went out and confronted David’s seasoned warriors. It would have been already difficult to fight David’s seasoned fighters on the less complicated landscape, let alone the unfamiliar forest. A combination of his inexperience and unfamiliarity to the forested topography done Absalom in. Consumed with taking his father down, he was riding on a mule through the forest of Ephraim not realizing that the branches could be low and his long, bushy and thick hair could be caught by them. Unable to navigate through some low-lying boughs of a big oak tree, his thick bushy hair was caught and entangled with the low-lying branches. And the mule he was riding, meanwhile, had gone on too fast leaving him suspended helplessly in mid-air.   

A man from David’s camp spotted him but did not kill him but came and told Joab about it. The commander started to chide him for not finishing Absalom off, telling him that he would have received a handsome reward for killing the renegade. Not interested in the reward of ten pieces of silver and a belt, the man had good reasons for why he did not do it. Firstly, he heard David, the indulgent father telling Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, the three commanders, to deal gently with his son. Secondly, he could tell that Joab was not the kind of commander who would stand by him when he had to face the king. He was the kind that was likely to throw his men under the bus when he had to answer for it. Wisely, he refused to do it but dutifully reported to Joab, who then took the issue into his own hand. With three spears, he pierced through the heart of Absalom, who was suspended between heaven and earth in that great oak tree. When ten of his armor-bearers with him saw what he did, they emulated him. They took their spears and mindlessly struck Absalom and killed him. 

Misguided ambition can cause one to overestimate one’s own capability and become careless. This is clearly illustrated in Absalom’s life. He was so blinded by his ambition to secure the throne that he failed to realize battling David’s men in the uncharted territory was not wise. He was done in by his unfamiliarity with the ground and was made an easy prey to his opponents. Do not let misguided ambition make us lose sight of lurking dangers. We can also learn from these verses the need to live life with sound principles. Think of the young soldier who first discovered Absalom suspended in mid-air. He remembered David’s words to his commanders and took the words seriously. Whereas Joab could not care what David had instructed. Whether David’s instruction was prudent or not, we are not here to debate it. But we know that loyalty demands that the word of the king be obeyed. For us, followers of King Jesus, who will never give us instructions that will contradict righteous living, obeying His Word must always take precedence, whatever the circumstance!       

2 Samuel 18:6-8 – The advantage of commitment and competent followers

The battle between David and Absalom’s men was fought in the forest of Ephraim. The men of David being more skillful immediately took the advantage. The forest proved to be too formidable for Absalom’s less experienced men. Whereas David’s men led by three seasoned commanders were more competent in warfare in such a circumstance.  They were well adapted at the forestry condition and were more able to cope with the situation. So 20,000 of Absalom’s men were slaughtered that day. Not all of them were fell by the sword. Being unfamiliar with the place, a great number of them probably fell into ditches or stumbled into their death due to the bumpy ground.  

It was a great loss for Absalom that day. The greater number of people on Absalom's side did not add any advantage to him. The outcome of the battle was destined with a foregone conclusion even before it started. Why so? Firstly, Absalom’s men, though greater in number, were not people who were skilled in warfare. Secondly, they were fighting in the unfamiliar and tricky environment of the forest. Thirdly, they were fighting seasoned men of war with a better strategy. Fourthly, and most importantly, they were up against God who was on David’s side.

What can we learn from these three verses? Firstly, we learn that the greatest advantage in life is to make sure that God is on our side. If God is for us who can come against us and be successful? Paul tells us that, “We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.” Secondly, having quality and committed people, though smaller in number, is better than having a larger group of incompetent followers. Hence what would be advantageous to the advancement of God’s work would be having committed and serious disciples of Christ, rather than a huge congregation of passive and uncommitted people. Let us seek to be the core and not just a member in the crowd, adding to the number of nonchalant, incompetent followers in church. God is looking for quality disciples who love Him and are ready to fight the battle for lost humanity. He is still looking for people to stand in the gap between Him and lost mankind. The pertinent question is, can He count on us?

2 Samuel 18:1-5 – Misplaced emotion can impede right action

David had fought in many battles and was an experienced military strategist. Like any good leader, he also needed to know how many men he had so that he could organize his force. Hence the first thing he did was to count the number of men with him. Then he effectively divided them into three groups. He appointed Joab to lead one group, Abishai the other, and Ittai to lead the third group. Of the three commanders,  Ittai who was a Philistine was the newest addition. Earlier in 2 Samuel 15, we were told that Ittai wanted to join the king when he was departing Jerusalem. David was reluctant to involve him at first seeing that he was a foreigner and saw no reason why he should want to wander with him as a fugitive. So he tried to persuade him to return and serve Absalom, but Ittai insisted on following him. In 2 Samuel 15:21 he told David, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there also your servant will be.” He was a loyalist. So The king was persuaded to include him in his band of 600 men, fleeing from Absalom.

David wanted to lead his men into the battle, but the people loved him and valued him too much to let him put himself at risk. According to Ahithophel’s strategy, David would be their main target and focus. So his men persuaded him to remain in the city in safety with whatever number they would leave behind to protect him. They could surmise that he would certainly be the main object of Absalom’s attack. So they refused to let him go out and confront Absalom and his men. David reluctantly agreed. They probably also knew that the king’s emotion for his son would come in the way as they confront Absalom. They were spot on. For as they were leaving for the fight, David was heard to tell Joab, Abishai, and Ittai to “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” What he said was heard by his people. Despite all that heartaches Absalom had brought him, David still loved his rebellious son. This is the heart of a father and the reason why they felt he should not join them in the battle.

Try to stand in David’s shoes and one will realize the dilemma he faced. David was not known to be a disciplinarian. This was one of the reasons that led him to this point in his life. He failed to discipline Amnon for raping his half-sister Tamar. Because nothing was done to punish him, Absalom, her brother, took matters into his hand and murdered Amnon. David also did not deal with Absalom rightly but allowed him to return to Jerusalem. The latter then took advantage of the situation to usurp his throne. Now he was on the run and even then, he was still reluctant to see the son receive severe punishment. We learn that being emotional often makes it hard for us to make the right decision. Much as we love our children, discipline cannot be spared if we want to see them maturing uprightly. We must show love, and love requires that we chasten to bring out the best in them. The Bible tells us that those whom God loves, He chastens. We are also told not to spare the rod. To spare the rod is to hate the child. Remember the maxim that says, a stitch in time saves nine. Love by all means,  but remember that to love is to correct any wrong as well.  

2 Samuel 17:24-29 – Serving our Lord spontaneously

King David and his men had crossed the Jordan and came to Mahanaim and there he found solid support. Three persons were particularly named to bring provisions for him. They were Shobi, Machir, and Barzillai. Shobi was an Ammonite, the son of Nahash, the king who gave shelter to David’s parents and family while he was on the run from King Saul. Machir was the son of Ammiel from Lo-debar. He was the one who took care of Mephibosheth before David handed him to Ziba. He obviously was a supporter of David and now came to show kindness to the fugitive king. Then there was Barzillai, a wealthy Gileadite from Rogelim. These three considerate people strongly supported David. They showed compassion for David and his men, and brought provision for David and his escaping men. Verses 28-29 said that they  ^“brought beds, basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans, lentils, parched seeds, honey, curds, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and for the people who were with him, to eat; for they said, “The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.”

Meanwhile Absalom who took the counsel of Hushai led his men in pursuit of his father. They had crossed the Jordan hot on David’s heel. Absalom was determined to apprehend David and finish him. He set Amasa, the illegitimate cousin of Joab, as the general and commander-in-chief of his army.  

Of these six verses, one lesson stands out. It was the hospitality shown to David and his men by Shobi, Machir, and Barzillai. They came spontaneously to give to David and his fleeing men, who were probably tired and hungry. The actions of the three were admirable for they came to help though it was unsolicited by David. Such a benevolent attitude could only arise from a deep appreciation for what is right and proper, and a sense of gratitude and loyalty. Believers with such an attitude are also much needed in the advancement of God’s work today. We need people who can identify needs in the work of God and spontaneously give their best resources to serve the King of kings. Let us be spontaneous in offering ourselves and service for the advancement of the cause of God. It a debt of gratitude that we owe to Jesus our King, who so willingly gave Himself for us.  

2 Samuel 17:21-23 – Overcoming life’s disappointment

When Absalom’s men who were pursuing Ahimaaz and Jonathan could not find them, they departed for Jerusalem. Emerging from the well, the pair of messengers then came to King David. They must have told the king everything Hushai had conveyed to them through the maidservant. The most important part of the message was “Arise and cross over the water quickly for thus Ahithophel has counseled against you.” Digesting everything quickly, David then ordered everyone to arise and cross the river to the other side. So they all arose and crossed the Jordan river overnight. And by dawn, every one of his men including himself was on the other side of Jordan.

In verse 23, we are told of how Ahithophel’s life ended. He went home and hanged himself and died. It dawned on him that wise as his counsel might have seemed to himself, Absalom did not take it. So saddling his donkey he went to his home, set everything in order then he committed suicide. The last part of verse 23 tells us that he was buried with his father.  

Why did Ahithophel kill himself? The Word of God is silent, but for our own learning let us postulate two. Firstly, Ahithophel took his own life out of disappointment. Realizing that Absalom did not take his counsel was more than what his wounded pride could handle. As a man who was wise unto himself, he did not know that God had other plans. It is true that man may propose, but our all-seeing, all-knowing God in His perspective has the right to dispose. Apparently here God did it for the sake of his servant David. So unable to bear the disappointment, the “wise” counselor hanged himself.

Secondly, Ahithophel could anticipate the outcome of Absalom now that he had not taken his advice. His imagination probably drew an outcome for himself should David retake the throne. Perhaps, he could imagine dying in the hand of David. Again his pride would have yelled out an endless ‘no’ to that thought. It was unthinkable for him to die in the hand of a king he had come to despise. He would rather die in his own hand, so he committed suicide. Wounded pride has a way of making us hurt more than we can bear. Be careful not to allow pride to dictate and hurt us and determine how we should conduct our lives. No one is exempted from life’s disappointments. It will come at some point in life. How we handle it will determine how we will progress. Trust God and He will direct our path.  

David wrote Psalms 42 and 43 with the backdrop of the circumstances that he was facing now. The gist of the Psalms shows us that though David was in very trying circumstances, yet he placed his hope in God. In so doing, his mood progressed from one of dejection to one of confident trust in God. He ended with a note of triumph because his life and hope rested in God. This should encourage us to lean on God and know that He is our ever trustworthy and reliable help. Herein lies the difference between David and Ahithophel. One put his confidence in God and the other in himself. Like David, we have the choice of putting our hope in God no matter how adverse our situation in life may appear. Do what David did when he was discouraged by his crisis. He would say to his soul, “Why so cast down O my soul, put your hope in God.” We can also do and say the same to our soul when we are overwhelmed.  

2 Samuel 17:15-20 – Be selective who your friends are

Hushai wasted no time to make his way to the temple to convey both his, as well as Ahithophel’s counsels to Zadok and Abiathar, the high priests. They were supposed to then transmit what they had received from Hushai to David through their sons, Ahimaaz and Jonathan, who were waiting at En-rogel in the Kidron Valley. Their sons waited there and not in the city to avoid arousing any suspicion. Meanwhile, David was waiting at the fords of the wilderness, the place appointed for their rendezvous. The message to David ended with “Do not spend the night at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means, cross over, or else the king and all the people who are with him will be destroyed.” He was not certain that Absalom would take his advice over that of Ahithophel and so he had to act quickly.

The account was made more exciting by what happened in the interim. Hushai’s message was conveyed to the sons of the priests waiting at En-rogel through a maidservant. But they were spotted by a lad who reported them to Absalom. Ahimaaz and Jonathan then quickly made their way to Bahurim to the house of an unnamed man. In the courtyard of his house was a well which they used to hide from Absalom’s servants. A woman, probably the unnamed man’s wife had the presence of mind to conceal the mouth of the well. She smartly threw a covering to spread over it. To camouflage it further, she scattered grains over the covering so that the men sent by Absalom would not know that there was a well there. If not, they would surely have climbed down to look for the messengers in the well. When questioned about the two messengers, that woman sent pursuers on a wild goose chase by saying that they have crossed the brook of water. Since the messenger could not be found, the Absalom’s men then returned to the city.

In life, we need faithful friends and crisis in life helps us to identify them. Many people are fair-weather friends. They run with us when we are up and nowhere to be found when we are down. In David’s life, he had few faithful friends. They were those that were there when his chips were down. Here he was running away from his own son and to be found taking his side would put them at risk of his son’s displeasure. Yet we see in this passage people like the chief priests Zadok and Abiathar, their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan, respectively. What about Hushai, as well as the unknown man who allowed the messengers of David to hide in the well in his house. Then there was his wife who had the presence of mind to drape the well with a covering and scattered grain to camouflage it. These people put their lives on the line for David. What faithful friends! Times of adversity helps us to identify true friends. You know who they are almost immediately. They are not people who will use your misfortune as a springboard to their own future. They will stick with you through the thick and thin of life. So select friends carefully. Notice a friend and a fiend (monster) is differentiated by the letter “r”. Yes, a true friend sticks closer than a brother.

2 Samuel 17:11-14 – No one can foil God’s plan for us

Seeing that Absalom and the elders concurred with his reasoning that Ahithophel’s strategy was not as good as it seemed, Hushai then proceeded to share his own approach. He was stalling time for David. The plan he suggested would require a huge amount of time to gather men from all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba. Furthermore, to muster such a huge force as numerous as the grains of sands on the seashore was no small feat. Using hyperbolic language. Hushai was painting a scenario, where the people with Absalom would be so large it would be impossible to count. The number he proposed was much more than Ahithophel’s suggestion of 12,000 men. Furthermore, in Hushai’s proposal, Absalom should lead the pack himself. He was stirring up the strong masculine mentality and pride he suspected the latter might have.  

His proposal further suggested that with such a huge force, they would be able to cover the land more extensively. And there would be nowhere that David could hide where such a great amount of people would not be able to ferret him out. And besides, with that amount of men, they could also fall upon David like the dews that fall on the ground early in the morning. Hushai was painting for Absalom a picture that with the number of men they would be an irresistible force. They would be like dews in the morning that left no ground uncovered with its droplets. And like dews, they could also fall upon David and his men quietly and effortlessly, without their awareness. Hushai made it seemed so easy to cover the whole ground and annihilate David and his men totally till no one would be left to resist the throne anymore.

He further added that should David and his men try to seek refuge in any city Absalom and his men could even scale the city wall with the rope that would bring with them. They could virtually dismantle any city leaving no stone unturned. With such a seemingly foolproof and impervious plan, the elders with Absalom together concluded than Hushai’s strategy was much better than Ahithophel’s. Of course, it would certainly be, for verse 14 left us with no doubt that “the Lord had ordained to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel so that the Lord might bring calamity on Absalom.”

Proverbs 16:9 says, “the mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his path.” God's unseen hand was moving providentially to protect David and bring a swift end to the evil counsel of Ahithophel and the unsuspecting rebelling son of David. The last verse underscores for us how needful it is to be in God’s plan. When we are living in the center of God’s plan, nothing can thwart it. He will engineer the circumstances in such a way that the plan he had for our life will come to pass.  This brings us to what God said in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” God’s plan for us can never be thwarted. When we stay connected with Him, He will deal with the obstacles that may come in the way to prevent His plan for us from coming true. What a marvelous God!    

2 Samuel 17:5-10 – Speaking truthfully but wisely

We have established that Hushai the Archite was God’s answer to David’s prayer. On hearing that Ahithophel had joined Absalom, David prayed a quick and urgent prayer asking God to thwart any ill advice that this evil counselor would give to his son. It was amazing how God, in answer to his prayer, sent Hushai so immediately to him. The simple prayer of David tells us that prayers need not be well-structured and grammatically correct before God would hear and answer. All things being equal, the best prayers to God are those offered in faith and trust in Him, uttered in simplicity and sincerity of the heart.

In these verses, we see the hand of God moved in answer to David’s prayer. No hint was given as to why Absalom would seek Hushai’s advice. But he did and we know God had to do with why Hushai was summoned. So Absalom sought his opinion on Ahithophel’s counsel. This then gave Hushai the opportunity to counter and thwart what Absalom had heard from Ahithophel and to stall time for David. Notice how he wisely presented his advice. He prefaced what he said with the nuance that Ahithophel was right most times but not this time. Without maligning Ahithophel, Hushai cleverly insinuated that the former was misguided this time.

While Ahithophel looked at David’s present condition, Hushai cleverly highlighted David’s past. Firstly, he brought up the fact that he and his men were seasoned, experienced, and fierce mighty men of war. Skilfully, He sought to kindle Absalom’s memory of  David’s past successes with his enemy. Secondly, he conjured the picture that like a bear whose cub was taken from it, David and his men would be even more aggressive now than at other times. Thirdly, he also painted the picture that being a seasoned man of war, David was elusive and hard to apprehend. It would be hard to guess where he would be at any given time. He could be hiding in one cave or another, leading Ahithophel and the 12,000 pursuing men on a wild goose chase. If they were caught on the wrong footing and were defeated, the news of their slaughter would cause even the bravest men to lose heart. Then he reiterated that David his father was a mighty man and with him were valiant men. Hushai’s counsel resonated better with Absalom than Ahithophel’s.

Hushai was persuasive. What he said were not untruths. He merely presented the past scenario of David’s life as well as situations that created uncertainty in the sound advice given by Ahithophel. People are usually more susceptible to be swayed by sound and logical presentation. As people of God, we must learn to set forth the truth in such a way that will arouse godly fear and desire to act rightly for God. Be sure to speak truthfully but wisely. 

2 Samuel 17:1-4 – The detrimental effect of bitterness

From all the counsels of Ahithophel, his intense hatred for David was palpable. He first counseled Absalom to violate his father’s concubines openly, and thus publicly shamed David to solidify his claims on the throne. He then went on to incite Absalom to allow him to lead 12,000 men to pursue David. He wanted to kill the ousted king personally. Ahithophel’s plan was strategic. He imagined David would be wearied and tired after a hurried flight out of Jerusalem and would be needing rest at some point. Calculating that if he and the 12,000 men began the pursue immediately, they would be able to overtake David and he would strike him alone. He only wanted David’s life. He surmised that with David dead, a panic among his followers would ensue. His ultimate plan was to lead David’s followers back to serve Absalom. His plan resonated with the upstart son as well as the elders of Israel and they were pleased.  

Didn’t Ahithophel once serve David? What led him to this point of intense hatred and bitterness toward the king he once served? Remember he was the grandfather of Bathsheba with whom David committed adultery in secret, and then schemed and had Uriah, his grandson-in-law cruelly murdered. As the grandfather, he probably knew all the inside stories. For compromising Bathsheba and killing Uriah, his anger with David was warranted. However, to let his anger degenerate into bitterness and intense hatred for the deposed king was an indulgence he could ill afford to nurture. It would not be wrong to say that he was looking forward to the day when he could take the king down himself. His opportunity seemed to have arrived, so how could he not seize it?

Here is one learning point from this account for us: be quick to deal with anger and bitterness. When not properly handled, anger and bitterness can degenerate into intense hatred and give rise to a murderous spirit within us. If we refuse to let go of the hurt in our life, bitterness will soon follow. Bitterness, when not released from our hearts, will eventually bring about an intense hatred and a vengeful vicious spirit. This makes the warning of Hebrews 12:15 needful and necessary. The verse says, “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it, many are defiled.” 

What steps then can one take to ensure one does not meander down that path? Hebrews 12:12-13 have this to offer, “Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.” To strengthen the weak hands and feeble knees is a call to fervent prayer. Making straight the paths is a call to walk aright resolutely. Prayers will give the impetus for us to walk aright resolutely. As we do, we will find our walk and relationship with God and fellow men aligned. And in the process, any fractured relationship can be healed and restored. Let’s not allow bitterness to take root in our life. Our health, both our spiritual and physical health, demands it.