INTRODUCTION TO
2 Samuel
CIRCUMSTANCES OF WRITING
Early tradition suggests 1 and 2 Samuel were originally one book. Some scholars believe Samuel was largely responsible for the material up to 1 Samuel 25, and that the prophets Nathan and Gad gave significant input to the rest (based on 1Ch 29:29). This proposal, however, must remain speculative because the books name no authors. First Samuel 27:6 suggests the book was not completed until perhaps a few generations after the division of the kingdom around 930 BC.
After Israel’s conquest of the land during the days of Joshua, Israel entered a time of apostasy. The book of Judges describes recurrences of a cycle with predictable phases. First, the people sinned against the Lord and fell into idolatry. Second, the Lord raised up an adversary to afflict them and turn them back to him. Third, the people cried out to the Lord in repentance. Fourth, the Lord brought deliverance for them through a judge whom he raised up. The book of Judges’ famous verse, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever seemed right to him” (Jdg 21:25), aptly describes the period. The book of 1 Samuel picks up the historical record toward the end of those stormy days.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE BIBLE
The books of 1 and 2 Samuel describe Israel’s transition from a loosely organized tribal league under God (a theocracy) to centralized leadership under a king who answered to God (a monarchy). Samuel’s life and ministry greatly shaped this period of restructuring as he consistently pointed people back to God.
Saul’s rule highlighted the dangers to which the Israelites fell victim as they clamored for a king to lead them. Samuel’s warnings fell on deaf ears (1Sm 8:10-20) because God’s people were intent on becoming like the nations around them. In the end, they got exactly what they asked for, but they paid a terrible price. Saul’s life stands as a warning to trust God’s timing for life’s provisions.
David’s rule testified to the amazing works the Lord could and would do through a life yielded to him. Israel’s second king seemed quite aware of God’s blessing on his life and displayed a tender heart toward the things of God (2Sm 5:12; 7:1-2; 22:1-51; 23:1-7). Later generations would receive blessing because of David’s life (Is 37:35). God’s special covenant with David (2Sm 7:1-29) found its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, the son of David (Lk 1:32-33). The consequences of David’s sin with Bathsheba, however, stand as a warning to all who experience sin’s attraction. God holds his children accountable for their actions, and even forgiven sin can have terrible consequences.
STRUCTURE
Second Samuel 1–4 describes the struggle for Israel’s throne that began with Saul’s death. David was anointed king by the men of Judah (2Sm 2:4), but Abner anointed Ish-bosheth, Saul’s oldest surviving son, as king over Israel (2Sm 2:8-9). A two-year civil war resulted in Ish-bosheth’s death and in David’s becoming king over all Israel.
Second Samuel 5–24 presents highlights of David’s reign. God established a special covenant with David, promising to establish the throne of his kingdom forever (2Sm 7:1-29). David’s sin with Bathsheba, however, brought disastrous consequences to his reign and became a turning point in 2 Samuel. In the end, David’s repentance confirmed his designation as a man after God’s heart, but his sin showed that even the king is not above breaking God’s laws.
SPURGEON ON 2 SAMUEL
Although David knew that he was anointed to be king over Israel, yet he would not take a step toward his rightful position without first asking guidance from God. Moreover, he was not content with a general direction but wanted to have a particular and special indication as to where he was to go. It was not enough for God to say to him, “Go”—he wants to know precisely to which town of Judah he should go. Nor was this an exception to David’s usual habit. From his youth up, he had been accustomed to ask the Lord’s direction in all cases of difficulty. And he never seemed to be satisfied unless he could hear the sound of his Master’s feet close behind him or see a clear indication that his Master was just in front of him or walking by his side.
RESPONSES TO SAUL’S DEATH
1After the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and stayed at Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man with torn clothes and dust on his head came from Saul’s camp. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. 3 David asked him, “Where have you come from? ”
He replied to him, “I’ve escaped from the Israelite camp.”
4 “What was the outcome? Tell me,” David asked him.
“The troops fled from the battle,” he answered. “Many of the troops have fallen and are dead. Also, Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.”
5 David asked the young man who had brought him the report, “How do you know Saul and his son Jonathan are dead? ”
6 “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” he replied, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear. At that very moment the chariots and the cavalry were closing in on him. 7 When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, so I answered: I’m at your service. 8 He asked me, ‘Who are you? ’ I told him: I’m an Amalekite. 9 Then he begged me, ‘Stand over me and kill me, for I’m mortally wounded, A but my life still lingers.’ 10 So I stood over him and killed him because I knew that after he had fallen he couldn’t survive. I took the crown that was on his head and the armband that was on his arm, and I’ve brought them here to my lord.”
11 Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and all the men with him did the same. 12 They mourned, wept, and fasted until the evening for those who died by the sword — for Saul, his son Jonathan, the LORD’s people, and the house of Israel.
13 David inquired of the young man who had brought him the report, “Where are you from? ”
“I’m the son of a resident alien,” he said. “I’m an Amalekite.”
14 David questioned him, “How is it that you were not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed? ” 15 Then David summoned one of his servants and said, “Come here and kill him! ” The servant struck him, and he died. 16 For David had said to the Amalekite, “Your blood is on your own head because your own mouth testified against you by saying, ‘I killed the LORD’s anointed.’ ”
17 David sang the following lament for Saul and his son Jonathan, 18 and he ordered that the Judahites be taught The Song of the Bow. It is written in the Book of Jashar: B
19The splendor of Israel lies slain on your heights.
How the mighty have fallen!
20Do not tell it in Gath,
don’t announce it in the marketplaces of Ashkelon,
or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
and the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate.
21Mountains of Gilboa,
let no dew or rain be on you,
or fields of offerings, C
for there the shield of the mighty was defiled —
the shield of Saul, no longer anointed with oil.
22Jonathan’s bow never retreated,
Saul’s sword never returned unstained, D
from the blood of the slain,
from the flesh E of the mighty.
23Saul and Jonathan,
loved and delightful,
they were not parted in life or in death.
They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
24Daughters of Israel, weep for Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet, with luxurious things,
who decked your garments with gold ornaments.
25How the mighty have fallen in the thick of battle!
Jonathan lies slain on your heights.
26I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother.
You were such a friend to me.
Your love for me was more wondrous
than the love of women.
27How the mighty have fallen
and the weapons of war have perished!
1:26 “I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were such a friend to me. Your love for me was more wondrous than the love of women.” David was a poet, and when he found that his beloved friend had fallen by the arrows of the Philistines, he wept greatly and then cheered his heart by writing the lament that in later years was called, “The Song of the Bow” (1:18). Even if David’s lamentation is judged according to the canons of literary taste, it must be placed among the best of poetic compositions. Thus David tried to keep his friend’s memory alive; the song was meant to be a memorial to him. Such friends as Jonathan are not common, and we must not forget them. We like to think of the happy days of communion we have had together, and we will not allow the cherished name to be blotted out from our memory. Jonathan loved David out of great admiration of him. When he saw him come back with the head of Goliath in his hand, he loved him as a soldier loves a soldier, as a brave man loves another brave man. Though Jonathan was the king’s son, and heir apparent to the throne, we find that he “removed the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his military tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt” (1Sm 18:4). He felt that such a hero, who could so trust his God, and so expose his life, and come off so victorious, deserved his utmost love. When we read a story like that of Jonathan and David, should it not stir up in us the desire not so much to have such a friend as to be such a friend as Jonathan was to David? Anyone can selfishly desire to have a Jonathan, but he is on the right track who desires to find a David to whom he can be a Jonathan. There is great joy in life with real friendship on both sides. Some people expect friendship to be always heaping its treasures on them, but true friendship has two hands, two feet, and two eyes. We cannot have a real friendship that is all for taking and never for giving. David loved Jonathan as Jonathan loved David. May that blessed Spirit of God, who teaches us to love even our enemies, help us cultivate sanctified friendships and be willing to help those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ in time of need.
DAVID, KING OF JUDAH
2Some time later, David inquired of the LORD: “Should I go to one of the towns of Judah? ”
The LORD answered him, “Go.”
Then David asked, “Where should I go? ”
“To Hebron,” the LORD replied.
2 So David went there with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite. 3 In addition, David brought the men who were with him, each one with his family, and they settled in the towns near Hebron. 4 Then the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. They told David: “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”
5 David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “The LORD bless you, because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him. 6 Now, may the LORD show kindness and faithfulness to you, and I will also show the same goodness to you because you have done this deed. 7 Therefore, be strong A and valiant, for though Saul your lord is dead, the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.”
8 Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, took Saul’s son Ish-bosheth B,C and moved him to Mahanaim. 9 He made him king over Gilead, Asher, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin — over all Israel. 10 Saul’s son Ish-bosheth was forty years old when he became king over Israel; he reigned for two years. The house of Judah, however, followed David. 11 The length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
12 Abner son of Ner and soldiers of Ish-bosheth son of Saul marched out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. 13 So Joab son of Zeruiah and David’s soldiers marched out and met them by the pool of Gibeon. The two groups took up positions on opposite sides of the pool.
14 Then Abner said to Joab, “Let’s have the young men get up and compete in front of us.”
“Let them get up,” Joab replied.
15 So they got up and were counted off — twelve for Benjamin and Ish-bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from David’s soldiers. 16 Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his sword into his opponent’s side so that they all died together. So this place, which is in Gibeon, is named Field of Blades. D
17 The battle that day was extremely fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David’s soldiers. 18 The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was a fast runner, like one of the wild gazelles. 19 He chased Abner and did not turn to the right or the left in his pursuit of him. 20 Abner glanced back and said, “Is that you, Asahel? ”
“Yes it is,” Asahel replied.
21 Abner said to him, “Turn to your right or left, seize one of the young soldiers, and take whatever you can get from him.” But Asahel would not stop chasing him. 22 Once again, Abner warned Asahel, “Stop chasing me. Why should I strike you to the ground? How could I ever look your brother Joab in the face? ”
23 But Asahel refused to turn away, so Abner hit him in the stomach with the butt of his spear. The spear went through his body, and he fell and died right there. As they all came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, they stopped, 24 but Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah, which is opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.
25 The Benjaminites rallied to Abner; they formed a unit and took their stand on top of a hill. 26 Then Abner called out to Joab: “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize this will only end in bitterness? How long before you tell the troops to stop pursuing their brothers? ”
27 “As God lives,” Joab replied, “if you had not spoken up, the troops wouldn’t have stopped pursuing their brothers until morning.” 28 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and all the troops stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or continued to fight. 29 So Abner and his men marched through the Arabah all that night. They crossed the Jordan, marched all morning, E and arrived at Mahanaim.
30 When Joab had turned back from pursuing Abner, he gathered all the troops. In addition to Asahel, nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing, 31 but they had killed 360 of the Benjaminites and Abner’s men. 32 Afterward, they carried Asahel to his father’s tomb in Bethlehem and buried him. Then Joab and his men marched all night and reached Hebron at dawn.
2:1 “Some time later, David inquired of the LORD: ‘Should I go to one of the towns of Judah?’” Although David knew that he was anointed to be king over Israel, yet he would not take a step toward his rightful position without first asking guidance from God. Moreover, he was not content with a general direction but wanted to have a particular and special indication as to where he was to go. It was not enough for God to say to him, “Go”—he wants to know precisely to which town of Judah he should go. Nor was this an exception to David’s usual habit. From his youth up, he had been accustomed to ask the Lord’s direction in all cases of difficulty. When he fled from Saul and went to Nod to Abimelech the priest, Doeg told Saul that Abimelech enquired of the Lord for David. It was not enough for David that he had Goliath’s sword; he must also have guidance from God. When he was in the town of Keilah, which he had rescued from the Philistines, after he had twice enquired of the Lord whether he should do so, he asked whether the men of Keilah would deliver him up to Saul; and, as a result of the response which he obtained from God, he was able to make good his escape. Afterwards, when David had become king over Israel in Hebron, before he fought with the Philistines, he enquired of the Lord, “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?” (2Sm 5:19). The Lord’s answer was favorable, and David gained a great victory. But when the Philistines came up again, David did not go out to fight with them until he had once more enquired of the Lord, and then it was that God gave him that memorable answer, “When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act decisively, for then the LORD will have gone out ahead of you to strike down the army of the Philistines” (2Sm 5:24). David was a man who always needed to see God’s finger pointing out the right road, to hear God’s voice, saying, “This is the way, walk in it.” And he never seemed to be satisfied unless he could hear the sound of his Master’s feet close behind him or see a clear indication that his Master was just in front of him or walking by his side.
CIVIL WAR
3During the long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, David was growing stronger and the house of Saul was becoming weaker.
2 Sons were born to David in Hebron:
His firstborn was Amnon,
3his second was Chileab,
by Abigail, the widow of Nabal the Carmelite;
the third was Absalom,
son of Maacah the daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;
4the fourth was Adonijah,
son of Haggith;
the fifth was Shephatiah,
son of Abital;
5the sixth was Ithream,
by David’s wife Eglah.
These were born to David in Hebron.
6 During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner kept acquiring more power in the house of Saul. 7 Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah, and Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine? ”
8 Abner was very angry about Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I a dog’s head A who belongs to Judah? ” he asked. “All this time I’ve been loyal to the family of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends and haven’t betrayed you to David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman! 9 May God punish Abner and do so severely if I don’t do for David what the LORD swore to him: 10 to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah from Dan to Beer-sheba.” 11 Ish-bosheth did not dare respond to Abner because he was afraid of him.
12 Abner sent messengers as his representatives to say to David, “Whose land is it? Make your covenant with me, and you can be certain I am on your side to turn all Israel over to you.”
13 David replied, “Good, I will make a covenant with you. However, there’s one thing I require of you: You will not see my face unless you first bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see me.”
14 Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, “Give me back my wife, Michal. I was engaged to her for the price of a hundred Philistine foreskins.”
15 So Ish-bosheth sent someone to take her away from her husband, Paltiel son of Laish. 16 Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he went back.
THE ASSASSINATION OF ABNER
17 Abner conferred with the elders of Israel: “In the past you wanted David to be king over you. 18 Now take action, because the LORD has spoken concerning David: ‘Through my servant David I will save my people Israel from the power of the Philistines and the power of all Israel’s enemies.’ ”
ILLUSTRATION 3:17-18
The knock at the door by the Lord’s pierced hand has been kept up year after year, almost incessantly, and even in the night watches they have been startled with it. He whose head is wet with dew and his locks with the drops of the night has stood there these many weary months knocking, knocking, knocking. In boundless patience of love, he still lingers and again lifts that scarred hand to knock again in tender earnestness. They have been almost persuaded to rise from their couch to admit him to their hearts, but as yet they have not done so.
19 Abner also informed the Benjaminites and went to Hebron to inform David about all that was agreed on by Israel and the whole house of Benjamin. 20 When Abner and twenty men came to David at Hebron, David held a banquet for him and his men.
21 Abner said to David, “Let me now go and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king. They will make a covenant with you, and you will reign over all you desire.” So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.
22 Just then David’s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid and brought a large amount of plundered goods with them. Abner was not with David in Hebron because David had dismissed him, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and his whole army arrived, Joab was informed, “Abner son of Ner came to see the king, the king dismissed him, and he went in peace.”
24 Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look here, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him? Now he’s getting away. 25 You know that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to find out about your military activities A and everything you’re doing.” 26 Then Joab left David and sent messengers after Abner. They brought him back from the well B of Sirah, but David was unaware of it. 27 When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside to the middle of the city gate, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died in revenge for the death of Asahel, C Joab’s brother.
28 David heard about it later and said: “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. 29 May it hang over Joab’s head and his father’s whole family, and may the house of Joab never be without someone who has a discharge or a skin disease, or a man who can only work a spindle, D or someone who falls by the sword or starves.” 30 Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner because he had put their brother Asahel to death in the battle at Gibeon.
31 David then ordered Joab and all the people who were with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner.” And King David walked behind the coffin. E
32 When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept, 33 and the king sang a lament for Abner:
Should Abner die as a fool dies?
34Your hands were not bound,
your feet not placed in bronze shackles.
You fell like one who falls victim to criminals.
And all the people wept over him even more.
35 Then they came to urge David to eat food while it was still day, but David took an oath: “May God punish me and do so severely if I taste bread or anything else before sunset! ” 36 All the people took note of this, and it pleased them. In fact, everything the king did pleased them. 37 On that day all the troops and all Israel were convinced that the king had no part in the killing of Abner son of Ner.
38 Then the king said to his soldiers, “You must know that a great leader has fallen in Israel today. 39 As for me, even though I am the anointed king, I have little power today. These men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil! ”
3:17-18 “Now take action” (v. 18). God had cast off Saul because he had not been faithful, and he had appointed David to be his successor, anointing him by the hand of Samuel. Yet when Saul was slain in battle, Israel seemed determined to choose her own king by selecting one of Saul’s family; and under the leadership of Abner, the majority of the tribes set up Ishbosheth, son of Jonathan, to be king. Then commenced a civil war between those tribes on the one hand and Judah, led by David, in which David was increasingly successful. In time Abner became angry at Ishbosheth and resolved that David should become king over the whole land. So he began to persuade the tribes to cease their rebellion and to give up the king of their own choosing and offer the crown to the king whom God had appointed, even David. They had once “loved David because he was leading their troops” (1Sm 18:16). Now they needed to act on their initial impulse. Some people are in that situation regarding Christ. They may have sought for David to be king over them in times past, but they have not crowned him yet. They must stop thinking, questioning, hesitating, halting, and do one thing or the other. If God is God, serve him. If Baal or the devil is God, serve him. We cannot sit down forever in the absurd condition of believing a thing to be right and yet neglecting it—of feeling ourselves to be in danger and not seeking to escape by the way we admit to be safe and fitting. David would not be king over Israel unless Israel was willing that he should be king. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, should rule and reign over our entire nature as our heart’s supreme Lord.
A 3:25 Lit your going out and your coming in
C 3:27 Lit And he died for the blood of Asahel
THE ASSASSINATION OF ISH-BOSHETH
4When Saul’s son Ish-bosheth heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he gave up, F and all Israel was dismayed. 2 Saul’s son had two men who were leaders of raiding parties: one named Baanah and the other Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite of the Benjaminites. Beeroth is also considered part of Benjamin, 3 and the Beerothites fled to Gittaim and still reside there as aliens today.
4 Saul’s son Jonathan had a son whose feet were crippled. He was five years old when the report about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nanny A picked him up and fled, but as she was hurrying to flee, he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.
5 Rechab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out and arrived at Ish-bosheth’s house during the heat of the day while the king was taking his midday nap. 6 They entered the interior of the house as if to get wheat and stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped. 7 They had entered the house while Ish-bosheth was lying on his bed in his bedroom and stabbed and killed him. They removed his head, took it, and traveled by way of the Arabah all night. 8 They brought Ish-bosheth’s head to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here’s the head of Ish-bosheth son of Saul, your enemy who intended to take your life. Today the LORD has granted vengeance to my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”
9 But David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As the LORD lives, the one who has redeemed my life from every distress, 10 when the person told me, ‘Look, Saul is dead,’ he thought he was a bearer of good news, but I seized him and put him to death at Ziklag. That was my reward to him for his news! 11 How much more when wicked men kill a righteous man in his own house on his own bed! So now, should I not require his blood from you and purge you from the earth? ”
12 So David gave orders to the young men, and they killed Rechab and Baanah. They cut off their hands and feet and hung their bodies by the pool in Hebron, but they took Ish-bosheth’s head and buried it in Abner’s tomb in Hebron.
DAVID, KING OF ISRAEL
5All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood. B 2 Even while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led us out to battle and brought us back. The LORD also said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will be ruler over Israel.’ ”
3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. King David made a covenant with them at Hebron in the LORD’s presence, and they anointed David king over Israel.
4 David was thirty years old when he began his reign; he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
6 The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites who inhabited the land. The Jebusites had said to David: “You will never get in here. Even the blind and lame can repel you” thinking, “David can’t get in here.”
7 Yet David did capture the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. 8 He said that day, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites must go through the water shaft to reach the lame and the blind who are despised by David.” C For this reason it is said, “The blind and the lame will never enter the house.” D
9 David took up residence in the stronghold, which he named the city of David. He built it up all the way around from the supporting terraces inward. 10 David became more and more powerful, and the LORD God of Armies was with him. 11 King Hiram of Tyre sent envoys to David; he also sent cedar logs, carpenters, and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. 12 Then David knew that the LORD had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.
13 After he arrived from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives from Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. 14 These are the names of those born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 15 Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, 16 Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they all went in search of David, but he heard about it and went down to the stronghold. 18 So the Philistines came and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim.
19 Then David inquired of the LORD: “Should I attack the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me? ”
The LORD replied to David, “Attack, for I will certainly hand the Philistines over to you.”
20 So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated them there and said, “Like a bursting flood, the LORD has burst out against my enemies before me.” Therefore, he named that place The Lord Bursts Out. A 21 The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.
22 The Philistines came up again and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim. 23 So David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, “Do not attack directly, but circle around behind them and come at them opposite the balsam trees. 24 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, act decisively, for then the LORD will have gone out ahead of you to strike down the army of the Philistines.” 25 So David did exactly as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Geba to Gezer.
QUOTE 5:23-25
What we have to do, today, we may not have to do tomorrow. And what we did yesterday may have been right enough for yesterday, but it may be as wrong as possible for today. We should not be satisfied with the direction and support we have received but go to God again and again.
5:23-25 “David did exactly as the LORD commanded him” (v. 25). David had won one great victory over the Philistines, but he was not permitted to sit down and congratulate himself for his triumph. The Philistines were at him again. Those Philistines took a great deal of beating, but the powers of evil are not content anywhere with being defeated once or twice. They are up and at us again, challenging us again, hoping to overthrow us sooner or later. And again and again we must be ready to resist them. There must be war even after victory, and we must stand prepared for it. But before David went to war, in each case he waited on God: “David inquired of the LORD” (5:19,23). Whenever we have any enterprise on hand, we are wise to wait on God for direction and for help. David had received divine guidance before, but counsel in one dilemma is not guidance for another. Though David had been led by God the first time to fight the Philistines, he did not consider the direction given then would apply again, so he went a second time. The answers David received on these two occasions were different. The first time the Lord said, “Attack.” The second time he said, “Do not attack.” Had David been content with his former waiting on God, he would have made a great mistake. What we have to do, today, we may not have to do tomorrow. And what we did yesterday may have been right enough for yesterday, but it may be as wrong as possible for today. We should not be satisfied with the direction and support we have received but go to God again and again. If we go to him daily for manna, we may well go to him daily for counsel. David did this and he acted wisely.
DAVID MOVES THE ARK
6David again assembled all the fit young men in Israel: thirty thousand. 2 He and all his troops set out to bring the ark of God from Baale-judah. B The ark bears the Name, the name of the LORD of Armies who is enthroned between the cherubim. 3 They set the ark of God on a new cart and transported it from Abinadab’s house, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, A sons of Abinadab, were guiding the cart 4 and brought it with the ark of God from Abinadab’s house on the hill. Ahio walked in front of the ark. 5 David and the whole house of Israel were dancing before the LORD with all kinds of fir wood instruments, B lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums, C and cymbals.
6 When they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it because the oxen had stumbled. 7 Then the LORD’s anger burned against Uzzah, and God struck him dead on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there next to the ark of God. 8 David was angry because of the LORD’s outburst against Uzzah, so he named that place Outburst Against Uzzah, D as it is today. 9 David feared the LORD that day and said, “How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me? ” 10 So he was not willing to bring the ark of the LORD to the city of David; instead, he diverted it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath. 11 The ark of the LORD remained in his house three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and his whole family.
12 It was reported to King David: “The LORD has blessed Obed-edom’s family and all that belongs to him because of the ark of God.” So David went and had the ark of God brought up from Obed-edom’s house to the city of David with rejoicing. 13 When those carrying the ark of the LORD advanced six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. 14 David was dancing E with all his might before the LORD wearing a linen ephod. 15 He and the whole house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of the ram’s horn. 16 As the ark of the LORD was entering the city of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart.
17 They brought the ark of the LORD and set it in its place inside the tent David had pitched for it. Then David offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in the LORD’s presence. 18 When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of Armies. 19 Then he distributed a loaf of bread, a date cake, and a raisin cake to each one in the entire Israelite community, both men and women. Then all the people went home.
20 When David returned home to bless his household, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel honored himself today! ” she said. “He exposed himself today in the sight of the slave girls of his subjects like a vulgar person would expose himself.”
QUOTE 6:20-22
The worst side of the world will be turned toward us when we have been nearest to the eternal throne.
21 David replied to Michal, “It was before the LORD who chose me over your father and his whole family to appoint me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel. I will dance before the LORD, 22 and I will dishonor myself and humble myself even more. A,B However, by the slave girls you spoke about, I will be honored.” 23 And Saul’s daughter Michal had no child to the day of her death.
6:20-22 “How the king of Israel honored himself today!” (v. 20). David had been soaring up on eagle’s wings. Perhaps never before in his life had he so enjoyed the public worship of God. He had forgotten everything in the delight of bringing the ark of the Lord home to his own city where he had prepared a tabernacle for its resting place. He had thrown himself into the pleasurable service of the Lord that day. Nor had he been alone in joyful adoration; all the people had been unanimously with him in honoring the Lord, the God of their fathers. It had been such a day as the nation had not enjoyed in all its history. The king came home to bless his household, wishing that all his family might share in his joy. Exactly at that moment his wife, Michal, Saul’s daughter, who had felt disgusted at seeing her husband dressed like a common Levite and leading the way in the midst of the common people, came out to meet him, full of furious scorn. Her language to him must have acted as if someone had thrown a pail of cold water into his face. With sarcastic words, villainously exaggerating what he had done and imputing to him what he had never done, she scolded the man she had scorned. It may sound like a paradox, but experience proves that we never seem to be so near meeting the devil as when we have just met our God. Whenever we enjoy a season of peculiarly close communion with God and are full of high joy, we should be on our guard. The worst side of the world will be turned toward us when we have been nearest to the eternal throne. Probably Michal had never spoken so to David. But then David had never danced before the ark of the Lord. Here stood the man of God confronted by one whose feelings were the opposite of his own. Like an iceberg she crossed the path of this great vessel and chilled it like an Arctic winter. This led David to reaffirm and yet more plainly state his faith in God. He was not dancing “in the sight of the slave girls” but “before the LORD.” And David said, “I will dance before the LORD, and I will dishonor myself and humble myself even more” (6:20-22). So long as he knew that his heart was right before God and that his worship was accepted by God, he would let others commend or censure at their own sweet wills.
B 6:2 = Kiriath-jearim in 1Sm 7:1; 1Ch 13:6; 2Ch 1:4
B 6:5 DSS, LXX read with tuned instruments with strength, with songs ; 1Ch 13:8
C 6:5 = an Egyptian percussion instrument
D 6:8 Or Perez-uzzah ; 2Sm 5:20
THE LORD’S COVENANT WITH DAVID
7When the king had settled into his palace and the LORD had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, 2 the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Look, I am living in a cedar house while the ark of God sits inside tent curtains.”
3 So Nathan told the king, “Go and do all that is on your mind, for the LORD is with you.”
4 But that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: 5 “Go to my servant David and say, ‘This is what the LORD says: Are you to build me a house to dwell in? 6 From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today I have not dwelt in a house; instead, I have been moving around with a tent as my dwelling. 7 In all my journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever spoken a word to one of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, asking: Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar? ’
8 “So now this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘This is what the LORD of Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a great name for you like that of the greatest on the earth. 10 I will designate a place for my people Israel and plant them, so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they have done 11 ever since the day I ordered judges to be over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies.
“ ‘The LORD declares to you: The LORD himself will make a house for you. 12 When your time comes and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and blows from mortals. 15 But my faithful love will never leave him as it did when I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and kingdom will endure before me C forever, and your throne will be established forever.’ ”
17 Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.
DAVID’S PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
18 Then King David went in, sat in the LORD’s presence, and said,
Who am I, Lord GOD, and what is my house that you have brought me this far? 19 What you have done so far D was a little thing to you, Lord GOD, for you have also spoken about your servant’s house in the distant future. And this is a revelation A for mankind, Lord GOD. 20 What more can David say to you? You know your servant, Lord GOD. 21 Because of your word and according to your will, you have revealed all these great things to your servant.
22 This is why you are great, Lord GOD. There is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, as all we have heard confirms. 23 And who is like your people Israel? God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to perform for them B great and awesome acts, C driving out nations and their gods before your people you redeemed for yourself from Egypt. 24 You established your people Israel to be your own people forever, and you, LORD, have become their God.
25 Now, LORD God, fulfill the promise forever that you have made to your servant and his house. Do as you have promised, 26 so that your name will be exalted forever, when it is said, “The LORD of Armies is God over Israel.” The house of your servant David will be established before you 27 since you, LORD of Armies, God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant when you said, “I will build a house for you.” Therefore, your servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 Lord GOD, you are God; your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 29 Now, please bless your servant’s house so that it will continue before you forever. For you, Lord GOD, have spoken, and with your blessing your servant’s house will be blessed forever.
7:21 “Because of your word and according to your will.” When God’s revelation was given to David, he seems to have been oppressed with the weight of mercy God had put on him. Two questions arose in his mind. The first was, Why should God speak such “great and precious promises” (2Pt 1:4) concerning such weighty matters, such everlasting blessings? And the other question was, Why should these great promises be spoken to him? “Who am I, Lord GOD?” (7:18). He then proceeded to give an answer to his two questions in this verse: “Because of your word and according to your will [literally, “your heart”], you have revealed all these great things to [or “you have done all this great thing for”] your servant.” The one reason for the great blessings and promises God gave David was found in the heart of God. This thought entered David’s mind: “He is a great God, greatly gracious and full of loving-kindness. This is the reason he has promised all these things to me.” This general principle runs through all the gifts of God to us. But God gave us one such costly gift that he could never give us another equal to it—the great gift of the Lord Jesus Christ. God had but one only begotten and well-beloved Son, yet he gave him to us. Now, if all heaven and earth were put together, and all that God has anywhere in the universe were added thereto, it could not equal in value that first majestic and unspeakable gift. How came the great God ever to think of making such a wondrous present as this to poor worms such as we are? No one could have suggested the thought to him. I can well believe that when the holy angels heard that the Son of God was to be incarnate, and when it was revealed that in human flesh he was to die, even they could scarcely believe such a thing was possible. The thought of Calvary’s sacrifice could never by any possibility have originated in their mind. O God, you did give your Son to us and for us because your heart was your heart, and there is nothing like it even in your heaven of glory! His infinite heart, in inconceivable compassion, suggested to itself the giving up of its greatest treasure, and it gave up for us, poor sinners, the heart of Christ to bleed and die on our behalf. It must be because of the love of the heart of God that this unique gift was given—there could be no other reason for its bestowal.
C 7:16 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read you
A 7:19 Or custom, or instruction
DAVID’S VICTORIES
8After this, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah D from Philistine control. E 2 He also defeated the Moabites, and after making them lie down on the ground, he measured them off with a cord. He measured every two cord lengths of those to be put to death and one full length of those to be kept alive. So the Moabites became David’s subjects and brought tribute.
3 David also defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his control at the Euphrates River. 4 David captured seventeen hundred horsemen A and twenty thousand foot soldiers from him, and he hamstrung all the horses and kept a hundred chariots. B
“I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity,
I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.”
God’s promise to David will apply to every believing soul.
I.WHAT IS MEANT BY “I WILL BE HIS FATHER.”
1.Love of the highest order. Eternal, irreversible.
2.Provision for every present and future want: cleansing, clothing, healing, food, drink, attendance.
3.Protection. From their numerous enemies. This God’s children always need because they always are children.
4.Instruction. We are all by nature ignorant. Our Father will teach us by his Holy Spirit.
5.Correction. Sin needs to be whipped out of us. God’s people shall have it according to his wisdom.
6.An Inheritance is provided.
II.WHAT IS MEANT BY “HE SHALL BE MY SON.”
There are certain tempers which are necessary marks of Sonship, as:
1.Love. Absolutely necessary. All other marks vain.
2.Obedience. A holy life cannot be dispensed with. God will make his children obey him.
3.Trust. Faith in his promises of protection.
4.Teachableness. Sitting at his feet to learn of him.
5.Submission to his correction. Sons have this.
6.Preparation for glory, the business of our lives.
69
5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to assist King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand Aramean men. 6 Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became David’s subjects and brought tribute. The LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
7 David took the gold shields of Hadadezer’s officers and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 King David also took huge quantities of bronze from Betah C and Berothai, Hadadezer’s cities.
9 When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10 he sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and to congratulate him because David had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Toi and Hadadezer had fought many wars. Joram had items of silver, gold, and bronze with him. 11 King David also dedicated these to the LORD, along with the silver and gold he had dedicated from all the nations he had subdued — 12 from Edom, D Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, the Amalekites, and the spoil of Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
13 David made a reputation for himself when he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites E in Salt Valley. F 14 He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. The LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
15 So David reigned over all Israel, administering justice and righteousness for all his people.
16Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army;
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian;
17Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests;
Seraiah was court secretary;
18Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites;
and David’s sons were chief officials. G
D 8:1 Or took control of the mother city ; Hb obscure
E 8:1 LXX reads them, and David took tribute out of the hand of the Philistines
A 8:4 LXX, DSS read 1,000 chariots and 7,000 horsemen
C 8:8 Some LXX mss, Syr read Tebah
D 8:12 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read Aram ; 1Ch 18:11
E 8:13 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read Arameans ; 1Ch 18:12
DAVID’S KINDNESS TO MEPHIBOSHETH
9David asked, “Is there anyone remaining from the family of Saul I can show kindness to for Jonathan’s sake? ” 2 There was a servant of Saul’s family named Ziba. They summoned him to David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba? ”
“I am your servant,” he replied.
3 So the king asked, “Is there anyone left of Saul’s family that I can show the kindness of God to? ”
Ziba said to the king, “There is still Jonathan’s son who was injured in both feet.”
4 The king asked him, “Where is he? ”
Ziba answered the king, “You’ll find him in Lo-debar at the house of Machir son of Ammiel.” 5 So King David had him brought from the house of Machir son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.
6 Mephibosheth son of Jonathan son of Saul came to David, fell facedown, and paid homage. David said, “Mephibosheth! ”
“I am your servant, ” he replied.
7 “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “since I intend to show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all your grandfather Saul’s fields, and you will always eat meals at my table.”
8 Mephibosheth paid homage and said, “What is your servant that you take an interest in a dead dog like me? ”
9 Then the king summoned Saul’s attendant Ziba and said to him, “I have given to your master’s grandson all that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You, your sons, and your servants are to work the ground for him, and you are to bring in the crops so your master’s grandson will have food to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, is always to eat at my table.” Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
11 Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do all my lord the king commands.”
So Mephibosheth ate at David’s A table just like one of the king’s sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. All those living in Ziba’s house were Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 However, Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem because he always ate at the king’s table. His feet had been injured.
WAR WITH THE AMMONITES
10Some time later, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king in his place. 2 Then David said, “I’ll show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.”
So David sent his emissaries to console Hanun concerning his father. However, when they arrived in the land of the Ammonites, 3 the Ammonite leaders said to Hanun their lord, “Just because David has sent men with condolences for you, do you really believe he’s showing respect for your father? Instead, hasn’t David sent his emissaries in order to scout out the city, spy on it, and demolish it? ” 4 So Hanun took David’s emissaries, shaved off half their beards, cut their clothes in half at the hips, and sent them away.
5 When this was reported to David, he sent someone to meet them, since they were deeply humiliated. The king said, “Stay in Jericho until your beards grow back; then return.”
6 When the Ammonites realized they had become repulsive to David, they hired twenty thousand foot soldiers from the Arameans of Beth-rehob and Zobah, one thousand men from the king of Maacah, and twelve thousand men from Tob.
7 David heard about it and sent Joab and all the elite troops. 8 The Ammonites marched out and lined up in battle formation at the entrance to the city gate while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maacah were in the field by themselves. 9 When Joab saw that there was a battle line in front of him and another behind him, he chose some of Israel’s finest young men and lined up in formation to engage the Arameans. 10 He placed the rest of the forces under the command of his brother Abishai. They lined up in formation to engage the Ammonites.
11 “If the Arameans are too strong for me,” Joab said, “then you will be my help. However, if the Ammonites are too strong for you, I’ll come to help you. 12 Be strong! Let’s prove ourselves strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May the LORD’s will be done.” B
13 Joab and his troops advanced to fight against the Arameans, and they fled before him. 14 When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they too fled before Abishai and entered the city. So Joab withdrew from the attack against the Ammonites and went to Jerusalem.
15 When the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they regrouped. 16 Hadadezer sent messengers to bring the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates River, and they came to Helam with Shobach, commander of Hadadezer’s army, leading them.
17 When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, and went to Helam. Then the Arameans lined up to engage David in battle and fought against him. 18 But the Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers. C He also struck down Shobach commander of their army, who died there. 19 When all the kings who were Hadadezer’s subjects saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and became their subjects. After this, the Arameans were afraid to ever help the Ammonites again.
DAVID’S ADULTERY WITH BATHSHEBA
11In the spring when kings march out to war, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah, but David remained in Jerusalem.
QUOTE 11:1
Some temptations come to the industrious, but all temptations attack the idle.
ILLUSTRATION 11:1
Full assurance is a priceless pearl; but if we have a precious jewel and we walk the streets, we ought to be much afraid of pickpockets. When the Christian has full assurance, let him be assured that all the devils in hell will try to rob him of it.
2 One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing — a very beautiful woman. 3 So David sent someone to inquire about her, and he said, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hethite? ” A
4 David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. Now she had just been purifying herself from her uncleanness. Afterward, she returned home. 5 The woman conceived and sent word to inform David: “I am pregnant.”
6 David sent orders to Joab: “Send me Uriah the Hethite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. 7 When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the troops were doing and how the war was going. 8 Then he said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah left the palace, and a gift from the king followed him. 9 But Uriah slept at the door of the palace with all his master’s servants; he did not go down to his house.
10 When it was reported to David, “Uriah didn’t go home,” David questioned Uriah, “Haven’t you just come from a journey? Why didn’t you go home? ”
11 Uriah answered David, “The ark, Israel, and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my master Joab and his soldiers B are camping in the open field. How can I enter my house to eat and drink and sleep with my wife? As surely as you live and by your life, I will not do this! ”
12 “Stay here today also,” David said to Uriah, “and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah stayed in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13 Then David invited Uriah to eat and drink with him, and David got him drunk. He went out in the evening to lie down on his cot with his master’s servants, but he did not go home.
URIAH’S DEATH ARRANGED
14 The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. 15 In the letter he wrote:
Put Uriah at the front of the fiercest fighting, then withdraw from him so that he is struck down and dies.
16 When Joab was besieging the city, he put Uriah in the place where he knew the best enemy soldiers were. 17 Then the men of the city came out and attacked Joab, and some of the men from David’s soldiers fell in battle; Uriah the Hethite also died.
18 Joab sent someone to report to David all the details of the battle. 19 He commanded the messenger, “When you’ve finished telling the king all the details of the battle — 20 if the king’s anger gets stirred up and he asks you, ‘Why did you get so close to the city to fight? Didn’t you realize they would shoot from the top of the wall? 21 At Thebez, who struck Abimelech son of Jerubbesheth? A,B Didn’t a woman drop an upper millstone on him from the top of the wall so that he died? Why did you get so close to the wall? ’ — then say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hethite is dead also.’ ” 22 Then the messenger left.
When he arrived, he reported to David all that Joab had sent him to tell. 23 The messenger reported to David, “The men gained the advantage over us and came out against us in the field, but we counterattacked right up to the entrance of the city gate. 24 However, the archers shot down on your servants from the top of the wall, and some of the king’s servants died. Your servant Uriah the Hethite is also dead.”
25 David told the messenger, “Say this to Joab: ‘Don’t let this matter upset you because the sword devours all alike. Intensify your fight against the city and demolish it.’ Encourage him.”
26 When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband Uriah had died, she mourned for him. C 27 When the time of mourning ended, David had her brought to his house. She became his wife and bore him a son. However, the LORD considered what David had done to be evil.
11:1 “David remained in Jerusalem.” David never refused to go to battle while he was harassed by his adversary Saul. So long as he is hunted like a partridge on the mountains, David’s character is spotless, and his zeal is unrivaled. But now, a stealthier foe is lurking in ambush. While the devil assails us on the right hand and on the left, we will hardly be able to rest on the couch of carnal security. The dog of hell, by barking in our ears, keeps us awake; but when he ceases his howling, our eyelids will grow heavy unless divine grace prevents it. When we are no more driven to our knees by furious assaults from hell, we will have good cause to cry out, “Lord let me not sleep, like the rest, but let me stay awake and be self-controlled!” (see 1Th 5:6). The Christian is apt to say, “Now I am saved, I have no doubt about it; for the crown of my salvation encircles my head.” But the next temptation will be, “Soul, take your ease; the work is done; you have attained; now fold your arms and sit still.” We must be careful when we have no doubts. “Whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall” (1Co 10:12). Thank God for full assurance, but nothing but careful walking can preserve it. This is the temptation of assured believers, to sit down on the throne and say, “I will sit in my glory forever and see no sorrow; I need no longer go to fight the Lord’s battles.” I do not exhort anyone to serve Christ to be saved by it. David was saved. I only speak to those who are saved, and I beg them to take notice of David’s fall—and of the laziness that was at the beginning of it—as a warning to us. Some temptations come to the industrious, but all temptations attack the idle.
NATHAN’S PARABLE AND DAVID’S REPENTANCE
12So the LORD sent Nathan to David. When he arrived, he said to him:
There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very large flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised her, and she grew up with him and with his children. From his meager food she would eat, from his cup she would drink, and in his arms she would sleep. She was like a daughter to him. 4 Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man could not bring himself to take one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for his guest. D
5 David was infuriated with the man and said to Nathan: “As the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die! 6 Because he has done this thing and shown no pity, he must pay four lambs for that lamb.”
7 Nathan replied to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD God of Israel says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from Saul. 8 I gave your master’s house to you and your master’s wives into your arms, E and I gave you the house of Israel and Judah, and if that was not enough, I would have given you even more. 9 Why then have you despised the LORD’s command by doing what I consider F evil? You struck down Uriah the Hethite with the sword and took his wife as your own wife — you murdered him with the Ammonite’s sword. 10 Now therefore, the sword will never leave your house because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hethite to be your own wife.’
11 “This is what the LORD says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you from your own family: I will take your wives and give them to another G before your very eyes, and he will sleep with them in broad daylight. H 12 You acted in secret, but I will do this before all Israel and in broad daylight.’ ” A
13 David responded to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
Then Nathan replied to David, “And the LORD has taken away your sin; you will not die. 14 However, because you treated B the LORD with such contempt in this matter, the son born to you will die.” 15 Then Nathan went home.
THE DEATH OF BATHSHEBA’S SON
The LORD struck the baby that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became deathly ill. 16 David pleaded with God for the boy. He fasted, went home, and spent the night lying on the ground. 17 The elders of his house stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat anything with them.
18 On the seventh day the baby died. But David’s servants were afraid to tell him the baby was dead. They said, “Look, while the baby was alive, we spoke to him, and he wouldn’t listen to us. So how can we tell him the baby is dead? He may do something desperate.”
19 When David saw that his servants were whispering to each other, he guessed that the baby was dead. So he asked his servants, “Is the baby dead? ”
“He is dead,” they replied.
20 Then David got up from the ground. He washed, anointed himself, changed his clothes, went to the LORD’s house, and worshiped. Then he went home and requested something to eat. So they served him food, and he ate.
21 His servants asked him, “Why have you done this? While the baby was alive, you fasted and wept, but when he died, you got up and ate food.”
22 He answered, “While the baby was alive, I fasted and wept because I thought, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let him live.’ 23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I’ll go to him, but he will never return to me.”
THE BIRTH OF SOLOMON
24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba; he went to her and slept with her. She gave birth to a son and named C him Solomon. D The LORD loved him, 25 and he sent a message through the prophet Nathan, who named E him Jedidiah, F because of the LORD.
CAPTURE OF THE CITY OF RABBAH
26 Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and captured the royal fortress. 27 Then Joab sent messengers to David to say, “I have fought against Rabbah and have also captured its water supply. 28 Now therefore, assemble the rest of the troops, lay siege to the city, and capture it. Otherwise I will be the one to capture the city, and it will be named after me.” 29 So David assembled all the troops and went to Rabbah; he fought against it and captured it. 30 He took the crown from the head of their king, A and it was placed on David’s head. The crown weighed seventy-five pounds B of gold, and it had a precious stone in it. In addition, David took away a large quantity of plunder from the city. 31 He removed the people who were in the city and put them to work with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to labor at brickmaking. He did the same to all the Ammonite cities. Then he and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.
12:13-14 “The LORD has taken away your sin; you will not die. However . . .” The pardoning of great sin is amazing, but the pardoning of great sin so rapidly—the forgiveness immediately following the confession—is among the things to be set down as worthy of special gratitude in the heart and special praise with the lips. God does forgive and he will forgive—blessed be his holy name—and however people may pervert his mercy, he will not cease to bestow that mercy on sinners. He will still continue his loving-kindness, yet he has put safeguards around the doctrine of forgiveness. In the first place David was made to see his sin in its true light before it was forgiven. Nathan used a parable to set David’s own character before him as being of the base and meanest kind. David was made to feel that he was a common wretch who deserved to be condemned to death. He was even made to condemn himself. Then I call our serious attention to that “however.” How many times my eyes have rested on that word, and it has chastened my sins and driven me to my God. David was forgiven, but from that day the sword never departed from his house. God let him know that, although he was pardoned, some of the results of his sin still remained. The guilt of it was gone, but the evil effect of it was still manifest and must be dealt with by the Lord’s chastising rod. What a sad change came over David’s life from this time. The earlier part of David’s life was full of music and dancing; the latter part had far more mourning and lamentation.
D 12:4 Lit for the man who had come to him
F 12:9 Alt Hb tradition reads what he considers
H 12:11 Lit in the eyes of this sun
A 12:12 Lit and before the sun
B 12:14 Alt Hb tradition, one LXX ms; MT reads treated the enemies of ; DSS read treated the word of
C 12:24 Alt Hb tradition reads he named
D 12:24 In Hb, the name Solomon sounds like “peace.”
A 12:30 LXX reads of Milcom ; some emend to Molech ; 1Kg 11:5,33
AMNON RAPES TAMAR
13Some time passed. David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and David’s son Amnon was infatuated with her. 2 Amnon was frustrated to the point of making himself sick over his sister Tamar because she was a virgin, but it seemed impossible to do anything to her. 3 Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, a son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man, 4 and he asked Amnon, “Why are you, the king’s son, so miserable every morning? Won’t you tell me? ”
Amnon replied, “I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”
5 Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend you’re sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare a meal in my presence so I can watch and eat from her hand.’ ”
6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my presence so I can eat from her hand.”
7 David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Please go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare a meal for him.”
8 Then Tamar went to his house while Amnon was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his presence, and baked them. 9 She brought the pan and set it down in front of him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, “Everyone leave me! ” And everyone left him. 10 “Bring the meal to the bedroom,” Amnon told Tamar, “so I can eat from your hand.” Tamar took the cakes she had made and went to her brother Amnon’s bedroom. 11 When she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, C “Come sleep with me, my sister! ”
12 “Don’t, my brother! ” she cried. “Don’t disgrace me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Don’t commit this outrage! 13 Where could I ever go with my humiliation? And you — you would be like one of the outrageous fools in Israel! Please, speak to the king, for he won’t keep me from you.” 14 But he refused to listen to her, and because he was stronger than she was, he disgraced her by raping her.
15 So Amnon hated Tamar with such intensity that the hatred he hated her with was greater than the love he had loved her with. “Get out of here! ” he said.
16 “No,” she cried, D “sending me away is much worse than the great wrong you’ve already done to me! ”
But he refused to listen to her. 17 Instead, he called to the servant who waited on him: “Get this away from me, throw her out, and bolt the door behind her! ” 18 Amnon’s servant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a long-sleeved E garment, because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore. 19 Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long-sleeved garment she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away crying out.
20 Her brother Absalom said to her: “Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.
ABSALOM MURDERS AMNON
21 When King David heard about all these things, he was furious. F 22 Absalom didn’t say anything to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon since he disgraced his sister Tamar.
23 Two years later, Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Then he went to the king and said, “Your servant has just hired sheepshearers. Will the king and his servants please come with your servant? ”
25 The king replied to Absalom, “No, my son, we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you.” Although Absalom urged him, he wasn’t willing to go, though he did bless him.
26 “If not,” Absalom said, “please let my brother Amnon go with us.”
The king asked him, “Why should he go with you? ” 27 But Absalom urged him, so he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons. A
28 Now Absalom commanded his young men, “Watch Amnon until he is in a good mood from the wine. When I order you to strike Amnon, then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Am I not the one who has commanded you? Be strong and valiant! ” 29 So Absalom’s young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the rest of the king’s sons got up, and each fled on his mule.
30 While they were on the way, a report reached David: “Absalom struck down all the king’s sons; not even one of them survived! ” 31 In response the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.
32 But Jonadab, son of David’s brother Shimeah, spoke up: “My lord must not think they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, because only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this B ever since the day Amnon disgraced his sister Tamar. 33 So now, my lord the king, don’t take seriously the report that says all the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”
34 Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man who was standing watch looked up, there were many people coming from the road west of him from the side of the mountain. C 35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king’s sons have come! It’s exactly like your servant said.” 36 Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons entered and wept loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly. 37 But Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son D every day.
38 After Absalom had fled to Geshur and had been there three years, 39 King David E longed to go to Absalom, for David had finished grieving over Amnon’s death.
E 13:18 Or an ornamented ; Gn 37:3
F 13:21 LXX, DSS add but he did not grieve the spirit of Amnon his son, for he loved him because he was his firstborn ; 1Kg 1:6
A 13:27 LXX adds And Absalom prepared a feast like a royal feast.
B 13:32 Lit In fact, it was established on the mouth of Absalom
C 13:34 LXX adds And the watchman came and reported to the king saying, “I see men on the Horonaim road on the side of the mountain.”
ABSALOM RESTORED TO DAVID
14Joab son of Zeruiah realized that the king’s mind was on Absalom. 2 So Joab sent someone to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, “Pretend to be in mourning: dress in mourning clothes and don’t put on any oil. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time. 3 Go to the king and speak these words to him.” Then Joab told her exactly what to say. F
4 When the woman from Tekoa came G to the king, she fell facedown to the ground, paid homage, and said, “Help me, Your Majesty! ”
5 “What’s the matter? ” the king asked her.
“Sadly, I am a widow; my husband died,” she said. 6 “Your servant had two sons. They were fighting in the field with no one to separate them, and one struck the other and killed him. 7 Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant and said, ‘Hand over the one who killed his brother so we may put him to death for the life of the brother he murdered. We will eliminate the heir! ’ They would extinguish my one remaining ember by not preserving my husband’s name or posterity on earth.”
8 The king told the woman, “Go home. I will issue a command on your behalf.”
9 Then the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord the king, may any blame be on me and my father’s family, and may the king and his throne be innocent.”
10 “Whoever speaks to you,” the king said, “bring him to me. He will not trouble you again! ”
11 She replied, “Please, may the king invoke the LORD your God, so that the avenger of blood will not increase the loss, and they will not eliminate my son! ”
“As the LORD lives,” he vowed, “not a hair of your son will fall to the ground.”
12 Then the woman said, “Please, may your servant speak a word to my lord the king? ”
“Speak,” he replied.
13 The woman asked, “Why have you devised something similar against the people of God? When the king spoke as he did about this matter, he has pronounced his own guilt. The king has not brought back his own banished one. 14 We will certainly die and be like water poured out on the ground, which can’t be recovered. But God would not take away a life; he would devise plans so that the one banished from him does not remain banished.
15 “Now therefore, I’ve come to present this matter to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought: I must speak to the king. Perhaps the king will grant his servant’s request. 16 The king will surely listen in order to keep his servant from the grasp of this man who would eliminate both me and my son from God’s inheritance. 17 Your servant thought: May the word of my lord the king bring relief, for my lord the king is able to discern the good and the bad like the angel of God. May the LORD your God be with you.”
18 Then the king answered the woman, “I’m going to ask you something; don’t conceal it from me! ”
“Let my lord the king speak,” the woman replied.
19 The king asked, “Did Joab put you up to A all this? ”
The woman answered. “As you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or left from all my lord the king says. Yes, your servant Joab is the one who gave orders to me; he told your servant exactly what to say. B 20 Joab your servant has done this to address the issue indirectly, C but my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God, knowing everything on earth.”
21 Then the king said to Joab, “I hereby grant this request. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”
22 Joab fell with his face to the ground in homage and blessed the king. “Today,” Joab said, “your servant knows I have found favor with you, my lord the king, because the king has granted the request of your servant.”
23 So Joab got up, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 However, the king added, “He may return to his house, but he may not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his house, but he did not see the king. D
25 No man in all Israel was as handsome and highly praised as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head, he did not have a single flaw. 26 When he shaved his head — he shaved it at the end of every year because his hair got so heavy for him that he had to shave it off — he would weigh the hair from his head and it would be five pounds E according to the royal standard.
27 Three sons were born to Absalom, and a daughter named Tamar, who was a beautiful woman. 28 Absalom resided in Jerusalem two years but never saw the king. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab was unwilling to come to him. So he sent again, a second time, but he still would not come. 30 Then Absalom said to his servants, “See, Joab has a field right next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set fire to it! ” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire. A
31 Then Joab came to Absalom’s house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire? ”
32 “Look,” Absalom explained to Joab, “I sent for you and said, ‘Come here. I want to send you to the king to ask: Why have I come back from Geshur? I’d be better off if I were still there.’ So now, let me see the king. If I am guilty, let him kill me.”
33 Joab went to the king and told him. So David summoned Absalom, who came to the king and paid homage with his face to the ground before him. Then the king kissed Absalom.
14:29-31 “Why did your servants set my field on fire?” (v. 31). Absalom had fled from Jerusalem under fear of David’s anger; he was after a time permitted to return, but he was not admitted into the presence of the king. Earnestly desiring to be restored to his former posts of honor and favor, he tried to get Joab to come to him, intending to ask him to act as mediator. Joab, having lost much of his liking for the young prince, refused to come; and, though he was sent for repeatedly, he declined to respond to Absalom’s desire. Absalom, therefore, thought of a most wicked but most effective plan of bringing Joab into his company. He told his servants to set Joab’s field of barley on fire. This brought Joab down in burning wrath. This was all Absalom wanted—he wished an interview—and he was not scrupulous as to the method by which he obtained it. The burning of the barley field brought Joab into his presence, and Absalom’s ends were accomplished. Omitting the sin of the deed, we have here a picture of what is often done by our gracious God with the wisest and best design. Often he sends for us not for his profit but for ours. He would have us come near to him and receive a blessing at his hands, but we are foolish and coldhearted and wicked, and we will not come. He, knowing that we will not come by any other means, sends a serious trial—he sets our barley field on fire, which he has a right to do, seeing our barley fields are far more his than they are ours. In Absalom’s case it was wrong; in God’s case he has a right to do as he wills with his own. He takes away from us our most choice delight on which we have set our heart, and then we inquire at his hands, “Why do you contend with me? Why am I struck with your rod? What have I done to provoke you to anger?” And thus we are brought into the presence of God, and we receive blessings of infinitely more value than those temporary mercies the Lord had taken from us.
F 14:3 Lit Joab put the words into her mouth
G 14:4 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg; other Hb mss read spoke
A 14:19 Lit “Is the hand of Joab in
B 14:19 Lit he put all these words into the mouth of your servant
C 14:20 Lit to go around the face of the matter
A 14:30 DSS, LXX add So Joab’s servants came to him with their clothes torn and said, “Absalom’s servants have set the field on fire! ”
ABSALOM’S REVOLT
15After this, Absalom got himself a chariot, horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for settlement, Absalom called out to him and asked, “What city are you from? ” If he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,” 3 Absalom said to him, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king does not have anyone to listen to you.” 4 He added, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land. Then anyone who had a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would make sure he received justice.” 5 When a person approached to pay homage to him, Absalom reached out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him. 6 Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for a settlement. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
7 When four B years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I made to the LORD. 8 For your servant made a vow when I lived in Geshur of Aram, saying: If the LORD really brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.” C
9 “Go in peace,” the king said to him. So he went to Hebron.
10 Then Absalom sent agents throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the ram’s horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom has become king in Hebron! ’ ”
11 Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and were going innocently, for they did not know the whole situation. 12 While he was offering the sacrifices, Absalom sent for David’s adviser Ahithophel the Gilonite, from his city of Giloh. So the conspiracy grew strong, and the people supporting Absalom continued to increase.
13 Then an informer came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”
14 David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Get up. We have to flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! Leave quickly, or he will overtake us quickly, heap disaster on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”
15 The king’s servants said to the king, “Whatever my lord the king decides, we are your servants.” 16 Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace. 17 So the king set out, and all the people followed him. They stopped at the last house 18 while all his servants marched past him. Then all the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and the people of Gath— six hundred men who came with him from there — marched past the king.
19 The king said to Ittai of Gath, “Why are you also going with us? Go back and stay with the new king since you’re both a foreigner and an exile from your homeland. 20 Besides, you only arrived yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I go wherever I can? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the LORD show you A kindness and faithfulness.”
21 But in response, Ittai vowed to the king, “As the LORD lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it means life or death, your servant will be there! ”
22 “March on,” David replied to Ittai. So Ittai of Gath marched past with all his men and the dependents who were with him. 23 Everyone in the countryside was weeping loudly while all the people were marching out of the city. As the king was crossing the Kidron Valley, all the people were marching past on the road that leads to the wilderness.
24 Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set the ark of God down, and Abiathar offered sacrifices B until the people had finished marching past. 25 Then the king instructed Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor with the LORD, he will bring me back and allow me to see both it and its C dwelling place. 26 However, if he should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am — he can do with me whatever pleases him.” D
27 The king also said to the priest Zadok, “Look, E return to the city in peace and your two sons with you: your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. 28 Remember, I’ll wait at the fords F of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and stayed there.
30 David was climbing the slope of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he ascended. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. All of the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they ascended.
31 Then someone reported to David: “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.”
“LORD,” David pleaded, “please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness! ”
32 When David came to the summit where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you go away with me, you’ll be a burden to me, 34 but if you return to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Previously, I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can counteract Ahithophel’s counsel for me. 35 Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Report everything you hear from the palace to the priests Zadok and Abiathar. 36 Take note: their two sons are there with them—Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. Send them to tell me everything you hear.” 37 So Hushai, David’s personal adviser, entered Jerusalem just as Absalom was entering the city.
15:21 “Wherever my lord the king is, whether it means life or death, your servant will be there!” Some people have a remarkable power of creating and sustaining friendship in others. David was a man brimming over with affection—a man, notwithstanding all his rough soldier life, of an exceedingly tender heart. He was all that other men are, had suffered their sorrows and had tasted their joys; and, therefore, I suppose he had a large power of attraction about him and brought others to himself. But there is one Man more than man, whose attracting influence is greater than that of all men put together. In the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, we see gentleness, meekness, and most tender affection. Such a vast heart has the Master that he attracts the sons of Adam to himself; and when he is lifted up, he draws people to him; and afterwards, by the cords of his love, he draws them to himself. [If David could inspire such a resolution from Ittai, all the more should Jesus Christ inspire it.] People have been known to give away their lives cheerfully for some great military leader whose genius has commanded their admiration, but they were fools to throw their lives away after all, for these people had done but little or nothing for them to make them their servants and slaves. But this Man, if we had a thousand lives and were to give them all, yet would deserve more of us; for he has redeemed us from going down into the pit, saved us from flames that never will be quenched and from a pit that is darkness itself. By the eternal woe from which the blood of Christ has lifted us, let us, who believe that we have been redeemed from hell, consecrate ourselves forever to follow the Lamb wherever he goes.
B 15:7 Some LXX mss, Syr, Vg; other LXX mss, MT read 40
C 15:8 Some LXX mss; MT omits in Hebron
A 15:20 LXX; MT omits Lit May the LORD show you
D 15:26 Lit me what is good in his eyes
ZIBA HELPS DAVID
16When David had gone a little beyond the summit, A Ziba, Mephibosheth’s servant, was right there to meet him. He had a pair of saddled donkeys loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred bunches of summer fruit, and a clay jar of wine. 2 The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these? ”
Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who become exhausted in the wilderness.”
3 “Where is your master’s grandson? ” the king asked.
“Why, he’s staying in Jerusalem,” Ziba replied to the king, “for he said, ‘Today, the house of Israel will restore my grandfather’s kingdom to me.’ ”
4 The king said to Ziba, “All that belongs to Mephibosheth is now yours! ”
“I bow before you,” Ziba said. “May I find favor with you, my lord the king! ”
SHIMEI CURSES DAVID
5 When King David got to Bahurim, a man belonging to the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he was yelling curses as he approached. 6 He threw stones at David and at all the royal B servants, the people and the warriors on David’s right and left. 7 Shimei said as he cursed: “Get out, get out, you man of bloodshed, you wicked man! 8 The LORD has paid you back for all the blood of the house of Saul in whose place you became king, and the LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. Look, you are in trouble because you’re a man of bloodshed! ”
9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and remove his head! ”
10 The king replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? He curses me this way because the LORD C told him, ‘Curse David! ’ Therefore, who can say, ‘Why did you do that? ’ ” 11 Then David said to Abishai and all his servants, “Look, my own son, my own flesh and blood, A intends to take my life — how much more now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone and let him curse me; the LORD has told him to. 12 Perhaps the LORD will see my affliction B and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei’s curses today.” 13 So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei was going along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he cursed David, threw stones at him, and kicked up dust. 14 Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived C exhausted, so they rested there.
ABSALOM’S ADVISERS
15 Now Absalom and all the Israelites came to Jerusalem. Ahithophel was also with him. 16 When David’s friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king! ”
17 “Is this your loyalty to your friend? ” Absalom asked Hushai. “Why didn’t you go with your friend? ”
18 “Not at all,” Hushai answered Absalom. “I am on the side of the one that the LORD, this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. I will stay with him. 19 Furthermore, whom will I serve if not his son? As I served in your father’s presence, I will also serve in yours.”
20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me your advice. What should we do? ”
21 Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become repulsive to your father, everyone with you will be encouraged.” D 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
23 Now the advice Ahithophel gave in those days was like someone asking about a word from God — such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.
16:11-12 “Leave him alone and let him curse me; the LORD has told him to” (v. 11). David is in the time of his trouble, and Shimei’s attack is cowardly, brutal, false, and bitter. Yet David is here so admirable and his conduct is so commendable that I hold him up as an example to all. Four things in this transaction we all ought to copy. The first was the absence of resentment from the heart of David. The second was his entire resignation to the divine will. The third was his expectancy from God alone. And the fourth was his looking to the bright side and still having hope. David could easily have put an end to Shimei and was urged by others to do so. But he did not. It was beautiful for David to make excuses for Shimei: “Well, there is Absalom, my son—he is seeking my life. No wonder this man should. He is no relation of mine. I could not expect love from him. And then, moreover,” he said, “he is a Benjaminite. Now God has been pleased to put me, David, into the place of Saul that was a Benjaminite, and of course this man sympathizes with the tribe that has lost the royal crown.” Also, David felt keenly the wicked act of his enemy, but he felt it was sent for his further chastisement; and, therefore, he accepted it willingly. It is the Lord—that is enough for David. Is that enough for us? The Lord has done it. Should I open my mouth again when I know my Father did it? Did he take my child? Well, blessed be his name that he loved my little one so well. Did he take my gold? Well, he only lent it to me, and a thing borrowed ought to go laughing back to its owner. Let him take back what he lent. He gives and, blessed be his name, he takes but what he gave. Therefore let him still be praised! David seems to me, as it were, to have lain down before God under a sense of having done wrong in days gone past and said to him, “My Father, chasten me just as you will. My rebellious spirit is humbled before you. If it is necessary for my good that I suffer from your hand, this affliction and a thousand others, go on. Your child may weep, but he will not complain. Your child may suffer, but he will bring no charge against you. What you please to do, it will be my pleasure to bear.”
C 16:10 Alt Hb tradition reads If he curses, and if the LORD
A 16:11 Lit son who came from my belly
B 16:12 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg; one Hb tradition reads iniquity ; alt Hb tradition reads eyes ; another Hb tradition reads will look with his eye
C 16:14 LXX adds at the Jordan
D 16:21 Lit father, the hands of everyone with you will be strong
17Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out in pursuit of David tonight. 2 I will attack him while he is weary and discouraged, E throw him into a panic, and all the people with him will scatter. I will strike down only the king 3 and bring all the people back to you. When everyone returns except the man you’re looking for, all F the people will be at peace.” 4 This proposal seemed right to Absalom and all the elders of Israel.
5 Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite also. Let’s hear what he has to say as well.”
6 So Hushai came to Absalom, and Absalom told him: “Ahithophel offered this proposal. Should we carry out his proposal? If not, what do you say? ”
7 Hushai replied to Absalom, “The advice Ahithophel has given this time is not good.” 8 Hushai continued, “You know your father and his men. They are warriors and are desperate like a wild bear robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier who won’t spend the night with the people. 9 He’s probably already hiding in one of the caves A or some other place. If some of our troops fall B first, someone is sure to hear and say, ‘There’s been a slaughter among the people who follow Absalom.’ 10 Then, even a brave man with the heart of a lion will lose heart C because all Israel knows that your father and the valiant men with him are warriors. 11 Instead, I advise that all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba — as numerous as the sand by the sea — be gathered to you and that you personally go into battle. 12 Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. Not even one will be left—neither he nor any of the men with him. 13 If he retreats to some city, all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we will drag its stones D into the valley until not even a pebble can be found there.” 14 Since the LORD had decreed that Ahithophel’s good advice be undermined in order to bring about Absalom’s ruin, Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than Ahithophel’s advice.”
DAVID INFORMED OF ABSALOM’S PLANS
15 Hushai then told the priests Zadok and Abiathar, “This is what E Ahithophel advised Absalom and the elders of Israel, and this is what F I advised. 16 Now send someone quickly and tell David, ‘Don’t spend the night at the wilderness ford, G but be sure to cross over the Jordan, H or the king and all the people with him will be devoured.’ ”
17 Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, because they dared not be seen entering the city. 18 However, a young man did see them and informed Absalom. So the two left quickly and came to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. 19 Then his wife took the cover, placed it over the mouth of the well, and scattered grain on it so nobody would know anything.
20 Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house and asked, “Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan? ”
“They passed by toward the water,” I the woman replied to them. The men searched but did not find them, so they returned to Jerusalem.
21 After they had gone, Ahimaaz and Jonathan climbed out of the well and went and informed King David. They told him, “Get up and immediately ford the river, for Ahithophel has given this advice against you.” 22 So David and all the people with him got up and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, there was no one who had not crossed the Jordan. 23 When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He set his house in order and hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
QUOTE 17:23
The wisdom that contemplates only this life fails even in its own sphere. Its tricks are too shallow, its devices too temporary; and the whole comes down with a crash when least expected to fall.
24 David had arrived at Mahanaim by the time Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. 25 Now Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in Joab’s place. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra A the Israelite; B Ithra had married Abigail daughter of Nahash. C Abigail was a sister to Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. 26 And Israel and Absalom camped in the land of Gilead. 27 When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim 28 brought beds, basins, D and pottery items. They also brought wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, E 29 honey, curds, sheep, goats, and cheese F from the herd for David and the people with him to eat. They had reasoned, “The people must be hungry, exhausted, and thirsty in the wilderness.”
17:23 “Ahithophel . . . set his house in order and hanged himself.” Ahithophel was a man of keen perception, and those who consulted him followed his advice with as much confidence as if he had been an oracle from heaven. He was a great master of diplomacy, versed in the arts of cunning—farseeing, cautious, deep. He was for years David’s friend and counselor. But thinking it judicious to be on the popular side, he left his old master to hold an eminent position under Absalom. This, to use diplomatic language, was not only a crime but also a mistake. At last finding himself supplanted by another counselor, he was so incensed that he left Absalom, hurried home, arranged his personal affairs, and hanged himself in sheer vexation. His case teaches us that the greatest worldly wisdom will not preserve someone from the utmost folly. Here was a man noted as excelling in wisdom, who yet had not wit enough to keep his neck from the fatal noose. Many people, supremely wise for a time, fail in the long run. The renowned monarch, shrewd for the hour, has before long proved his whole system to be a fatal mistake. There are instances near to hand where a brilliant career has ended in shame, a life of wealth closed in poverty, an empire collapsed in ruin. The wisdom that contemplates only this life fails even in its own sphere. Its tricks are too shallow, its devices too temporary; and the whole comes down with a crash when least expected to fall. What sad cases have we seen of people who have been wise in policy who have utterly failed from lack of principle. For lack of the spirit of honor and truth to establish them, they have built palaces of ice that have melted before they were complete. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline” (Pr 1:7). The wisdom that comes from above is the only wisdom; the secular is folly until the sacred blends its golden stream with it.
F 17:3 LXX reads to you as a bride returns to her husband. You seek the life of only one man, and all
B 17:9 Lit And it will be when a falling on them at
E 17:15 Lit “Like this and like this
F 17:15 Lit and like this and like this
G 17:16 Some Hb mss; MT reads plains
H 17:16 the Jordan supplied for clarity
B 17:25 Some LXX mss read Ishmaelite
C 17:25 Some LXX mss read Jesse
D 17:28 LXX reads brought 10 embroidered beds with double coverings, 10 vessels
ABSALOM’S DEFEAT
18David reviewed his troops and appointed commanders of thousands and of hundreds over them. 2 He then sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai of Gath. The king said to the troops, “I must also march out with you.”
3 “You must not go! ” the people pleaded. “If we have to flee, they will not pay any attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not pay any attention to us because you are worth G ten thousand of us. Therefore, it is better if you support us from the city.”
4 “I will do whatever you think is best,” the king replied to them. So he stood beside the city gate while all the troops marched out by hundreds and thousands. 5 The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” All the people heard the king’s orders to all the commanders about Absalom.
6 Then David’s forces marched into the field to engage Israel in battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7 Israel’s army was defeated by David’s soldiers, and the slaughter there was vast that day — twenty thousand dead. 8 The battle spread over the entire area, and that day the forest claimed more people than the sword.
ABSALOM’S DEATH
9 Absalom was riding on his mule when he happened to meet David’s soldiers. When the mule went under the tangled branches of a large oak tree, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so he was suspended in midair. H 10 One of the men saw him and informed Joab. He said, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree! ”
11 “You just saw him! ” Joab exclaimed. A “Why didn’t you strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you ten silver pieces B and a belt! ”
12 The man replied to Joab, “Even if I had the weight of a thousand pieces of silver C in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For we heard the king command you, Abishai, and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for me.’ D 13 If I had jeopardized my own E life — and nothing is hidden from the king — you would have abandoned me.”
14 Joab said, “I’m not going to waste time with you! ” He then took three spears in his hand and thrust them into Absalom’s chest. While Absalom was still alive in the oak tree, 15 ten young men who were Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him. 16 Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab restrained them. 17 They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and raised up a huge mound of stones over him. And all Israel fled, each to his tent.
18 When he was alive, Absalom had taken a pillar and raised it up for himself in the King’s Valley, since he thought, “I have no son to preserve the memory of my name.” So he named the pillar after himself. It is still called Absalom’s Monument today.
19 Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has vindicated him by freeing him from his enemies.”
20 Joab replied to him, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but today you aren’t taking good news, because the king’s son is dead.” 21 Joab then said to a Cushite, “Go tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.
22 However, Ahimaaz son of Zadok persisted and said to Joab, “No matter what, please let me also run behind the Cushite! ”
Joab replied, “My son, why do you want to run since you won’t get a reward? ” F
23 “No matter what, I want to run! ”
“Then run! ” Joab said to him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.
24 David was sitting between the city gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the city gate and over to the wall. The watchman looked out and saw a man running alone. 25 He called out and told the king.
The king said, “If he’s alone, he bears good news.”
As the first runner came closer, 26 the watchman saw another man running. He called out to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone! ”
“This one is also bringing good news,” said the king.
27 The watchman said, “The way the first man runs looks to me like the way Ahimaaz son of Zadok runs.”
“This is a good man; he comes with good news,” the king commented.
28 Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well,” and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground. He continued, “Blessed be the LORD your God! He delivered up the men who rebelled against my lord the king.”
29 The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right? ”
Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a big disturbance, but I don’t know what it was.”
30 The king said, “Move aside and stand here.” So he stood to one side.
31 Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: The LORD has vindicated you today by freeing you from all who rise against you! ”
32 The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right? ”
The Cushite replied, “I wish that the enemies of my lord the king, along with all who rise up against you with evil intent, would become like that young man.”
33 The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber above the city gate and wept. As he walked, he cried, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son! ”
18:29 “Is the young man Absalom all right?” Why should David be concerned about Absalom? Was he not up in arms against David? Did he not thirst for his father’s blood? Was he not at the head of a vast army seeking anxiously to slay his father that he might wear his crown, which he had already usurped? David might have said, “Is the young man Absalom dead? For if he is out of the way, there will be peace to my realm and rest to my troubled life.” But no, he is a father, and he must love his own offspring. It is a father that speaks, and a father’s love can survive the enmity of a son. He can live on and love on even when his son seeks his heart’s blood. What a noble passion is a mother’s love or a father’s love! It is an image in miniature of the love of God. How reverently ought we to treat it! How marvelously has God been pleased to endow, especially godly people, with the sacred instinct of affection toward their children. Our children may plunge into the worst of sins, but they are still our children. They may scoff at our God. They may tear our heart to pieces with their wickedness. We cannot take complacency in them, but at the same time we cannot “unchild” them or erase their image from our hearts. We do earnestly remember them still and will do so as long as these hearts of ours beat in our chests. I have now and then met with professing Christians who have said, “That girl will never darken my door again.” I do not believe in their Christianity. Whenever I have met with fathers who are irreconcilable to their children, I am convinced they are not reconciled to God. It cannot be possible that there should exist in us a feeling of enmity to our own offspring after our hearts have been renewed, for if the Lord has forgiven us and received us into his family, surely we can forgive the chief of those who have offended us. And when they are our own flesh and blood, we are doubly bound to do so. To cast off our own children is unnatural, and that which is unnatural cannot be gracious. If even tax collectors and sinners forgive their children, much more must we. Let them go, even to extremities of unheard-of sin; yet as the mercy of God endures forever, so must the love of a Christian parent endure. If David says, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” we have none of us had a son that has acted one-half so badly as Absalom, and we must, therefore, still forgive and feel a loving interest in those who grieve us.
G 18:3 Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg; other Hb mss read because there would now be about
H 18:9 Lit was between heaven and earth
A 18:11 Lit Joab said to the man who told him
B 18:11 About four ounces of silver
C 18:12 About 25 pounds of silver
D 18:12 Some Hb mss, LXX, Tg, Vg; other Hb mss read ‘Protect, whoever, the young man Absalom’ ; Hb obscure
DAVID’S KINGDOM RESTORED
19It was reported to Joab, “The king is weeping. He’s mourning over Absalom.” 2 That day’s victory was turned into mourning for all the troops because on that day the troops heard, “The king is grieving over his son.” 3 So they returned to the city quietly that day like troops come in when they are humiliated after fleeing in battle. 4 But the king covered his face and cried loudly, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son! ”
5 Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, “Today you have shamed all your soldiers — those who saved your life as well as your sons, your wives, and your concubines — 6 by loving your enemies and hating those who love you! Today you have made it clear that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. In fact, today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would be fine with you! A
7 “Now get up! Go out and encourage B your soldiers, for I swear by the LORD that if you don’t go out, not a man will remain with you tonight. This will be worse for you than all the trouble that has come to you from your youth until now! ”
8 So the king got up and sat in the city gate, and all the people were told: “Look, the king is sitting in the city gate.” Then they all came into the king’s presence.
Meanwhile, each Israelite had fled to his tent. 9 People throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves, saying, “The king rescued us from the grasp of our enemies, and he saved us from the grasp of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. 10 But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king? ”
11 King David sent word to the priests Zadok and Abiathar: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace? The talk of all Israel has reached the king at his house. 12 You are my brothers, my flesh and blood. A So why should you be the last to restore the king? ’ 13 And tell Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? B May God punish me and do so severely if you don’t become commander of my army from now on instead of Joab! ’ ”
14 So he won over C all the men of Judah, and they unanimously sent word to the king: “Come back, you and all your servants.” 15 Then the king returned. When he arrived at the Jordan, Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and escort him across the Jordan.
16 Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 There were a thousand men from Benjamin with him. Ziba, an attendant from the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and twenty servants also rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king. 18 They forded the Jordan to bring the king’s household across and do whatever the king desired. D
When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell facedown before the king 19 and said to him, “My lord, don’t hold me guilty, and don’t remember your servant’s wrongdoing on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem. May the king not take it to heart. 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned. But look! Today I am the first one of the entire house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”
21 Abishai son of Zeruiah asked, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed? ”
22 David answered, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? Have you become my adversary today? Should any man be killed in Israel today? Am I not aware that today I’m king over Israel? ” 23 So the king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” Then the king gave him his oath.
24 Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet, trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. 25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Mephibosheth, why didn’t you come with me? ”
26 “My lord the king,” he replied, “my servant Ziba betrayed me. Actually your servant said: ‘I’ll saddle the donkey for myself E so that I may ride it and go with the king’ — for your servant is lame. 27 Ziba slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God, so do whatever you think best. F 28 For my grandfather’s entire family deserves death from my lord the king, but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. So what further right do I have to keep on making appeals to the king? ”
29 The king said to him, “Why keep on speaking about these matters of yours? I hereby declare: you and Ziba are to divide the land.”
30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Instead, since my lord the king has come to his palace safely, let Ziba take it all! ”
31 Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim and accompanied the king to the Jordan River to see him off at the Jordan. 32 Barzillai was a very old man — eighty years old — and since he was a very wealthy man, he had provided for the needs of the king while he stayed in Mahanaim.
33 The king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I’ll provide for you A at my side in Jerusalem.”
34 Barzillai replied to the king, “How many years of my life are left that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? 35 I’m now eighty years old. Can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or drinks? Can I still hear the voice of male and female singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? 36 Since your servant is only going with the king a little way across the Jordan, why should the king repay me with such a reward? 37 Please let your servant return so that I may die in my own city near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham: let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him what seems good to you.” B
38 The king replied, “Chimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you, and whatever you desire from me I will do for you.” 39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed. The king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and Barzillai returned to his home.
40 The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went with him. All the troops of Judah and half of Israel’s escorted the king. 41 Suddenly, all the men of Israel came to the king. They asked him, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, take you away secretly and transport the king and his household across the Jordan, along with all of David’s men? ”
42 All the men of Judah responded to the men of Israel, “Because the king is our relative. Why does this make you angry? Have we ever eaten anything of the king’s or been honored at all? ” C
43 The men of Israel answered the men of Judah: “We have ten shares in the king, so we have a greater claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Weren’t we the first to speak of restoring our king? ” But the words of the men of Judah were harsher than those of the men of Israel.
19:10 “So why do you say nothing about restoring the king?” Israel had revolted, and set up Absalom against his father; but when the rebel bands had been scattered and Absalom had been slain, the people thought of their old love—they remembered the days when David was the terror of the Philistines and the champion of Israel. Their hearts struck them for their ingratitude to their valiant deliverer. If our souls have been nipped with the frosts of a long and dreary winter, if the Son of Righteousness does but manifest his meridian splendor, our summer will return at once; let the King come, and all his court will follow—all the graces display themselves where the Lord of grace is revealed. We must not play with side issues and secondary remedies but go straight to the root of the matter. We must turn to our absent Master and make this our one business—to bring the King back to his palace and throne in our hearts.
A 19:6 Lit be right in your eyes
B 19:7 Lit speak to the heart of
A 19:12 Lit my bone and my flesh
B 19:13 Lit my bone and my flesh?
C 19:14 Lit he turned the heart of
D 19:18 Lit do what is good in his eyes
E 19:26 LXX, Syr, Vg read said to him, ‘Saddle the donkey for me
F 19:27 Lit do what is good in your eyes
A 19:33 LXX reads for your old age ; Ru 4:15
B 19:37 Lit what is good in your eyes, also in v. 38
C 19:42 LXX reads king’s or has he given us a gift or granted us a portion
SHEBA’S REVOLT
20Now a wicked man, a Benjaminite named Sheba son of Bichri, happened to be there. He blew the ram’s horn and shouted:
We have no portion in David,
no inheritance in Jesse’s son.
Each man to his tent, D Israel!
2 So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bichri, but the men of Judah from the Jordan all the way to Jerusalem remained loyal to their king.
3 When David came to his palace in Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and placed them under guard. He provided for them, but he was not intimate with them. They were confined until the day of their death, living as widows.
4 The king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to me within three days and be here yourself.” 5 Amasa went to summon Judah, but he took longer than the time allotted him. 6 So David said to Abishai, “Sheba son of Bichri will do more harm to us than Absalom. Take your lord’s soldiers and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities and elude us.” E
7 So Joab’s men, the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors marched out under Abishai’s command; F they left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri. 8 They were at the great stone in Gibeon when Amasa joined them. Joab was wearing his uniform and over it was a belt around his waist with a sword in its sheath. As he approached, the sword fell out. 9 Joab asked Amasa, “Are you well, my brother? ” Then with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him. 10 Amasa was not on guard against the sword in Joab’s hand, and Joab stabbed him in the stomach with it and spilled his intestines out on the ground. Joab did not stab him again, and Amasa died.
Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri. 11 One of Joab’s young men had stood over Amasa saying, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab! ” 12 Now Amasa had been writhing in his blood in the middle of the highway, and the man had seen that all the troops stopped. So he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw a garment over him because he realized that all those who encountered Amasa were stopping. 13 When he was removed from the highway, all the men passed by and followed Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.
14 Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah. All the Berites A came together and followed him. 15 Joab’s troops came and besieged Sheba in Abel of Beth-maacah. They built a siege ramp against the outer wall of the city. While all the troops with Joab were battering the wall to make it collapse, 16 a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen! Listen! Please tell Joab to come here and let me speak with him.”
17 When he had come near her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab? ”
“I am,” he replied.
“Listen to the words of your servant,” she said to him.
He answered, “I’m listening.”
18 She said, “In the past they used to say, ‘Seek counsel in Abel,’ and that’s how they settled disputes. 19 I am one of the peaceful and faithful in Israel, but you’re trying to destroy a city that is like a mother in Israel. Why would you devour the LORD’s inheritance? ”
20 Joab protested: “Never! I would never devour or demolish! 21 That is not the case. There is a man named Sheba son of Bichri, from the hill country of Ephraim, who has rebelled against King David. Deliver this one man, and I will withdraw from the city.”
The woman replied to Joab, “Watch! His head will be thrown over the wall to you.” 22 The woman went to all the people with her wise counsel, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri and threw it to Joab. So he blew the ram’s horn, and they dispersed from the city, each to his own tent. Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.
23Joab commanded the whole army
of Israel;
Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and Pelethites;
24Adoram B was over forced labor;
Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was court historian;
25Sheva was court secretary;
Zadok and Abiathar were priests;
26and in addition, Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.
D 20:1 Alt Hb tradition reads gods
E 20:6 Lit and snatch away our eyes
JUSTICE FOR THE GIBEONITES
21During David’s reign there was a famine for three successive years, so David inquired C of the LORD. The LORD answered, “It is due to Saul and to his bloody family, because he killed the Gibeonites.”
2 The Gibeonites were not Israelites but rather a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had taken an oath concerning them, but Saul had tried to kill them in his zeal for the Israelites and Judah. So David summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. 3 He asked the Gibeonites, “What should I do for you? How can I make atonement so that you will bring a blessing on D the LORD’s inheritance? ”
4 The Gibeonites said to him, “We are not asking for silver and gold from Saul or his family, and we cannot put anyone to death in Israel.”
“Whatever you say, I will do for you,” he said.
5 They replied to the king, “As for the man who annihilated us and plotted to destroy us so we would not exist within the whole territory of Israel, 6 let seven of his male descendants be handed over to us so we may hang A them in the presence of the LORD at Gibeah of Saul, the LORD’s chosen.”
The king answered, “I will hand them over.”
7 David spared Mephibosheth, the son of Saul’s son Jonathan, because of the oath of the LORD that was between David and Jonathan, Saul’s son. 8 But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, who were the two sons whom Rizpah daughter of Aiah had borne to Saul, and the five sons whom Merab B daughter of Saul had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite 9 and handed them over to the Gibeonites. They hanged C them on the hill in the presence of the LORD; the seven of them died together. They were executed in the first days of the harvest at the beginning of the barley harvest. D
THE BURIAL OF SAUL’S FAMILY
10 Rizpah, Aiah’s daughter, took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on the rock from the beginning of the harvest E until the rain poured down from heaven on the bodies. She kept the birds of the sky from them by day and the wild animals by night.
11 When it was reported to David what Saul’s concubine Rizpah daughter of Aiah had done, 12 he went and got the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh-gilead. They had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan where the Philistines had hung the bodies the day the Philistines killed Saul at Gilboa. 13 David had the bones brought from there. They gathered up the bones of Saul’s family who had been hanged 14 and buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan at Zela in the land of Benjamin in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish. They did everything the king commanded. After this, God was receptive to prayer for the land.
THE PHILISTINE GIANTS
15 The Philistines again waged war against Israel. David went down with his soldiers, and they fought the Philistines, but David became exhausted. 16 Then Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giant, F whose bronze spear weighed about eight pounds G and who wore new armor, intended to kill David. 17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him: “You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel.”
18 After this, there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob. At that time Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giant.
19 Once again there was a battle with the Philistines at Gob, and Elhanan son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite killed H Goliath of Gath. The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam.
20 At Gath there was still another battle. A huge man was there with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot — twenty-four in all. He, too, was descended from the giant. 21 When he taunted Israel, Jonathan, son of David’s brother Shimei, killed him.
22 These four were descended from the giant in Gath and were killed by David and his soldiers.
B 21:8 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg; other Hb mss read Michal
C 21:9 Or impaled, or exposed, also in v. 13
DAVID’S SONG OF THANKSGIVING
22David spoke the words of this song to the LORD on the day the LORD rescued him from the grasp of all his enemies and from the grasp of Saul. 2 He said:
The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,
3my God, I my rock where I seek refuge.
My shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold, my refuge,
and my Savior, you save me from violence.
4I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I was saved from my enemies.
5For the waves of death engulfed me;
the torrents of destruction terrified me.
6The ropes of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.
7I called to the LORD in my distress;
I called to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry for help reached
his ears.
8Then the earth shook and quaked;
the foundations of the heavens A trembled;
they shook because he burned with anger.
9Smoke rose from his nostrils,
and consuming fire came from his mouth;
coals were set ablaze by it. B
10He bent the heavens and came down,
total darkness beneath his feet.
11He rode on a cherub and flew,
soaring C on the wings of the wind.
12He made darkness a canopy around him,
a gathering D of water and thick clouds.
13From the radiance of his presence,
blazing coals were ignited.
14The LORD thundered from heaven;
the Most High made his voice
heard.
15He shot arrows and scattered them;
he hurled lightning bolts and routed them.
16The depths of the sea became visible,
the foundations of the world were exposed
at the rebuke of the LORD,
at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.
17He reached down from on high
and took hold of me;
he pulled me out of deep water.
18He rescued me from my powerful enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too strong for me.
19They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the LORD was my support.
20He brought me out to a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
21The LORD rewarded me
according to my righteousness;
he repaid me
according to the cleanness of my hands.
22For I have kept the ways
of the LORD
and have not turned from my God to wickedness.
23Indeed, I let all his ordinances guide me E
and have not disregarded his statutes.
24I was blameless before him
and kept myself from my iniquity.
25So the LORD repaid me
according to my righteousness,
according to my cleanness F in his sight.
26With the faithful
you prove yourself faithful,
with the blameless
you prove yourself blameless,
27with the pure
you prove yourself pure;
but with the crooked
you prove yourself shrewd.
28You rescue an oppressed people,
but your eyes are set against the proud —
you humble them.
29LORD, you are my lamp;
the LORD illuminates my darkness.
30With you I can attack a barricade, A
and with my God I can leap over a wall.
31God — his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is pure.
He is a shield to all who take refuge in him.
32For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is a rock? Only our God.
33God is my strong refuge; B
he makes my way perfect. C
34He makes my feet like the feet of a deer
and sets me securely on the D heights. E
35He trains my hands for war;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36You have given me the shield of your salvation;
your help F exalts me.
37You make a spacious place beneath me for my steps,
and my ankles do not give way.
38I pursue my enemies and destroy them;
I do not turn back until they are wiped out.
39I wipe them out and crush them,
and they do not rise;
they fall beneath my feet.
40You have clothed me with strength for battle;
you subdue my adversaries beneath me.
41You have made my enemies retreat before me; G
I annihilate those who hate me.
42They look, but there is no one to save them —
they look to the LORD, but he does not answer them.
43I pulverize them like dust of the earth;
I crush them and trample them like mud in the streets.
44You have freed me from the feuds among my people;
you have preserved me as head of nations;
a people I had not known serve me.
45Foreigners submit to me cringing;
as soon as they hear, they obey me.
46Foreigners lose heart
and come trembling from their fortifications.
47The LORD lives — blessed be my rock!
God, the rock of my salvation, is exalted.
48God — he grants me vengeance
and casts down peoples under me.
49He frees me from my enemies.
You exalt me above my adversaries;
you rescue me from violent men.
50Therefore I will give thanks to you among the nations, LORD;
I will sing praises about your name.
51He is a tower of salvation for H his king;
he shows loyalty to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.
I 22:3 LXX, Ps 18:2 read my God ; MT reads God of
A 22:8 Some Hb mss, Syr, Vg read mountains ; Ps 18:7
C 22:11 Some Hb mss; other Hb mss, Syr, Tg read he was seen
D 22:12 Or sieve, or mass ; Hb obscure
E 22:23 Lit Indeed, all his ordinances have been in front of me
F 22:25 LXX, Syr, Vg read to the cleanness of my hands ; Ps 18:24
A 22:30 Or a ridge, or raiders
B 22:33 DSS, some LXX mss, Syr, Vg read God clothes me with strength ; Ps 18:32
C 22:33 Some LXX mss, Syr; MT reads he sets free the blameless his way ; Hb obscure
D 22:34 LXX; some Hb mss read my ; other Hb mss read his
F 22:36 LXX reads humility ; Ps 18:35
DAVID’S LAST WORDS
23These are the last words of David:
The declaration of David son of Jesse,
the declaration of the man raised on high, I
the one anointed by the God of Jacob.
This is the most delightful of Israel’s songs.
2The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me,
his word was on my tongue.
3The God of Israel spoke;
the Rock of Israel said to me,
“The one who rules the people with justice,
who rules in the fear of God,
ILLUSTRATION 23:3-4
The rising of the sun is joyous; and, besides that, it is comforting and consoling to those who have been suffering from ills which night aggravates. “Would to God it were morning!” has been the cry of many who are languishing, tossing on their couch. It may be the cry of many hearts that are exceedingly troubled with the guilt of sin. Let the morning come! Let the watchman say, “The morning comes!” Let the day dawn and the morning star rise in our hearts (2Pet 1:19), and there is “festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair” (Is 61:3). Christ brings joy to cheer and comfort the disconsolate, for he is like the rising of the sun. Oh, the glory of the sunrise of the Savior on the darkness of the human soul! If we might rise every morning of the year to look at the rising sun and yet never be tired of it because of the sublimity of the spectacle, I think we might consider our own conversion every hour in the day and every day of our lives—and yet never be wearied with the thrice-heavenly spectacle of Christ arising over the mountains of our guilt to banish the dense darkness of our despair.
4is like the morning light when the sun rises
on a cloudless morning,
the glisten of rain on sprouting grass.”
5Is it not true my house is with God?
For he has established a permanent covenant with me,
ordered and secured in every detail.
Will he not bring about
my whole salvation and my every desire?
6But all the wicked are like thorns raked aside;
they can never be picked up by hand.
7The man who touches them
must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear.
They will be completely burned up on the spot.
EXPLOITS OF DAVID’S WARRIORS
8 These are the names of David’s warriors:
Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the officers. A He wielded his spear B against eight hundred men that he killed at one time.
9 After him, Eleazar son of Dodo son of an Ahohite was among the three warriors with David when they defied the Philistines. The men of Israel retreated in the place they had gathered for battle, 10 but Eleazar stood his ground and attacked the Philistines until his hand was tired and stuck to his sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops came back to him, but only to plunder the dead.
QUOTE 23:9-10
Never let it be forgotten that our responsibility, in a certain sense, begins and ends with ourselves. It is easy to pick holes in other people’s work, but it is far more profitable to do better work ourselves.
11 After him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had assembled in formation where there was a field full of lentils. The troops fled from the Philistines, 12 but Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory.
13 Three of the thirty leading warriors went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15 David was extremely thirsty A and said, “If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem! ” 16 So three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the LORD. 17 David said, “LORD, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives? ” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.
18 Abishai, Joab’s brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. B He wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three. 19 Was he not more honored than the Three? He became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.
20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of a brave man from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. Benaiah killed two sons C of Ariel D of Moab, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21 He also killed an Egyptian, an impressive man. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went down to him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and then killed him with his own spear. 22 These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who had a reputation among the three warriors. 23 He was the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
24 Among the Thirty were
Joab’s brother Asahel,
Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
25Shammah the Harodite,
Elika the Harodite,
26Helez the Paltite,
Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27Abiezer the Anathothite,
Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28Zalmon the Ahohite,
Maharai the Netophathite,
29Heleb son of Baanah the Netophahite,
Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites,
30Benaiah the Pirathonite,
Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash, E
31Abi-albon the Arbathite,
Azmaveth the Barhumite,
the sons of Jashen,
Jonathan son of A 33 Shammah the Hararite,
Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,
34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai son of the Maacathite,
Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35Hezro the Carmelite,
Paarai the Arbite,
36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,
Bani the Gadite,
37Zelek the Ammonite,
Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer for Joab son of Zeruiah,
38Ira the Ithrite,
Gareb the Ithrite,
39and Uriah the Hethite.
There were thirty-seven in all.
23:3-4 “The one who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God, is like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, the glisten of rain on sprouting grass.” Christians of all times, and Jews also of former ages, have all been agreed that this passage relates to the Messiah. And we who know that the Messiah is Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews, can, without the slightest difficulty, apply these words to him and feel that they are most true concerning him. Even if they did not primarily refer to the Messiah, we would be right in making them do so because, if it is a general rule that a good ruler is all this to his people, then Jesus Christ, being the best of rulers, must be all this to his people and he, ruling as he does—for this day we call him Master and Lord—he must be, to those who belong to his blessed kingdom, all that any other good ruler could possibly be and far more, so that for many reasons we are right in ascribing to our Lord Jesus the language of our text.
23:9-10 “The men of Israel retreated in the place they had gathered for battle, but Eleazar stood his ground and attacked the Philistines until his hand was tired and stuck to his sword.” Eleazar was a man of marked individuality of character, a man who knew himself and knew his God and did not want to be lost in the common mass so as to run away merely because his countrymen ran. He thought for himself and acted for himself; he did not make the conduct of others the measure of his service but “stood his ground” while those around him fled. True religion is a personal thing. Each one, with one talent or with ten, will, on the great day of judgment, be called to account for his own responsibilities and not for those of others. And, therefore, he should live as before God, feeling that he is a separate personality and must, in his own individuality, consecrate himself—spirit, soul, and body—entirely to the Lord. Eleazar, the Son of Dodo, felt that he must play the man, whatever others might do, and, therefore, he bravely drew his sword. I do not find that he wasted time in upbraiding the others for running away or in shouting to them to return; he just turned his own face to the enemy and hewed and hacked away with all his might. His brave example was sufficient rebuke and would be far more effectual than ten thousand sarcastic orations. Never let it be forgotten that our responsibility, in a certain sense, begins and ends with ourselves. It is easy to pick holes in other people’s work, but it is far more profitable to do better work ourselves.
I 23:1 Or raised up by the high God
A 23:8 Some Hb mss, LXX read Three
B 23:8 Some Hb mss; other Hb mss, LXX read He was Adino the Eznite
DAVID’S MILITARY CENSUS
24The LORD’s anger burned against Israel again, and he stirred up David against them to say: “Go, count the people of Israel and Judah.”
2 So the king said to Joab, the commander of his army, “Go through all the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba and register the troops so I can know their number.”
3 Joab replied to the king, “May the LORD your God multiply the troops a hundred times more than they are — while my lord the king looks on! But why does my lord the king want to do this? ”
4 Yet the king’s order prevailed over Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army left the king’s presence to register the troops of Israel.
5 They crossed the Jordan and camped in Aroer, south of the town in the middle of the valley, and then proceeded toward Gad and Jazer. 6 They went to Gilead and to the land of the Hittites B and continued on to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon. 7 They went to the fortress of Tyre and all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites. Afterward, they went to the Negev of Judah at Beer-sheba.
8 When they had gone through the whole land, they returned to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9 Joab gave the king the total of the registration of the troops. There were eight hundred thousand valiant armed men C from Israel and five hundred thousand men from Judah.
10 David’s conscience troubled him after he had taken a census of the troops. He said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I’ve done. Now, LORD, because I’ve been very foolish, please take away your servant’s guilt.”
DAVID’S PUNISHMENT
11 When David got up in the morning, the word of the LORD had come to the prophet Gad, David’s seer: 12 “Go and say to David, ‘This is what the LORD says: I am offering you three choices. Choose one of them, and I will do it to you.’ ”
13 So Gad went to David, told him the choices, and asked him, “Do you want three D years of famine to come on your land, to flee from your foes three months while they pursue you, or to have a plague in your land three days? Now, consider carefully E what answer I should take back to the one who sent me.”
14 David answered Gad, “I have great anxiety. Please, let us fall into the LORD’s hands because his mercies are great, but don’t let me fall into human hands.”
15 So the LORD sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the appointed time, and from Dan to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men died. 16 Then the angel extended his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, but the LORD relented concerning the destruction and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough, withdraw your hand now! ” The angel of the LORD was then at the threshing floor of Araunah A the Jebusite.
17 When David saw the angel striking the people, he said to the LORD, “Look, I am the one who has sinned; I am the one B who has done wrong. But these sheep, what have they done? Please, let your hand be against me and my father’s family.”
DAVID’S ALTAR
18 Gad came to David that day and said to him, “Go up and set up an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 19 David went up in obedience to Gad’s command, just as the LORD had commanded. 20 Araunah looked down and saw the king and his servants coming toward him, so he went out and paid homage to the king with his face to the ground.
21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant? ”
David replied, “To buy the threshing floor from you in order to build an altar to the LORD, so the plague on the people may be halted.”
22 Araunah said to David, “My lord the king may take whatever he wants C and offer it. Here are the oxen for a burnt offering and the threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23 Your Majesty, Araunah gives everything here to the king.” Then he said to the king, “May the LORD your God accept you.”
24 The king answered Araunah, “No, I insist on buying it from you for a price, for I will not offer to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for twenty ounces D of silver. 25 He built an altar to the LORD there and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the LORD was receptive to prayer for the land, and the plague on Israel ended.