2 Samuel 21-24 David's Swan Song

2 Samuel 21-24 David's Swan Song

Psalm 49:1-15 Wealth Doesn't Redeem From Death, God Does

Ps 49:1 “Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world, 2 both low and high, rich and poor together. 3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart shall utter understanding. 4 I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will open my riddle on the harp. 5 Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me? 6 Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches 7 none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him. 8 For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough, 9 that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption. 10 For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others. 11 Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves. 12 But man, despite his riches, doesn't endure. He is like the animals that perish. 13 This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings. Selah.

14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansion. 15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for He will receive me. Selah.

Observations: The Psalmist ponders the prosperity of the wicked, exposing their foolish attempts to live beyond the grave by means of their wealth. All die, and face decay, just like the animals. Only God can redeem or “buy back” from Sheol (the grave), and He does redeem/save the upright from the grave, and gives them dominion and life over the foolish rich. The introductory verse 5 serves as a summary: there is no need for the wise and upright to fear death, a future awaits them, rather than the fate of the foolish rich.

Application: Work on being wise and upright, and you'll have nothing to fear.

Prayer: My Redeemer and Shepherd, thanks that Your wisdom not only benefits us in this life, but also in the next, so I have nothing to fear. Amen.

Proverbs 13:14-15 Spring of Life or Snare of Death

Pr 13:14 “(13 Whoever despises instruction will be destroyed, but he who fears a command will be rewarded.) 14 The teaching of the wise is a spring of life, to turn from the snares of death. 15 Good understanding wins favor; but the way of the unfaithful is hard.“

Observations: 13:14-15 Having just established in verse 13 that despising God's instruction results in destruction while fearing (being really really concerned about doing what is right in His sight, i.e., obeying) results in reward, the author elaborates with a couple of metaphors. The teaching of the wise (folks who've mastered Proverbs and God's ways and thus choose the right objectives in life) gives life like a spring. Those who have a good understanding of God's word (and follow it) experience favor. Those who don't understand, don't obey it, are unfaithful, and experience difficulties.

Application: How has God's word turned you from sin?

Prayer: Lord, help me understand and faithfully follow Your wisdom and avoid the snares of death. Amen.

2Samuel 21-24 The final four chapters of the book contain a pair of punishments for disloyalty (first and last chapters), arranged around a pair of listings of David's loyal men, which sandwich a pair of psalms in the middle (chiastic structure). When an author uses this structure, he wants to emphasize the content in the middle, David's trust in the Lord, and God's exaltation of him in response to that trust.

2 Samuel 21 Covenantal Curse Removed

21:1 There was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Yahweh. Yahweh said, "It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites." 2 The king called the Gibeonites, and said to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn to them: and Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah); 3 and David said to the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of Yahweh?" 4 The Gibeonites said to him, "It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel." He said, "Whatever you say, that will I do for you." 5 They said to the king, "The man who consumed us, and who devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel, 6 let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to Yahweh in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Yahweh." The king said, "I will give them." 7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahweh’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. 8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite. 9 He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the mountain before Yahweh, and all seven of them fell together. They were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest.

10 Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water was poured on them from the sky. She allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day, nor the animals of the field by night. 11 It was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. 12 David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, in the day that the Philistines killed Saul in Gilboa; 13 and he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son: and they gathered the bones of those who were hanged. 14 They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. After that God was entreated for the land.

15 The Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. David grew faint; 16 and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being armed with a new sword, thought to have slain David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, "You shall go no more out with us to battle, that you don’t quench the lamp of Israel." 18 It came to pass after this, that there was again war with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant. 19 There was again war with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite’s brother, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 20 There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. 21 When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, killed him. 22 These four were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

Observations: 21:1-14 The Gibeonites had tricked Israel into making a treaty with them during the conquest under Joshua (Josh 9). Apparently Saul had violated it, although the Scriptures don't record the specific account. Sometime in David's reign a famine ensued as the curse for Saul breaking the covenant (lack of fertility). The author of 2Samuel sometimes records events topically rather than chronologically, so it's difficult to pinpoint when this event happened. Three years into the famine David asks God why, and finds out the cause. The Gibeonites gruesomely demand the death of seven of Saul's descendents. David complies, sparing Mephibosheth, out of hesed to Jonathan, and the curse ends with the blessing of rain. David notes the loyalty of Rizpah to her sons, and he takes care of the bones of Saul and Jonathan, demonstrating again his hesed to Jonathan.

21:15-22 This account of the death of four giants underscore the loyalty of David's “servants” in protecting the “lamp” of Israel.

Application: Disloyalty to covenant obligations results in cursing/death; loyalty to covenant obligations results in blessing/life.

Prayer: Lord, help me be loyal to my obligations to obey and serve You, so You can bless rather than discipline me. Amen.

2 Samuel 22 Does God Delight in You?

22:1 David spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul: 2 and he said, "Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine; 3 God, my rock, in him I will take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge. My savior, you save me from violence. 4 I will call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from my enemies. 5 For the waves of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid. 6 The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death caught me. 7 In my distress I called on Yahweh. Yes, I called to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry came into his ears. 8 Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, because he was angry. 14 Yahweh thundered from heaven. The Most High uttered his voice. 15 He sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and confused them. 16 Then the channels of the sea appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare by the rebuke of Yahweh, At the blast of the breath of his nostrils. 17 He sent from on high and he took me. He drew me out of many waters. 18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 19 They came on me in the day of my calamity, but Yahweh was my support.

20 He also brought me out into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me. 21 Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness. He rewarded me according to the cleanness of my hands. 22 For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 23 For all his ordinances were before me. As for his statutes, I did not depart from them. 24 I was also perfect toward him. I kept myself from my iniquity. 25 Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in his eyesight.

26 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man you will show yourself perfect. 27 With the pure you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd. 28 You will save the afflicted people, But your eyes are on the haughty, that you may bring them down.

29 For you are my lamp, Yahweh. Yahweh will light up my darkness. 30 For by you, I run against a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall. 31 As for God, his way is perfect. The word of Yahweh is tested. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him. 32 For who is God, besides Yahweh? Who is a rock, besides our God? 33 God is my strong fortress. He makes my way perfect. 34 He makes his feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me on my high places. 35 He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of brass. 36 You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your gentle favor has made me great. 37 You have enlarged my steps under me. My feet have not slipped. 38 I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them. I didn’t turn again until they were consumed. 39 I have consumed them, and struck them through, so that they can’t arise. Yes, they have fallen under my feet. 40 For you have armed me with strength for the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. 41 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me. 42 They looked, but there was none to save; even to Yahweh, but he didn’t answer them. 43 Then I beat them as small as the dust of the earth. I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad. 44 You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people. You have kept me to be the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known will serve me. 45 The foreigners will submit themselves to me. As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me. 46 The foreigners will fade away, and will come trembling out of their close places. 47 Yahweh lives! Blessed be my rock! Exalted be God, the rock of my salvation, 48 even the God who executes vengeance for me, who brings down peoples under me, 49 who brings me away from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man. 50 Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations. Will sing praises to your name. 51 He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows hesed/loyal love to his anointed, to David and to his seed, forevermore."

Observations: 22:1-19 This is basically the same text as Psalm 18. It is the largest repeated text in the Bible (Deuteronomy being a summary of the law, not an exact repeat). It's probably worth ingraining its principles in our thinking. The salvation referred to is not the forgiveness of sins/justification (which is based upon believing in God's revelation about His gracious provision for our sins, which in the OT was belief/participation in the Day of Atonement, and in the NT, belief in Christ's atoning sacrifice on our behalf), but rather, the ongoing life of faith that trusts God for daily help and experiences His blessing/deliverance. David wrote it after being delivered from Saul and before Bathsheba, probably around the time of the Davidic Covenant (2Sam 7). David praises God because when he called, God answered, mightily.

22:20-25 The secret of how to get God to answer mightily and bless, is to have God delight in you.

Quick Question: Does God delight in you? (Why or why not?)

The reason why God would delight in one of His people is because of the personal experiential righteousness and faithfulness of the person. Contrast this with how God felt about Saul. This is an obvious point for those who read the Scriptures, but totally missed in the oral tradition of our day. As a result many people don't live to please God. God rewards us for the effort and work we've put into being righteous in His sight. If you don't totally buy that last sentence, study these six verses (and David's life) and see if they teach anything else.

22:26-28 The truth of these verses is almost as absent from the modern oral tradition as the section above, to which they are a corollary. God responds to people based upon their free-will choices, which would include decisions to believe, be faithful, obey, expend effort to do His will, do good works, etc. God changes how He responds, again based upon what we chose, to either repent or rebel, believe, or persist in unbelief. I don't like jumping ahead, but Romans 11 summarizes this concept neatly. If you want to stay in the OT, God blesses or curses based upon our actions (Dt 29-30). God has sovereignly attached the consequences to our possible choices; now we need to daily choose the right consequences.

22:29-51 These verses describe how God empowers and equips those who believe in Him so they can serve Him. They also combine human effort/responsibility in service and the life of faith. If you have time, go back over the verses and note what David does and what God does (and why each does what they do).

Application: If we want God to delight in us, deliver and bless us, then we need to do what is pleasing in His sight, there is no other option (22:20-25).

Prayer: God, I praise You because You make possible a life that is beyond the natural course of events and expectations; may I know, love, and serve You all of my days, as You desire. Amen.

2 Samuel 23 David's Swan Song

23:1 Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse says, the man who was raised on high says, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel: 2 "The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me. His word was on my tongue. 3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, ‘One who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God, 4 shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, through clear shining after rain.’ 5 “If my house were not right with God, surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part; surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire. (NIV) 6 But all of the ungodly shall be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can’t be taken with the hand, 7 But the man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear. They shall be utterly burned with fire in their place."

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb..against eight hundred slain at one time. 9 After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away. 10 He arose, and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and Yahweh worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil. 11 After him was Shammah. The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh worked a great victory. 

15 David longed, and said, "Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!" 16 The three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Yahweh. 17 He said, "Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this! Isn’t it the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things. 18 Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three. 19 Wasn’t he most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: however he didn’t attain to the three. 20 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada...who had done mighty deeds, he killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down also and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow. 21 He killed an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 23 He was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three. David set him over his guard. 24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; 26 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite 29 Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

Observations: 23:1-8 David's swan song reflects on how God had raised him up and blessed him beyond his dreams, even revealing His words and will through David. When one rules righteously in the fear of God, life is good. Otherwise it's bad (See Let's Play Civilization in the sidebar).

23:5 This verse is correctly translated in harmony with the immediately preceding and following context, as well as chapter 22, and the record of David's life and his psalms by the NIV, NASB, ESV, HCSB, NET, etc. The WEB, following the KJV and NKJV totally misses the point and translates it in direct contradiction to the main point David is making. It is because of David's righteousness that God has blessed him, and made the Davidic Covenant with him, ensuring an permanent legacy (which was a big deal in OT times). The grammar could go either way, so the translation needs to be made according to the flow of thought in the context (a skill which is sadly lacking in some translators).

23: The listing of David's mighty men and their exploits is also recorded in 1Chronicles 11. The interesting feature is how the individual exploits are recorded, and God gets the credit. It is He who energizes the sword they swing. Noteworthy is that Joab is not mentioned, although his brothers are.

23:15-18 The loyalty of the mighty men to David, God's anointed, is shown by risking their lives to get him a drink from the well at Bethlehem. David pours it out as an offering to God.

23:19-39 The diverse group that came together to accomplish God's purposes in preserving and promoting David is a good illustration of the principle that unity is found, not in the lowest common denominator, but in all striving for the greatest good, irrespective of personal background, practices, and preferences. This is applicable to marriages, corporations and churches.

Application: God will exalt and fulfill the desires of those who fear Him and are rightly related to Him.

Prayer: God, You are clearly the one who raises up and puts down people based upon how they obey You. May I value obedience more than any deceptive passing pleasure. Amen.

2 Samuel 24 Pick Your Plague

24:1 Again the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, "Go, number Israel and Judah." 2 The king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, "Now go back and forth through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the sum of the people." 3 Joab said to the king, "Now may Yahweh your God add to the people, however many they may be, one hundred times; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king delight in this thing?" 4 Notwithstanding, the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the army. Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel. 8 So when they had gone back and forth through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9 Joab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men. 10 David’s heart struck him after that he had numbered the people. David said to Yahweh, "I have sinned greatly in that which I have done. But now, Yahweh, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly."

11 When David rose up in the morning, the word of Yahweh came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, 12 "Go and speak to David, ‘Thus says Yahweh," I offer you three things. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you."’" 13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, "Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now answer, and consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me." 14 David said to Gad, "I am in distress. Let us fall now into the hand of Yahweh; for his mercies are great. Let me not fall into the hand of man."

15 So Yahweh sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning even to the appointed time; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. 16 When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Yahweh relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, "It is enough. Now stay your hand." The angel of Yahweh was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 David spoke to Yahweh when he saw the angel who struck the people, and said, "Behold, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me, and against my father’s house."

18 Gad came that day to David, and said to him, "Go up, build an altar to Yahweh on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite." 19 David went up according to the saying of Gad, as Yahweh commanded. 20 Araunah looked out, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. Then Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. 21 Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" David said, "To buy your threshing floor, to build an altar to Yahweh, that the plague may be stopped from afflicting the people." 22 Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Behold, the cattle for the burnt offering, and the threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood: 23 all this, king, does Araunah give to the king." Araunah said to the king, "May Yahweh your God accept you." 24 The king said to Araunah, "No; but I will most certainly buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to Yahweh my God which cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 David built an altar to Yahweh there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So Yahweh was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

Observations: 24:1-10 God's anger against Israel's sin results in Him prompting David to number the people over the objections of Joab and the captains. When a leader doesn't listen to wise counsel everyone suffers. Numbering the people was usually a prelude to military action, possibly due to an external threat. It looks like David was trusting in his military might rather than the Lord in the numbering. 1Chronicles 21 state that Satan (which can also be translated “adversary”) provoked David to number the people. So perhaps the chain of events is that Israel's sin, results in God's desire to discipline them, using Satan's scheming (or an adversary) and David's desire for power or security to bring about the calamity. David's heart tells him he sinned, and he asks God to put away/forgive his iniquity.

24:11-17 Nevertheless, God sends a prophet, Gad, with three options for punishment: famine, fleeing, or pestilence, and tells him to choose one. David reasons that falling into the hand of a merciful God is a less painful option than being chased by enemies. So God sends a plague. After 70,000 were killed (approximately three times those who died in Absalom's rebellion), God stops the destroying angel at Jerusalem. David repents again and asks that the punishment be upon him and his house.

24:18-25 God sends Gad again, with a message to build an altar and offer a sacrifice where the plague stopped. David hastens to obey, and refuses Araunah's offer of the animal and wood, saying that he would not offer God something which cost him nothing. The very nature of sacrifice is that it should cost us.

Application: Both sin, and service are costly, but God is worth everything we could possibly give Him.

Prayer: God, thanks that you forgive and relent when we repent; spare me from the folly of relying on my own strength or choosing foolish objectives for my life. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

God in a nutshell: God takes covenants seriously, both those made with Him, and those made in His presence. He punishes covenant breakers with curses, deprivation and death. He blesses those who keep covenantal promises of loyalty (hesed), with fruitfulness and fulfillment of their heart's desire (the better choice). He gives people freedom to choose to be loyal or not, and sovereignly attaches consequences to their choices. He forgives and pardons, but doesn't immediately relent from punishment when we repent. He moves forces in both heaven and earth, as well as angels and men, to fulfill what He has promised. He raises up individuals to accomplish His purposes in blessing those loyal to Him.

As David said in 22:21 “Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness. He rewarded me according to the cleanness of my hands. 26 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man you will show yourself perfect. 27 With the pure you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd. 28 You will save the afflicted people, But your eyes are on the haughty, that you may bring them down. 29 For you are my lamp, Yahweh. Yahweh will light up my darkness.”

Us in a nutshell: We have the opportunity to give God grief or glory. Delighting Him requires loyal effort, but yields the best life we could desire. Disloyalty and covenant breaking results in pain and death. We cannot escape the consequences of our actions. Being rightly related to God and equipped by Him still requires dependent trust in His protection and empowerment. As David said in 22:22 “For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 23 For all his ordinances were before me. As for his statutes, I did not depart from them. 24 I was also perfect toward him. I kept myself from my iniquity. 25 Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in his eyesight.”

Where to Go for More:

Truthbase.net

2Samuel complete text

2 Samuel 21

21:1 There was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David sought the face of Yahweh. Yahweh said, "It is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he put to death the Gibeonites." 2 The king called the Gibeonites, and said to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn to them: and Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah); 3 and David said to the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless the inheritance of Yahweh?" 4 The Gibeonites said to him, "It is no matter of silver or gold between us and Saul, or his house; neither is it for us to put any man to death in Israel." He said, "Whatever you say, that will I do for you." 5 They said to the king, "The man who consumed us, and who devised against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borders of Israel, 6 let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to Yahweh in Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of Yahweh." The king said, "I will give them." 7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of Yahweh’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. 8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite. 9 He delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the mountain before Yahweh, and all seven of them fell together. They were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, at the beginning of barley harvest.

10 Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water was poured on them from the sky. She allowed neither the birds of the sky to rest on them by day, nor the animals of the field by night. 11 It was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. 12 David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from the men of Jabesh Gilead, who had stolen them from the street of Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hanged them, in the day that the Philistines killed Saul in Gilboa; 13 and he brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son: and they gathered the bones of those who were hanged. 14 They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father: and they performed all that the king commanded. After that God was entreated for the land.

15 The Philistines had war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines. David grew faint; 16 and Ishbibenob, who was of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose spear was three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he being armed with a new sword, thought to have slain David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, "You shall go no more out with us to battle, that you don’t quench the lamp of Israel." 18 It came to pass after this, that there was again war with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was of the sons of the giant. 19 There was again war with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim the Bethlehemite killed Goliath the Gittite’s brother, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. 20 There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. 21 When he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimei, David’s brother, killed him. 22 These four were born to the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants.

2 Samuel 22

22:1 David spoke to Yahweh the words of this song in the day that Yahweh delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul:

2 and he said, "Yahweh is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, even mine; 3 God, my rock, in him I will take refuge; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge. My saviour, you save me from violence. 4 I will call on Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from my enemies. 5 For the waves of death surrounded me. The floods of ungodliness made me afraid. 6 The cords of Sheol were around me. The snares of death caught me. 7 In my distress I called on Yahweh. Yes, I called to my God. He heard my voice out of his temple. My cry came into his ears. 8 Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken, because he was angry. 9 Smoke went up out of his nostrils. Fire out of his mouth devoured. Coals were kindled by it. 10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down. Thick darkness was under his feet. 11 He rode on a cherub, and flew. Yes, he was seen on the wings of the wind. 12 He made darkness pavilions around himself: gathering of waters, and thick clouds of the skies. 13 At the brightness before him, coals of fire were kindled. 14 Yahweh thundered from heaven. The Most High uttered his voice. 15 He sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and confused them. 16 Then the channels of the sea appeared. The foundations of the world were laid bare by the rebuke of Yahweh, At the blast of the breath of his nostrils. 17 He sent from on high and he took me. He drew me out of many waters. 18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 19 They came on me in the day of my calamity, but Yahweh was my support. 20 He also brought me out into a large place. He delivered me, because he delighted in me. 21 Yahweh rewarded me according to my righteousness. He rewarded me according to the cleanness of my hands. 22 For I have kept the ways of Yahweh, and have not wickedly departed from my God. 23 For all his ordinances were before me. As for his statutes, I did not depart from them. 24 I was also perfect toward him. I kept myself from my iniquity. 25 Therefore Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness, According to my cleanness in his eyesight. 26 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful. With the perfect man you will show yourself perfect. 27 With the pure you will show yourself pure. With the crooked you will show yourself shrewd. 28 You will save the afflicted people, But your eyes are on the haughty, that you may bring them down. 29 For you are my lamp, Yahweh. Yahweh will light up my darkness. 30 For by you, I run against a troop. By my God, I leap over a wall. 31 As for God, his way is perfect. The word of Yahweh is tested. He is a shield to all those who take refuge in him. 32 For who is God, besides Yahweh? Who is a rock, besides our God? 33 God is my strong fortress. He makes my way perfect. 34 He makes his feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me on my high places. 35 He teaches my hands to war, so that my arms bend a bow of brass. 36 You have also given me the shield of your salvation. Your gentleness has made me great. 37 You have enlarged my steps under me. My feet have not slipped. 38 I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them. I didn’t turn again until they were consumed. 39 I have consumed them, and struck them through, so that they can’t arise. Yes, they have fallen under my feet. 40 For you have armed me with strength for the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. 41 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, that I might cut off those who hate me. 42 They looked, but there was none to save; even to Yahweh, but he didn’t answer them. 43 Then I beat them as small as the dust of the earth. I crushed them as the mire of the streets, and spread them abroad. 44 You also have delivered me from the strivings of my people. You have kept me to be the head of the nations. A people whom I have not known will serve me. 45 The foreigners will submit themselves to me. As soon as they hear of me, they will obey me. 46 The foreigners will fade away, and will come trembling out of their close places. 47 Yahweh lives! Blessed be my rock! Exalted be God, the rock of my salvation, 48 even the God who executes vengeance for me, who brings down peoples under me, 49 who brings me away from my enemies. Yes, you lift me up above those who rise up against me. You deliver me from the violent man. 50 Therefore I will give thanks to you, Yahweh, among the nations. Will sing praises to your name. 51 He gives great deliverance to his king, and shows loving kindness to his anointed, to David and to his seed, forevermore."

2 Samuel 23

23:1 Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse says, the man who was raised on high says, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel: 2 "The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me. His word was on my tongue. 3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, ‘One who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God, 4 shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, through clear shining after rain.’ 5 Most certainly my house is not so with God, yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he doesn’t make it grow. 6 But all of the ungodly shall be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can’t be taken with the hand, 7 But the man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear. They shall be utterly burned with fire in their place."

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time. 9 After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away. 10 He arose, and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and Yahweh worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil. 11 After him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh worked a great victory. 13 Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 David longed, and said, "Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!" 16 The three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Yahweh. 17 He said, "Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this! Isn’t it the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things. 18 Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three. 19 Wasn’t he most honourable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: however he didn’t attain to the three. 20 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down also and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow. 21 He killed an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name among the three mighty men. 23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three. David set him over his guard. 24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash. 31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armour bearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

2 Samuel 24

24:1 Again the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, "Go, number Israel and Judah." 2 The king said to Joab the captain of the army, who was with him, "Now go back and forth through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number the people, that I may know the sum of the people." 3 Joab said to the king, "Now may Yahweh your God add to the people, however many they may be, one hundred times; and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king delight in this thing?" 4 Notwithstanding, the king’s word prevailed against Joab, and against the captains of the army. Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king, to number the people of Israel. 5 They passed over the Jordan, and encamped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad, and to Jazer: 6 then they came to Gilead, and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; and they came to Dan Jaan, and around to Sidon, 7 and came to the stronghold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites, and of the Canaanites; and they went out to the south of Judah, at Beersheba. 8 So when they had gone back and forth through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9 Joab gave up the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

10 David’s heart struck him after that he had numbered the people. David said to Yahweh, "I have sinned greatly in that which I have done. But now, Yahweh, put away, I beg you, the iniquity of your servant; for I have done very foolishly." 11 When David rose up in the morning, the word of Yahweh came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, 12 "Go and speak to David, ‘Thus says Yahweh," I offer you three things. Choose one of them, that I may do it to you."’" 13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said to him, "Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now answer, and consider what answer I shall return to him who sent me." 14 David said to Gad, "I am in distress. Let us fall now into the hand of Yahweh; for his mercies are great. Let me not fall into the hand of man." 15 So Yahweh sent a pestilence on Israel from the morning even to the appointed time; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. 16 When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, Yahweh relented of the disaster, and said to the angel who destroyed the people, "It is enough. Now stay your hand." The angel of Yahweh was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. 17 David spoke to Yahweh when he saw the angel who struck the people, and said, "Behold, I have sinned, and I have done perversely; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let your hand be against me, and against my father’s house."

18 Gad came that day to David, and said to him, "Go up, build an altar to Yahweh on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite." 19 David went up according to the saying of Gad, as Yahweh commanded. 20 Araunah looked out, and saw the king and his servants coming on toward him. Then Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. 21 Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" David said, "To buy your threshing floor, to build an altar to Yahweh, that the plague may be stopped from afflicting the people." 22 Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him. Behold, the cattle for the burnt offering, and the threshing instruments and the yokes of the oxen for the wood: 23 all this, king, does Araunah give to the king." Araunah said to the king, "May Yahweh your God accept you." 24 The king said to Araunah, "No; but I will most certainly buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to Yahweh my God which cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 David built an altar to Yahweh there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So Yahweh was entreated for the land, and the plague was stayed from Israel.

2 Samuel 18-20 The Return of the King

2 Samuel 18-20 The Return of the King

Psalm 48:1- 8 Security is Found in God

Ps 48:1 “Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised, in the city of our God, in His holy mountain. 2 Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion, on the north sides, the city of the great King. 3 God has shown Himself in her citadels as a refuge. 4 For, behold, the kings assembled themselves, they passed by together. 5 They saw it, then they were astonished. They were dismayed. They hurried away. 6 Trembling took hold of them there, pain, as of a woman in travail. 7 With the east wind, you break the ships of Tarshish. 8 As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of Yahweh of Armies, in the city of our God. God will establish it forever. Selah.

Observations: God will protect the city in which He dwells.

48:3 The presence of God is even better protection than a citadel.

48:8 Believers should praise God for the protection they've experienced.

Application: Our praise should match the greatness of God. We should be more excited about Him than anything else.

Prayer: Lord, You are great and greatly to be praised; thank You for being my protection. Amen.

Proverbs 13:11-13 Be Good While Waiting

Pr 13:11 “Wealth gained by dishonesty dwindles away, but he who gathers by labor makes it grow. 12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life. 13 Whoever despises instruction will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.“

Observations: 13:11 Wealth gained from deception or deceit disappears, while that gained by the means God designed benefits on multiple levels. We were made to work, and are benefited by learning to draw on God's grace to work wholeheartedly, and we become stronger in the process. Hard earned money is not lost in frivolous schemes, as are most lottery winnings and inheritances. Thus, wealth grows.

13:12 Most people can't be happy and joyful if they don't have what they think they need to be happy. See Psalm 106:13-15 (above) for the dangers of such desires. God is more than enough for our happiness if we have a Biblical relationship with Him. Seeing something other than God for happiness is being a disloyal traitor to Him. Trusting that He will fulfill our desires at the perfect time, is cause for joy rather than sickness.”Ps 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and a shield. Yahweh will give grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk uprightly.”

13:13 Particularly when seeking what we think is necessary for our happiness, we can be tempted to ignore what God's word says about our desires. That's the quick route to destruction. Fearing God and His commands (and keeping them) is the slightly longer route to reward and living happily ever after. The wise choice.

Application: Wait for it; trust; wait for it; obey; wait for it...don't do something stupid.

Prayer: Infinitely good, and powerful and wise God, I give you all my desires, and trust that You are more than adequate for anything I need; I trust You to give me what's best, when and if it's best. Thanks for being trustworthy. Amen.

2Samuel 18-20 Ever since his sin with Bathsheba, David,  the giant killer has been having huge problems. Eventually God returns David to the throne, largely through the efforts of Joab, with whom David experiences multiple conflicts. Nevertheless, God continues to use both of them to accomplish His purposes.

2 Samuel 18 Conflict of Interests

18:1 David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, "I will surely go forth with you myself also." 3 But the people said, "You shall not go forth; for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city." 4 The king said to them, "I will do what seems best to you." The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man, with Absalom." All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom. 6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were struck there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men. 8 For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

9 Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on. 10 A certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, "Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak." 11 Joab said to the man who told him, "Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver, and a sash." 12 The man said to Joab, "Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn’t put forth my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.’ 13 Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against me." 14 Then Joab said, "I’m not going to wait like this with you." He took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 15 Ten young men who bore Joab’s armour surrounded and struck Absalom, and killed him. 16 Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people. 17 They took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Then all Israel fled everyone to his tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king’s dale; for he said, "I have no son to keep my name in memory." He called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom’s monument, to this day.

19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me now run, and bear the king news, how that Yahweh has avenged him of his enemies." 20 Joab said to him, "You shall not be the bearer of news this day, but you shall bear news another day. But today you shall bear no news, because the king’s son is dead." 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen!" The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran. 22 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, "But come what may, please let me also run after the Cushite." Joab said, "Why do you want to run, my son, since that you will have no reward for the news?" 23 "But come what may," he said, "I will run." He said to him, "Run!" Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite. 24 Now David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone. 25 The watchman cried, and told the king. The king said, "If he is alone, there is news in his mouth." He came closer and closer. 26 The watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the porter, and said, "Behold, a man running alone!" The king said, "He also brings news." 27 The watchman said, "I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." The king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good news." 28 Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, "All is well." He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, "Blessed is Yahweh your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king!" 29 The king said, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don’t know what it was." 30 The king said, "Turn aside, and stand here." He turned aside, and stood still. 31 Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said, "News for my lord the king; for Yahweh has avenged you this day of all those who rose up against you." 32 The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" The Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is." 33 The king was much moved, and went up to the room over the gate, and wept. As he went, he said, "My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died for you, Absalom, my son, my son!"

Observations: 18:1-8 It's clear that Yahweh gives the victory in delivering David, yet David doesn't praise Him, neither in this chapter nor the next.

18:9-18 Joab ignores David's command to spare Absalom the rebel. David's inaction and irresponsibility, as well as Absalom's usurping of the throne resulted in the death of at least 20,000 Israelites. The burial of Absalom is fitting that of a rebellious son (Dt 21:20-21). Apparently Absalom's sons had died and would not be able to carry on his name, so he built his own monument, with no trust in God for a legacy. Joab's defiance of David's command in the interests of preserving the kingship and punishing evildoers presents an interesting dilemma. Should Joab obey a bad command from a defective human ruler who isn't seeking God's will? He followed David's directive in violation of the law in Uriah's murder, but not this time. Joab is humanly responsible for David's success. He goes against David's will in following the law in killing the usurper Absalom, the rebel commander Abner, and possibly disloyal Amasa (next chapter). There's no record of Joab seeking God's will in his actions, and one could charge him with self-interest. One could argue that his responsibility was to obey David, and trust God for the results. However, up until this point, he has always done what is wise from a military and political standpoint.

18:19-33 This section details bringing the news to the King, who responds to the good news of Yahweh's deliverance and preservation of his throne with lament for Absalom. David again is irresponsible, wishing he was dead instead of Absalom. He should have rejoiced and recognized that God had delivered him so he could continue his job of shepherding and ruling God's people (not that he was doing that great a job of it).

Application: When Divine and human commands come in conflict, “we must obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29).

Prayer: Lord, may I always be sensitive to Your will in any given situation, guided by Your objective truth, rather than my subjective and sometimes defective values and feelings. Amen.

2 Samuel 19 King Reproved and Returned

19:1 It was told Joab, "Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom." 2 The victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people; for the people heard it said that day, "The king grieves for his son." 3 The people sneaked into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, "My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!" 5 Joab came into the house to the king, and said, "You have shamed this day the faces of all your servants, who this day have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines; 6 in that you love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. For you have declared this day, that princes and servants are nothing to you. For today I perceive that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it would have pleased you well. 7 Now therefore arise, go out, and speak to comfort your servants; for I swear by Yahweh, if you don’t go out, not a man will stay with you this night. That would be worse to you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now." 8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. They told to all the people, saying, "Behold, the king is sitting in the gate." All the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.

9 All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don’t you speak a word of bringing the king back?" 11 King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? Since the speech of all Israel has come to the king, to return him to his house. 12 You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’ 13 Say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren’t captain of the army before me continually in the place of Joab.’" 14 He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as one man; so that they sent to the king, saying, "Return, you and all your servants." 15 So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.

16 Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. 17 There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king. 18 A ferry boat went to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he had come over the Jordan. 19 He said to the king, "Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, nor remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I have come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king." 21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, "Shall Shimei not be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh’s anointed?" 22 David said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be adversaries to me? Shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? For don’t I know that I am this day king over Israel?" 23 The king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." The king swore to him.

24 Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 25 It happened, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, "Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?" 26 He answered, "My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, I will saddle me a donkey, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because your servant is lame. 27 He has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Do therefore what is good in your eyes. 28 For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry any more to the king?" 29 The king said to him, "Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land." 30 Mephibosheth said to the king, "Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house."

31 Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even eighty years old: and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. 33 The king said to Barzillai, "Come over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem." 34 Barzillai said to the king, "How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be yet a burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward? 37 Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to you." 38 The king answered, "Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you. Whatever you require of me, that I will do for you." 39 All the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. Then the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.

40 So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him. All the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel. 41 Behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, "Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?" 42 All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, "Because the king is a close relative to us. Why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s cost? Or has he given us any gift?" 43 The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, "We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?" The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

Observations: 19:1-4 God is curiously absent from David's thinking in this chapter, appearing once on David's lips in an ill-considered oath regarding Joab. Whether motivated by fatherly affection, guilt for the consequences of his affair with Bathsheba (sword not depart from your house), political motives, or a concern for God alone to be his deliverer (we're being gracious here), David makes another self-centered, unwise emotional response to a problem he has caused, lamenting the death of a rebel rather than celebrating God's deliverance of him. This is not the man with a passion for God's reputation and His people who slew Goliath. David fails to demonstrate self-control, governing his life by his feelings rather than noble objectives.

19:5-7 Loyal Joab once again rescues David, this time from himself, by reproving David for his dissing of the troops who just rescued him. As Joab notes, David appears more loyal to his enemies than his friends.

19:9-43 David indirectly appeals for Israel to accept him back as king, granting forgiveness and favors to Judah, especially in his dealings with Amasa, Shimei, Mephibosheth, and Barzillai, as the returning king.

19:13 Amasa was the leader of Absalom's army (17:25), but a nephew of David, and cousin to Joab. David appoints him to Joab's place, possibly to secure the support of the men of Judah, and possibly because of David's disapproval of Joab's role in the death of Absalom, and rebuke (10:5-7). David's dissing of Joab is astounding.

19:16-23 Shimei repents and is forgiven by David, but David later instructs Solomon to kill him, indicating the move was largely political.

19:24-30 Mephibosheth had been grieving since David was away, and explains that Ziba had deceived both of them. Not wanting to make more enemies, David restores half the property he had given to Ziba, instead of punishing the deception.

19: Barzillai gets blessed for his loyalty to the king in exile, and passes on the blessing to his son.

Application: The ability to rule oneself is the prerequisite for leading others; one must always consider the impact of one's actions (and emotional expression) on others.

Prayer: Lord, may You guard my mind and heart with Your power and perspective, so I bring about Your purposes in blessing others. Amen.

2 Samuel 20 Anarchist Loses His Head

20:1 There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, "We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!" 2 So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem. 3 David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody, and provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, "Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present." 5 So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together; but he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him. 6 David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight." 7 There went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri. 

8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out. 9 Joab said to Amasa, "Is it well with you, my brother?" Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri. 11 There stood by him one of Joab’s young men, and said, "He who favors Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab!" 12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still. 13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him. 15 They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down. 16 Then a wise woman cried out of the city, "Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’" 17 He came near to her; and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Hear the words of your handmaid." He answered, "I do hear." 18 Then she spoke, saying, "They were used to say in old times, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at Abel’; and so they settled it. 19 I am among those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh?" 20 Joab answered, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. 21 The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city." The woman said to Joab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall." 22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

23 Now Joab was over all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites; 24 and Adoram was over the men subject to forced labour; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; 25 and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 26 and also Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.

Observations: 20:1-3 Just what David needs, an anarchist, Sheba. The fact that Israel follows him says something about their confidence in David's leadership. The Benjaminites tended to be a feisty lot. They eventually were the only tribe to remain loyal with Judah in comprising the Southern Kingdom.

20:4-5 The reason for the delay/failure of Asama to follow David's time-sensitive order to gather troops isn't given, but the delay is viewed by David as damaging, and by Joab as disloyal. David sends Abishai as leader of Joab's men to deal with Sheba's threat. Joab is the star of the chapter, putting down the rebellion with a minimum of bloodshed.

20:6-14 Joab's method of dealing with disloyalty is to permanently eliminate the problem. He kills/murders Amasa. David instructs Solomon (1Kg 2:5) to payback Joab for this killing, as well as that of Abner. In both cases Joab's and Israel's interests are served.

20:14-22 Joab pursues Sheba and wisely listens to a wise woman's counsel at Abel. The town turns over the traitor, and is spared. Joab is usually portrayed as a bloodthirsty warrior, but it's obvious that he is interested in preserving the kingship, not to “swallow up and destroy.” Though Joab is unappreciated and dissed by David, he still does his job well, living for a higher objective than the praise of men. He winds up being the major actor in the chapter, preserving the kingship of David.

20:23-26 The list of “officials” is similar to that in 2Sam 8. Joab is back over the military. A supervisor of the tribute/forced labor is added, and David's sons who were previously listed as ministers (priests) are absent and Ira shows up in their stead. We don't hear more about him.

Application: We need to do what accomplishes the right objective, even if those we're trying to help are unappreciative and fight against us. (A particularly important lesson for parents.)

Prayer: God who loves the unlovely, may I mirror Your love in my dealings with others, not serving them for their appreciation, but for Your approval. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

God in a nutshell: God superintends the free-will choices of His creatures, to bring about His desired ends. He can use a forest, or an oak tree, or a sword, or a wise woman, or a warrior to bring about the punishment of those who don't follow His will, and to bring the continuation and fulfillment of His promises. He rewards and blesses those who are loyal to Him and to the authority that accomplishes His purposes.

Us in a nutshell: We frequently fight against God's purposes and the very people He's sent to help us. When we respond to circumstances based upon how we feel rather than what God has revealed, we usually cause ourselves and others damage. That's because our value systems are not always trained to value what God values. Forgiving those who've caused us grief is a very God-like thing.

Where to Go for More:

Truthbase.net

2Samuel complete text

2 Samuel 18

18:1 David numbered the people who were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. 2 David sent forth the people, a third part under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the people, "I will surely go forth with you myself also." 3 But the people said, "You shall not go forth; for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better that you are ready to help us out of the city." 4 The king said to them, "I will do what seems best to you." The king stood beside the gate, and all the people went out by hundreds and by thousands. 5 The king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom." All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom. 6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the forest of Ephraim. 7 The people of Israel were struck there before the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter there that day of twenty thousand men. 8 For the battle was there spread over the surface of all the country; and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.

9 Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the sky and earth; and the mule that was under him went on. 10 A certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, "Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak." 11 Joab said to the man who told him, "Behold, you saw it, and why didn’t you strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten pieces of silver, and a sash." 12 The man said to Joab, "Though I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand, I still wouldn’t put forth my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.’ 13 Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hidden from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against me." 14 Then Joab said, "I’m not going to wait like this with you." He took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. 15 Ten young men who bore Joab’s armour surrounded and struck Absalom, and killed him. 16 Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people. 17 They took Absalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Then all Israel fled everyone to his tent. 18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the pillar, which is in the king’s dale; for he said, "I have no son to keep my name in memory." He called the pillar after his own name; and it is called Absalom’s monument, to this day.

19 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me now run, and bear the king news, how that Yahweh has avenged him of his enemies." 20 Joab said to him, "You shall not be the bearer of news this day, but you shall bear news another day. But today you shall bear no news, because the king’s son is dead." 21 Then Joab said to the Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen!" The Cushite bowed himself to Joab, and ran. 22 Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said yet again to Joab, "But come what may, please let me also run after the Cushite." Joab said, "Why do you want to run, my son, since that you will have no reward for the news?" 23 "But come what may," he said, "I will run." He said to him, "Run!" Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite. 24 Now David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate to the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone. 25 The watchman cried, and told the king. The king said, "If he is alone, there is news in his mouth." He came closer and closer. 26 The watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the porter, and said, "Behold, a man running alone!" The king said, "He also brings news." 27 The watchman said, "I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." The king said, "He is a good man, and comes with good news." 28 Ahimaaz called, and said to the king, "All is well." He bowed himself before the king with his face to the earth, and said, "Blessed is Yahweh your God, who has delivered up the men who lifted up their hand against my lord the king!" 29 The king said, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent the king’s servant, even me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I don’t know what it was." 30 The king said, "Turn aside, and stand here." He turned aside, and stood still. 31 Behold, the Cushite came. The Cushite said, "News for my lord the king; for Yahweh has avenged you this day of all those who rose up against you." 32 The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" The Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you to do you harm, be as that young man is." 33 The king was much moved, and went up to the room over the gate, and wept. As he went, he said, "My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! I wish I had died for you, Absalom, my son, my son!"

2 Samuel 19

19:1 It was told Joab, "Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom." 2 The victory that day was turned into mourning to all the people; for the people heard it said that day, "The king grieves for his son." 3 The people sneaked into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, "My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!" 5 Joab came into the house to the king, and said, "You have shamed this day the faces of all your servants, who this day have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines; 6 in that you love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. For you have declared this day, that princes and servants are nothing to you. For today I perceive that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it would have pleased you well. 7 Now therefore arise, go out, and speak to comfort your servants; for I swear by Yahweh, if you don’t go out, not a man will stay with you this night. That would be worse to you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now." 8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. They told to all the people, saying, "Behold, the king is sitting in the gate." All the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.

9 All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, "The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. 10 Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don’t you speak a word of bringing the king back?" 11 King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, "Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? Since the speech of all Israel has come to the king, to return him to his house. 12 You are my brothers, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’ 13 Say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren’t captain of the army before me continually in the room of Joab.’" 14 He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as one man; so that they sent to the king, saying, "Return, you and all your servants." 15 So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.

16 Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David. 17 There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king. 18 A ferry boat went to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he had come over the Jordan. 19 He said to the king, "Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, nor remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart. 20 For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore, behold, I have come this day the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king." 21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, "Shall Shimei not be put to death for this, because he cursed Yahweh’s anointed?" 22 David said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should this day be adversaries to me? Shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? For don’t I know that I am this day king over Israel?" 23 The king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." The king swore to him.

24 Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace. 25 It happened, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, "Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?" 26 He answered, "My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, I will saddle me a donkey, that I may ride thereon, and go with the king; because your servant is lame. 27 He has slandered your servant to my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Do therefore what is good in your eyes. 28 For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry any more to the king?" 29 The king said to him, "Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land." 30 Mephibosheth said to the king, "Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house."

31 Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even eighty years old: and he had provided the king with sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man. 33 The king said to Barzillai, "Come over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem." 34 Barzillai said to the king, "How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am this day eighty years old. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be yet a burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward? 37 Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to you." 38 The king answered, "Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you. Whatever you require of me, that I will do for you." 39 All the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. Then the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.

40 So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him. All the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel. 41 Behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, "Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?" 42 All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, "Because the king is a close relative to us. Why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s cost? Or has he given us any gift?" 43 The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, "We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?" The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

2 Samuel 20

20:1 There happened to be there a base fellow, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew the trumpet, and said, "We have no portion in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, Israel!" 2 So all the men of Israel went up from following David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah joined with their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem. 3 David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody, and provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, "Call me the men of Judah together within three days, and be here present." 5 So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together; but he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him. 6 David said to Abishai, "Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom did. Take your lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get himself fortified cities, and escape out of our sight." 7 There went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men; and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was clothed in his apparel of war that he had put on, and on it was a sash with a sword fastened on his waist in its sheath; and as he went forth it fell out. 9 Joab said to Amasa, "Is it well with you, my brother?" Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So he struck him with it in the body, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and didn’t strike him again; and he died. Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri. 11 There stood by him one of Joab’s young men, and said, "He who favours Joab, and he who is for David, let him follow Joab!" 12 Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the midst of the highway. When the man saw that all the people stood still, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came by him stood still. 13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 He went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, and to Beth Maacah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him. 15 They came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maacah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart; and all the people who were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down. 16 Then a wise woman cried out of the city, "Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come near here, that I may speak with you.’" 17 He came near to her; and the woman said, "Are you Joab?" He answered, "I am." Then she said to him, "Hear the words of your handmaid." He answered, "I do hear." 18 Then she spoke, saying, "They were used to say in old times, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at Abel’; and so they settled it. 19 I am among those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the inheritance of Yahweh?" 20 Joab answered, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. 21 The matter is not so. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city." The woman said to Joab, "Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall." 22 Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. They cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. He blew the trumpet, and they were dispersed from the city, every man to his tent. Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

23 Now Joab was over all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites; 24 and Adoram was over the men subject to forced labour; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; 25 and Sheva was scribe; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; 26 and also Ira the Jairite was chief minister to David.