2 Samuel 23:8-39 - Give Honor to Whom Honor is Due

2 Samuel 23:8-39

David’s Mighty Men (1 Chronicles 11:10–47)

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. 9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. 10 He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder. 11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory.

13 Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 16 So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD. 17 And he said, “Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it.

These things were done by the three mighty men.

18 Now Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. 19 Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.

20 Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. 21 And he killed an Egyptian, a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. 23 He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed 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 from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash, 31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), 38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

These mighty warriors of king David were honored in the scriptures of God’s word to remind us of their faithfulness and to follow their examples (2 Thessalonians 3:9, 1 Corinthians 4:16, Hebrews 6:12) when possible in standing firm (1 Corinthians 16:13, 1 Peter 5:9) and courageous in fighting (Psalm 27:14, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Ephesians 6:10) the good (1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 4:7) fight as we proclaim the good news of victory in Christ.  These men of David risked their lives (Acts 20:24, 21:13), not counting their own lives so dear as to hold back from seeing others hear that their own lives may be saved eternally through the preaching of the word of God.  Whether in a physical battle with clanging swords as these valiant men were or in the reasoning from scripture by those valiant for the truth over who the Lord is and what He has done to call people to repentance and faith, the call is the same - to fight well and honor (Romans 13:7, 1 Corinthians 12:23, 1 Timothy 5:17) those among us who do likewise, sometimes even to the point of death in their testimony as martyrs (the very definition of the word) to bring life (Romans 6:23) in Christ out of the death we are all born into through Adam’s inheritance (Romans 5:12, 14, 1 Corinthians 15:21) of sin within.  We therefore are reminded in this passage to give honor to whom it is due in the fight against heavenly forces (Ephesians 3:10, 6:12) set against the deliverance of men and women from sin as we ourselves remain valiant for the truth that sets us free (John 8:32, 36, 1 John 5:20) in knowing the only true God (John 17:3) and His Son whom He sent to set us free at last!  May we all be encouraged by this passage to fight the good fight for the souls of men and women bound in sin as we all enter this life that they may leave it with a certain hope of an eternal release from sin as the victory gained in the good fight of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

2 Samuel 23:1-7 - Testimony of Salvation

2 Samuel 23:1-7

David’s Last Words

1 Now these are the last words of David.

Thus says David the son of Jesse;
Thus says the man raised up on high,
The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psalmist of Israel:

2 “The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me,
And His word was on my tongue.

3 The God of Israel said,
The Rock of Israel spoke to me:
‘He who rules over men must be just,
Ruling in the fear of God.

4 And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises,
A morning without clouds,
Like the tender grass springing out of the earth,
By clear shining after rain.’

5 “Although my house is not so with God,
Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant,
Ordered in all things and secure.
For this is all my salvation and all my desire;
Will He not make it increase?

6 But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away,
Because they cannot be taken with hands.

7 But the man who touches them
Must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear,
And they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.”

These final words of king David are his testimony of God’s grace and providence in his life for us to witness and meditate over.  He identified who he was and where he came from, the son of Jesse.  Then he identified himself as anointed by the living God of Jacob-Israel Himself.  He also identified as the psalmist of Israel, the writer of many songs and hymns he gave them and us to extol and praise praise the LORD his and our God.  His testimony of grace then gave us the source of those psalms, inspired by the Holy Spirit of God who spoke His word to us down through the generations and recorded as God’s very words given as scripture to us; they were not his own words found on his tongue.  When God spoke to him, He gave him the solid foundation of Himself as the Rock and the words based on the same assurance of truth, namely that he was to rule as the anointed king with justice in the fear of God and therefore not in pride or disobedience as Saul before him.  This righteous loving would be as the clear dawn’s early light and as the fresh grass springing up after a satisfying rain that meets the sun rising throughout the day.  He confessed that he was far from perfect, yet chosen by the LORD by the unbreakable covenant promise given by God to him that was safe and secure (John 5:24, 10:28-29, Ephesians 1:13, 14) from all alarms to the contrary that doubts might throw at him.  This is the basis of our calling and election of grace to salvation we now experience in Jesus Christ, the Seed of David who is the Messiah, Anointed of the Father.  This deliverance from condemnation promised to us through the line of David now is set in order by His work of grace on the cross and out of the grave as promised to secure our eternal future.  God promised David that this desire for deliverance that filled his heart would be increased as it grew and not diminished or taken away (John 3:36, 6:40, 1 John 5:12-13) from him as it also grows in us as we are conformed (2 Corinthians 3:18) to the image of God in the face of Jesus the Anointed.  Only those not chosen and who reject this covenant of grace will perish as useless thorns thrown into the fire to be burned because they cannot be taken out due to their rebellion against the Most High in refusing Him.  Just as David warned others then not to battle against such without being equipped for war, knowing their fate, we also must don the entire armor of God by faith (Ephesians 6:10, 13, 15, 19) to bear witness as our testimony of saving grace who speaks to us still today through His Spirit inspired words written in the scriptures and upon our hearts by that same Spirit in this new everlasting covenant of our secure standing in Jesus Christ.  This is our own testimony of God’s salvation that leads us to praise our Lord in word, deed, and songs of praise.

2 Samuel 22:26-51 - Blessed be the Rock of my Salvation!

2 Samuel 22:26-51

26 “With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;
27 With the pure You will show Yourself pure;
And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.

28 You will save the humble people;
But Your eyes are on the haughty, that You may bring them down.

29 “For You are my lamp, O LORD;
The LORD shall enlighten my darkness.
30 For by You I can run against a troop;
By my God I can leap over a wall.

31 As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the LORD is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

32 “For who is God, except the LORD?
And who is a rock, except our God?
33 God is my strength and power,
And He makes my way perfect.

34 He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And sets me on my high places.
35 He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

36 “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your gentleness has made me great.
37 You enlarged my path under me;
So my feet did not slip.

38 “I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them;
Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them,
So that they could not rise;
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 against me.
41 You have also given me the necks of my enemies,
So that I destroyed those who hated me.

42 They looked, but there was none to save;
Even to the LORD, but He did not answer them.
43 Then I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I trod them like dirt in the streets,
And I spread them out.

44 “You have also delivered me from the strivings of my people;
You have kept me as the head of the nations.
A people I have not known shall serve me.

45 The foreigners submit to me;
As soon as they hear, they obey me.
46 The foreigners fade away,
And come frightened from their hideouts.

47 “The LORD lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let God be exalted,
The Rock of my salvation!

48 It is God who avenges me,
And subdues the peoples under me;
49 He delivers me from my enemies.
You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the violent man.

50 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your name.

51 ”He is the tower of salvation to His king,
And shows mercy to His anointed,
To David and his descendants forevermore.”

The second half of David’s son of praise to the LORD sums it all up with his declaration that the loving LORD is the blessed rock of his salvation and deserves to be exalted in word, song, and living.  He begins by praising God for giving the merciful, blameless, pure the same in return while contrasting these with the devious who exhibit none of these three attributes and receive their just recompense; He saves the humble, even though imperfect, and brings down the prideful who oppose all that is good in God’s eyes.  He praises God for illuminating and guiding his way through life’s darkness and for giving him strength to overcome and find victory over his enemies.  God’s way is utterly perfect, proven as good and true, and provides protection against evil to all who humbly trust and obey that word of truth and grace.  Standing on this solid foundation of the Rock of his salvation leads to spiritual maturity as if perfection grows ever nearer.  God gives agility in living and warfare as he and we are shielded by His deliverance and greatness found in Him alone as we all find our way revealed before us as we follow Him along life’s narrow way made clear and wider than we can imagine in that grace and goodness.  God keeps us from slipping and stumbling (Jude 1:24-25) as we follow into conflict against our adversary (Ephesians 6:13, 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, 5) and give us the final victory (1 Corinthians 15:57) against those who hate and relentlessly pursue us for the sake of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven now just as David was for the earthly kingdom then.  God gives the victory now as then, subduing the enemy and delivering us to serve our Lord forever and ever, amen!  Yes, we can praise our same Lord God as David did by singing put triumphantly and joyfully, “The LORD lives!  Blessed be my Rock!  Let God be exalted, the Rock of my salvation!”  God avenges us (Romans 12:19, Revelation 6:10, 11:18) and delivers us from the ungodly and the violent for His glory and honor and praise.  These things David sang of are for us as well to thank and praise our same God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13, 2 Peter 1:1) for His mercy to all in the Seed of David who alone delivers us through repentance and faith from the wrath to come.  Blessed be the Rock (Matthew 7:24, 16:18) of our salvation promised (Ephesians 1:9-10, Galatians 4:4) long ago and now realized at last! 

2 Samuel 22:1-25 - My Deliverer in Whom I Trust!

2 Samuel 22:1-25

Praise for God’s Deliverance (Psalm 18:1–50)

1 Then David spoke to the LORD the words of this song, on the day when the LORD had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2 And he said:

“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
3 The God of my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation,
My stronghold and my refuge;
My Savior, You save me from violence.

4 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.

5 “When the waves of death surrounded me,
The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

6 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.

7 In my distress I called upon the LORD,
And cried out to my God;
He heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry entered 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 from His nostrils,
And devouring fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.

10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With darkness under His feet.

11 He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
And He was seen upon the wings of the wind.

12 He made darkness canopies around Him,
Dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

13 From the brightness before Him
Coals of fire were kindled.

14 “The LORD thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered His voice.

15 He sent out arrows and scattered them;
Lightning bolts, and He vanquished them.

16 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
The foundations of the world were uncovered,
At the rebuke of the LORD,
At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

17 “He sent from above, 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 strong for me.

19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the LORD was my support.

20 He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He delighted in me.

21 “The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the cleanness of my hands
He has recompensed me.

22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.

23 For all His judgments were before me;
And as for His statutes, I did not depart from them.

24 I was also blameless before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.

25 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to my cleanness in His eyes.

This song of praise was raised by David to extol the goodness of the LORD for delivering him and his people from their enemies and Saul who ruled unwisely over them, having left the LORD and who was then left by Him, coming to a tragic end along with most all of his family.  David raised his voice in prophetic praise to the LORD Most High, beginning with describing Him as his rock, fortress, deliverer, strength, trust, shield, power of his salvation, stronghold to protect, refuge from harm, and his Savior who delivered him save from violence of his enemies.  These things we can continue to pray and praise to our Lord Jesus Christ for His watchcare over us as His sons and daughters delivered from His wrath on our sin that we may gladly and so joyfully serve and follow Him.  May we then come to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) to call upon our Lord, who is so eternally worthy to be praised, trusting we also will be saved from our enemies opposing the gospel (Revelation 12:17) and we who testify to it and Him.  When fears of death and the ungodly surround us and threaten to overwhelm our souls, we trust in His deliverance through it all.  When sorrows and sadness blanket our minds and hearts, we trust and cry out in such distress for His intervention to be heard and helped.  When we consider His shaking of the earth in judgment (Hebrews 12:26, 27) we consider His sovereign power and authority over all creation throughout time, giving us a kingdom that cannot ever be shaken (Hebrews 12:28-29) loose from our grasp because He never lets us (John 10:28-29) go from His saving hands that delivered us from the wrath on sin to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10) on all flesh.  His omnipotent power from above is to be praised and worship should follow our words for His mighty hand of grace as well as judgment as David described so well here under the influence of God’s Spirit moving his lips in such extraordinary praise for us to emulate.  He delivers us as well because He delights in us, having chosen each one by His will and not by our works to earn such favor!  He delivers us according to the righteousness of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Philippians 3:9, Titus 3:5) and not our own; it is only by His Spirit working in us that we can keep His word written on our hearts and be found blameless in His sight now.  Our faith is recompensed with the grace of our salvation from condemnation and we rejoice as David did for our deliverance for sin and death and the power of the devil over us (Colossians 2:13, 14, 15, Hebrews 2:14-15, 1 Corinthians 15:56-57) as well had been born into and under.  The Lord is my deliverer in whom I will trust! 

2 Samuel 21:1-22 - Justice Served, Blessings Preserved

2 Samuel 21:1-22

David Avenges the Gibeonites

1 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, “It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites.” 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; the children of Israel had sworn protection to them, but Saul had sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah.

3 Therefore 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 the LORD?”

4 And the Gibeonites said to him, “We will have no silver or gold from Saul or from his house, nor shall you kill any man in Israel for us.”

So he said, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”

5 Then they answered the king, “As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the territories of Israel, 6 let seven men of his descendants be delivered to us, and we will hang them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, whom the LORD chose.”

And the king said, “I will give them.”

7 But the king spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the LORD’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. 8 So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; 9 and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill before the LORD. So they fell, all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.

10 Now Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from heaven. And she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night.

11 And David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. 12 Then 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 hung them up, after the Philistines had struck down Saul in Gilboa. 13 So he brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there; and they gathered the bones of those who had been hanged. 14 They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the tomb of Kish his father. So they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God heeded the prayer for the land.

Philistine Giants Destroyed (1 Chronicles 20:4–8)

15 When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint. 16 Then Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of the giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred shekels, who was bearing a new sword, thought he could kill David. 17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the lamp of Israel.”

18 Now it happened afterward that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then Sibbechai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the sons of the giant. 19 Again there was war at Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.

20 Yet again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to the giant. 21 So when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.

22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.

David aimed to set right the bloodthirsty act of Saul on the non-Israeli Gibeonites of the Amorites who had been under the protection of Israel (Joshua 9:15, 19-20) since the time of Joshua.  The matter came to David’s attention when there was a prolonged famine in the land and he asked the LORD why that was happening and why they were not realizing the blessings of God.  The answer was the Gibeonites whom Saul had slaughtered and so the king asked them to come to him and inquire what would satisfy justice for them and atone for the sins of his people against them.  They asked for seven men of Saul’s descendants caught and brought to hang for the sins of their father.  David spared Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan of Saul because of the oath David swore before the LORD and Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:15, 16, 2 Samuel 9:7) to preserve him and look after him always.  The sons of Rizpah the concubine of Saul and Michal his daughter were not spared, but hung to enact justice for the house of Saul against the Gibeonites to settle the matter.  David then brought bones of Saul Jonathan from Jabesh Gilead and reburied them in the tomb of Kish, the father of Saul, along with the bones of those who had been hanged.  Then there was peace in the land as justice had been served at last for the crimes of Saul committed against the slaughtered Gibeonites.  After this, the Israelites had victory over the ungodly giants who were used like Goliath as uber warrior weapons of the Philistines against God’s people.  There was a close call against David, so his army asked him to stay off the battlefield to live and continue to lead them.  The army went on to defeat four more of them, including the brother of Goliath the Gittite whom David had earlier killed when he threatened and blasphemed the LORD (1 Samuel 17:23, 26, 45) and His people.  The victory came after first providing justice for the Gibeonites as recompense for the failed promised of protection under Israel that Saul had willingly violated.  Justice was served and blessings of victory were restored.  Likewise, when we honor God and our promises to trust and obey His word, we enjoy the blessings of protection and victory in His grace.  This does not mean that we will not suffer tribulations or persecution (2 Timothy 3:12, 1 Peter 3:17), but that the blessings of His favor and avoidance of consequences will be rewarded (1 Corinthians 3:14-15) as crowns for our faithfulness as we obtain ultimate victory in the battle over the adversary (1 Corinthians 15:57) in Jesus Christ.  In the end, justice will be served and blessings restored to those who honor the Lord in our faithful following as we pursue peace (Romans 12:18, 14:19, Hebrews 12:14, 1 Peter 3:11-12, 14, 17) and right wrongs as we are able. 

Samuel 20:1-26 - Unity Interrupted

2 Samuel 20:1-26

The Rebellion of Sheba

1 And there happened to be there a rebel, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet, and said:

“We have no share in David,
Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse;
Every man to his tents, O Israel!”

2 So every man of Israel deserted David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem, remained loyal to their king.

3 Now 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 seclusion and supported them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

4 And the king said to Amasa, “Assemble the men of Judah for me within three days, and be present here yourself.” 5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah. But he delayed longer than the set time which David had appointed him. 6 And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, lest he find for himself fortified cities, and escape us.” 7 So Joab’s men, with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, went out after him. And they went out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. 8 When they were at the large stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. Now Joab was dressed in battle armor; on it was a belt with a sword fastened in its sheath at his hips; and as he was going forward, it fell out. 9 Then Joab said to Amasa, “Are you in health, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. 10 But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab’s hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died.

Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. 11 Meanwhile one of Joab’s men stood near Amasa, and said, “Whoever favors Joab and whoever is for David—follow Joab!” 12 But Amasa wallowed in his blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he moved Amasa from the highway to the field and threw a garment over him, when he saw that everyone who came upon him halted. 13 When he was removed from the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel to Abel and Beth Maachah and all the Berites. So they were gathered together and also went after Sheba. 15 Then they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth Maachah; and they cast up a siege mound against the city, and it stood by the rampart. And all the people who were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down.

16 Then a wise woman cried out from the city, “Hear, hear! Please say to Joab, ‘Come nearby, that I may speak with you.’” 17 When he had come near to her, the woman said, “Are you Joab?”

He answered, “I am.”
Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your maidservant.”
And he answered, “I am listening.”

18 So she spoke, saying, “They used to talk in former times, saying, ‘They shall surely seek guidance at Abel,’ and so they would end disputes. 19 I am among the peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?”

20 And Joab answered and said, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy! 21 That is not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city.”

So the woman said to Joab, “Watch, his head will be thrown to you over the wall.” 22 Then the woman in her wisdom went to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew a trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, every man to his tent. So Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem.

David’s Government Officers

23 And Joab was over all the army of Israel; Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; 24 Adoram was in charge of revenue; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; 25 Sheva was scribe; Zadok and Abiathar were the priests; 26 and Ira the Jairite was a chief minister under David.

Just when David had returned to rule as king in Jerusalem again after the death of his son Absalom, the rebel Sheba rallied Israel with a trumpet call to have no part or inheritance in David.  The unity of the nation under the anointed king David’s rule was interrupted for a while by this rebellion stirred up by one man.  The power of a poisonous influence can be extremely potent as we see in this account of consequences within the sovereignty of God.  Israel then deserted David to followed Sheba of the tribe of Benjamin.  Israel and Judah were then a divided kingdom over the choice of God in David His anointed ruler (1 Samuel 16:13) and progenitor of the Messianic Seed (Micah 5:2, John 7:42) out of Judean Bethlehem who would be heaven’s Anointed King of kings in (Galatians 4:4-5) due time.  Joab pursued the rebel Sheba when Amasa did not as ordered by David to quell the rebellion, and cornered him at Abel where they were going to siege the city until a wise woman intervened with Joab and led the inhabitants to step in to save their city by decapitating Sheba and throwing him over to Joab’s forces outside the walls.  This wise decision to deliver the rebel saved an entire city and stopped the one who disrupted the unity of God’s kingdom on earth.  Sometimes we need to deal with those disrupting the unity of the body of Christ and His kingdom in the church with discipline, not violence, to restore that unity and strengthen what remains to avoid splits and damage to the city of that congregation from further damage.  This is a loose parallel of the situation with scriptural merit nonetheless.  We must seek unity in the body (Romans 14:19, Ephesians 4:3, 13, 14, 16) when such disruptions rise up from within to preserve the health and spiritual growth of the church by following biblical (Matthew 18:15, 16-17, Titus 3:10-11) guidance to either bring repentance to restoration or protection by exclusion from the body for its health in the kingdom.  When unity of the body is interrupted, it may be necessary therefore to cut of the head of the rebels causing unrepentant disunity in a figurative sense in this manner to save the rest of the inhabitants. 

2 Samuel 19:31-43 - Kindness Repaid

2 Samuel 19:31-43

David’s Kindness to Barzillai

31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went across the Jordan with the king, to escort him across the Jordan. 32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. And he had provided the king with supplies while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man. 33 And the king said to Barzillai, “Come across with me, and I will provide for you while you are with me in Jerusalem.”

34 But Barzillai said to the king, “How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am today eighty years old. Can I discern between the good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any longer the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my lord the king? 36 Your servant will go a little way across the Jordan with the king. And 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, near the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what seems good to you.”

38 And the king answered, “Chimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you. Now whatever you request of me, I will do for you.” 39 Then all the people went over the Jordan. And when the king had crossed over, the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own place.

The Quarrel About the King

40 Now the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him. And all the people of Judah escorted the king, and also half the people of Israel. 41 Just then all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, “Why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king, his household, and all David’s men with him across the Jordan?”

42 So all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close relative of ours. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we ever eaten at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?”

43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten shares in the king; therefore we also have more right to David than you. Why then do you despise us—were we not the first to advise bringing back our king?”

Yet the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

Barzillai the rich Gileadite came to meet David to cross the Jordan with him, the same man who had supplied David while in exile out of the abundance God had provided.  The king offered to take him along and provide for the aged man, but Barzillai instead offered his servant Chimham since he was too old to enjoy the provisions of the king himself.  He also did not want to to be a burden since he was eighty years old.  David then blessed his benefactor and crossed the Jordan escorted by half of Israel and all of Judah who were closer related to him.  This caused some conflict to the Israelites because they claimed ten shares, one for each tribe, was more than just one of Judah, as if they owned him.  It took a heated exchange for Judah to speak louder and more fiercely to sway the controversy as they reminded Israel that they did not taken any gift to sway David to themselves even if Israel first advised bringing the king back after Absalom’s demise.  We see the kindness returned by David to his benefactor and then then argument to earn his favor as he returned without the one who had shown him such grace.  We can learn from these accounts to appreciate the servants of the Lord who provide for us (Galatians 6:6, Philippians 4:16-17, 1 Timothy 5:17-18, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, Hebrews 13:17) and not to argue over who deserves him more or more for themselves.  Our kindness and grace is rewarded by the Lord as crowns of blessings.  There is no entitlement to grace.

2 Samuel 19:18-30 - Repentance, Mercy, and Forgiveness

2 Samuel 19:18-30

18 Then a ferryboat went across to carry over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good.

David’s Mercy to Shimei

Now Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had crossed the Jordan. 19 Then he said to the king, “Do not let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart. 20 For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. Therefore here I am, the first to come today of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”

21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?”

22 And David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel?” 23 Therefore the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king swore to him.

David and Mephibosheth Meet

24 Now Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. And he had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace. 25 So it was, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?”

26 And he answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go to the king,’ because your servant is lame. 27 And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is like the angel of God. Therefore do 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 eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to cry out anymore to the king?”

29 So the king said to him, “Why do you speak anymore of your matters? I have said, ‘You and Ziba divide the land.’”

30 Then Mephibosheth said to the king, “Rather, let him take it all, inasmuch as my lord the king has come back in peace to his own house.”

This passage has elements of repentance, mercy, and forgiveness with grace holding them all entwined together in the actions of king David, the anointed of the LORD.  Shimei cursed the LORD’s anointed, king David, as he left Jerusalem to escape the hand of his son Absalom set against him for his own sin with his sister.  Instead of listening to the calls to put Shimei to death for this, David showed mercy in grace to forgive when the man repented for his sin against the king.  The king instead swore with an oath to him before all to hear, “You shall not die.”  Then Mephibosheth the son of Saul came to meet the king and was unkempt from not caring for himself sing David left.  He explained why he did not ride with the king when he left due to deception that left him there while being slandered as disloyal when he was not.  He saw David as an angel of God in doing no wrong and was willing to accept any punishment he deserved.  He did not see that he deserved any mercy and put himself in the hand of the anointed for judgment.  This is just how all we sinners now confess our sins and repent of them in sincerity and place ourselves completely in the hands of God’s mercy and grace in Christ the Anointed of God for judgment.  David showed grace and compassion to forgive and accept Mephibosheth as he had promised, just as the elect have been chosen by promise before time began (Matthew 25:34, 2 Timothy 1:9, Titus 1:2) to be acquitted of judgement and released from the sentence of death (2 Corinthians 1:9-10, Romans 3:23-24, 6:23) we all deserve.  We then give him everything we possess and to others as well to meet their needs as the pattern of Saul’s son exemplifies here.  May we receive and show the same mercy we have received in forgiving grace to the penitent who wrong us as we consider the grace in which we stand in the Anointed of God.