2 Samuel 16:1-23 - Suffering Opposition with the King

2 Samuel 16:1-23

Mephibosheth’s Servant

1 When David was a little past the top of the mountain, there was Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2 And the king said to Ziba, “What do you mean to do with these?”

So Ziba said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who are faint in the wilderness to drink.”

3 Then the king said, “And where is your master’s son?”
And Ziba said to the king, “Indeed he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.’”

4 So the king said to Ziba, “Here, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours.”
And Ziba said, “I humbly bow before you, that I may find favor in your sight, my lord, O king!”

Shimei Curses David

5 Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. 6 And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7 Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! 8 The LORD has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!”

9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!”

10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”

11 And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the LORD has ordered him. 12 It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day.” 13 And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust. 14 Now the king and all the people who were with him became weary; so they refreshed themselves there.

The Advice of Ahithophel

15 Meanwhile Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem; and Ahithophel was with him. 16 And so it was, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

17 So Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”

18 And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but whom the LORD and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19 Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence.”

20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give advice as to what we should do.”

21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.” 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

23 Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one had inquired at the oracle of God. So was all the advice of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

David left Jerusalem under imminent threat from his son Absalom when Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth brought him donkeys to ride on, bread and fruit for the young men to eat, and wine for those who are faint in the wilderness, meeting their needs along their way.  Mephibosheth remained in Jerusalem, hoping to recoup some of his inheritance through Saul’s lineage as the son of Jonathan (2 Samuel 21:7) who survived and had been looked after by David but refused to join him in exile.  King David therefore gave all that had belonged to Mephibosheth to his servant Ziba for his kindness.  On the way out of town, a man from the family of the house of Saul named Shimei came to curse David and blamed him for the death of Saul who was really killed in battle and threw stones at him while taunting with David’s humiliation by his son’s coup to take over as king and take the kingdom from him.  David accepted the curse as it might be God’s will for him to do so and so let the accuser live unpunished.  Hushai the spy of David then set out to thwart the good advice of Ahithophel who did evil as he advised Absalom to defile David’s concubines in plain public sight on top of the house in a tent to demonstrate that David abhorred his son now and strengthened his support by the people whom he had won over previously as the first public influencer.  This Ahithophel was listened to as if an oracle of the LORD, and Absalom followed his advice as David had before when he was on the real king’s side.  Gods had punished David for the adultery with Bathsheba and subsequent murder of her husband, yet still was with him to eventually take back the kingdom promised him as the chosen anointed of God.  These events of banishment were temporary and the demise of his rebellious son would soon come along with all who supported the coup.  Do we then stand on the side of the King of kings as our Lord against all worldly opposition from without and within (2 Corinthians 7:5) as we follow Him in spite of suffering (1 Peter 3:13-14, 15-16, 17) for doing good in response to evil? 

2 Samuel 15:13-37 - Fleeing the Wrath to Come

2 Samuel 15:13-37

David Escapes from Jerusalem

13 Now a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.”

14 So David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee, or we shall not escape from Absalom. Make haste to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly and bring disaster upon us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

15 And the king’s servants said to the king, “We are your servants, ready to do whatever my lord the king commands.” 16 Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house. 17 And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts. 18 Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king.

19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place. 20 In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.”

21 But Ittai answered the king and said, ”As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.”

22 So David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over. 23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people crossed over. The king himself also crossed over the Brook Kidron, and all the people crossed over toward the way of the wilderness.

24 There was Zadok also, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar went up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city. 25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place. 26 But if He says thus: ‘I have no delight in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.” 27 The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. 28 See, I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” 29 Therefore Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem. And they remained there.

30 So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up. 31 Then someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “O LORD, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

32 Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God—there was Hushai the Archite coming to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. 33 David said to him, “If you go on with me, then you will become a burden to me. 34 But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father’s servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,’ then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me. 35 And do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? Therefore it will be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall tell to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36 Indeed they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send me everything you hear.”

37 So Hushai, David’s friend, went into the city. And Absalom came into Jerusalem.

When king David received word that Absalom had the people on his side and were coming after him, he decided to flee the wrath of his son to come and left Jerusalem in a hurry, both to protect himself and his close followers (household and servants) and to keep violence from coming on the city and harming others.  He only left ten of his concubines behind to keep the house until his return.  Others joined them as they crossed over the Brook Kidron and many mourned his leaving despite the influence of Absalom to promise gain to those following him.  The Levites tried carrying the Ark of God’s covenant with them, but David directed them to return it to where it belonged in the temple of the LORD who dwelt there and met men on the mercy seat above it in the holy of holies.  They left in a trail of tears and prayed that those supporting Absalom would thwart his plans, especially those of the advisor Ahithophel who turned against him, one of David’s counsellors and Bathsheba’s grandfather (2 Samuel 11:3, 23:34).  When Hushai the Archite wanted to join the band leaving the city, David asked him to stay to be an inside voice and agent of the king to help defeat the counsel of Ahithophel against Absalom.  This inside man would prove to be a great help to pass messages via messengers through Zadok and Abiathar the priests to the deposed king.  The long exile had begun for David as his house suffered the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah.  Just as the king fled the wrath of Absalom, we who heed the gospel flee the wrath to come (Matthew 3:7, Romans 5:9, 10, 1 Thessalonians 1:10) on the world on judgment day when the King of kings returns to sit on the throne in the New Jerusalem come to earth and set justice flowing down as a river (Amos 5:24, Isaiah 66:12-13, Revelation 22:1) on all people at last as He sits on the eternal mercy seat (Romans 3:24-25, ἱλαστήριον hilastērion, “propitiation” and “mercy seat”) of His everlasting covenant (Isaiah 55:3, Ezekiel 37:26, Hebrews 13:20) in our midst.  Have you fled the wrath of God to come on your sin (Romans 6:23) to find eternal refuge in Him until we enter into glory in the New Jerusalem?  Are tou running in the right direction? 

2 Samuel 15:1-12 - Treasonous Influence for Political Gain

2 Samuel 15:1-12

Absalom’s Treason

1 After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2 Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.” 3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.” 4 Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.” 5 And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him, that he would put out his hand and take him and kiss him. 6 In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7 Now it came to pass after forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please, let me go to Hebron and pay the vow which I made to the LORD. 8 For your servant took a vow while I dwelt at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the LORD indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.’”

9 And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.

10 Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’” 11 And with Absalom went two hundred men invited from Jerusalem, and they went along innocently and did not know anything. 12 Then Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city—from Giloh—while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy grew strong, for the people with Absalom continually increased in number.

Some things deep in the sin nature of man drive him to do things that never change over time, such as the treasonous influencer Absalom gaining political gain over the popular opinion of the people against his father, the ordained ruler of the country.  He was the first influencer way before the modern internet trend to use empty promises and offers of justice to steal the hearts of good people away from those God put on the thrones of nations.  This is also seen with politicians of the recent generations with their bloated promises to get elected even if the promises are not realized later.  Absalom was a master influencer for his time, sitting at the city’s gate to offer what he called true justice (which was what the offenders desired, not what was truly fair) that was not allegedly and currently offered by the current administration of king David.  All who came to David for rulings heard the same from Absalom as he stole their hearts away from the justice of fair dealing that they were already facing in David’s court.  That ploy continues today as politicians influence with flattering words of promise to mete out the justice that favors the guilty and skews the law for personal gain.  At least that is what is promised.  Absalom did this slowly over forty years as he built his power base until the time was hot to strike for the offense of his three year banishment from the king and kingdom for the crime of murder of his half-brother, his sister’s rapist.  He took vengeance as a guilty man because he did not like the accountability for what he did, taking everything from his father the king.  This was a result of David’s own miscarriage of justice in taking his neighbor’s wife and having the man Uriah killed in battle to have her all to himself.  It was the consequence of David’s sin that led to this beginning of family troubles as the LORD had told him (2 Samuel 12:10, 11) through Nathan the prophet.  God still had His eye on the anointed David, however, and kept him safe from the internal rebellion of his family and nation, even as Absalom gathered an increasing number of supporters and plotted to take over the government in the growing conspiracy of his treason by planting spies to trigger the rebellion in a revolution takeover when it was announced.  We also can be aware of those inside and outside the church who conspire to influence against true justice to gain advantage through deception (Deuteronomy 16:19-20, Acts 20:29-30), keeping our focus on knowing and living according to the word of God to be wise as serpents but harmless as doves in a godly response, not with violence (Matthew 11:12) as the world encourages us to respond with to work the righteousness (James 1:19-20, 3:18) of God. 

2 Samuel 14:25-33 - Fire and Forgiveness

2 Samuel 14:25-33

David Forgives Absalom

25 Now in all Israel there was no one who was praised as much as Absalom for his good looks. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. 26 And when he cut the hair of his head—at the end of every year he cut it because it was heavy on him—when he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels according to the king’s standard. 27 To Absalom were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of beautiful appearance.

28 And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, but did not see the king’s face. 29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. And when he sent again the second time, he would not come. 30 So he said to his servants, “See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.

31 Then Joab arose and came to Absalom’s house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

32 And Absalom answered Joab, “Look, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.“‘ Now therefore, let me see the king’s face; but if there is iniquity in me, let him execute me.”

33 So Joab went to the king and told him. And when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king. Then the king kissed Absalom.

It took a fire set by estranged Absalom in Joab’s barley field for him to get attention to the fact that David had not completely forgiven his son yet.  Certainly David had listened to Joab through the parable of the woman with separated sons and had Absalom brought back to Jerusalem after three years away, yet the king still had not allowed his son to come before him.  It took a fire lot under Joab to motivate him to again approach the king to accept or execute his son in such isolation.  It did not feel like forgiveness and reconciliation quite yet to Absalom and his desperation drove him to this.  All the good looks of Absalom meant nothing to him without the approval of his father, even after the evil he had done to enact his own justice as executioner of Amnon who incestuously raped and forever shamed his sister Tamar.  When Joab got the message and approached the king at last, David summoned his son and kissed him who bowed in submission to him and his judgment of acceptance and forgiveness in reconciliation.  We find ourselves in a similar situation before coming to be in Christ in that we have grievously offended the Lord with our inherited and ongoing sin and deserve death (Romans 3:23, 6:23) but are accepted unconditionally in true grace and eternal reconciliation (Romans 5:10-11, 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19, 20-21) in a way far greater than with David and Absalom in that it makes us truly righteous in the righteousness of Christ Jesus as the Seed of David according to the flesh as his descendant, and according to the divine Father of us all according to the Spirit of Grace.  He Himself set a fire under all the fields of our possessions (Matthew 16:24, Philippians 3:7) to open our eyes (Isaiah 42:7, Luke 24:31-32, Acts 26:18) to come to Him before His throne of Grace and mercy for lasting reconciliation.  It is the fire of His calling and drawing us to Himself that brings us to such reconciliation through repentance and faith for eternal forgiveness of salvation from His wrath on our sins.

2 Samuel 14:1-24 - The Banished Restored, not Expelled

2 Samuel 14:1-24

Absalom Returns to Jerusalem

1 So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was concerned about Absalom. 2 And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel; do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning a long time for the dead. 3 Go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.

4 And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, and said, “Help, O king!”

5 Then the king said to her, “What troubles you?”

And she answered, “Indeed I am a widow, my husband is dead. 6 Now your maidservant had two sons; and the two fought with each other in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him. 7 And now the whole family has risen up against your maidservant, and they said, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may execute him for the life of his brother whom he killed; and we will destroy the heir also.’ So they would extinguish my ember that is left, and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the earth.”

8 Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.”

9 And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, let the iniquity be on me and on my father’s house, and the king and his throne be guiltless.”

10 So the king said, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you anymore.”

11 Then she said, “Please let the king remember the LORD your God, and do not permit the avenger of blood to destroy anymore, lest they destroy my son.”

And he said, ”As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

12 Therefore the woman said, “Please, let your maidservant speak another word to my lord the king.”

And he said, “Say on.”

13 So the woman said: “Why then have you schemed such a thing against the people of God? For the king speaks this thing as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring his banished one home again. 14 For we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him. 15 Now therefore, I have come to speak of this thing to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. And your maidservant said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his maidservant. 16 For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God.’ 17 Your maidservant said, ‘The word of my lord the king will now be comforting; for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king in discerning good and evil. And may the LORD your God be with you.’”

18 Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Please do not hide from me anything that I ask you.”

And the woman said, “Please, let my lord the king speak.”

19 So the king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman answered and said, “As you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken. For your servant Joab commanded me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your maidservant. 20 To bring about this change of affairs your servant Joab has done this thing; but my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth.”

21 And the king said to Joab, “All right, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.”

22 Then Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself, and thanked the king. And Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant.” 23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24 And the king said, “Let him return to his own house, but do not let him see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, but did not see the king’s face.

The key here is the phrase, “He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him.”  This is the account of Absalom’s return after three years away from his father king David.  It is a reminder of the Lord’s grace to bring back wayward sinners who are banished from fellowship with Him and others for their serious sins such as the vengeance here that led to having a brother murdered for incestuous rape of a sister.  Surely there is accountability to the law of the land and more importantly to God in all sins, but there is also the hope of restoration through repentance to many whose hearts truly turn from sin to Him as they did before in their salvation.  Here there was an intercessor, Joab, who wisely saw the king’s concern for his missing son but was unwilling to take steps to restore him.  Joab therefore concocted a plot to use a living parable of a wronged woman whose story paralleled the rift between David and Absalom, similar to the type Nathan the prophet used to expose the king’s sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:1, 4, 7) earlier.  This woman told a tale of a man who had two sons who fought and one was killed, leaving the family wanting to put the surviving brother to death and cutting off the heir so there would be “neither name nor remnant on the earth” for her family.  The king was indignant and told her to bring the boy to him for protection and the heard the story was about him and his son Absalom who killed his brother Amnon and had been banished as if to suffer a similar fate as in the story.  This moved David to do what he offered to the brother in the fictitious tale, bringing Absalom home to not cut his line off for the crime he committed in his plotted anger.  The king then saw Joab’s hand in crafting this rescue and agreed to this wise move, but still held back from the point of offering forgiveness as he kept his son from seeing him personally and kept Absalom in his own home instead.  This demonstrated the means God used to not expel the banished one completely from His presence in the kingdom, yet held accountable at a distance awaiting true signs of a changed repentant heart in the one restored.  Likewise, in church discipline we are to seek restoration (Leviticus 19:17-18, Matthew 18:15, Romans 12:19, James 5:19-20) while not ignoring accountability as we look for a truly repentant heart seen in a changed heart and life.  Remember, the Lord makes the way for sinners to not be expelled, but restored to fellowship through sincere repentance (1 John 1:9) and His forgiveness when banished from fellowship for their sins; only an unrepentant heart is to be kept in this banishment, yet still loved (2 Thessalonians 3:15) as a brother in Christ. 

2 Samuel 13:23-39 - Strike Amnon!

2 Samuel 13:23-39

Absalom Murders Amnon

23 And it came to pass, after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim; so Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Then Absalom came to the king and said, “Kindly note, your servant has sheepshearers; please, let the king and his servants go with your servant.”

25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go now, lest we be a burden to you.” Then he urged him, but he would not go; and he blessed him.

26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.”

And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom urged him; so he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, “Watch now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon!’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.” 29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each one got on his mule and fled.

30 And it came to pass, while they were on the way, that news came to David, saying, “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left!” 31 So the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 32 Then Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, “Let not my lord suppose they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for only Amnon is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore, let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead. For only Amnon is dead.”

Absalom Flees to Geshur

34 Then Absalom fled. And the young man who was keeping watch lifted his eyes and looked, and there, many people were coming from the road on the hillside behind him. 35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king’s sons are coming; as your servant said, so it is.” 36 So it was, as soon as he had finished speaking, that the king’s sons indeed came, and they lifted up their voice and wept. Also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly.

37 But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. 38 So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39 And King David longed to go to Absalom. For he had been comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead.

Strike Amnon!  Absalom, David’s son, finally found the moment to take revenge on his half-brother Amnon after two years for incestuously raping his sister Tamar.  Under the pretense of taking his brother with the group of sheepshearers, he persuaded king David to allow Amnon to come with him and all the king’s sons.  When Amnon was drunk, Absalom ordered his servants to murder him and all the king’s sons got on their mules and scurried away to,avoid being implicated in their brother’s death.  The news that reached David was that all were killed until Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, told him it was only Amnon who was killed in retribution by Absalom for the rape of Tamar his sister as he had determined to do from that event two years ago.  This was the same Jonadab who talked Amnon into following his heart and violating his sister according to his fleshly desires in opposition to God’s prohibition to such abominable actions according to the Law.  This man of evil subterfuge dared to plead for the life of the one who killed the man he had set up to commit the act for which he was murdered!  Absalom of course took off running on his own mule supposedly to  avoid the consequences of his unrighteous act of taking justice into his own hands.  Meanwhile, the rest of David’s sons came back with tears in their eyes for the loss of their brother as the king and his servants joined in their bitter sorrow.  Absalom hid with king of Geshur’s son for three years while David had healed from the loss and yearned to go to him.  This is why we are not to take justice into our own hands and become judge, jury, and executioner of those who wrong those we love.  Vengeance is the Lord’s (Leviticus 19:18, Psalm 98:9, Romans 12:19, Hebrews 10:30) and He alone is the judge of all in this life or the next.  When our anger cries out, “Strike Amnon!” as it did with Absalom, we are to hand the offender over to the Judge of all, and to the rulers He put over us (Romans 13:1-2, 3-4) to hold them accountable.  Our anger does not work the righteousness (Matthew 5:21, James 1:19-20) of God, especially since it is our unbiblical attempt to take over the judgments of God for ourselves as if we know better than Him and have the right to violate His word in response to another’s unrighteousness. 

2 Samuel 13:1-22 - The Corrupting Curse of Consequences

2 Samuel 13:1-22

Amnon and Tamar

1 After this Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. 2 Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Now Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4 And he said to him, “Why are you, the king’s son, becoming thinner day after day? Will you not tell me?”

Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

5 So Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” 6 Then Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let Tamar my sister come and make a couple of cakes for me in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”

7 And David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Now go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was lying down. Then she took flour and kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 9 And she took the pan and placed them out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, “Have everyone go out from me.” And they all went out from him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother in the bedroom. 11 Now when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”

12 But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! 13 And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!”

16 So she said to him, “No, indeed! This evil of sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me.”

But he would not listen to her. 17 Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.” 18 Now she had on a robe of many colors, for the king’s virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.

19 Then Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly. 20 And Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.

21 But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. 22 And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor bad. For Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

Such incest was unheard of yet happened to David’s children as part of the curse of consequences brought on them by their father’s adultery and murder as pronounced through the prophet Nathan by the LORD.  His son Absalom had a sister Tamar who was desired by another son, Amnon.  These three siblings were the focus of this account.  In 2 Samuel 12:11 we recall the consequences cast on the children of David and their children as well, just as the sins of us all were accounted to the ultimate Seed of David who was sinless yet took the punishment for,our sins on Himself to deliver us from the curse (Galatians 3:13) of sin.  Here the lust of Amnon for his own half sister (2 Samuel 3:2-3) overwhelmed him because it was unchecked by God’s word (Leviticus 18:9, 20:17) prohibiting this deviant behavior.  Then Jonadab, the nephew of David, who was a crafty and skillfully unwise fellow, helped devise a plan for Amnon to entrap and rape his sister.  He pretended to be sick and have her bring him food in bed, alone, and then took her.  She resisted by exclaiming, “no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!”  Her shame would be overwhelming and she pleaded for him to even ask the king to give her to him almost lawfully, yet he forced himself on her and then despised her afterwards with more hate than the earlier desire for her.  He threw her out of his bedroom and bolted the door behind her to cover his obscene behavior.  She lamented the rape by tearing her clothes and putting ashes on her head as a sign of despair and grief over what happened to her.  Absalom her other brother knew what happened when he found her in distress and began planning revenge for his lewd half-brother.  Even David found out what had happened as Absalom hid his anger and hate for Amnon for forcing his sister in bed for the passing pleasures of sin at her expense and was biding his time for the right moment to avenge her while keeping his feelings and plans inside away from everyone, including his brother, sister, and father.  What should have happened was for David to enact the law to hold his son accountable and provide justice for his daughter, but his own shame likely kept him from acting and would bring further damage to his family.  Sin must be held to account, especially in church discipline for repentance and restoration, but also must be dealt with in the law of the land and not covered up for appearances.  The curse of consequences will follow even more if repentance and justice are ignored. 

2 Samuel 12:26-31 - Reconciling Grace to Fight the Good Fight

2 Samuel 12:26-31

Rabbah Is Captured (1 Chronicles 20:1–3)

26 Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the people of Ammon, and took the royal city. 27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah, and I have taken the city’s water supply. 28 Now therefore, gather the rest of the people together and encamp against the city and take it, lest I take the city and it be called after my name.” 

29 So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, fought against it, and took it. 30 Then he took their king’s crown from his head. Its weight was a talent of gold, with precious stones. And it was set on David’s head. Also he brought out the spoil of the city in great abundance. 

31 And he brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes, and made them cross over to the brick works. So he did to all the cities of the people of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

King David was still staying at home (1 Chronicles 20:1) in Jerusalem when kings go out to battle while Joab did his fighting and gaining victory over their enemies.  Joab took the royal city Rabbah in Ammon to the point of final victory and called David to come and finish the fight and take the credit as king to name the city after him.  Joab was a loyal warrior even after having to play a part in the murder of Uriah for the king to take that man’s wife.  David came with a small force to finish off Rabbah and he took the king’s crown for himself and brought the abundant spoils back home.  As for the people of that city, he enslaved them as workers to serve Israel as he did with all the captives of every Ammonite city.  He then returned to Jerusalem with the booty taken from the royal city which Joab had made possible to overcome.  It may seem curious that he did not kill them all until we remember that the Ammonites were descended from Lot (Genesis 19:38, Deuteronomy 2:19) and were family (though tribal as inbred through Lot’s daughter), not of the ungodly nations Israel was to annihilate when possessing the promised land.  This conquest shows David struggling to personally lead the army of the LORD into battle after the incident with Uriah and Bathsheba, yet also demonstrates the grace in the LORD honoring the repentant heart of David’s desire to yet serve as the anointed to bring the Seed of the Messiah to us through his lineage.  The consequences remained in the conflicts of his family but we find hope in the election and of the calling of God (Romans 8:28, 2 Peter 1:10, Ephesians 1:4, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14-15) for ourselves in his example of hope in reconciliation (Romans 5:10, 2 Corinthians 5:18, Colossians 1:20) to us all in the Seed who is the Anointed Christ Jesus.  We have the reconciling grace of Jesus Christ to fight the good fight (2 Corinthians 10:4-5) against the enemy (Luke 10:19, 20) until the Lord returns to establish His eternal kingdom to come as we pray for in the Lord’s Prayer. 

2 Samuel 12:1-25 - Consequences of Sin and Restoration of Grace

2 Samuel 12:1-25

Nathan’s Parable and David’s Confession

1 Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. 3 But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. 4 And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”

5 So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! 6 And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”

7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! 9 Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. 10 Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. 12 For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’”

13 So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”

And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 14 However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.” 15 Then Nathan departed to his house.

The Death of David’s Son

And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became ill. 16 David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17 So the elders of his house arose and went to him, to raise him up from the ground. But he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead. For they said, “Indeed, while the child was alive, we spoke to him, and he would not heed our voice. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He may do some harm!”

19 When David saw that his servants were whispering, David perceived that the child was dead. Therefore David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?”

And they said, “He is dead.”

20 So David arose from the ground, washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”

22 And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’ 23 But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”

Solomon Is Born

24 Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the LORD loved him, 25 and He sent word by the hand of Nathan the prophet: So he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

We see the serious and painful consequences of David’s sin with Bathsheba and the restoration of God’s good and loving grace afterwards.  When David covered his sins of adultery and murder, the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to confront David with a parable to open the king’s eyes to the seriousness of his sinful actions.  He told the story of a rich and powerful man who took the beloved lamb of a poor man from him and his children whose pet that lamb was and killed it to serve as a meal for a passing stranger.  This rich man refused to offer his own lamb but took the only beloved one from the poor who could not stop him.  David heard this tale and cried out for accountability for the rich oppressive man who,had no pity for the one with so little, all he had.  Nathan then hit him with the truth of the parable saying, “you are that man!”  God had given David so much in power and wives and children , yet he had taken the only wife as a lamb from Uriah his obedient soldier and had him murder to seal the deal to take the man’s wife for himself as a passing stranger to consume her.  The consequences included ongoing adversity with conflict in David’s children and his wives would publicly be taken in the full light of day by other men to his shame as he had taken Bathsheba from Uriah in secret to dishonor God.  David admitted his sin as we read also in Psalm 51:1-2, 3-4, 9-10 in his song of abject godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:9-10) to sincere repentance.  God forgave David and put away his sin (Psalm 103:12) but the consequences remained to lose his child of sin whose existence brought blasphemy on God’s name because he was the anointed king and servant who represented the LORD.  His punishment and forgiveness were given for Israel’s and our example (1 Corinthians 10:11-12, 13) to consider the consequences of our sin and flee from even considering it.  When the child finally died, David stopped mourning as all hope had gone for the baby and he worshipped the LORD for His mercy and grace that onlookers could not fathom.  We also see the hope of the resurrection here as David explained the loss he could not bring back, “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.”  God then showed restorative grace in giving him and Bathsheba another son afterwards who would be loved by God, Solomon.  We learn that no sin is unforgivable, and yet consequences of our sin do not just go away.  We are accountable (1 Corinthians 3:14-15, 16-17) for what we do, yet we are safe and secure in eternal life in the righteousness of Christ who seals us (Ephesians 1:13, 14) as His forever (John 10:28, 29, Romans 5:20, 21, 6:23, Hebrews 7:25) in forgiveness of grace and the presence of His Spirit in us.  This then is a parable for us of God’s restoration of grace in spite of the consequences of sin we bring on ourselves.