Samuel 19:1-17 - The King Returned and Received

2 Samuel 19:1-17

1 And Joab was told, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” 2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people. For the people heard it said that day, “The king is grieved for his son.” 3 And the people stole back into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. 4 But the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

5 Then Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who today have saved your life, the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines, 6 in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have declared today that you regard neither princes nor servants; for today I perceive that if Absalom had lived and all of us had died today, then it would have pleased you well. 7 Now therefore, arise, go out and speak comfort to your servants. For I swear by the LORD, if you do not go out, not one will stay with you this night. And that will be worse for you than all the evil that has befallen you from your youth until now.” 8 Then the king arose and sat in the gate. And they told all the people, saying, “There is the king, sitting in the gate.” So all the people came before the king.

For everyone of Israel had fled to his tent.

David Returns to Jerusalem

9 Now all the people were in a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king saved us from the hand of our enemies, he delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. 10 But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king?”

11 So King David sent to Zadok and 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 words of all Israel have come to the king, to his very house? 12 You are my brethren, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’ 13 And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.’” 14 So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, just as the heart of one man, so that they sent this word to the king: “Return, you and all your servants!”

15 Then the king returned and came to the Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to escort the king across the Jordan. 16 And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, who was from 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 over the Jordan before the king.

King David greatly mourned his dead son as the people questioned the grief over his enemy Absalom.  Joab wisely snapped the king out of the grief enough to appear before the people at the gate as reassurance of his power and reign, bringing back all of Israel who had run home during the banishment and battle that brought all to a conclusion.  Israel then questioned themselves as to why they did not all just accept David as king of both Judah and the other tribes.  David then sent word to gather the elders of Judah to put him back on the throne as he swayed their hearts back from Absalom to him.  He crossed back over the Jordan River and was welcomed with an escort to assume the throne.  This was the beginning of the restoration to the calling and anointing of the LORD for David to be king over all as a man after his own heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22, 23) in spite of his sins, the forefather according to the promise of the Seed who is Christ the Messiah to come as King of kings and sovereign Ruler of all rulers.  The imperfect was put on the throne by grace and the perfect to come had no need to be put on the throne He already ruled from in heaven and on earth.  Do we then dare not to enthrone Him as Lord and King over our hearts and minds, our very lives as part of His kingdom (Luke 17:21) within us?  The king on earth was returned and received by his own; when the Lord returns from heaven, who will receive Him then if not (John 1:11-12) now?