Hushai Saves David

In this lesson, we will see the unfolding drama of Absalom’s rebellion against his father, King David.

We will clearly see how God gives Hushai a critical role in shaping the events of this narrative.

Again, this passage demonstrates the power of divine intervention in human affairs.

This is another lesson on human behavior.

2 Samuel 17:11-29 NLT
Hushai Saves David
¹¹ “I recommend that you mobilize the entire army of Israel, bringing them from as far away as Dan in the north and Beersheba in the south. That way you will have an army as numerous as the sand on the seashore. And I advise that you personally lead the troops. ¹² When we find David, we’ll fall on him like dew that falls on the ground. Then neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. ¹³ And if David were to escape into some town, you will have all Israel there at your command. Then we can take ropes and drag the walls of the town into the nearest valley until every stone is torn down.”
¹⁴ Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.” For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!

Hushai Warns David to Escape
¹⁵ Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, what Ahithophel had said to Absalom and the elders of Israel and what he himself had advised instead. ¹⁶ “Quick!” he told them. “Find David and urge him not to stay at the shallows of the Jordan River tonight. He must go across at once into the wilderness beyond. Otherwise he will die and his entire army with him.”
¹⁷ Jonathan and Ahimaaz had been staying at En-rogel so as not to be seen entering and leaving the city. Arrangements had been made for a servant girl to bring them the message they were to take to King David. ¹⁸ But a boy spotted them at En-rogel, and he told Absalom about it. So they quickly escaped to Bahurim, where a man hid them down inside a well in his courtyard. ¹⁹ The man’s wife put a cloth over the top of the well and scattered grain on it to dry in the sun; so no one suspected they were there.
²⁰ When Absalom’s men arrived, they asked her, “Have you seen Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”
The woman replied, “They were here, but they crossed over the brook.” Absalom’s men looked for them without success and returned to Jerusalem.
²¹ Then the two men crawled out of the well and hurried on to King David. “Quick!” they told him, “cross the Jordan tonight!” And they told him how Ahithophel had advised that he be captured and killed. ²² So David and all the people with him went across the Jordan River during the night, and they were all on the other bank before dawn.
²³ When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey, went to his hometown, set his affairs in order, and hanged himself. He died there and was buried in the family tomb.
²⁴ David soon arrived at Mahanaim. By now, Absalom had mobilized the entire army of Israel and was leading his troops across the Jordan River. ²⁵ Absalom had appointed Amasa as commander of his army, replacing Joab, who had been commander under David. (Amasa was Joab’s cousin. His father was Jether, an Ishmaelite. His mother, Abigail daughter of Nahash, was the sister of Joab’s mother, Zeruiah.) ²⁶ Absalom and the Israelite army set up camp in the land of Gilead.
²⁷ When David arrived at Mahanaim, he was warmly greeted by Shobi son of Nahash, who came from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and by Makir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and by Barzillai of Gilead from Rogelim. ²⁸ They brought sleeping mats, cooking pots, serving bowls, wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans, lentils, ²⁹ honey, butter, sheep, goats, and cheese for David and those who were with him. For they said, “You must all be very hungry and tired and thirsty after your long march through the wilderness.”

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 17:11-29 NLT
Hushai Saves David 

¹¹ “I recommend that you mobilize the entire army of Israel, bringing them from as far away as Dan in the north and Beersheba in the south. 

Review:

2 Samuel 15:34 NLT (David talking to Hushai)
³⁴ Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, ‘I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice.

• Hushai, who was secretly loyal to David, cleverly countered Ahithophel’s plan to immediately attack David with a small force.

bringing them from as far away as Dan in the north and Beersheba in the south.

Meaning from the northernmost to the southernmost parts of Israel.

Refer to a Bible map. 

That way you will have an army as numerous as the sand on the seashore.

+ Hushai’s plan would produce an overwhelmingly superior fighting force.

–  This plan would take longer to implement.

Verse 14 tells us that Ahithophel actually had the better plan.

“the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan”.

(more about this later.) 

• In reality, Ahithophel’s battle plan was better than the plan Hushai had proposed. 

And I advise that you personally lead the troops. 

This plan appealed to Absalom’s vanity and desire for glory, as it positioned him as a powerful leader. 

• Hushai’s plan appealed to Absalom’s vanity. 

¹² When we find David, we’ll fall on him like dew that falls on the ground. Then neither he nor any of his men will be left alive. 

Notice, Hushai says “we”.  Hushai cleverly links himself with the revolt.

Hushai’s ability to gain Absalom’s trust is crucial. 

¹³ And if David were to escape into some town, you will have all Israel there at your command. Then we can take ropes and drag the walls of the town into the nearest valley until every stone is torn down.”

• Hushai’s imagery pictures a total destruction of David and his men.

Review Ahithophel’s plan: 

Ahithophel proposes an immediate attack on David while he is weary and unprepared.

His plan is strategic: a swift strike would create panic, isolate David, and allow him to be killed without a prolonged war.

This would be a victory for Absalom that would not weaken the nation.

Hushai’s plan involved far more death and destruction. 

¹⁴ Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, “Hushai’s advice is better than Ahithophel’s.”

Absalom’s acceptance of Hushai’s plan highlights the blinding nature of pride. His desire for personal glory led to his eventual demise. 

• Absalom’s acceptance of Hushai’s plan highlights the blinding nature of pride. 

For the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!

the Lord had determined to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, which really was the better plan, so that he could bring disaster on Absalom!

• The Lord had determined to defeat the rebellion of Absalom.

• Absalom’s power grab was doomed from the start.

Hushai Warns David to Escape

¹⁵ Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, what Ahithophel had said to Absalom and the elders of Israel and what he himself had advised instead. ¹⁶ “Quick!” he told them. “Find David and urge him not to stay at the shallows of the Jordan River tonight. He must go across at once into the wilderness beyond. Otherwise he will die and his entire army with him.”

• David and his men were currently in a very venerable position.

Hushai’s advice is for David to cross the Jordan River, knowing that Absalom might change his mind and immediately set out after David.

Hushai informed the priests Zadok and Abiathar about Absalom’s decision. They, in turn, sent their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to warn David.

Review:

2 Samuel 15:35-36 NLT
³⁵ Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there. Tell them about the plans being made in the king’s palace, ³⁶ and they will send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what is going on.” 

¹⁷ Jonathan and Ahimaaz had been staying at En-rogel so as not to be seen entering and leaving the city. Arrangements had been made for a servant girl to bring them the message they were to take to King David. 

En-rogel is a spring on the outskirts of Jerusalem,

• An unnamed servant girl played a crucial role in passing this message discreetly on to Jonathan and Ahimaaz.

A servant girl going to the spring for water would attract no attention.

¹⁸ But a boy spotted them at En-rogel (Jonathan and Ahimaaz), and he told Absalom about it. So they quickly escaped to Bahurim,

Refer to a Bible map

where a man hid them down inside a well in his courtyard. ¹⁹ The man’s wife put a cloth over the top of the well and scattered grain on it to dry in the sun; so no one suspected they were there.

• Jonathan and Ahimaaz’s mission was intercepted, and they were forced to hide in a well. 

²⁰ When Absalom’s men arrived, they asked her, “Have you seen Ahimaaz and Jonathan?”

The woman replied, “They were here, but they crossed over the brook.” Absalom’s men looked for them without success and returned to Jerusalem.

²¹ Then the two men crawled out of the well and hurried on to King David. “Quick!” they told him, “cross the Jordan tonight!” And they told him how Ahithophel had advised that he be captured and killed.  

²² So David and all the people with him went across the Jordan River during the night, and they were all on the other bank before dawn.

• Jonathan and Ahimaaz eventually reached David, urging him to cross the Jordan River to safety. 

²³ When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey, went to his hometown, set his affairs in order, and hanged himself. He died there and was buried in the family tomb.

• When Ahithophel realized that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey, went to his hometown, set his affairs in order, and hanged himself.

This act highlights Ahithophel’s pride and his inability to cope with the rejection of his wisdom.

His suicide underscores his profound despair and the perceived dishonor.

This passage highlights the contrast between the characters of Ahithophel and Hushai. Ahithophel was proud and self-assured, while Hushai was humble and loyal. 

²⁴ David soon arrived at Mahanaim.

David’s trip from the Jordan River to Mahanaim would have been 30-40 miles.

• Going to Mahanaim places David and his troops in a fortified position, allowing time to regroup and prepare for the impending confrontation.

Mahanaim had served as the capital of Israel under Ish-Bosheth.

2 Samuel 2:10 NLT
¹⁰ Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, was forty years old when he became king, and he ruled from Mahanaim for two years. 

Ish-bosheth was the second king of Israel, succeeding his father Saul after his death at the Battle of Mount Gilboa. He reigned for several years from the city of Mahanaim. 

By now, Absalom had mobilized the entire army of Israel and was leading his troops across the Jordan River. ²⁵ Absalom had appointed Amasa as commander of his army, replacing Joab, who had been commander under David. (Amasa was Joab’s cousin (and David’s nephew). His father was Jether, an Ishmaelite. His mother, Abigail daughter of Nahash, was the sister of Joab’s mother, Zeruiah.) 

• Absalom had appointed Amasa as commander of his army, replacing Joab, who had been commander under David. 

Joab is not specifically mentioned as accompanying David when he fled from Jerusalem during However, Joab remained loyal to David throughout the rebellion.

Amasa was a nephew of David.

Amasa was a cousin of Joab, Abishai, and Absalom. 

²⁶ Absalom and the Israelite army set up camp in the land of Gilead. 

²⁷ When David arrived at Mahanaim,

he was warmly greeted by Shobi son of Nahash, who came from Rabbah of the Ammonites, 

and by Makir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, 

and by Barzillai of Gilead from Rogelim. 

Shobi, Makir, and Barzillai were not direct relatives of David but were loyal allies who provided him and his people with supplies when he fled from Absalom. 

Shobi was a son of Nahash, the king of Ammon.

Makir was from Lo-debar and had previously taken care of Mephibosheth,

Barzillai was an elderly and wealthy individual of Gilead from Rogelim. 

Refer to a Bible map.

• David still had loyal allies.

²⁸ They brought sleeping mats, cooking pots, serving bowls, wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans, lentils, ²⁹ honey, butter, sheep, goats, and cheese for David and those who were with him.

Shobi, Makir, and Barzillai supplied the necessary essentials such as sleeping mats and food needed to sustain David and his weary followers.

These men demonstrated true friendship and played a crucial role in David’s eventual victory.

For they said, “You must all be very hungry and tired and thirsty after your long march through the wilderness.”

This passage demonstrates the power of divine intervention in human affairs. God had determined to thwart Ahithophel’s wise counsel. Hushai’s seemingly foolish advice was actually God’s instrument to protect David and ultimately fulfill His promises to him.

Ahithophel Advises Absalom
&
Hushai Counters Ahithophel’s Advice

We are at the part in our story when David and his group of loyal followers just left Jerusalem and Absalom and his followers are now arriving at Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 16:15-17:11a NLT
Ahithophel Advises Absalom
¹⁵ Meanwhile, Absalom and all the army of Israel arrived at Jerusalem, accompanied by Ahithophel. ¹⁶ When David’s friend Hushai the Arkite arrived, he went immediately to see Absalom. “Long live the king!” he exclaimed. “Long live the king!”
¹⁷ “Is this the way you treat your friend David?” Absalom asked him. “Why aren’t you with him?”
¹⁸ “I’m here because I belong to the man who is chosen by the Lord and by all the men of Israel,” Hushai replied. ¹⁹ “And anyway, why shouldn’t I serve you? Just as I was your father’s adviser, now I will be your adviser!”
²⁰ Then Absalom turned to Ahithophel and asked him, “What should I do next?”
²¹ Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace. Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.” ²² So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s concubines.
²³ Absalom followed Ahithophel’s advice, just as David had done. For every word Ahithophel spoke seemed as wise as though it had come directly from the mouth of God.
^17:1 Now Ahithophel urged Absalom, “Let me choose 12,000 men to start out after David tonight. ² I will catch up with him while he is weary and discouraged. He and his troops will panic, and everyone will run away. Then I will kill only the king, ³ and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride returns to her husband. After all, it is only one man’s life that you seek. Then you will be at peace with all the people.” ⁴ This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.

Hushai Counters Ahithophel’s Advice

⁵ But then Absalom said, “Bring in Hushai the Arkite. Let’s see what he thinks about this.” ⁶ When Hushai arrived, Absalom told him what Ahithophel had said. Then he asked, “What is your opinion? Should we follow Ahithophel’s advice? If not, what do you suggest?”
⁷ “Well,” Hushai replied to Absalom, “this time Ahithophel has made a mistake. ⁸ You know your father and his men; they are mighty warriors. Right now they are as enraged as a mother bear who has been robbed of her cubs. And remember that your father is an experienced man of war. He won’t be spending the night among the troops. ⁹ He has probably already hidden in some pit or cave. And when he comes out and attacks and a few of your men fall, there will be panic among your troops, and the word will spread that Absalom’s men are being slaughtered. ¹⁰ Then even the bravest soldiers, though they have the heart of a lion, will be paralyzed with fear. For all Israel knows what a mighty warrior your father is and how courageous his men are.

¹¹ “I recommend that …

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 16:15-17:11a NLT
Ahithophel Advises Absalom

¹⁵ Meanwhile, Absalom and all the army of Israel arrived at Jerusalem, accompanied by Ahithophel. 

We are now at the part in our story when David and his group of loyal followers just left Jerusalem and Absalom and his followers are now arriving at Jerusalem.

• Absalom, having gained significant support, enters Jerusalem triumphantly.

Ahithophel’s presence is significant—he was one of David’s wisest counselors, and his defection to Absalom represents both betrayal and the gravity of the rebellion.

David just lost the support of someone who would have been a part of his inner circle of advisors.

The support of people is shifting to Absalom. 

¹⁶ When David’s friend Hushai the Arkite arrived, he went immediately to see Absalom. “Long live the king!” he exclaimed. “Long live the king!”
¹⁷ “Is this the way you treat your friend David?” Absalom asked him. “Why aren’t you with him?”

This is a good, insightful question.  You better listen carefully to the answer.  Make sure that you are not just hearing what you want to hear.

¹⁸ “I’m here because I belong to the man who is chosen by the Lord and by all the men of Israel,” Hushai replied. ¹⁹ “And anyway, why shouldn’t I serve you?

• Read “between the lines” and notice the illusiveness of Hushai’s response.

Hushai’s words were deliberately ambiguous.

He was in fact an agent of the true king, King David.  David was the man chosen by the Lord.  Hushai avoided using the king’s name, leading Absalom to believe that Hushai was loyal to him rather than to David.

Note: Hushai does not say that he will serve Absalom. 

Just as I was your father’s adviser, now I will be your adviser!” 

• Hushai’s ability to gain Absalom’s trust is crucial to David’s survival.

Review:
2 Samuel 15:32 NLT

³² When David reached the summit of the Mount of Olives where people worshiped God, Hushai the Arkite was waiting there for him.
Hushai had torn his clothing and put dirt on his head as a sign of mourning. ³³ But David told him, “If you go with me, you will only be a burden. ³⁴ Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, ‘I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice. 

David sends Hushai back to Jerusalem to act as a spy within Absalom’s court. He is tasked with countering the counsel of Ahithophel, Absalom’s chief advisor, whose advice was highly regarded. 

• In reality David had sent Hushai back to Jerusalem to act as a spy within Absalom’s court. His role was to counter the advice Ahithophel was giving Absalom. 

²⁰ Then Absalom turned to Ahithophel and asked him, “What should I do next?”
²¹ Ahithophel told him, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, for he has left them here to look after the palace.

• In the Near East, taking possession of a previous king’s harem was a direct claim to his throne.

• Absalom slept with David’s concubines to assert or strengthen his claim to the throne.

Then all Israel will know that you have insulted your father beyond hope of reconciliation, and they will throw their support to you.”

This was a definitive and irreversible declaration of the break between father and son, making reconciliation virtually impossible. 

²² So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s concubines.

This is a fulfillment of Nathan’s prophecy. 

Review:
Nathan rebukes David

2 Samuel 12:11 NLT
¹¹ “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view.

• Absalom was making it clear that he was claiming the throne.

Absalom’s shameful act echoed David’s adultery with Bathsheba, which also began on that roof.

• The consequences of David’s past sin now unfold in his own household.

The fulfillment of Nathan’s prophecy reminds us that sin has consequences, even for great leaders like David. 

²³ Absalom followed Ahithophel’s advice, just as David had done. For every word Ahithophel spoke seemed as wise as though it had come directly from the mouth of God.

• Ahithophel’s advice was highly valued, first by David and now by Absalom.

“For every word Ahithophel spoke seemed as wise as though it had come directly from the mouth of God.”  

Hushai’s assignment was going to be challenging.

Though it seems Absalom is succeeding, God is at work through Hushai to overturn Ahithophel’s counsel and bring David back to the throne.

Remember: God is an all-powerful sovereign God.

2 Samuel 7:8-9 NLT
⁸ “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. ⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth!

Jeremiah 32:26-27 NLT
²⁶ Then this message came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ²⁷ “I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?

Matthew 19:26 NLT
²⁶ Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” 

^17:1 Now Ahithophel urged Absalom, “Let me choose 12,000 men to start out after David tonight.

Ahithophel suggests that he himself lead the force against David.

 ² I will catch up with him while he is weary and discouraged. He and his troops will panic, and everyone will run away. Then I will kill only the king, ³ and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride returns to her husband. After all, it is only one man’s life that you seek. Then you will be at peace with all the people.”  

• Ahithophel proposes an immediate attack on David while he is weary and unprepared.

His plan is strategic: a swift strike would create panic, isolate David, and allow him to be killed without a prolonged war.

This would be a victory for Absalom that would not weaken the nation. 

⁴ This plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.

Ahithophel offers the good advice to attack and kill David immediately.

With no one else to turn to, he says, the whole country would embrace Absalom.

If this advice had been followed, it is likely that David would have been defeated.

• Ahithophel’s plan seemed good to Absalom and to all the elders of Israel.

• Absalom’s rebellion appears to have gained backing from “all the elders (leaders) of Israel”.

Hushai Counters Ahithophel’s Advice

⁵ But then Absalom said, “Bring in Hushai the Arkite. Let’s see what he thinks about this.”  

• Although Ahithophel’s counsel is wise, Absalom still seeks a second opinion. 

Proverbs 11:14 & Proverbs 15:22 encourage the counsel of many.

 ⁶ When Hushai arrived, Absalom told him what Ahithophel had said. Then he asked, “What is your opinion? Should we follow Ahithophel’s advice? If not, what do you suggest?”

⁷ “Well,” Hushai replied to Absalom, “this time Ahithophel has made a mistake. ⁸ You know your father and his men; they are mighty warriors. Right now they are as enraged as a mother bear who has been robbed of her cubs. And remember that your father is an experienced man of war. He won’t be spending the night among the troops. ⁹ He has probably already hidden in some pit or cave. And when he comes out and attacks and a few of your men fall, there will be panic among your troops, and the word will spread that Absalom’s men are being slaughtered. ¹⁰ Then even the bravest soldiers, though they have the heart of a lion, will be paralyzed with fear. For all Israel knows what a mighty warrior your father is and how courageous his men are.

Hushai, David’s secret ally, crafts his response to subtly undermine Ahithophel’s advice.

• David’s double agent Hushai gave a convincing argument pointing out the weaknesses in Ahithophel’s plan.

Hushai reminds Absalom that David is a seasoned warrior, unlike Ahithophel’s portrayal of him as weak and exhausted.

He warns that David and his mighty men are “enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs”.

He suggests that if an initial attack fails, Absalom’s troops will lose heart.

¹¹ “I recommend that …

 

 

Two stories:

David and Ziba

Shimei Curses David

A Lesson on David’s Character.

Consider: Is there something in this lesson that you could apply to your life?

2 Samuel 16:1-14 NLT
David and Ziba
^16:1 When David had gone a little beyond the summit of the Mount of Olives, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, was waiting there for him. He had two donkeys loaded with 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 bunches of summer fruit, and a wineskin full of wine.
² “What are these for?” the king asked Ziba.
Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s people to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat. The wine is for those who become exhausted in the wilderness.”
³ “And where is Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson?” the king asked him.
“He stayed in Jerusalem,” Ziba replied. “He said, ‘Today I will get back the kingdom of my grandfather Saul.’”
⁴ “In that case,” the king told Ziba, “I give you everything Mephibosheth owns.”
“I bow before you,” Ziba replied. “May I always be pleasing to you, my lord the king.”

Shimei Curses David

⁵ As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul’s family. ⁶ He threw stones at the king and the king’s officers and all the mighty warriors who surrounded him. ⁷ “Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!” he shouted at David. ⁸ “The Lord is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul’s clan. You stole his throne, and now the Lord has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!”
⁹ “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?” Abishai son of Zeruiah demanded. “Let me go over and cut off his head!”
¹⁰ “No!” the king said. “Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah! If the Lord has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?”
¹¹ Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to do it. ¹² And perhaps the Lord will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today.” ¹³ So David and his men continued down the road, and Shimei kept pace with them on a nearby hillside, cursing and throwing stones and dirt at David.
¹⁴ The king and all who were with him grew weary along the way, so they rested when they reached the Jordan River.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 16:1-14 NLT
David and Ziba

^16:1 When David had gone a little beyond the summit of the Mount of Olives, 

Refer to a Bible map. 

Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth,

Read this brief review about Ziba:

2 Samuel 9 NLT
^9:1 One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” ² He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked.
“Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied.
³ The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.”
Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.”
… ⁵ So David sent for him and brought him from Makir’s home. ⁶ His name was Mephibosheth; he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. …
¹² …  From then on, all the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. ¹³ And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king’s table.

• Ziba was the servant of Mephibosheth,

• Mephibosheth was the disabled grandson of King Saul, and the son of Jonathon, whom David had taken into his care.

(Ziba) was waiting there for him. He had two donkeys loaded with 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 bunches of summer fruit, and a wineskin full of wine.

Ziba was waiting for David.

• Ziba arrives with provisions for David and his people.

Remember: (add this to the brief review of Ziba.)

2 Samuel 9:9-10 NLT
⁹ Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. ¹⁰ You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

Ziba had easy access to these resources.

² “What are these for?” the king asked Ziba.

Don’t you wonder why David asked that question?

Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s people to ride on, and the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat. The wine is for those who become exhausted in the wilderness.” 

³ “And where is Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson?” the king asked him. 

“He stayed in Jerusalem,” Ziba replied. “He said, ‘Today I will get back the kingdom of my grandfather Saul.’”

Ziba implies that the gifts are entirely his idea, and that Mephibosheth sees David’s difficulty as an opportunity to reclaim the kingdom. Ziba accused Mephibosheth of saying “Today I will get back the kingdom of my grandfather Saul”.

Ziba was lying to David.

In reality, it was Ziba looking to profit from this political crisis.

• Ziba lied to David. Ziba was looking to profit from this political crisis in David’s life. 

⁴ “In that case,” the king told Ziba, “I give you everything Mephibosheth owns.”

• David responds quickly, without hearing Mephibosheth’s side of the story.

David was quick to assume the worst.

“I bow before you,” Ziba replied. “May I always be pleasing to you, my lord the king.” 

Mephibosheth has the opportunity to share his side of the story at a later date.

2 Samuel 19:24-27 NLT
²⁴ Now Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, came down from Jerusalem to meet the king. He had not cared for his feet, trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes since the day the king left Jerusalem. ²⁵ “Why didn’t you come with me, Mephibosheth?” the king asked him.
²⁶ Mephibosheth replied, “My lord the king, my servant Ziba deceived me. I told him, ‘Saddle my donkey so I can go with the king.’ For as you know I am crippled. ²⁷ Ziba has slandered me by saying that I refused to come.

• Shimei Curses David 

⁵ As King David came to Bahurim,

Bahurim was in the territory of Benjamin located on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives.

Refer to a Bible map.

We know that some of Bahurim’s inhabitants were loyal to David, (Chapter 17) but since it was in the territory of Benjamin, Saul’s tribe, it is likely that many of the people harbored resentment against David’s rule.

a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul’s family. 

• Shimei’s exact relation to Saul is unknown, but since he was from the same clan as Saul’s family, he likely had a strong loyalty to Saul.

⁶ He threw stones at the king and the king’s officers and all the mighty warriors who surrounded him.

Shimei was gutsy.

There were 600 men from Gath who had come with David, along with the king’s bodyguard. (15:18)

It would have been easy for David’s men to subdue Shimei. 

 ⁷ “Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!” he shouted at David. ⁸ “The Lord is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul’s clan. You stole his throne, and now the Lord has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer!”

These accusations likely stem from Shimei’s resentment over David’s rise to power and the perceived displacement of Saul’s lineage.

However, in reality, David never directly harmed Saul or his family—Saul died in battle, and David mourned his death.

• Shimei’s accusations were clearly inaccurate, and if God was punishing David, it would have been for his sin with Bathsheba.

2 Samuel 12:10-11 NLT
¹⁰ From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.
¹¹ “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. … 

⁹ “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?” Abishai son of Zeruiah demanded.

Abishai is the son of Zeruiah, who is David’s sister, making him David’s nephew. His brothers are Joab (David’s military commander) and Asahel.

Abishai is one of David’s elite warriors.

• Abishai is depicted as fiercely loyal, courageous, and sometimes impulsive—quick to suggest violent action in defense of David or justice.

This dead dog is an expression of absolute contempt. 

“Let me go over and cut off his head!”

• Abishai wanted to kill Shimei and he certainly had the resources to do so. 

¹⁰ “No!” the king said. “Who asked your opinion, you sons of Zeruiah! 

If the Lord has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?”

David displays remarkable self-control.

David is working to defuse the tension.

David recognized that God was allowing Shimei’s actions. In his understanding, nothing happens outside of God’s ultimate authority.

David may be wondering whether all this opposition is the Lord’s just punishment for his past sins, and he humbly endures the abuse.

David may have seen Shimei’s actions as a possible form of divine chastisement.

• David leaves open the possibility that God has seen fit to terminate his rule.

2 Samuel 15:25-26 NLT
²⁵ Then the king instructed Zadok to take the Ark of God back into the city. “If the Lord sees fit,” David said, “he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again. ²⁶ But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him.” 

¹¹ Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to do it. 

David disagrees with Abishai’s impulsive violent reaction.

• David’s response demonstrates his humility and acceptance of his circumstances. He chose not to retaliate, but to submit to what he perceived as God’s will.

David chooses humility and faith over vengeance, demonstrating a deep trust in God’s sovereign control.

David understood why a relative of Saul might hate him. 

¹² And perhaps the Lord will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today.”  

¹³ So David and his men continued down the road, and Shimei kept pace with them on a nearby hillside, cursing and throwing stones and dirt at David.

¹⁴ The king and all who were with him grew weary along the way, so they rested when they reached the Jordan River.

The journey from Jerusalem to the Jordan River was 21 miles. 

 

This passage highlights David’s character in adversity.  (Some good and some not so good.)

Though deceived by Ziba, he maintains humility and patience in the face of Shimei’s curses.

His response foreshadows Jesus’ teaching on loving enemies (Matthew 5:44) and serves as a model for enduring hardship with faith. 

Is there something in this lesson that you could apply to your life?

 

 

 

David Escapes from Jerusalem

In this lesson we get a glimpse of the heart of a leader who seeks God in the midst of betrayal and uncertainty.

2 Samuel 15:19-37 NLT
¹⁹ Then the king turned and said to Ittai, a leader of the men from Gath, “Why are you coming with us? Go on back to King Absalom, for you are a guest in Israel, a foreigner in exile. ²⁰ You arrived only recently, and should I force you today to wander with us? I don’t even know where we will go. Go on back and take your kinsmen with you, and may the Lord show you his unfailing love and faithfulness.”
²¹ But Ittai said to the king, “I vow by the Lord and by your own life that I will go wherever my lord the king goes, no matter what happens—whether it means life or death.”
²² David replied, “All right, come with us.” So Ittai and all his men and their families went along.
²³ Everyone cried loudly as the king and his followers passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley and then went out toward the wilderness.
²⁴ Zadok and all the Levites also came along, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until everyone had passed out of the city.
²⁵ Then the king instructed Zadok to take the Ark of God back into the city. “If the Lord sees fit,” David said, “he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again. ²⁶ But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him.”
²⁷ The king also told Zadok the priest, “Look, here is my plan. You and Abiathar should return quietly to the city with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. ²⁸ I will stop at the shallows of the Jordan River and wait there for a report from you.” ²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to the city and stayed there.
³⁰ David walked up the road to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went. His head was covered and his feet were bare as a sign of mourning. And the people who were with him covered their heads and wept as they climbed the hill. ³¹ When someone told David that his adviser Ahithophel was now backing Absalom, David prayed, “O Lord, let Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!”
³² When David reached the summit of the Mount of Olives where people worshiped God, Hushai the Arkite was waiting there for him. Hushai had torn his clothing and put dirt on his head as a sign of mourning. ³³ But David told him, “If you go with me, you will only be a burden. ³⁴ Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, ‘I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice. ³⁵ Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there. Tell them about the plans being made in the king’s palace, ³⁶ and they will send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what is going on.”
³⁷ So David’s friend Hushai returned to Jerusalem, getting there just as Absalom arrived.

Examine the Scriptures

David Escapes from Jerusalem

2 Samuel 15:19-37 NLT 

• At this point in the story King David is leaving Jerusalem with all his household and personal guards, except for the ten concubines he left behind to look after the palace.

2 Samuel 15:13-14 NLT
David Escapes from Jerusalem
¹³ A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”
¹⁴ “Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”

Scripture does not tell us how many people left with David, but we do know that the group included:

600 men from Gath (v. 18)
Along with the king’s bodyguard (v.18)
His personal servants and officials (v. 15-16)
Zadok and all the Levites (v.24)
Other loyal followers

All indications are that David plans to return to Jerusalem at some point in time.

2 Samuel 15:16 NLT
¹⁶ So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace. 

2 Samuel 15:25 NLT
… “If the Lord sees fit,” David said, “he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again.  

1 Samuel 16:13 NLT
¹³ So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

2 Samuel 5:12 NLT
¹² And David realized that the Lord had confirmed him as king over Israel and had blessed his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. 

¹⁹ Then the king turned and said to Ittai, a leader of the men from Gath, “Why are you coming with us? Go on back to King Absalom, for you are a guest in Israel, a foreigner in exile. ²⁰ You arrived only recently, and should I force you today to wander with us? I don’t even know where we will go. Go on back and take your kinsmen with you, and may the Lord show you his unfailing love and faithfulness.”

• David urged Ittai and his kinsmen to return to Jerusalem.

²¹ But Ittai said to the king, “I vow by the Lord and by your own life that I will go wherever my lord the king goes, no matter what happens—whether it means life or death.”

Ittai was a guest in Israel, a foreigner in exile who arrived only recently.

Ittai may have seen David as the rightful and just leader of Israel.

Ittai displayed his loyalty to David by going into exile with David.

• Ittai must have seen something very special in David’s leadership and character to vow to go with David no matter what happens.

Later:

2 Samuel 18:1-2 NLT
^18:1 David now mustered the men who were with him and appointed generals and captains to lead them. ² He sent the troops out in three groups, placing one group under Joab, one under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one under Ittai, the man from Gath.

David later appoints Ittai as commander of one-third of his army indicating his appreciation for Ittai’s loyalty. 

²² David replied, “All right, come with us.” So Ittai and all his men and their families went along. 

²³ Everyone cried loudly as the king and his followers passed by.

David was a beloved leader, and his departure signaled not just a personal loss but a national crisis. The people’s weeping signifies deep sorrow, loyalty, and uncertainty about the future.

There was the potential for a radical, disastrous change in the leadership of Israel. 

They crossed the Kidron Valley and then went out toward the wilderness. 

• The wilderness often symbolizes a place of testing, hardship, and isolation. 

Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness, where He was tempted by Satan.

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years after their exodus from Egypt

For David, this was a return to the kind of hardship he had faced in earlier years while fleeing Saul. 

²⁴ Zadok and all the Levites also came along, carrying the Ark of the Covenant of God. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until everyone had passed out of the city.

Zadok and Abiathar were chief priests.

• The presence of Zadok, Abiathar and the Levites underscores their loyalty to David as God’s chosen king. 

²⁵ Then the king instructed Zadok to take the Ark of God back into the city.

• David does not take the Ark with him.  David knows that possession of the ark does not guarantee God’s blessing.

David believes that the Ark needs to stay in Jerusalem as a symbol of the Lord’s rule over the nation, no matter who the king might be. (2 Samuel 6)

2 Samuel 6:17 NLT
¹⁷ They brought the Ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the special tent David had prepared for it. And David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. 

It was David, not the Lord who was going into exile. 

“If the Lord sees fit,” David said, “he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again. ²⁶ But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him.”

David understands the following Biblical principle:

Daniel 2:21 NLT
²¹ He controls the course of world events;
he removes kings and sets up other kings.
He gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to the scholars.

Romans 13:1 NLT
Respect for Authority
^13:1 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 

• David is putting his life into the hands of the Lord. 

²⁷ The king also told Zadok the priest, “Look, here is my plan. You and Abiathar should return quietly to the city with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. ²⁸ I will stop at the shallows of the Jordan River and wait there for a report from you.” 

More about this in verses 35-36

²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to the city and stayed there.

³⁰ David walked up the road to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went. His head was covered and his feet were bare as a sign of mourning.

Indicating his depth of despair.

And the people who were with him covered their heads and wept as they climbed the hill. 

The Mount of Olives was the location from which Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9-12). 

³¹ When someone told David that his adviser Ahithophel was now backing Absalom, David prayed, “O Lord, let Ahithophel give Absalom foolish advice!”

Ahithophel was one of David’s advisors.

1 Chronicles 27:33 NLT
³³ Ahithophel was the royal adviser…

• David now learned that his advisor Ahithophel had joined Absalom’s cause.

2 Samuel 15:12 NLT
¹² While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors who lived in Giloh. 

Don’t miss what is happening here! 

³² When David reached the summit of the Mount of Olives where people worshiped God, Hushai the Arkite was waiting there for him.

Hushai the Arkite was a loyal friend and advisor of King David.

1 Chronicles 27:33 NLT
³³ Ahithophel was the royal adviser. Hushai the Arkite was the king’s friend.

While the Arkites were likely Canaanites by origin, Hushai was a trusted ally of David, suggesting that he had integrated into Israelite society and was a devoted supporter of the king.

Hushai had torn his clothing and put dirt on his head as a sign of mourning. ³³ But David told him, “If you go with me, you will only be a burden. ³⁴ Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, ‘I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice. 

David sends Hushai back to Jerusalem to act as a spy within Absalom’s court. He is tasked with countering the counsel of Ahithophel, Absalom’s chief advisor, whose advice was highly regarded. (More about this later in the story.)

• David sends Hushai back to Jerusalem to act as a spy within Absalom’s court. 

³⁵ Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there. Tell them about the plans being made in the king’s palace, ³⁶ and they will send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what is going on.”

David is asking Hushai to tell him Absalom plans (through Ahimaaz and Jonathan).

• David is setting up a system of communication between himself and Jerusalem.

Refer back to verse 27.

²⁷ The king also told Zadok the priest, “Look, here is my plan. You and Abiathar should return quietly to the city with your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. ²⁸ I will stop at the shallows of the Jordan River and wait there for a report from you.” 

³⁷ So David’s friend Hushai returned to Jerusalem, getting there just as Absalom arrived.

 

Absalom’s Rebellion against his father, King David.

This is a story of rebellion, pride, manipulation, deception, conspiracy, and conflict.

2 Samuel 15:1-18 NLT
Absalom’s Rebellion
^15:1 After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him. ² He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city. When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe. ³ Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it. ⁴ I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!”
⁵ When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn’t let them. Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them. ⁶ Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel.
⁷ After four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and fulfill a vow I made to him. ⁸ For while your servant was at Geshur in Aram, I promised to sacrifice to the Lord in Hebron if he would bring me back to Jerusalem.”
⁹ “All right,” the king told him. “Go and fulfill your vow.”
So Absalom went to Hebron. ¹⁰ But while he was there, he sent secret messengers to all the tribes of Israel to stir up a rebellion against the king. “As soon as you hear the ram’s horn,” his message read, “you are to say, ‘Absalom has been crowned king in Hebron.’” ¹¹ He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him as guests, but they knew nothing of his intentions. ¹² While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors who lived in Giloh. Soon many others also joined Absalom, and the conspiracy gained momentum.

David Escapes from Jerusalem
¹³ A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”
¹⁴ “Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”
¹⁵ “We are with you,” his advisers replied. “Do what you think is best.”
¹⁶ So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace. ¹⁷ The king and all his people set out on foot, pausing at the last house ¹⁸ to let all the king’s men move past to lead the way. There were 600 men from Gath who had come with David, along with the king’s bodyguard.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 15:1-18 NLT

Absalom’s Rebellion (Absalom’s Conspiracy and Proclaiming Himself King) 

^15:1 After this,

2 Samuel 14:33 NLT
³³ So Joab told the king what Absalom had said. Then at last David summoned Absalom, who came and bowed low before the king, and the king kissed him.

David kisses Absalom, symbolizing reconciliation. 

Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him. 

• Absalom begins to portray himself as a royal figure by acquiring a chariot, horses, and fifty men to run before him.

A display of Absalom’s pride.

The Bible doesn’t explicitly mention King Saul or King David owning chariots.

Absalom was a very self-centered person.

This display of royal pomp would have appealed to the masses. 

² He got up early every morning and went out to the gate of the city.

• Absalom strategically stations himself by the city gate, where legal disputes were commonly heard.

When people brought a case to the king for judgment, Absalom would ask where in Israel they were from, and they would tell him their tribe. ³ Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it. 

• Absalom intercepts those seeking justice from the king, feigning concern and suggesting that David is neglecting his duties.

Absalom implies that the current system under David is inadequate.

Note: People would not have been coming to Jerusalem to have a hearing if there was no chance to having their case heard.

Absalom presents himself as the solution to the people’s legal grievances.

Rather than directly attacking David, he slowly erodes the people’s loyalty by appearing compassionate and just. 

⁴ I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!”

• Absalom promises that, if he were made judge, everyone would receive justice.

Absalom is saying that he wants to be king.  One of the roles of the king was to judge the people.

1 Samuel 8:5 NLT
⁵ “Look,” they told him (Samuel), “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”

Proverbs 31:9 NLT (The role of kings)
⁹ Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless,
and see that they get justice. 

⁵ When people tried to bow before him, Absalom wouldn’t let them.

To bow before Absalom was honoring him as king.

Absalom further wins the people’s hearts by rejecting formal royal protocol, embracing commoners with affection.

This gesture solidifies his image as a man of the people.

Instead, he took them by the hand and kissed them. ⁶ Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel.

Absalom gained popularity among the Israelites by presenting himself as a more accessible and just leader than David.

Absalom’s accessibility and false pretense of care for the people gained their loyalty.

• Absalom’s physical gestures, such as embracing those who bowed before him, create an illusion of personal connection and genuine care. This is a calculated act of manipulation designed to win popular support. 

⁷ After four years, 

• Absalom spent four years quietly planning his rebellion.

Commentators believe that Absalom would have been about 30 years old at this point in time and his revolt would have taken place early in the last decade of David’s reign. (975–970 BCE) 

Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron to offer a sacrifice to the Lord and fulfill a vow I made to him. ⁸ For while your servant was at Geshur in Aram, I promised to sacrifice to the Lord in Hebron if he would bring me back to Jerusalem.”

Absalom asks David for permission to fulfill a supposed vow in Hebron.

Hebron was significant for several reasons:

It was a major city in Judah.

It was where David had first been anointed king. 

⁹ “All right,” the king told him. “Go and fulfill your vow.”

So Absalom went to Hebron. 

Hebron was Absalom’s birthplace: It was where he was born and likely still had strong ties.

• Hebron was about 20 miles south of Jerusalem, providing Absalom enough separation to organize his rebellion without immediate detection. 

¹⁰ But while he was there, he sent secret messengers to all the tribes of Israel to stir up a rebellion against the king.

• Absalom sent secret messengers to all the tribes of Israel to stir up a rebellion against the king.

All the tribes of Israel refer to all of Israel, including Judah.

“As soon as you hear the ram’s horn,” his message read, “you are to say, ‘Absalom has been crowned king in Hebron.’”  

¹¹ He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him as guests, but they knew nothing of his intentions.  

This verse highlights Absalom’s ability to manipulate people. The 200 men from Jerusalem accompanied him “innocently, knowing nothing about the matter.” This emphasizes the level of deception Absalom employed.

• Absalom used deception to bolster his rebellion.

 ¹² While Absalom was offering the sacrifices,

These sacrifices were apparently part of a coronation ceremony formally declaring Absalom’s kingship.

Similar sacrifices:

1 Samuel 11:14-15 NLT
¹⁴ Then Samuel said to the people, “Come, let us all go to Gilgal to renew the kingdom.” ¹⁵ So they all went to Gilgal, and in a solemn ceremony before the Lord they made Saul king. Then they offered peace offerings to the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites were filled with joy. 

1 Kings 1:9-11 NLT
⁹ Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah. ¹⁰ But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king’s bodyguard or his brother Solomon.
¹¹ Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and asked her, “Haven’t you heard that Haggith’s son, Adonijah, has made himself king, and our lord David doesn’t even know about it? 

he sent for Ahithophel, one of David’s counselors who lived in Giloh (located in the region of Hebron).

Ahithophel served as one of King David’s most trusted advisors. His counsel was highly regarded.

During Absalom’s rebellion, Ahithophel betrayed David and joined Absalom.

Some scholars suggest that the Ahithophel of 2 Samuel 15 may be Bathsheba’s grandfather.

If Ahithophel was Bathsheba’s grandfather, he may have had bad feeling toward David for what David had done to his granddaughter.

• Absalom invites Ahithophel, David’s trusted counselor, to join his conspiracy. Ahithophel’s reputation for wisdom and counsel lends credibility to Absalom’s cause. His participation is a significant blow to David. 

Soon many others also joined Absalom, and the conspiracy gained momentum. 

There was clearly growing support for Absalom’s cause.

• Clearly there was growing support for Absalom’s cause.

David Escapes from Jerusalem

¹³ A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”

• David receives news that the hearts of Israel have turned toward Absalom.

This shows how quickly public opinion can shift when fueled by dissatisfaction and false promises. 

¹⁴ “Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”

¹⁵ “We are with you,” his advisers replied. “Do what you think is best.”

• David receives word of Absalom’s conspiracy and immediately recognizes the danger. He chooses to flee Jerusalem rather than risk a bloody siege.

There was a group of people close to David who remained loyal to David.

David does not act out of vengeance but remains humble and trusting in God’s plan. 

¹⁶ So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace. 

Ten concubines were left behind to care for the palace.

¹⁷ The king and all his people set out on foot, pausing at the last house ¹⁸ to let all the king’s men move past to lead the way. There were 600 men from Gath (Gath was one of the five major Philistine cities) who had come with David, along with the king’s bodyguard.

• David flees from Jerusalem so that the city will not be destroyed.

• David’s servants and the 600 men from Gath demonstrate their unwavering loyalty. Their willingness to follow David into exile highlights the deep bonds of loyalty he had fostered.

This passage sets the stage for a dramatic and tragic conflict that will have profound consequences for David and the kingdom of Israel.

A psalm of David, regarding the time David fled from his son Absalom.

Psalm 3 NLT
¹ O Lord, I have so many enemies;
so many are against me.
² So many are saying,
“God will never rescue him!” Interlude
³ But you, O Lord, are a shield around me;
you are my glory, the one who holds my head high.
⁴ I cried out to the Lord,
and he answered me from his holy mountain. Interlude
⁵ I lay down and slept,
yet I woke up in safety,
for the Lord was watching over me.
⁶ I am not afraid of ten thousand enemies
who surround me on every side.
⁷ Arise, O Lord!
Rescue me, my God!
Slap all my enemies in the face!
Shatter the teeth of the wicked!
⁸ Victory comes from you, O Lord.
May you bless your people.  

 

 

Absalom Reconciled to David

Introduction:

David needs to be like the father in the parable of the prodigal son.

Describe the father in the parable of the prodigal son.

2 Samuel 14:21-33 NLT
Absalom Reconciled to David
²¹ So the king sent for Joab and told him, “All right, go and bring back the young man Absalom.”
²² Joab bowed with his face to the ground in deep respect and said, “At last I know that I have gained your approval, my lord the king, for you have granted me this request!”
²³ Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. ²⁴ But the king gave this order: “Absalom may go to his own house, but he must never come into my presence.” So Absalom did not see the king.
²⁵ Now Absalom was praised as the most handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot. ²⁶ He cut his hair only once a year, and then only because it was so heavy. When he weighed it out, it came to five pounds! ²⁷ He had three sons and one daughter. His daughter’s name was Tamar, and she was very beautiful.
²⁸ Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but he never got to see the king. ²⁹ Then Absalom sent for Joab to ask him to intercede for him, but Joab refused to come. Absalom sent for him a second time, but again Joab refused to come. ³⁰ So Absalom said to his servants, “Go and set fire to Joab’s barley field, the field next to mine.” So they set his field on fire, as Absalom had commanded.
³¹ Then Joab came to Absalom at his house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”
³² And Absalom replied, “Because I wanted you to ask the king why he brought me back from Geshur if he didn’t intend to see me. I might as well have stayed there. Let me see the king; if he finds me guilty of anything, then let him kill me.”
³³ So Joab told the king what Absalom had said. Then at last David summoned Absalom, who came and bowed low before the king, and the king kissed him.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 14:21-33 NLT
Absalom Reconciled to David 

²¹ So the king sent for Joab and told him, “All right, go and bring back the young man Absalom.”

There seems to be some reluctance on David’s part for full reconciliation.
(We will see some of this reluctance in verse 24).

²² Joab bowed with his face to the ground in deep respect and said, “At last I know that I have gained your approval, my lord the king, for you have granted me this request!”

• Joab was now given the opportunity to openly encourage reconciliation between David and Absalom.

• Joab may have seen Absalom as a strong potential successor to the throne. (This is speculation on my part.)

As commander of Israel’s army, it was to Joab’s advantage for the nation of Israel to remain strong. 

²³ Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 

2 Samuel 13:37-38 NLT
³⁷ And David mourned many days for his son Amnon.
Absalom fled to his grandfather, Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. ³⁸ He stayed there in Geshur for three years.

Part one of Joab’s plan for reconciliation between David and Absalom.

²⁴ But the king gave this order: “Absalom may go to his own house, but he must never come into my presence.”

This suggests that while David was moved to bring Absalom back, he was still unwilling to fully restore their relationship.

It reflects an unresolved tension—David’s love for his son and his role as king who must uphold justice for Amnon’s murder

• David’s forgiveness is incomplete.

There does not seem to be heartfelt forgiveness and restoration.

The situation remains unresolved.

So Absalom did not see the king.

• Absalom’s return without full reconciliation foreshadows the continued estrangement between father and son, which will later contribute to Absalom’s rebellion.

David’s forgiveness appears to be official but not personal. 

²⁵ Now Absalom was praised as the most handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot. 

• Absalom was praised as the most handsome man in all Israel. He was flawless from head to foot.  (Physical characteristics seemed to be overly important to the people of Israel.)

His physical description suggests he was physically attractive and was an influential individual, which likely contributed to his later popularity in Israel.

Physical characteristics seemed to be overly important to the people of Israel.

Remember King Saul?

1 Samuel 9:2 NLT
² His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.

Saul was described as a valiant, courageous, and determined man.

These qualities didn’t keep Saul from being rejected by God.

1 Samuel 15:10-11 NLT
The Lord Rejects Saul
¹⁰ Then the Lord said to Samuel, ¹¹ “I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.”

²⁶ He cut his hair only once a year, and then only because it was so heavy. When he weighed it out, it came to five pounds! 

• Apparently many people thought that Absalom’s hair was an asset to his appearance.

Hair was apparently a sign of great manly power.

The mention of Absalom’s heavy hair foreshadows his downfall in 2 Samuel 18:9, where his hair gets caught in a tree, leading to his death. 

²⁷ He had three sons and one daughter. His daughter’s name was Tamar, and she was very beautiful.

Absalom had three sons and one daughter. His daughter’s name was Tamar, and she was very beautiful.

• Absalom named his daughter Tamar.  Apparently she was named after his sister. This might indicate lingering sorrow over her mistreatment in 2 Samuel 13.

Verse 27 says that Absalom had three sons, but 18:18 says that he had no son to continue his name.

2 Samuel 18:18 NLT
¹⁸ During his lifetime, Absalom had built a monument to himself in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have no son to carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself, and it is known as Absalom’s Monument to this day.

Perhaps his three sons had died in infancy. 

²⁸ Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but he never got to see the king. 

• Obviously, reconciliation had not taken place between David and Absalom.

Absalom was hurt by this rejection and appealed to Joab for help to resolve this uncomfortable relationship.

Absalom did not sense forgiveness from his father David.

²⁹ Then Absalom sent for Joab to ask him to intercede for him, but Joab refused to come. Absalom sent for him a second time, but again Joab refused to come. 

Joab had persuaded David to welcome Absalom back but now he backed off from assisting Absalom further.

• Joab had helped Absalom return to Jerusalem, but he must have realized that David was still unwilling to fully reconcile with his son.

• David continues to struggle with unresolved tensions—his love for his son demanding mercy and his role as king who must uphold justice for Amnon’s murder.

³⁰ So Absalom said to his servants, “Go and set fire to Joab’s barley field, the field next to mine.” So they set his field on fire, as Absalom had commanded.

• For two years, Absalom remains in Jerusalem without seeing David. Frustrated, he sent for Joab twice, but Joab refused to come to see Absalom. Absalom, determined to get Joab’s attention, sets Joab’s barley field on fire.

³¹ Then Joab came to Absalom at his house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”

Losing his barley field would have been very costly for Joab.

Absalom did what he had to do to get Joab’s attention.

³² And Absalom replied, “Because I wanted you to ask the king why he brought me back from Geshur if he didn’t intend to see me. I might as well have stayed there. Let me see the king; if he finds me guilty of anything, then let him kill me.”

• Absalom got Joab’s attention.

Absalom would have resented David’s treatment of him.  Absalom would have felt like a prisoner in Jerusalem.

• Absalom demanded either a full pardon and restoration or death. He was willing to suffer death for his murder of Amnon, or to receive a true pardon, but he felt that the present compromise was unbearable.

• Absalom’s act of burning Joab’s field reveals his ambitious and forceful nature. It foreshadows his later rebellion, showing that he is willing to take extreme measures to get what he wants.

Note: There was no sign of repentance on Absalom’s part. 

³³ So Joab told the king what Absalom had said. Then at last David summoned Absalom, who came and bowed low before the king, and the king kissed him.

Joab finally agrees to bring Absalom before David.

• Absalom bowing low was a sign of respect.

• David kisses Absalom, symbolizing reconciliation. However, there is no indication of heartfelt repentance or resolution of past issues.

The lack of conversation, hugging or weeping suggests that this was a formal meeting rather than an affectionate reunion.

David’s outward gesture does not address the deeper conflict. This unresolved tension will lead to Absalom’s conspiracy against David in 2 Samuel 15.

By reinstating Absalom, David allows him to gain influence, which will later threaten his reign.

This passage highlights the complexities of forgiveness, unresolved conflict, and the consequences of a lack of true reconciliation. While Absalom is restored to Jerusalem, the estrangement between him and David remains, ultimately leading to further division and tragedy.

2 Samuel 12:10 NLT (Nathan speaking)
¹⁰ From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.

David’s solution was to compromise. He tried to punish Absalom by keeping him in exile, but not executing him.

Then he allowed him to return to Jerusalem, but not to have fellowship with himself.

Both of these compromises failed and only made the relationship worse.

• God’s solution is to be merciful, to forgive and welcome back warmly.

God forgave David.

2 Samuel 12:13 NLT
David Confesses His Guilt
¹³ Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin.

God forgave David, but David still faced consequences for his behavior.

Despite these consequences, David’s relationship with God was restored.

 

David needs to forgive Absalom.

• David needs to be like the father in the parable of the prodigal son.

 

 

Introduction:

We are seeing King David as a man with two major roles.  He was a remarkable ruler and military leader, but he was also a man who had significant struggles as a father.

This passage describes how Joab, King David’s military commander, orchestrates a plan to reconcile David with his estranged son, Absalom.

Here again, David leaves the initiative to others.

Both Joab and Jonadab, David’s nephews, have been giving counsel to David or his sons. I am suggesting that this is counsel that should have been coming from God to David.

James 1:5 NLT
⁵ If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 

Psalm 32:8 NLT
The LORD says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. 

James 3:17 NLT
¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.

 

2 Samuel 14:1-20 NLT
Joab Arranges for Absalom’s Return
^14:1 Joab realized how much the king longed to see Absalom. ² So he sent for a woman from Tekoa who had a reputation for great wisdom. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning; wear mourning clothes and don’t put on lotions. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time. ³ Then go to the king and tell him the story I am about to tell you.” Then Joab told her what to say.
⁴ When the woman from Tekoa approached the king, she bowed with her face to the ground in deep respect and cried out, “O king! Help me!”
⁵ “What’s the trouble?” the king asked.
“Alas, I am a widow!” she replied. “My husband is dead. ⁶ My two sons had a fight out in the field. And since no one was there to stop it, one of them was killed. ⁷ Now the rest of the family is demanding, ‘Let us have your son. We will execute him for murdering his brother. He doesn’t deserve to inherit his family’s property.’ They want to extinguish the only coal I have left, and my husband’s name and family will disappear from the face of the earth.”
⁸ “Leave it to me,” the king told her. “Go home, and I’ll see to it that no one touches him.”
⁹ “Oh, thank you, my lord the king,” the woman from Tekoa replied. “If you are criticized for helping me, let the blame fall on me and on my father’s house, and let the king and his throne be innocent.”
¹⁰ “If anyone objects,” the king said, “bring him to me. I can assure you he will never harm you again!”
¹¹ Then she said, “Please swear to me by the Lord your God that you won’t let anyone take vengeance against my son. I want no more bloodshed.”
“As surely as the Lord lives,” he replied, “not a hair on your son’s head will be disturbed!”
¹² “Please allow me to ask one more thing of my lord the king,” she said.“Go ahead and speak,” he responded.
¹³ She replied, “Why don’t you do as much for the people of God as you have promised to do for me? You have convicted yourself in making this decision, because you have refused to bring home your own banished son. ¹⁴ All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.
¹⁵ “I have come to plead with my lord the king because people have threatened me. I said to myself, ‘Perhaps the king will listen to me ¹⁶ and rescue us from those who would cut us off from the inheritance God has given us. ¹⁷ Yes, my lord the king will give us peace of mind again.’ I know that you are like an angel of God in discerning good from evil. May the Lord your God be with you.”
¹⁸ “I must know one thing,” the king replied, “and tell me the truth.”
“Yes, my lord the king,” she responded.
¹⁹ “Did Joab put you up to this?”
And the woman replied, “My lord the king, how can I deny it? Nobody can hide anything from you. Yes, Joab sent me and told me what to say. ²⁰ He did it to place the matter before you in a different light. But you are as wise as an angel of God, and you understand everything that happens among us!”

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 14:1-20 NLT
Joab Arranges for Absalom’s Return 

^14:1 Joab realized how much the king longed to see Absalom. 

2 Samuel 13:39 NLT
³⁹ And King David, now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed to be reunited with his son Absalom.

• Joab, David’s military commander, and nephew, notices the king’s longing for Absalom but understands that David is unwilling to take the first step in reconciliation.

Here again, David leaves the initiative to others.

In verse 7 the parable that Joab made up implies that there may be strong exterior forces, public opinion, that made David hesitant to pardon his son.

⁷ Now the rest of the family is demanding, ‘Let us have your son. We will execute him for murdering his brother. He doesn’t deserve to inherit his family’s property.’

Here the role of the king would have been different than the role of a father.

Joab may have been motivated by a concern for the political implications of the unresolved dispute between David and the son in line for the throne.

I’m surprised that it wasn’t Jonadab intervening to get something going between David and Absalom. 

² So he sent for a woman from Tekoa who had a reputation for great wisdom.

• Joab devises a plan to have Absalom reconciled with his father David.

Tekoa is in the Judean hills about 7-10 miles south of Jerusalem, near Bethlehem.

He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning; wear mourning clothes and don’t put on lotions. Act like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for a long time. ³ Then go to the king and tell him the story I am about to tell you.” Then Joab told her what to say. 

Basically, Joab brings in an actress who shares a story with David that Joab made up which mirrors David’s situation.

• Joab brings in an actress who shares a story with David that Joab made up. 

⁴ When the woman from Tekoa approached the king, she bowed with her face to the ground in deep respect and cried out, “O king! Help me!”

⁵ “What’s the trouble?” the king asked. 

This woman is clearly a good actor and is able to tell a convincing story. 

“Alas, I am a widow!” she replied. “My husband is dead. ⁶ My two sons had a fight out in the field. And since no one was there to stop it, one of them was killed. ⁷ Now the rest of the family is demanding, ‘Let us have your son. We will execute him for murdering his brother.

Numbers 35:31 NLT
³¹ … murderers must always be put to death. 

• It was customary in Israel for a murder victim’s next of kin to avenge the blood of his relative by putting the murderer to death.

The role of a king.

He doesn’t deserve to inherit his family’s property.’

Note: Absalom is next in line as David’s heir.

They want to extinguish the only coal I have left, and my husband’s name and family will disappear from the face of the earth.” 

The woman, pretending to be a grieving widow, tells David that one of her sons killed the other in a quarrel, and now her family demands justice by executing the remaining son. She pleads for mercy, arguing that executing her only living son would leave her without an heir.

The execution of her son would leave the widow totally desolate. 

David’s role as a father.

⁸ “Leave it to me,” the king told her. “Go home, and I’ll see to it that no one touches him.”

David was touched by the widow’s story.

• David, moved by the story, promises protection for her son, showing his inclination toward mercy rather than strict justice.

In the case presented blood revenge would wipe out the entire family line, which was something Israelite law and the custom tried to avoid if at all possible.

David certainly had received God’s mercy in place of God’s strict justice as called for in Old Testament Law.

⁹ “Oh, thank you, my lord the king,” the woman from Tekoa replied. “If you are criticized for helping me, let the blame fall on me and on my father’s house, and let the king and his throne be innocent.”

Theoretically, David could be accused of preventing justice from being carried out.

Numbers 35:31 NLT
³¹ … murderers must always be put to death. 

The role of a king.

• The woman now presses David for a greater commitment of protection. 

¹⁰ “If anyone objects,” the king said, “bring him to me. I can assure you he will never harm you again!”

¹¹ Then she said, “Please swear to me by the Lord your God that you won’t let anyone take vengeance against my son. I want no more bloodshed.”

• The woman wanted David to confirm his promise with an oath in the Lord’s name.

“As surely as the Lord lives,” he replied, “not a hair on your son’s head will be disturbed!”

David responded with a solemn oath.  This binds David to his commitment. 

¹² “Please allow me to ask one more thing of my lord the king,” she said.
“Go ahead and speak,” he responded.
¹³ She replied, “Why don’t you do as much for the people of God as you have promised to do for me?

Many of the people of Israel would have liked to see Absalom pardoned and returned to Jerusalem.

You have convicted yourself in making this decision, because you have refused to bring home your own banished son. 

After securing David’s sympathetic response, the woman shifts the discussion to David’s own situation, subtly accusing him of inconsistency. If David can show mercy to a fictional son, why not extend the same mercy to his real son, Absalom? She emphasizes God’s mercy, suggesting that He devises ways to bring back those who are estranged from Him.  This reflects God’s redemptive nature and foreshadows themes of reconciliation in the New Testament.

• In granting amnesty to an unknown murderer, it was now incumbent on David that he do the same for his own son Absalom.

• David convicted himself in making this decision, because he had refused to bring home his own banished son. (V. 13) 

¹⁴ All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.

Death is irreversible.

But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.

God is in the business of reconciliation, always seeking ways to restore the lost rather than cut them off forever.

• God is in the business of reconciliation.

¹⁵ “I have come to plead with my lord the king because people have threatened me. I said to myself, ‘Perhaps the king will listen to me ¹⁶ and rescue us from those who would cut us off from the inheritance God has given us. 

This represents the people David feared who resented what Absalom had done and would have stood against a pardon for him. 

¹⁷ Yes, my lord the king will give us peace of mind again.’ I know that you are like an angel of God in discerning good from evil. May the Lord your God be with you.”

¹⁸ “I must know one thing,” the king replied, “and tell me the truth.”
“Yes, my lord the king,” she responded. 

¹⁹ “Did Joab put you up to this?”

And the woman replied, “My lord the king, how can I deny it? Nobody can hide anything from you. Yes, Joab sent me and told me what to say.  

• David now realizes that Joab orchestrated this entire plea. The woman admits it, acknowledging Joab’s wisdom and strategy. 

²⁰ He did it to place the matter before you in a different light.

• Joab’s intervention demonstrates his political astuteness—he understands the necessity of bringing Absalom back, not just for David’s personal reconciliation but for the stability of the kingdom.

But you are as wise as an angel of God, and you understand everything that happens among us!”

To be continued:

Joab’s scheme successfully persuades David to bring Absalom back, but the reconciliation is incomplete. Reconciliation requires repentance and transformation, which Absalom lacks. This passage sets the stage for further tension between David and Absalom, leading to Absalom’s rebellion.

Absalom’s Revenge on Amnon

Introduction:

After Amnon violated his half-sister Tamar, Absalom, her full brother, harbored resentment toward Amnon. For two years, Absalom waited for the right moment to avenge the rape of his sister Tamar.

Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
⁹ “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?

David’s sin with Bathsheba had serious consequences.

2 Samuel 12:10 NLT
¹⁰ From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.

 

2 Samuel 13:23-39 NLT
²³ Two years later, when Absalom’s sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come to a feast. ²⁴ He went to the king and said, “My sheep-shearers are now at work. Would the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?”
²⁵ The king replied, “No, my son. If we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you.” Absalom pressed him, but the king would not come, though he gave Absalom his blessing.
²⁶ “Well, then,” Absalom said, “if you can’t come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?”
“Why Amnon?” the king asked. ²⁷ But Absalom kept on pressing the king until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon. So Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king.
²⁸ Absalom told his men, “Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal, kill him! Don’t be afraid. I’m the one who has given the command. Take courage and do it!” ²⁹ So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.
³⁰ As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, this report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one is left alive!” ³¹ The king got up, tore his robe, and threw himself on the ground. His advisers also tore their clothes in horror and sorrow.
³² But just then Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimea, arrived and said, “No, don’t believe that all the king’s sons have been killed! It was only Amnon! Absalom has been plotting this ever since Amnon raped his sister Tamar. ³³ No, my lord the king, your sons aren’t all dead! It was only Amnon.” ³⁴ Meanwhile Absalom escaped.
Then the watchman on the Jerusalem wall saw a great crowd coming down the hill on the road from the west. He ran to tell the king, “I see a crowd of people coming from the Horonaim road along the side of the hill.”
³⁵ “Look!” Jonadab told the king. “There they are now! The king’s sons are coming, just as I said.”
³⁶ They soon arrived, weeping and sobbing, and the king and all his servants wept bitterly with them. ³⁷ And David mourned many days for his son Amnon.
Absalom fled to his grandfather, Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. ³⁸ He stayed there in Geshur for three years. ³⁹ And King David now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed to be reunited with his son Absalom.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 13:23-39 NLT
Absalom’s Revenge on Amnon 

²³ Two years later,

Two years …
Absalom has been harboring anger and hatred against Amnon for two years.

During these two years there is no record of David doing anything to discipline Amnon.

• Absalom has been harboring anger and hatred against Amnon for two years.

when Absalom’s sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor near Ephraim,

Approximately 15 miles north-northeast of Jerusalem.

 Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come to a feast. 

• King David had at least 19 sons mentioned by name in the Bible, as well as several unnamed sons by his concubines.

Six sons were born to him in Hebron: Amnon, Daniel, Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, and Ithream.

Four sons were born to him by Bathsheba in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon.

Nine other sons were born to him in Jerusalem: Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

This does not include any unnamed sons he may have had with his concubines.

Absalom hosted a festival to celebrate the time of sheepshearing, a custom observed in Israel from Israel’s earliest times.

• Sheep shearing was a festive and social occasion.

²⁴ He went to the king and said, “My sheep-shearers are now at work. Would the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?” 

²⁵ The king replied, “No, my son. If we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you.” Absalom pressed him, but the king would not come, though he gave Absalom his blessing.

²⁶ “Well, then,” Absalom said, “if you can’t come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?” 

The oldest son and crown prince could represent the family.

• It was not uncommon for the oldest son to represent the family. 

“Why Amnon?” the king asked. 

David would have known about the strained relationship between Amnon and Absalom. 

²⁷ But Absalom kept on pressing the king until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon.

• Again, against his better judgment, David agreed to do something he didn’t feel comfortable doing. 

So Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king.

²⁸ Absalom told his men, “Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal, kill him!

• Absalom had planned this celebration gathering for the sole purpose of providing an opportunity to murder Amnon. 

Don’t be afraid. I’m the one who has given the command. Take courage and do it!” 

By commanding the death of Amnon, Absalom is guilty of murder, much like his father David, by arranging the death of Uriah, was guilty of murder.

When he raped Tamar, Amnon was guilty of sexual immorality, much like his father David, by having sex with Bathsheba.

²⁹ So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon.

A murder avenged a rape.

The act of murder is carried out in cold blood, showing the depth of Absalom’s premeditated vengeance.

Though rape was punishable by death, personal vengeance such as this was unacceptable to God.  The due course of law was to be carried out.

Deuteronomy 16:18 NLT
Justice for the People
¹⁸ “Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly.

Deuteronomy 19:15 NLT
¹⁵ “You must not convict anyone of a crime on the testimony of only one witness. The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

• By commanding the death of Amnon, Absalom is guilty of murder.

• With the murder of Amnon, Absalom not only avenged the rape of his sister but he also secured for himself the position of successor to the throne.

2 Samuel 3:3 NLT
³ The second (son) was Daniel (Kileab), whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.
The third (son) was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.

Kileab (Daniel) David’s second son, may have died in his youth since there is no mention of him beyond the announcement of his birth. (1 Chronicles 3:1 and 2 Samuel 3:3) 

Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.

Riding mules appeared to be the normal means of transportation for royalty in David’s kingdom. 

³⁰ As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, this report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one is left alive!” 

News of Amnon’s death spreads quickly, but the report is exaggerated, claiming that Absalom has killed all the king’s sons. This causes David profound grief and fear.

³¹ The king got up, tore his robe, and threw himself on the ground. His advisers also tore their clothes in horror and sorrow.

David “tore his robe, and threw himself on the ground”.

These were common ways of expressing grief.

A sign of great distress or remorse.

• When David heard that all of his sons were killed he was devastated. 

³² But just then Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimea, arrived and said, “No, don’t believe that all the king’s sons have been killed! It was only Amnon! 

Absalom has been plotting this ever since Amnon raped his sister Tamar.  

³³ No, my lord the king, your sons aren’t all dead! It was only Amnon.” ³⁴ Meanwhile Absalom escaped.

Jonadab (the same individual who had advised Amnon earlier) reassures David that only Amnon is dead, revealing that this was part of Absalom’s calculated revenge. Jonadab’s involvement and casual attitude toward these events further emphasize the corrupt environment in David’s court. 

• Jonadab assures David that only Amnon was killed. 

Then the watchman on the Jerusalem wall saw a great crowd coming down the hill on the road from the west. He ran to tell the king, “I see a crowd of people coming from the Horonaim road along the side of the hill.”
³⁵ “Look!” Jonadab told the king. “There they are now! The king’s sons are coming, just as I said.”
³⁶ They soon arrived, weeping and sobbing, and the king and all his servants wept bitterly with them. ³⁷ And David mourned many days for his son Amnon.

• King David had at least 19 sons mentioned by name in the Bible, as well as several unnamed sons by his concubines.

Six sons were born to him in Hebron: Amnon, Daniel, Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, and Ithream.

Four sons were born to him by Bathsheba in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon.

Nine other sons were born to him in Jerusalem: Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

This does not include any unnamed sons he may have had with his concubines. 

Absalom fled to his grandfather, Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur.

Absalom, now a fugitive, sought refuge among his mother’s family.  Absalom’s mother, Maacah, was the daughter of Talmai, the king of Geshur. (3:3)

Leviticus 24:17 NLT
¹⁷ “Anyone who takes another person’s life must be put to death. 

• Absalom, now a fugitive, sought refuge among his mother’s family. 

³⁸ He stayed there in Geshur for three years. 

Instead of seeking justice through proper means, Absalom takes matters into his own hands, leading to bloodshed and further division within the family. 

³⁹ And King David now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed to be reunited with his son Absalom.

With Amnon dead and Absalom a refugee, David had lost both of his oldest living sons.

Kileab (Daniel) David’s second son, may have died in his youth since there is no mention of him beyond the announcement of his birth. (1 Chronicles 3:1 and 2 Samuel 3:3)

• David mourns Amnon but eventually desires to be reconciled with Absalom.

• This passage is a sobering reminder of the consequences of sin, unresolved conflict, and failed leadership.

David’s family had become dysfunctional.

David’s children are repeating the sins of their parents.

The Rape of Tamar

Choices have consequences.

David’s sin with Bathsheba had serious consequences.

2 Samuel 12:10 NLT
¹⁰ From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.

Trouble within David’s family begins here in 2 Samuel 13:1-22.

The story of Amnon and Tamar is an example dysfunction and suffering within David’s family.

Unchecked sin can destroy families and relationships.

Proverbs 22:6 KJV
⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 

Where was David when all of this was happening?

Did David teach his son Amnon how he should conduct himself?

2 Samuel 13:1-22 NLT
The Rape of Tamar
^13:1 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon, her half brother, fell desperately in love with her. ² Amnon became so obsessed with Tamar that he became ill. She was a virgin, and Amnon thought he could never have her.
³ But Amnon had a very crafty friend—his cousin Jonadab. He was the son of David’s brother Shimea ⁴ One day Jonadab said to Amnon, “What’s the trouble? Why should the son of a king look so dejected morning after morning?”
So Amnon told him, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”
⁵ “Well,” Jonadab said, “I’ll tell you what to do. Go back to bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, ask him to let Tamar come and prepare some food for you. Tell him you’ll feel better if she prepares it as you watch and feeds you with her own hands.”
⁶ So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon asked him, “Please let my sister Tamar come and cook my favorite dish as I watch. Then I can eat it from her own hands.” ⁷ So David agreed and sent Tamar to Amnon’s house to prepare some food for him.
⁸ When Tamar arrived at Amnon’s house, she went to the place where he was lying down so he could watch her mix some dough. Then she baked his favorite dish for him. ⁹ But when she set the serving tray before him, he refused to eat. “Everyone get out of here,” Amnon told his servants. So they all left.
¹⁰ Then he said to Tamar, “Now bring the food into my bedroom and feed it to me here.” So Tamar took his favorite dish to him. ¹¹ But as she was feeding him, he grabbed her and demanded, “Come to bed with me, my darling sister.”
¹² “No, my brother!” she cried. “Don’t be foolish! Don’t do this to me! Such wicked things aren’t done in Israel. ¹³ Where could I go in my shame? And you would be called one of the greatest fools in Israel. Please, just speak to the king about it, and he will let you marry me.”
¹⁴ But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her, and since he was stronger than she was, he raped her. ¹⁵ Then suddenly Amnon’s love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her. “Get out of here!” he snarled at her.¹⁶ “No, no!” Tamar cried. “Sending me away now is worse than what you’ve already done to me.”
But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her. ¹⁷ He shouted for his servant and demanded, “Throw this woman out, and lock the door behind her!”
¹⁸ So the servant put her out and locked the door behind her. She was wearing a long, beautiful robe, as was the custom in those days for the king’s virgin daughters. ¹⁹ But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying.
²⁰ Her brother Absalom saw her and asked, “Is it true that Amnon has been with you? Well, my sister, keep quiet for now, since he’s your brother. Don’t you worry about it.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother Absalom’s house.
²¹ When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry. ²² And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 13:1-22 NLT

The Rape of Tamar 

^13:1 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar.

Review David’s family tree.

2 Samuel 3:2 NLT
David’s Sons Born in Hebron
² These are the sons who were born to David in Hebron:
The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel. 

And Amnon, her half-brother, fell desperately in love with her. 

² Amnon became so obsessed with Tamar that he became ill.

• Amnon believed that he was desperately in love with his half-sister Tamar.

Discuss lust vs. love.

Amnon’s “love” for Tamar is revealed to be obsessive lust rather than genuine care. His feelings are selfish and focused on gratification rather than respect or commitment.

Amnon is on the fast track to destruction.

Choices have consequences.

Galatians 5:19 NLT
¹⁹ When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures… ²¹… Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Amnon will repeat his father’s sin. 

She was a virgin, and Amnon thought he could never have her.

• Amnon thought, for good reason, that he could never have Tamar.

A few of these “good reasons” were:

Tamar was recognized by others as the king’s virgin daughter. (Verse 18)

Tamar was aware of the serious consequences of sex outside of marriage. (Verses 12-20) 

³ But Amnon had a very crafty friend—his cousin Jonadab.

Crafty here is not a good thing.

Beware of bad counsel and the evil influence of those around you.

Proverbs 13:20 NLT
²⁰ Walk with the wise and become wise;
associate with fools and get in trouble.

Proverbs 12:26 NLT
²⁶ The godly give good advice to their friends;
the wicked lead them astray.

• Stay away from people who encourage wrongdoing.

Wise counsel is essential for making godly decisions. 

He was the son of David’s brother Shimea ⁴ One day Jonadab said to Amnon, “What’s the trouble? Why should the son of a king look so dejected morning after morning?” 

So Amnon told him, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” 

⁵ “Well,” Jonadab said, “I’ll tell you what to do.

• Jonadab devised a deceptive plan to help Amnon fulfill his desires.

1 Peter 5:8 NLT
⁸ Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 

Go back to bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, ask him to let Tamar come and prepare some food for you. Tell him you’ll feel better if she prepares it as you watch and feeds you with her own hands.”

• Jonadab, Amnon’s cousin gave Amnon the plan by which he was able to rape Tamar.

⁶ So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon asked him, “Please let my sister Tamar come and cook my favorite dish as I watch. Then I can eat it from her own hands.”  

⁷ So David agreed and sent Tamar to Amnon’s house to prepare some food for him.

What was David thinking? 

⁸ When Tamar arrived at Amnon’s house, she went to the place where he was lying down so he could watch her mix some dough. Then she baked his favorite dish for him. ⁹ But when she set the serving tray before him, he refused to eat. “Everyone get out of here,” Amnon told his servants. So they all left. 

¹⁰ Then he said to Tamar, “Now bring the food into my bedroom and feed it to me here.” So Tamar took his favorite dish to him. ¹¹ But as she was feeding him, he grabbed her and demanded, “Come to bed with me, my darling sister.” 

¹² “No, my brother!” she cried. “Don’t be foolish! Don’t do this to me! Such wicked things aren’t done in Israel. 

• Tamar resisted Amnon’s sexual advances.

Scripture supporting Tamar’s comment.

Leviticus 18:9-11 NLT
⁹ “Do not have sexual relations with your sister or half sister, whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born into your household or someone else’s.
¹⁰ “Do not have sexual relations with your granddaughter, whether she is your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, for this would violate yourself.
¹¹ “Do not have sexual relations with your stepsister, the daughter of any of your father’s wives, for she is your sister.

Leviticus 20:17 NLT
¹⁷ “If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a shameful disgrace. They must be publicly cut off from the community. Since the man has violated his sister, he will be punished for his sin.

Deuteronomy 27:22 NLT
²² ‘Cursed is anyone who has sexual intercourse with his sister, whether she is the daughter of his father or his mother.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

• Marrying half-sisters was a common practice among the surrounding nations. 

¹³ Where could I go in my shame? And you would be called one of the greatest fools in Israel.

• This behavior would have a negative impact on both Tamar and Amnon.

This would jeopardize Amnon’s position as crown prince and heir to the throne.

This behavior would bring shame on Tamar. (more later in this lesson.) 

Please, just speak to the king about it, and he will let you marry me.”

• Tamar may have been stalling for time when she suggested that Amnon ask David for permission to marry her.

Surely David would have known the teachings in Leviticus and Deuteronomy and would not support this marriage.

On the other hand David would have known about Genesis 20:12.

Genesis 20:12 – Abraham married his sister. – ¹² And she really is my sister, for we both have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her. 

¹⁴ But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her, and since he was stronger than she was, he raped her.  

• Amnon raped Tamar. 

¹⁵ Then suddenly Amnon’s love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her.

In revulsion to what he had done, Amnon now hated Tamar more than he had previously loved her.  This indicates that his original feelings had not been love but only lust.

Perhaps some of the hatred that Amnon felt was self-hatred.

• The sudden reversal of Amnon feelings toward Tamar are a real indication that his feelings were never more than sensual desires (lust). 

“Get out of here!” he snarled at her.

¹⁶ “No, no!” Tamar cried. “Sending me away now is worse than what you’ve already done to me.”

• Ammon should have married Tamar.

Exodus 22:16 NLT
Social Responsibility
¹⁶ “If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to anyone and has sex with her, he must pay the customary bride price and marry her. 

Deuteronomy 22:28-29 NLT
²⁸ “Suppose a man has intercourse with a young woman who is a virgin but is not engaged to be married. If they are discovered, (see verses 20-21) ²⁹ he must pay her father fifty pieces of silver. Then he must marry the young woman because he violated her, and he may never divorce her as long as he lives.

• No longer a virgin, Tamar could not be offered by her father to any other potential husband.

Deuteronomy 22:13-21 NLT
Regulations for Sexual Purity
¹³ “Suppose a man marries a woman, but after sleeping with her, he turns against her ¹⁴ and publicly accuses her of shameful conduct, saying, ‘When I married this woman, I discovered she was not a virgin.’ ¹⁵ Then the woman’s father and mother must bring the proof of her virginity to the elders as they hold court at the town gate. ¹⁶ Her father must say to them, ‘I gave my daughter to this man to be his wife, and now he has turned against her. ¹⁷ He has accused her of shameful conduct, saying, “I discovered that your daughter was not a virgin.” But here is the proof of my daughter’s virginity.’ Then they must spread her bed sheet before the elders. ¹⁸ The elders must then take the man and punish him. ¹⁹ They must also fine him 100 pieces of silver  which he must pay to the woman’s father because he publicly accused a virgin of Israel of shameful conduct. The woman will then remain the man’s wife, and he may never divorce her.
²⁰ “But suppose the man’s accusations are true, and he can show that she was not a virgin. ²¹ The woman must be taken to the door of her father’s home, and there the men of the town must stone her to death, for she has committed a disgraceful crime in Israel by being promiscuous while living in her parents’ home. In this way, you will purge this evil from among you. 

But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her. ¹⁷ He shouted for his servant and demanded, “Throw this woman out, and lock the door behind her!” 

After the assault, Amnon’s feelings turn to hatred, revealing the hollowness of his lust. This rejection deepens Tamar’s suffering, leaving her not only violated but also humiliated and abandoned. This shift in Amnon’s attitude reflects the corrosive nature of sin and guilt. 

¹⁸ So the servant put her out and locked the door behind her. She was wearing a long, beautiful robe, as was the custom in those days for the king’s virgin daughters. 

• Wearing a long, beautiful robe, was the custom in those days for the king’s virgin daughters. 

¹⁹ But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head.

The ashes were symbols of mourning and humility.

The torn robe symbolized the ruin of her life.

And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying. 

Tamar publicly mourns her disgrace, symbolized by her torn robe and ashes on her head. Her actions demonstrate the profound personal and social consequences of sexual violence in her cultural context. The narrative draws attention to the lasting scars of such trauma. 

²⁰ Her brother Absalom saw her and asked, “Is it true that Amnon has been with you? Well, my sister, keep quiet for now, since he’s your brother. Don’t you worry about it.” 

Absalom urges his sister not to make this matter a public scandal.

So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother Absalom’s house.

Tamar’s brother Absalom takes Tamar into his home.

• Tamar remained “desolate”, a term in Hebrew that means unmarried and childless, which was a living death for a Jewish woman. 

²¹ When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry. 

David may have been angry but he did not do anything to punish Amnon.

• David abdicated his responsibilities both as king and as father. This lack of discipline toward his sons eventually led to the death of Amnon and the revolts of Absalom and Adonijah. 

²² And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.

Absalom quietly bided his time.

Absalom did take Amnon’s treatment of his sister to heart and will take revenge in our next lesson.

• Absalom hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.

David Captures Rabbah

In this lesson David resumes his duties as the king of the Israelites.

This lesson includes reviews of previous lessons.

We will have a lesson within a lesson.

How well do you trust the translation of the Bible you are using?

Which translations are accurate?

 

2 Samuel 12:26-31 NLT
David Captures Rabbah
²⁶ Meanwhile, Joab was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of Ammon, and he captured the royal fortifications. ²⁷ Joab sent messengers to tell David, “I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply. ²⁸ Now bring the rest of the army and capture the city. Otherwise, I will capture it and get credit for the victory.”
²⁹ So David gathered the rest of the army and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it. ³⁰ David removed the crown from the king’s head, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and it weighed seventy-five pounds. David took a vast amount of plunder from the city. ³¹ He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to work in the brick kilns. That is how he dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.                                         

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 12:26-31 NLT
David Captures Rabbah

From previous lesson. (Same chapter)

²⁰ Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.

David accepted the Lord’s discipline.

David resumed normal life activities.

²⁶ Meanwhile, Joab

was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of Ammon,

• Joab fought against Rabbah, the capitol of Ammon.

Refer to a map.

The author returns to the siege of Rabbah.

This all began in chapter 10.

2 Samuel 10:1-4 NLT
^10:1 Some time after this, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king. ² David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun just as his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent ambassadors to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death.
But when David’s ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon, ³ the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, their master, “Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the city so they can come in and conquer it!” ⁴ So Hanun seized David’s ambassadors and shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.

This event turned the Israelites against the Ammonites.

The Ammonites paid the Aramean soldiers to help them fight the Israelites.

The Israelites defeated the Arameans leaving the Ammonites to fend for themselves.

2 Samuel 11:1 NLT
^11:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

Review Joab’s involvement in the death of Uriah.

2 Samuel 11:14-21
David Arranges for Uriah’s Death
¹⁴ So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. ¹⁵ The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” ¹⁶ So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. ¹⁷ And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.
¹⁸ Then Joab sent a battle report to David. ¹⁹ He told his messenger, “Report all the news of the battle to the king. ²⁰ But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls? ²¹ Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’ Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’”

David sent a letter to Joab, the commander of his army, instructing him to place Uriah at the front line of battle where the fighting is fiercest and then withdraw, ensuring Uriah’s death.

• Joab complied with David’s instructions.

• Joab’s willingness to carry out David’s orders reflects the ethical dilemmas faced by subordinates in systems of power.

Joab may have felt compelled to obey David as his king, believing it was his duty to follow orders. However, the Bible consistently upholds God’s law as the ultimate standard, even above human authority.

This was an act of premeditated murder.

Exodus 20:13 NLT
“You must not murder.

Situations like this highlight the importance of courageously opposing injustice, even when it comes from a superior.

Obeying authority does not excuse participation in wrongdoing. Individuals are accountable for their actions, even when following orders.

James 4:17 NLT
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Joab’s submission to David’s command does not absolve him of guilt for participating in an immoral act.

Joab knew that fighting close to the enemies’ city wall was a military blunder. 

• Joab knew that his actions were wrong.

 

More of David’s instructions to Joab.

2 Samuel 11:25 NLT
²⁵ “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”

• David instructed Joab to “Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”

Joab does as David instructed.

Back to today’s passage. 

and he (Joab) captured the royal fortifications. 

• Joab captured the “royal fortifications”, not the entire city of Rabbah.

Many translations say “the royal city”.

The “royal city” refers to the central and most fortified part of Rabbah, which was a stronghold. Capturing this portion was a significant military achievement that paved the way for complete conquest. (ChatGPT) 

²⁷ Joab sent messengers to tell David, “I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply.  

Many translations say “the city of waters”.

• With no water, the inhabitants of Rabbah would soon have to surrender.

²⁸ Now bring the rest of the army and capture the city. Otherwise, I will capture it and get credit for the victory.”

David was given the privilege of leading the final assault.

This was both:

Military protocol.

Joab’s loyalty and respect for King David.

• Joab calls David to come to Rabbah so that David can get credit for the victory. 

²⁹ So David gathered the rest of the army and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it. 

This is what David should have been in the first place.

• In spite of David’s recent sinful behaviors, God granted his army victory over the Ammonites.

Remember, after David had sinned, he was truly sorry for his sins, and he confessed his sins.

Even though the Lord was displeased with David’s actions, he gave the Israelites victory over the Ammonites who had abused them.

³⁰ David removed the crown from the king’s head, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and it weighed seventy-five pounds. 

A symbolic act of transferring to David sovereignty over Ammon. 

David took a vast amount of plunder from the city. 

• David took a vast amount of plunder from the city.

³¹ He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to work in the brick kilns. That is how he dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns.

This was a common practice.

 

A lesson within a lesson.

Different translations appear to imply different things. 

Note:   These verses can be translated with the sense that the Ammonites were cut with saws, indicating that David imposed cruel death on the captives in accordance with Ammonite ways.

2 Samuel 12:31

And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem. (KJV) 

And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick kiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem. (ASV) 

³¹ He brought out the people who were in the city and put them to work making bricks. David demolished the city with saws, iron picks, and axes he did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the troops returned to Jerusalem. (CEB)

1 Chronicles 20:3 American Standard Version
³ And he brought forth the people that were therein, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. And thus did David unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 20:3 King James Version
³ And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 20:3 Common English Bible
³ After removing the people who were in the city, David demolished the city with saws, iron picks, and axes, as he did to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.

• David’s treatment of the Ammonites reflects the harsh realities of ancient warfare.

Harsh treatment of conquered nations was not uncommon.

Amos 1:13 NLT
¹³ This is what the Lord says:
“The people of Ammon have sinned again and again,
and I will not let them go unpunished!
When they (the ammonites) attacked Gilead to extend their borders,
they ripped open pregnant women with their swords. 

2 Samuel 8:2 NLT
² David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money.

Different translations appear to imply different outcomes. 

Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.

• David’s victories are seen as fulfilling God’s promise to establish his kingdom, even when David himself is flawed.