2 Samuel 16-18

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Your handout that looks like this will help you today if you look for some of the names.

Names in the reading:

• Ziba- he was originally Saul’s servant but then became his grandson’s (Mephibosheth) servant.  Ziba is a liar!
• Shimei– the stone thrower (from Saul’s tribe)
• Absolom- the third son of King David, (proclaimed himself king)
• Abishai- Joab’s brother.  He is loyal to the king.
• Ahithophel-originally David’s councilor but betrayed him and went to team Absolom.
• Joab- David’s nephew, army commander (lacks self-control)
• Hushai-a servant of David sent to Jerusalem as a spy for David against Absalom
• Zadok-Priests carrying the Ark
• Abaithar– priest, loyal to Daivd.   (he was the one that told David that Saul had all the priests of Nob killed)
• Amasa-David’s nephew to go out in place of Joab. (Joab’s cousin).  I am still unraveling this one in my head.
• Ittai (I love this guy)- he was the foreigner that was more loyal to David than his own people a few days ago.
• Ahimaaz-Zadok’s son

There are a few others but these are most of them.

I had to read the beginning several times (I kept getting confused).  In short, David runs into 2 people from Saul’s family.  First, Ziba, the servant to Saul’s grandson Mephibosheth.  (He was the one with the disabled legs we read about a few weeks ago).  Ziba brings David supplies and cons him into giving him Sauls’ estate.😠

Then he runs into Shimei who threw stones at David (I bet David wrote some Psalms about this horrible day)  He calls him a murderer, a scoundrel, and that his son Absolom is now the king (ummm no he is not!)  Abishai (who I like!) says “Put me in coach! I will cut off his head”. But David leaves it in the Lord’s hands and spares his life.

Let’s go back to Chapter 12 when Nathan the Prophet said to David after sleeping with Bathsheba:

¹¹ “This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. ¹² You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’”

We discussed the calamity…now the underlined portion of the prophecy.

Ahithophel tells David’s son to sleep with his concubines for everyone to see.  Usually, a king’s concubines belonged to the successor, so by this action, Absolom asserts his kingship.  Now all of Israel thinks he is the new king. (Ummm, no he’s not)

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The other day in Chapter 15 David was upset and he prayed to the Lord (2 Sam 15:31)

“Now David had been told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”

And that is exactly what the Lord did!  His advice was not taken (which is rare for a man in his position) and when the advice was not followed he hanged himself. (Such Pride!)

Absolom continues to build an army.  The parallel position of Joab (David’s top commander) was replaced by the very man that had married David’s first wife Abigail, and David summoned her back.  Clearly, he does not like David so it was a strategic move on Absolom’s part.    David went to battle, and unlike his mistake in the past, he says in chapter 18:2: “I myself will surely march out with you”. (But tenderhearted David tells his troops to be gentle with his son Absolom).

However, Joab was done with this tomfoolery of protecting Absolom, and the physical characteristic of Absolom that showed his strength and his good looks was the very thing that got him killed: his lush hair!

They buried his body under a monument of rocks mocking his own monument to himself he had previously erected called “Absolom’s monument”.

For all the reasons the Lord loves David, we do too,  because even after everything Absolon had committed against him, David always had a heart. ❤️

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If you feel like reading ahead the Psalms that follow this read for tomorrow are:

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