2 Samuel 18

 (1) Repeated phrases:

a. David gave order to the 3 leaders of the army that, 

v.5 The king gave this order to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake deal gently with the young man Absalom.” Now the entire army was listening when the king gave all the leaders this order concerning Absalom. 

[a man spotted Absalom being hung on the tree, and he said to Joab]

v.12b "...I would not strike the king’s son! In our very presence the king gave this order to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’..."

When David knew that his son was killed,

v.33 The king then became very upset. He went up to the upper room over the gate and wept. As he went he said, “My son, Absalom! My son, my son, Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!” 

b. Ahimaaz insisted on bringing the "good news" to David v.19, 22, 23, even Joab had told him that it would not be "good news" because David's son was dead v.20, 22. 

Again, when the watchman saw a man running by himself David knew he brought "good news" v.25, 26. David also called Ahimaaz, "a good man, and comes with good news." v.27. 

What is good news? To the servants of David the defeat of the enemies was good news.

v.28b “May the LORD your God be praised because he has defeated the men who opposed my lord the king!” 

v.31b “May my lord the king now receive the good news! The LORD has vindicated you today and delivered you from the hand of all who have rebelled against you!

Obviously, the good news to the army was not good to David. The LORD did give them the delivery and possibility to resume the rulership.  However, to David the killing of Absalom was not necessary. Joab knew very well about that, but disagreed with him.

(2) a. 18:8 The battle there was spread out over the whole area, and the forest consumed more soldiers than the sword devoured that day. 

Note, even the "forest" helped David's army, but not Absalom's army.

b. 18:9 Then Absalom happened to come across David’s men. Now as Absalom was riding on his mule, it went under the branches of a large oak tree. His head got caught in the oak and he was suspended in midair, while the mule he had been riding kept going. 

The phrases,  "happened to," be hung on the tree and happened to be seen by David's men.

Reflection: Joab was not an obedient servant of David. He made the good news mixed with the sadness to David. The LORD did deliver the enemy in their hands by using the forest and the oak tree to catch Absalom's hair. There was no need to kill Absalom to have the victory. Joab did not recognize the work of God's hand, but he wanted to make sure that Absalom was dead in order to secure the victory. 

On one hand, are we obedient servants and work according to God's hearts? 

On the other hand, do we recognize that our victory belongs to God? 

Audrey

2024

v.1-18

B:

1. David appointed leaders v.1 and gave them order when he stayed behind. v.4-5. His authority was there even when he was absent. The solider knew it very well. 

In our very presence the king gave this order to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’ 13 If I had acted at risk of my own life—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”

In other words, when Joab killed Absalom he was acted against the authority of David. David could have kill him. 

2. How do we see that God was the One who was against Absalom like what 17:14 said?

The battle took place in the forest, and more soldiers of Ab were consumed by the forest than the sword v.8. 

Even Ab himself was caught by the oak tree and was suspended v.9, 10, 14. He became an easy prey for Joab. 

Note, the tree (and the mule) only left Ab hanging. Scriptures made it clear that he was still alive  while hanging v.14. God did not kill him, but Joab did. 

R:

What kind of servant am I? Did I follow the word of my Master? Or I took the leadership role he gave me and do things against Him?

v.19-33

B:

1. What is good news or not good news?
Ahimaaz the son of Zadok thought the death of Ab was a good news bc he was the enemies of David v.19.

Joab knew David better than Ahimaaz. He knew that in David's mind Ab was his dear son. The death of his son was not good news v.20. 

However, Ahmimaaz took no notice of Joab's advice. He might think that he knew better than Joab. v.22-23. 

2. To Ahimaaz and the Cushite, Absalom was the enemies of the king v.19, 32, the man who opposed the king v.28, and the on who had rebelled against him v.31. Those are objective. But, to David, he was the young man v.29, 32, and his son v.33. He called him, my son 5 times in v.33. 

R:

It is hard to imagine the heart of a father. To others, Ab was the enemies who rebelled against David. His death was indeed good and beneficial to David. If Ab did not care about his father and tried to take over his kingdom why would D still care about him? But, this is not a father's heart. I thank God that even I bring shame to God and not glory He did not give up on me.

Joab knew David's heart very well. However, he chose to disobey David and killed his son. Do we know God more than anyone, but yet we disobey Him? 

Q:

1. David loved his son and saw him not as his enemies even he rebelled against him.

2. Joab thirst for blood and he would revenge an eye for an eye. Even though he knew the heart of David very well, but he did not obey to David's authority. 

3. The solider took David's authority seriously and dared not to disobey him even with the bribe. Joab disregard it. 

4. Burial pit: a large pit in the forest, and stacked a huge pile of stones over him

 monument: dedicated it to himself in the King’s Valley...He named the monument after himself (EBC) his self-serving attempt to perpetuate his name...There are thus two monuments commemorating Absalom (the “heap of rocks” in v.17, the “pillar” in v.18), each in its own way as pitiable as the other.

5. His son Absalom (ch 12 David loved his 1st son with B?? Or D knew that God would punish him and there would be killing within his family??)

6. My marriage.