2024
v.1-14
B:
1. The end of this section is about David winning the hearts of all the men of Judah. The result of that was the men of Judah sent word to bring the king back, which was also what the rest of Israel wanted to do. In other words, David won all the hearts of Judah and Israel.
10 But Absalom, whom we anointed as our king, has died in battle. So now why do you hesitate to bring the king back?”
14 He won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. Then they sent word to the king saying, “Return, you and all your servants as well.”
2. However, earlier in this chapter, Joab accused David of his emotion and he claimed that David would lose the hearts of his army.
v.7b For I swear by the LORD that if you don’t go out there, not a single man will stay here with you tonight!
3. Was Joab right? Did David follow what he said?
Joab's accusation to David: 6 You seem to love your enemies and hate your friends!...if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, it would be all right with you.
David sent his army out, but told them to save the life of Absalom. In other words, in David's mind, it was possible to win the battle, but spare Ab's life. Actually, that was what the solider intended to do 18:12-13. David's grieve was due to the disobedience of Joab. In 19:1-3, the army mourned and were embarrassed, but would they leave David as Joab said? Maybe, but not necessarily.
Joab's solution: 7 So get up now and go out and give some encouragement to your servants
David's response: 8 So the king got up and sat at the city gate.
David did not give any encouragement to his army. they all came before him. No one left.
Conclusion: David might partly agree with Joab that the victory was not probably celebrated, but he did not see the victory and the death of Absalom was necessarily tied together.
R:
David knew his people and he won people heart not only once. Previously how he gave Abner a proper funeral to had won people's heart 3:36.
Although he probably would not lose the favor of the people, but when he realized his personal emotion might affect the celebration of victory he was willing to come to the people.
Do I as a leader win the heart of the people? Am I willing to compromise even I am not in danger losing the heart of the people?
v.15-30
B:
1. The 1st duo-Shimei and Abishai
After the incident in 16:5-14, that was the 2nd time this pair encountered each other. Shimei had changed 180 degree. He did not just come to welcome David, but desperately.
16 Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim came down quickly
17b...They hurriedly crossed the Jordan within sight of the king.
18b...Shimei son of Gera threw himself down before the king.
19 He said to the king, “Don’t think badly of me, my lord, and don’t recall the sin of your servant...Please don’t call it to mind! 20 For I, your servant, know that I sinned
Even in ch 16:9-10 David had already told Abishai that he would not kill Shimei because God had asked him to curse David, Abishai still insisted in ch 19 to kill Shimei.
21 Abishai son of Zeruiah replied, “For this should not Shimei be put to death? After all, he cursed the LORD’s anointed!”
His insistence was not due to his justice, but his disobedience to David. Note, what David said,
22b...Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?” 23 The king said to Shimei, “You won’t die.” The king vowed an oath concerning this.
2. The 2nd duo-Ziba and Mephibosheth. Which one should David believe?
a. Ziba did not come with his master, but with Shimei v.17. That matched what M said about how he wanted to go with David when he fled but Z did not help him to.
b. If M was deceiving D and he was happy to join Absalom when David fled, then he would not have grown his mustache. And if he had trimmed his mustache, it would be impossible to suddenly change to have it so long now when David came back.
24b...From the day the king had left until the day he safely returned, Mephibosheth had not cared for his feet nor trimmed his mustache nor washed his clothes.
(EBC) That he has not “taken care of [ʿāśāh] his feet” probably means that he has not “trimmed his toenails” (cf. LXX; for discussion cf. McCarter, II Samuel, pp. 417, 421) since the following clause (“trimmed his mustache”) also uses the verb ʿāśāh. Indeed, the two clauses are identical except for the object of the verb (welōʾ-ʿāśāh rag̱lāyw welōʾ-ʿāśāh śep̱āmô lit., “and he did not do his feet, and he did not do his mustache”)
c. . How he responded back to D when he got half of his inheritance back
30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him have the whole thing! My lord the king has returned safely to his house!”
(BKC) Whether this was true or not cannot be determined, but David at least was somewhat convinced by Mephibosheth and agreed to return at least half of the estate he had threatened to withdraw from him (19:29; cf. 16:4).
R:
Abishai, similar to his brother Joab, thirsted to blood and liked to teach the king what to do. They would pretty much like to act autonomously. Am I like that? Do not care about the authority of God and immersed in my own sense of "justice?"
Mephibosheth was grateful to what David had done to him. He did not care of he did not get the inheritance if David got them to Ziba. Would my gratefulness to God continue if God take my possessions away? Am I sastsified like now if I do not have the chance to serve? if I lose my house, money and comfortable live?
v.31-43
B:
1. Barzillai, being very old and very rich v.32, how can David repay his kindness to him? He did not accept for the royal hospitality provided by David, but he requested to return home. However, he left an opening for future opportunity of his family.
37b...But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems appropriate to you.”
38 The king replied, “Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you.”
From David answer, Kimham, was a channel. Through him, David would grant the request for Barzillai
(EBC) If the king agrees, Kimham (probably one of Barzillai’s sons, a tradition preserved in some LXX MSS [cf. BHS]; cf. 1 Kings 2:7) will be Barzillai’s surrogate at the royal court...David then adds that he is prepared to do for Barzillai anything his friend desires.
2. The argument between Judah and Israel
Judah might got some pride over helping the king even both J and I had done the job. However, J did not got any material advantage over that and that's why they was not happy with Israel's complain. With that Isr concluded that J had cursed them or despised them. That was the beginning of more conflicts followed.
R:
Fighting over pride was very destructive. Unnecessary conflicts will result from it. Do I?
Q:
1. The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.” 2 So the victory of that day was turned to mourning
His duty is to welcome the solider back as champions.
2. He was valid, but he also contributed to the unnecessarily sadness over the victory.
3. They were wrong against David by forgetting his rescue to them in the past and had anointed Absaloom as their king. And now, he had died in battle. They needed a king and David was not in a good term with them. The only way to mend their relationship with D was to bring him back.
David identified himself with his tribe, Judah had made him to request the help of elders of Judah. He wanted them to have the honor of brining the king back, instead of the Israelites. His decision had contributed to the rivalry of J and I in the future.
4.
Shimei:
ch 16:5-13
v.6 He threw stones at David and all of King David’s servants, as well as all the people and the soldiers who were on his right and on his left. 7 As he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Leave! Leave! You man of bloodshed, you wicked man! 8 The LORD has punished you for all the spilled blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you rule. Now the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. Disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of bloodshed!” ...But Shimei kept going along the side of the hill opposite him, yelling curses as he threw stones and dirt at them.
ch 19, He did not just come to welcome David, but desperately.
16 Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim came down quickly
17b...They hurriedly crossed the Jordan within sight of the king.
18b...Shimei son of Gera threw himself down before the king.
19 He said to the king, “Don’t think badly of me, my lord, and don’t recall the sin of your servant...Please don’t call it to mind! 20 For I, your servant, know that I sinned
He did not get his death penalty that he deserved
Ziba:
16:1-4 He had a couple of donkeys that were saddled, and on them were 200 loaves of bread, 100 raisin cakes, 100 baskets of summer fruit, and a container of wine...Ziba replied to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give back to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’ ” 4 The king said to Ziba, “Everything that was Mephibosheth’s now belongs to you.”
19:17b...and with him his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They hurriedly crossed the Jordan within sight of the king. 18 They crossed at the ford in order to help the king’s household cross and to do whatever he thought appropriate.
He got half of the inheritance of M
Mephibosheth:
24b...From the day the king had left until the day he safely returned, Mephibosheth had not cared for his feet nor trimmed his mustache nor washed his clothes.
v.29 he got half of his inheritance back
Barzillai:
17:28 brought bedding, basins, and pottery utensils. They also brought food for David and all who were with him, including wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans, lentils, 29 honey, curds, flocks, and cheese.
38 The king replied, “Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you.”
From David answer, Kimham, was a channel. Through him, David would grant the request for Barzillai
5. All these people got some sort of advantage in helping David, either on his way out on on his way back.
I love to get recognized by what I have done to help others. (Ego?) Perhaps, not as a motive when I help them, but I enjoy it as a result. I think I will not hesitate to help someone if I have known that I will not get recognized at the end.
Comments