Life of David - Lesson 38

Philistines & Mighty Men - 2 Samuel 21:15-22 & 23:8-39

Prayer: Lord we thank you for faithful friends, those we know will love us and stand by us no matter what, they are such an amazing blessing!

Quickly Form Groups:

1.  Why do we need friends?  What benefits come from friendship?

David was a valiant warrior, but David didn't fight alone, he had this group of men from a wide variety of backgrounds/nations that had joined forces with him over the years & became his most trusted fellow-warriors & friends.  They are affectionately labeled "David's Mighty Men", we're going to focus in on this group today.  When these men are called "Mighty" this is no exaggeration, as you'll see when we read of some of their exploits - these were the best warriors of their day.

But before we get to these guys I'm going to take a sidetrack and investigate the Rephaites (descendants of Rapha), the Anakites/Anakim (descendants of Anak), and the Nephilim... I'm going to talk about giants, and I'm going to do some educated speculation - please keep in mind it is speculation, but speculation widely accepted within some Christian circles (theological differences).  What I will say with conviction is that the Bible speaks of Giants, and I trust God's word to be true.

Genesis 6:4 - Ok, there's this group called Nephilim.  These are "heroes of renown", apparently known for their ability in battle.  There's this odd intermarriage being mentioned, about the sons of God taking the daughters of men & their offspring are these Nephilim.  What's interesting is when they showed up, they are mentioned in the Bible just before the great flood... the logical conclusion is that their presence was part of the pre-flood problem, and that they were wiped out by the flood.  But there's this odd phrase in the middle of the verse, they were on the earth pre-flood "and also afterward".  Huh?  If they're completely wiped out how do they get back?  This is a problem, isn't it?

What if the Nephilim aren't a people-group as such, but rather a type of people that are a result of Demonic manipulation of human genes (by direct sexual contact or indirect means)?  I warned you there would be speculation, but let's look to scripture to see why some think this is the case.

Numbers 13:27-28 & 33: When the people of Israel first spied out the promised land they found it was a rich fertile land, but with a big problem.  There are these "sons of Anak" (Anakim), they are huge, the Israelites (at the time men averaged about 5' tall) felt like grasshoppers next to them.  And the Bible tells us these descendants of Anak "come from the Nephilim".  Is the same sort of Demonic manipulation happening again?

Deuteronomy 2:10-11 & 20-21: Anakites (descendants of Anak) are considered Rephaites, but they're not the only ones considered to be Rephaites.  We are given the names of two other groups of notoriously tall & strong people: the Emites & the Zamzummites, which were also considered to be Rephaites.  So the Rephaites appear to be a type of peoples, similar to or possibly the same as the Nephilim.

Deuteronomy 3:10-11: This passage records the demise of the "last of the Rephaites" King Og of Bashan, whose bed was about 14' long and 6' wide.  Though he's mentioned as "the last" we know in David's time that the Rephaites are still around.  In fact, even before we leave the book of Deuteronomy there are Rephaites around though they are called Anakites (sometimes called Anakim).  Confusing isn't it?

It seems like in those days you no sooner killed off all these Rephaites / Nephilim, and they're showing up again somewhere else.  So who is Rapha?  Who is Anak?  Are these the names of demonic beings?  We don't know, but lest you think I'm grasping at straws... Acts 7:42b-43 (quoting Amos 5): apparently the name of one of the "gods" worshiped by the Israelites during their rebellion in the dessert (time of Exodus) was Rephan, it says his star was worshiped, that sounds an awful lot like demon worship.

Deuteronomy 9:1-3: Though some scholars try to excuse the report of the Israelite spies (which we read in Numbers 13) as being an exaggeration, the Bible doesn't treat it as such.  The Israelites are being told they'll have to battle these giants, and their cities with "walls up to the sky", but that God is the one who will go before them to bring demise & allow them to defeat their enemies.

The book of Joshua records some of the Anakites being killed & removed, even naming some of them - so these must have been famous warriors.  Even in David's early life we have him slaying the giant Goliath, who was recorded as being 9'9" tall, and is a descendant of Rapha.

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I've had fun with our side trip, but we need to get to our passage for the week... which includes some additional descendants of Rapha.

2 Samuel 21:15-17 - David is an amazing warrior & strategist, but he's human, he gets exhausted.  It's possible that this battle happened when David was older, but we don't know - it is simply one of many battles David was a part of.  It's interesting that David isn't the hero this time, but instead is helped by another - his nephew Abishai (one of his generals).   The head of the spear carried by Ishbi-Benob weighed about 7.5 pounds, that would have been a massive spear, though only 1/2 the weight of Goliath's - we'll learn later in the passage that he is a descendant of Rapha in Gath.

2 Samuel 21:18-19 - Sibbecai (one of David's Mighty Men) killed another descendant of Rapha named Saph.  Elhanan (another of the Mighty Men) killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath, another descendant of Rapha.   This passage calls him Goliath, but Chronicles clarifies that it's actually his brother - there's a literary "quirk" which may explain the disparity, having to do with the way that "Lahmi the brother of" looks nearly identical in Hebrew to "the Behlehemite".  Lahmi, like his brother Goliath before him, had a spear with a shaft described to be like a weaver's rod.

2 Samuel 21:20-22 - Then there's this real huge man that goes unnamed, with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, he's also a descendant of Rapha... being that it's mentioned how huge he is I'm guessing he was big for a giant - eek!  Jonathan, David's nephew not his best friend, is the Mighty Man credited with slaying this giant.

So ends the giant-slaying on the part of David's men, 4 giants in all were slain at their hands, 5 if you count David's slaying of Goliath at a tender young age.  An interesting bit of trivia is the fact that David needed only one stone to slay Goliath - but he picked up 5 stones when he went through the brook on the way to defeat Goliath.  Five stones for 5 descendants of Rapha?  Perhaps...

We're going to skip ahead a bit (we'll come back in a couple weeks) to more about the Mighty Men & their exploits.

2 Samuel 23:8 -  Josheb-Basshebeth (J-B) was the head of one group of 3 men, he killed 800 men in one encounter (one battle).

2 Samuel 23:9-10 - Eleazar was one of the three with J-B, he stayed and fought when the rest of the army had fled, he fought for so long his hand cramped around the sword.  When the rest of the army returned all they could do to help was strip the dead bodies for booty.

2 Samuel 23:11-12 - Shammah was the third of the three with J-B, his account is almost identical to Eleazar's, he alone stayed behind and killed off the Philistines.

2 Samuel 23:13-17 - Three of David's Mighty Men risked their lives to get David a drink of water from the well at Bethlehem, but David refused to drink, pouring it out as an offering before God.  Verse 17 implies this is the same 3 men mentioned earlier in the chapter, but there are some who disagree.

2 Samuel 23:18-19 - Abishai (David's nephew, brother of Joab, one of David's generals), single-handedly killed 300 men.  He became the commander of "the Three" but was not considered one of them.

2 Samuel 23:20-23 - Benaiah was known for multiple exploits: he killed two of Moab's best warriors, he went into a pit & killed a lion, and he killed an Egyptian with his own spear.  He was not considered one of "the Thirty" or one of "the Three", but he was put in charge of David's bodyguard & is considered one of David's 37 Mighty Men.

(skim) 2 Samuel 23:24-39 - Notice the wide varieties of nationalities - I quickly counted & came up with 20 non-Israelite nationalities, and notice the last name mentioned in the list.  Uriah the Hittite was Bathsheba's former husband, the one that David had sent to the front lines so that he'd be killed.

Did you notice who was not mentioned in this passage?  Joab is not mentioned, except for being Abishai's & Asahel's brother... though I'm sure he's included in the overall number it's interesting that he's not given honor here.

Closing Prayer:  Thank You God for providing valiant warriors to come along side your servant David to help and to defend him & the nation of Israel.  I thank you that you allowed people from all nations in, showing that even in Old Testament times all were welcome in your family.  Help us Lord to appreciate the friends in our lives, the ones who are faithful to us and will do battle for us, and help us remember to express our love and appreciation to them - to acknowledge them.  Amen!

Quickly Form Groups Again:

2.  Share about a valiant friend in your life (names need not be given).  What can you do to express your appreciation for this friend?

3.  Pray for each other.

Life of David - Lesson 37

Keeping an old Vow & Honoring the Dead - 2 Samuel 21:1-14

Prayer: Lord, the passage we have today is one of blood & pain, of revenge & grief.  This is a difficult passage that needs careful consideration, please work through the power of your Holy Spirit this day to help us to see your purpose & plan being worked out through the events described.

Quickly Form Groups:

1.  Think about sins you've committed that have had long-term consequences.  How do you see God's grace at work through the consequences?  What good can come from God's chastisement?

I am standing in front of you today, teaching the Word of God, as a direct result of the chastisement of God.  I'm not going to take the time today to share my story, but I will say that I know what it is to be broken at the hands of a loving God.  When God breaks or punishes it is with a purpose: it gets our attention, it causes us to repent, it causes us to commit ourselves more deeply to His ways.  Not all pain in our lives is a result of our sin, but no matter the cause God doesn't waste pain in the lives of His beloved; instead, He uses it in an efficient and purposeful way.  If you're going through something painful today I'm going to encourage you to go to your knees & seek God's face to discover how He is working through it for your benefit.

Today we have another bloody passage, and this one seems a bit contrary to how God might work, so we're going to have to look at a bit of history to understand this one.  We're going back to the time when Joshua was leading the Israelites into the promised land, and there were many battles going on to capture the land from those who were inhabiting the land.  The Israelites had been commanded by God to wipe out the inhabitants of the land because the people in the land were deeply pagan & reprobate - beyond hope of salvation.

Joshua 9 - The Gibeonites were spared, and verse 15 tells us an oath was made that they would not be destroyed - at this point in Israel's history an oath would have been made to God.  They would live among the Israelite's with a specific function.  Despite the mistake (sin) of the leaders in not consulting the Lord, the Lord is still going to hold Israel to this vow.

2 Samuel 21:1 - Back to David's day, there is a famine for 3 years - this would have been hard on the nation as a whole.  The obvious problem is that food supplies were low, for both man & beast, but the problems go deeper.  This is an agrarian culture, they were dependent on farming for overall national finances & thus national strength.  It's not clear when this famine occurred during the reign of David, but by other indicators in the passage it occurs after Mephibosheth (Saul's grandson, Jonathan's crippled son) had been brought into David's royal court.

David knows how God operates, there is trouble & God doesn't waste pain, so David seeks God to determine what is causing the problems.  We don't know the extent of David's seeking God's face, but I'm guessing that this seeking happened throughout the 3 year period of drought.  We also don't know how God communicated to David, we're not told, it could have been directly (though not likely by the passage) or by prophet or by use of the Urim & Thummim.

God points out the problem - Saul & his blood-soaked house have broken a vow & put the Gibeonites to death.  God takes vows seriously, it is an egregious sin to break a vow.  God is holding the nation of Israel to an old vow made about 400 years previous to this time in David's reign, a vow that had been brokered during Joshua's time & broken during Saul's reign.

2 Samuel 21:2-3 - Now that David knows the cause of the famine he begins to take action.  Saul had tried to destroy the Gibeonites because of his national pride, breaking Israel's vow, now David is trying to set things right.  David summons the Gibeonites & asks what can be done to make amends for the wrong done to their people at the hand of Saul & his house.  Because a vow made to their people had been broken they had every right to call on God to bring down a curse on the land, David is negotiating for a return of God's blessings on the nation of Israel.

2 Samuel 21:4-6 - The Gibeonites are a people under subjection to Israel (not slaves, but under Israel), as a subjugated people they had no right to request blood-justice in Israel.  This is man's way, not God's way, God's perfect justice is for all people - slave or free & everyone in between.  David encourages them to speak what they would want, as king he is granting them the right to request blood-justice in Israel for this particular wrong.

The Gibeonites make their request, they rightly lay the blame for their trouble on Saul & his house.  Not only had Saul tried to annihilate this people, he had made it almost impossible for them to find a place to call home within Israel.  They request 7 of Saul's descendants to be given to them for execution & exposure before God in Saul's former place of residence.  They are actually demonstrating knowledge of God in their request, they ask for 7 men - 7 is considered a number of completion, they are not asking for as many to be slain as had been killed at Saul's hand.

David agrees to this, 7 of Saul's descendants will be slain & exposed, this will serve as a message to Saul's house in particular & Israel as a whole.  God is going to extremes in this passage to make a point: He expects His people to be people of their word because it reflects on His character, and God always keeps His word. (Ecclesiastes 5:4-7)

2 Samuel 21:7-9 - David spares Mephibosheth, keeping his own vow in doing so, but selects 7 other descendants of Saul's house and hands them over (the Barzillai mentioned is not the one that helped David a couple chapters back). The men are executed together & exposed on a hill in full sight of God & man.  This nearly obliterates the line of Saul, the only recorded descendants of Saul's remaining are from Jonathan's line.  The timing of the execution is at the beginning of the barley harvest, approximately mid-April, relatively early in the year.

2 Samuel 21:10 - Not much of Saul's family remains to grieve, but Rizpah has just lost her two sons, sons born to Saul.  She guards the bodies, she won't let any birds or animals get to the bodies.  She stays from the time of the barley harvest until a time of heavy rain - this rain may indicate that the famine was caused by drought, but we aren't told that directly.  How long was this?  We don't know, but in her grief she's committed to her task.

2 Samuel 21:11-14 - David hears about Rizpah he has compassion on her & Saul's family, the wrong against the Gibeonites has been set right, now it is time for Saul's family & Israel as a whole to find healing.  (1 Samuel 31:11-13)  Apparently David knew what had happened to the bodies of Saul & Jonathan, how the men of Jabesh Gilead had risked their lives to honor them & give them a proper burial.  Now David honors them further by returning their bones, along with the bones of the 7 slain descendants of Saul, and burying them in the tomb of Saul's father in their tribal homeland of Benjamin.  This might not seem like such a big deal to us, but to ancient peoples this was critical - they wanted to be buried with their ancestors.

Now God answers the prayers on behalf of the land, the land will once again be fruitful.  God sometimes takes His time answering prayers, and many times answers in ways that we don't understand, but that is His prerogative.  He has time on His side, and His ways are always best, His ways serve His purpose and His plans.  When we leave spiritual matters unresolved we will face consequences, leading to a famine in our relationship with God.

Closing Prayer:  God, we all experience periods of spiritual famine, times when it feels like we're "all dried up", yet we know that as your children you never leave us.  Lord help us, when we experience a famine, to come to you & seek to make things right. Amen!

Quickly Form Groups Again:

2.  What unsettled business do you have in your life?  Who needs to be forgiven?  Where do you need to make restitution? What chapters of your life need to be re-written or closed by God?

3.  Pray for each other.

Life of David - Lesson 36

Joab Getting Back - 2 Samuel 20:4-26

Prayer: Lord, today we're going to see one of David's loyal men being disloyal not only to David but to You.  Help us Lord not to let anger and resentment get a foothold in our lives, even though revenge may seem to get us what we want it is never the right answer.  Help us to seek to love & live at peace with our fellow man, even those who are in opposition to all we hold dear.

Quickly Form Groups:

1.  Why should we never take action when we're angry?  Come up with real-life examples of what can go wrong.

Since Absalom's rebellion David's kingdom is a mess, and he's been attempting to regain loyalties & broker peace... but there's at least one guy who doesn't want peace with David, his name is Sheba and he's leading a rebellion.  When last we left the narrative of David's life he was going through the process of returning to the palace after living in exile in Mahanaim, and that was a time for making peace - not for chasing down a rebellion.  Amasa is now David's primary general, he was formerly Absalom's general but now has replaced Joab as David's primary general, and Amasa is about to get his first assignment.  Lest we forget, these guys are family, Joab & Amasa are full cousins & are sons of two of David's half-sisters (David's nephews).

2 Samuel 20:4-5 - David sends Amasa out to summon the troops, specifically the troops of the tribe of Judah.  David asked Amasa to be back in 3 days, but Amasa didn't get back in time.  At this point David has to be wondering if Amasa is happy with his new position as the primary general of David's army, having just previously been the primary general over Absalom's army.  We don't know what David is thinking at this point, but we do know that David still needed to deal with Sheba & the men that joined in his rebellion, and Amasa hasn't returned with the troops.

2 Samuel 20:6-7 - David decides not to wait any longer before dealing with Sheba, and decides to send his own personal troops out under the leadership of Abishai (another of David's generals & Joab's brother).  He sends Abishai & the troops out to pursue Sheba, trying to prevent Sheba from gaining a foothold in Israel.  The men normally assigned to Joab, and Joab himself, are heading out under Abishai.  Joab is still not being named as the leader - this confirms to me that David is upset with Joab.  I believe David knew or suspected Joab's involvement in Absalom's death, though it's possible there was some other issue.  These two brothers, Joab & Abishai, have both been serving David as generals for a very long time.  Of the two Joab appears to be the more aggressive, more impulsive, and more hot-headed.  This smaller force (not the full troops of Judah) that is setting out is most likely the force known as David's "Mighty Men" - we've talked about them previously, they've been with David since his years on the run from (former) King Saul - we'll learn more about these men in a lesson coming up in a couple weeks.

2 Samuel 20:8-10 - Remember how I said Joab was aggressive & a bit of a hot-head, we see it here.  David had put Amasa over his troops as a means of reuniting the kingdom, Joab doesn't care.  Joab has no respect for Amasa, probably considers him a traitor, and definitely considers him a personal enemy.  Amasa has done nothing wrong since becoming David's primary general - except being late, there are no reasonable grounds for this action - Joab is simply exacting his own personal revenge.  Lest you think I'm being hard on Joab, I'm going to remind you that this isn't the first time Joab has acted in this manner.  Joab also murdered Abner in another act of revenge:

Abner had been King Saul's primary general, and David had been trained up and served under Abner before he was forced to flee for his life from King Saul.  After Saul's death, but before the nation had been united under David, there had been a battle between David's men & Israel's army.  During this battle another of Joab's brothers, Asahel, had relentlessly pursued Abner & wouldn't turn away (though Abner begged him to).  Abner later realized how David would be a better king for Israel than the son of Saul who was sitting on the throne, so Abner & his troops voluntarily allied themselves with David.  Abner, at the same time, got the heads of the families of Israel to also give their allegiance to David as king.  Abner had successfully brokered a peaceful uniting of all Israel under David as King, but all Joab could see is the man who killed his brother in battle - so Joab killed Abner.

So Joab pretends to be a friend, greeting Amasa as if with a kiss, but instead guts him (it's a grotesque & graphic scene).  Once again Joab has committed murder, this time murdering his cousin, David's nephew, and the current primary general of David's forces.

2 Samuel 20:11-13 - Abishai & Joab continue on their way in pursuit of Sheba, but it's interesting that this time Joab's name is listed first - the implication of which is that Joab is back in charge.  If that's not enough, one of Joab's men is encouraging the troops to rally behind Joab, basically equating loyalty with Joab to loyalty to David.  These aren't just the troops that have come with Abishai, these are also the troops that arrived with Amasa, so we shouldn't be surprised at their hesitation as they come across the murdered body of Amasa - were they perhaps concerned for their own lives?  In any case, the body is causing the troops to hesitate, so the body is removed from the road & covered, and the troops head off with Joab to pursue Sheba.

2 Samuel 20:14-16 - So Sheba has been working his way through Israel, gathering men to himself.  Sheba has settled himself and his troops in Abel Beth Maacah (or Beth Maacah in the area of Abel), a fortified city in Israel (the location of which I was unable to confirm).  Joab & the troops of David besiege the city,   build a siege ramp against the outer fortifications, and were beginning to batter their way into this fortified city in order to get to Sheba.  The people in Beth Maacah were probably wanting nothing to do with having their city walls breached, and a wise woman of the city calls out to the troops that she wants to speak to Joab.  The people of Israel would have been used to Joab being the general in charge of David's army, so it's not too surprising that she asked for Joab by name.  Normally a woman wouldn't take a lead role like this, so she must have been a special woman that was trusted by the people of Beth Maacah - and the scriptures record she was wise.  I want to point out that she's a woman, because culturally this is a bit of a big deal, in those days women were considered property, not leaders or spokespersons - so she must have been exceptional.

2 Samuel 20:17-19 -  Joab comes forward, and the woman doesn't recognize him, so she verifies she's talking to the right guy.  Then she humbly requests he listen, a good move on her part.  Joab is taking the time to listen to a woman, this is pretty amazing considering his personality, so I'm even more impressed - this is one woman I'd like to meet & hope she's in heaven so I can get to know her in eternity.  She reminds Joab that the area of Abel is an area known where people could seek answers from God, a place that is known for being peaceful, and a town that has been faithful to Israel.  The town isn't part of this rebellion, the town wants to continue it's role as being a "mother" - a nurturing society in Israel.  So she asks Joab outright what he's up to, what he's got against their city - I'm guessing that Sheba's presence, or his intentions, may not have been common knowledge within the city.

2 Samuel 20:20-21 - Joab responds with a clear purpose, he knows there's no point in destroying a strong city - that would just weaken Israel as a whole.  Joab makes it clear that all he wants is this one man Sheba handed over, he makes it clear that Sheba is a traitor to David's throne, and promise to withdraw is Sheba is handed over.  The woman, now with a clear picture of the problem, and knowing the people of her city, promises that she'll set that Sheba's head is thrown over the wall.

2 Samuel 20:22 - The woman goes around and speaks with the people of her city, advising them to throw Sheba's head over the wall, and they take her advice.  This is obviously a city that wants no part of harboring a traitor, they don't want to be caught in the middle of a conflict, they want peace.  They cut off Sheba's head & toss it over the wall to Joab, Joab sounds the trumpet & ends the pursuit - the men of Judah's forces all head back home, and Joab leads the king's forces back to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 20:23-26 - These last few verses almost feel like a footnote, but it gives credit by name to some of David's loyal men & priests.  The interesting thing here is that Joab is back as the primary general of Israel's army, and nobody appears to be questioning his position - not even David.  Joab doesn't get away with all his evil acts, they catch up to him eventually, but not until the reign of Solomon - this is another case (like Shimei in last week's lesson) where David, on his death bed, asks Solomon to deal with something by the special gift of wisdom God has granted to him.

Closing Prayer:  Lord we thank you for the wisdom that comes from you.  We thank you for the wisdom of this exceptional woman of Beth Maacah, and how she was able to broker peace for her city.  We thank you for the special gift of wisdom that you granted to Solomon, we thank you for your wisdom available to us through your Word, and we thank you for wisdom given to us through the working of your Holy Spirit in our lives.  Help us to rely on your wisdom rather than our own thoughts or emotions.  Amen!

Quickly Form Groups Again:

2.  Think about situations or circumstances stir you up (your "hot-buttons").  When you realize that you're being stirred up what do you do to get your emotions in-check?  What might you need to do differently?

3.  Pray for each other.

Life of David - Lesson 35

The Rough Road back Home - 2 Samuel 19:8b-20:3

Prayer: Lord we thank you that you provide forgiveness & healing for our hearts and minds.  We ask that you help us as we strive to love & forgive the people in our lives that have harmed us, help us to do this as a response to your mercy & grace toward us.

Quickly Form Groups:

1.  Think of a situation in your life in which a relationship (family, friendship, co-worker, etc) has been broken.  What is your responsibility in the matter?  What steps should you take to try to rebuild? 

When we last left the narrative on David's life he'd been usurped by his son Absalom, taken his family & trusted troops & fled across the Jordan but left behind some who would provide him vital intelligence.  Then Absalom had gone with his army to find & kill David, but it was Absalom who was killed & his army defeated.  David grieved the death of his son, but recovered from his grief with the help of Joab (his nephew, general, and friend) to the point of being able to once again lead his people.  David at this point in the history is still across the Jordan, headquartered in Mahanaim, and now he is ready to head back home to Jerusalem.  There is a lot of repair-work that needs to be done, we'll see David start to rebuild the people's confidence in him & offer peace as he works through the process of restoring his throne.

2 Samuel 19:8b-10 - The men who had sided with Absalom high-tailed it back home.  The Israelites as a whole seem to be divided - some had wanted Absalom as king, but now Absalom is dead.  Those with some sense (perhaps the older ones with longer memories) reminded the others that David had been a good king, one who was victorious over their enemies.  I get the sense that they were using the argument that any king is better than no king, even if he's not the king you wanted.  As we continue through the next couple chapters its important that we realize that all is not well in Israel, it is a country with divided loyalties, this might help us understand some of David's actions on his return to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 19:11-14 - Remember that these two priests, Zadok & Abiathar, were part of David's intelligence network, so David knew he could rely on them to do his bidding.   As priests it would be natural for them to be leaders in attempting to restore Israel, so as Israel's priests they are asked to call together the elders of Judah (David's tribe) to spearhead David's return.  David wants all Israel to see that though the trouble started in his own family (tribe) that his family was behind him.  Keeping with getting the family back together on his side, David extends a pardon to Amasa (his nephew, cousin of Absalom / Joab / Abishai) and offers to give him Joab's position as his primary general.  Remember that Amasa had been the primary general of Absalom's forces - so this is a "transfer" that will keep him at the same rank, this is a strategic move on David's part to attempt to merge the forces (his and Absalom's) into one & have them loyal to his throne.  I'm sure Joab wasn't happy about this (more on this later in the chapter), but this is the action taken by David that makes me wonder if word had gotten to him that Absalom had died at Joab's hand - that would help explain the demotion of Joab.  In any case, David's strategy seems to work, the men of Judah (his tribe) are now fully behind him & encourage him to return. 

2 Samuel 19:15-18a - David starts the journey home, and gets as far as the East Bank of the Jordan river.  Remember that the Jordan is a major river, and that it acts as a bit of a barrier, crossing the Jordan is no small task & there is a huge entourage that needs to cross.  The men of Judah (David's tribe) have come to Gilgal, near the West Bank of the Jordan, and are preparing to help David & his entourage ford the river.  His tribe is now demonstrating solidarity with David.  There are some others that also come to help, some of which are surprising:

• Shimei, the most surprising & most unlikely to help & want David, he is a Benjamite, has joined up with the men of Judah.  We'll get back to him in the next few verses.
• An entourage of 1000 Benjamites with Shimei - this is important, since the tribe of Benjamin is Saul's tribe - the family that had the most reason to resent David were actually being supportive of him.
• Ziba & his 15 sons & 20 servants - Ziba was the steward of Saul's household & had told David of Mephibosheth (Saul's grandson, Jonathan's son, who was crippled & being cared for by David) siding with Absalom.  Ziba had been loyal to David & had provided provisions for David & his entourage as they fled Jerusalem.  David had promised Ziba he could have all of Saul's household as his own because of Mephibosheth's betrayal (more on this later in the chapter).

2 Samuel (16:5-14 &) 19:18b-23 - I like this guy Shimei, he has guts & conviction, but he also has humility.  Shimei had been convinced that David had deserved being ousted by Absalom (and in actuality what happened was part of the prophecy given to David by Nathan in chapter 12).  David had not disagreed with Shimei at the time, and actually understood that the punishment of being dethroned by his son may have been at God's hands.  Now Shimei realizes that it was not God's plan to remove David, and he humbly comes to David seeking forgiveness.  Abishai, one of David's generals & his nephew, isn't in any mood to be forgiving but David has a forgiving heart.  David also realizes that in order to rebuild his kingdom he'll have to repair broken relationships & forgive & make amends, and this is but one step of many along the way.  Let's not go thinking that David is completely letting Shimei off the hook, on his deathbed he puts Shimei's fate into the hands of his son Solomon - David trusts Solomon's wisdom (given by God) in dealing with this man.

2 Samuel 19:24-30 - Now David has to deal with someone who has betrayed him, or has he?  Mephibosheth comes to meet him, Ziba had indicated that Mephibosheth had betrayed David & sided with Absalom, but we're left wondering.  Mephibosheth has the  appearance of one who had been pining for David's return, but we're left with more questions than answers.  Why didn't he go with David? He has an answer for that, he claims that Ziba betrayed him.  This leaves David in a spot, its really hard for him to know which of these men to believe, and so in order to keep peace he order's that Saul's household be divided between the two men.  I tend to believe Ziba, Mephibosheth seems to be laying it on a bit thick, but only the Lord knows the truth of the matter, and David handled it as best he could.

2 Samuel 19:31-39 - Barzillai, I like this guy, this guy came along side David when he was in need.  Barzillai is old, and this is a healthy reminder to us that God has a purpose for us throughout our lives.  Barzillai had provided for the households of David's band of refugees, given them beds & kitchen items, as well as provided food & drink.  Now Barzillai has come to say goodbye to his friend David, and I can't help but read into the passage a sense of sadness on the part of these two men at their parting - it's likely they would never see each other again in this world.  David tries to get Barzillai to go back to Jerusalem with him, to join him in his court, but Barzillai says no - he's settled and just wants to stay home.  Barzillai offers up Kimham to go in his place, this is likely his son (hinted at elsewhere in scripture), a younger man who could appreciate David's generosity & the pleasures of life in David's court.  David kisses Barzillai, this is a common eastern action when parting company with a dear friend, David pronounces a blessing on him & sends him home.

2 Samuel 19:40-43 - Finally David crosses the Jordan, and Kimham is with him.  All of the troops of Judah & half of the troops of Israel are there to help get David & his entourage safely back to the West side of the river.  But all is not well, there continues to be bad feelings between the men of Judah & the rest of the men of Israel (I get the sense that the trouble is between the troops of the two factions).  There is still a great deal of distrust, the nation of Israel is still divided, and David still has trouble that he will need to deal with - he needs to get these hot-heads all onto the same side.

2 Samuel 20:1-2 - This was predictable, one hot-head decided he wanted to be in charge & so he sounds the trumpet & starts a rebellion - and David has only made his way back as far as crossing the Jordan.  The men of Israel have deserted David, but his own tribe continues to back him.  David wisely doesn't pursue at this point, and instead continues on his way & heads back home.

2 Samuel 20:3 - David is finally home in the palace.  The concubines left behind were violated by Absalom (in fulfillment of God's prophecy to David - a prophecy given through Nathan) & can no longer be a part of David's harem.  It seems odd to us that he would put them in a house under guard, but we need to remember that this guard may have been as much for their protection as for the protection of David's household & throne.  David likely had children by these concubines, so in a way he's taking care of & guarding his family.  The women are provided for, but treated as widows, for the rest of their lives.

Closing Prayer:  Lord I thank you for David's example, how he worked to try to make peace and rebuild trust.  How he loved those who were faithful to his throne & attempted to reconcile with those who were not.  It takes a big man to take the risk & offer a hand of friendship to an enemy, and it shows an amazing heart that longed for peace in Israel.  Help us to be a people who reach out and love our enemies, as you have directed us to do.  Amen!

Quickly Form Groups Again:

2.  What can we do with the Sheba's in our life?  How do you respond to those who don't want to heal, but rather want to tear things apart further?  As believers, what responsibility do we have toward them?

3.  Pray for each other.

Life of David - Lesson 34

A Short Reign with a Tragic End - 2 Samuel 18:1-19:8a

Prayer:  Thank You Lord for watching over our lives, for being the one who protects and defends us.  As we make mistakes you come along side and help us through, and as we face heartbreak you're there to pick up the pieces.  Please keep us from letting our human emotions rule our lives and cause us grief, help us instead to seek your wisdom and guidance.

Quickly Form Groups:

1. In what circumstances have you known people to be blinded by emotion?  What are the potential dangers?

In today's study we're going to see that David was not immune from being blinded by emotion.  David is up against his adversary Absalom, but this adversary is also his son, and he loves his son... this sets David & his men up for all kinds of potential problems.

2 Samuel 18:1-3 - David gets the troops in order, organizing them under 3 trusted men.  Two of the men are his nephews & have served loyally with him for an extended period -  Joab & Abishai (brothers), the third is Ittai - the leader of the Gittite forces who was in exile from his homeland & only a recent immigrant to Israel (2 Samuel 15:18-22), but had proven his loyalty to David as well.  David expresses his intent to join the battle, but his leaders convinced him it was too big a risk, and that he was needed to support their efforts from the city (Mahanaim).  David was a brave & valiant warrior, but was getting older - he may not have physically been able to handle the battle anymore, but he was certainly still a master strategist.

2 Samuel 18:4-5 - David makes a point of publicly commanding his three leaders to be "gentle with" Absalom, he's asking them to protect his son - but in doing so is also asking them to protect their enemy.  David loved his son, but his love for his son was looking like it might be his undoing.  I don't know if you noticed, but there's no indication that David sought out God's advice regarding dealing with Absalom.

2 Samuel 18:6-8 - This is a strange description of a battle, it started in a field but ended up all over the countryside & in a forest.  David's troops were victorious, they defeated the army of Israel which was not as well organized, trained, or prepared force - but certainly a much larger force.  There were great casualties, and this civil war has cost the lives of 20,000 men of Israel - David's own people.  Apparently the forest was a dangerous place to be in battle, and a place where it was easy to get lost & perhaps ambushed.

2 Samuel 18:9 - Absalom had been going through the forest, but was left dangling in a tree by his mule in the thick of the forest.  How ironic that his head, known for its beautiful abundant hair, is caught in the branches.  Absalom was literally left hanging, and couldn't get himself down.

2 Samuel 18:10-11 - One of the men reports to Joab that Absalom is caught in a tree.  Joab must have put a price on Absalom's head, this certainly wasn't part of David's agreement with his men, but apparently whoever killed Absalom had been promised ten shekels of silver ( valued <$80 today) and a warrior's belt.  I'm guessing that this price had been set before David's instructions to his leaders, instructions spoken in the hearing of the troops.  Joab is Absalom's cousin & David's nephew, Joab had been fighting alongside David & serving David for a long time - he was a loyal and trusted general of David's army - so what gives?  Perhaps Joab realized that David was acting foolishly & would endanger the kingdom if he allowed Absalom to live - we don't know his motivation, but we do know Joab was loyal to David's throne.

2 Samuel 18:12-13 - The soldier makes an interesting statement, he says he wouldn't kill Absalom if he were given a thousand sheckles of silver (worth about $7,280 in todays market - and of higher relative value then).  He'd heard what David had said, he wasn't going to raise a hand against the king's son - doing so would be considered treasonous & he didn't believe Joab would defend him if he were identified as Absalom's killer.

2 Samuel 18:14-15 - Joab takes matters into his own hands, he impales Absalom with 3 javelins through the chest, and 10 of his trusted soldiers join him in making sure Absalom was good & dead.  I don't know about you, but I sense anger & frustration on the part of Joab & his men because this seems to be overkill, they despise this prince who had been the cause of a great deal of trouble for David & his people.

2 Samuel 18:16-18 - Joab sounds the trumpet stopping the battle, indicating to all within hearing distance the the battle has been won, causing all of Absalom's forces to flee home.  The treatment of Absalom's body shows their disdain for the man, they threw him in a pit in the forest & covered him with rocks - this is not the burial normally given a prince, and it may have been a way of making certain his grave wasn't marked. 

Verse 18 mentions a monument that Absalom had set up in the King's valley.  Absalom's burial is ironic in that it seems to mock the monument he'd erected for himself, he'd set up a pillar of stone for his name's sake & now he's buried under a pile of rocks.  Absalom's reason for creating the monument was to be remembered, because he had no son to carry on his name.  Absalom is remembered, but as a painful footnote rather than as an honored king.  It is interesting that he had no sons, this would have been considered at the time to indicate that God's hand was against him since many sons were considered a blessing.

2 Samuel 18:19-23 - Ahimaaz wants to take the good news to David that the battle has been won, but Joab doesn't want him bringing the news to David - instead he chooses a foreigner, a Cushite, to do the job.  Joab knew that though news that the battle had been won was good, news of Absalom's death would upset king David.  David's reaction to the bearer of the bad news might be harmful, and I think Joab knew that Ahimaaz had been a faithful friend of David's & didn't want to risk his life.  Also there seems to be an indication (further along in verse 27) that a friend wouldn't be sent with bad news.  The Cushite takes off with the news, but Ahimaaz is insistent that he wants to go as well, so Joab allows him to run as well - and Ahimaaz knows his way & gets to David first - outrunning the Cushite. 

2 Samuel 18:24-29 - King David is sitting at the gates, still in Mahanaim, when the watchman sees the runners coming.  Because the runners are coming alone rather than together, and because the first runner is Ahimaaz, David assumes he's getting good news.  Ahimaaz delivers the news, at least the good part of the news, that God has been on David's side & that they have been delivered from their enemies.  That news is not enough for David, he's anxious for news about his son, and when asked directly about Absalom Ahimaaz avoids giving David a direct answer.

2 Samuel 18:30-33 - The Cushite also delivers the good news, but when asked directly about Absalom gives an answer that David dreads - telling him that his son, his enemy but still his son, is dead.  David is shaken, he retreats & mourns, wishing that he could take his son's place.  David is a father, yes this was his enemy, yes this was the enemy of his people, yes this was the man that was self-centered and would have been a terrible king, but this is his son...

2 Samuel 19:1-4 - Joab & the troops hear about David's reaction to the news & instead of enjoying their victory they begin to mourn for the sake of their king.  The troops don't enter the city victoriously, instead they come in quietly, like men ashamed, because David is loudly grieving his son.  This has to be disheartening for David's men, here they went to battle & risked their lives, and their king is not happy at their victory... this is a recipe for disaster.

2 Samuel 19:5-8a - Joab has had enough, he loves David & is loyal to David but he realizes that David is undermining himself - he is harming his own position as king by causing his troops to be humiliated.  Joab obviously was someone who could hold David to account, because he goes boldly up to him & confronts him.  David has a right to grieve, but not at the expense of the men who have risked their own lives for the sake of the lives of David & his family & his throne.  Joab is able to get David's attention, and David gets himself back into his seat at the gate where he should be as their king. I don't think David knew that it was Joab & his men who had killed Absalom, at least not at this point in the narrative, but there is an indication in the next section that he may have eventually found out.  Joab was faithful to David, and Joab was making certain that David remained firmly established as the king of Israel - even if it meant going against David's orders & even if it meant getting in David's face.

Closing Prayer:  Lord I thank you for the Joab's in my life, the ones that are loyal to me but don't coddle me, the ones that call me to account, the ones that help me see the truth in my circumstances.  Amen!

Quickly Form Groups Again:

2.  Joab was in a tough spot when he went against the order of his king.  When is it right to go against authorities?

3.  Pray for each other.

Life of David - Lesson 33

Faithful Friends - 2 Samuel 16:15-17:29

Prayer:  Lord I thank you for faithful friends, especially for those who support behind the scenes and may not get acknowledged.  Bless them in a special way this day.  Amen!

Quickly Form Groups:

1.  Think of one faithful friend who does things behind the scenes that show love & support for you, and does so without asking or expecting to be recognized.  Share a bit about that friend.  What can you do to express your love and gratitude for their friendship?

I hope you were able to think of at least one faithful friend.  I am in the unenviable position of living in a region in which I didn't grow up, and in which I did not attend school.  I moved here in my mid-30s, leaving all of my friends & family (except my son) behind.  As a result I can honestly say I don't have a person at this point in my life that I can call my best friend - I have in the past, but I don't now.  This sometimes leaves me sad & feeling all alone, but then I stop and ponder & realize I have some wonderful faithful friends - I'm not their best friend & likely never will be, but I am loved & supported by these friends.  I'm going to tell you about my faithful friend Phyllis, and she'd probably be embarrassed knowing I'm telling about her, but she really stands out lately.  When the Tuesday morning ladies class this fall needed a new administrator I asked Phyllis (she has the right skills) & she said yes - helping all the teachers (not just me).  When I needed hostesses for an event at my home last week & asked Phyllis she again said yes.  And if she's in town & I need to be away for more than a few days guess who always comes through as a cat sitter for me... that's right, Phyllis.  Phyllis retired this last Summer, and having gone through that myself I've made a point of trying to be supportive of Phyllis as she finds her way in this new era of her life, my prayer is that I would be a faithful friend for her as well.

In todays lesson we're going to see how David's faithful friends show him love and support in this time of great need, many go unnamed but not forgotten - God knows who they are & how they blessed David.

2 Samuel 16:15-19 - Absalom is able to come in and take over Jerusalem without a fight, bringing Ahithophel with him.  Ahithophel had been one of David's trusted advisors, now he is betraying David by siding with Absalom.  But fear not, one of David's faithful friends, Hushai, is here to greet Absalom as he takes over as king - Hushai is also one of David's trusted advisors & is part of an espionage team David has set in place while he's in exile.  Absalom is a little suspicious of Hushai, but Hushai manages to convince him that he's there to serve Absalom now.

2 Samuel 16:20-23 - Absalom is trying to establish his position as king, and Ahithophel advises him to do so by sleeping with the concubines King David left behind to care for the palace.  Though this was sound strategic & political advice, this is not something God would approve of.  Sometimes we too may get advice that is sound for the purposes of finance, position, business or the like - no matter how sound the advice, we need to always ensure that taking that advice doesn't go against God's ways.  No profit in this world is worth a loss in eternity.  Apparently Absalom thought this was good advice & did as Ahithophel advised - Ahithophel had a reputation of providing sound advice.  In doing this one of Nathan's prophecies against David was fulfilled (2 Samuel 12:11b) that "...I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight".

2 Samuel 17:1-17:4 - Ahithophel continues to give Absalom sound strategic advice, this time about how to best defeat David & return the people who had gone with him.  Ahithophel basically says take a sizable group, 12 thousand men, but don't bother trying to defeat all of David's army, simply target David himself - if you strike David down the people will flee & you won't need to engage David's army.  This is shrewd advice, it's not a contest to see who's army is stronger - this is their own people! 

2 Samuel 17:5-6 - Absalom decides to take advantage of Hushai's service & get a second opinion.  Can you see God at work yet?  Absalom is unwittingly exposing Ahithophel's strategy & allowing himself to be re-directed by someone who has David's best interests at heart.

2 Samuel 17:7-14 - As a reminder from last week, though both Hushai & Ahithophel had been David's advisors, Hushai had been David's most trusted advisor - Absalom knows this.  Hushai undermines Ahithophel's advice, he reminds Absalom that daddy David & his men are experienced successful fighting men, and raises doubts about the ability of this force of 12 thousand in going and killing David.  But Hushai doesn't stop there, after undermining Ahithophel's advice he gives a completely new strategy for Absalom to consider, one that involves a much larger force - he is advising Absalom to go "all in", to use all force at his disposal, and in this way to guarantee success by sheer numbers.

What I find interesting about Hushai's advice is that it sounds humanly sound, and so Absalom & his men take it and consider it better than Ahithophel's.  What Absalom & his men fail to realize is that God is also in the equation, and that no amount of sheer number of human forces is going to win against God.  Absalom is risking much more by taking Hushai's advice, more of his men could be harmed & thus his reputation & strength could be more greatly undermined.  God used David's faithful friend to undermine David's betrayer & to defeat Absalom.

2 Samuel 17:15-16 - Faithful Friends #2 & 3 - Zadok & Abiathar the priests were also left behind by David as part of his espionage network, and Hushai goes to them to get a message sent to David.  Basically he's giving David a heads-up that Absalom is on his way, and advises him to get his entire entourage across the Jordan.  The Jordan river could be crossed, but only with time & effort - if David and his entourage didn't cross the Jordan they'd be trapped up against it as Absalom and his troops arrived.

2 Samuel 17:17-20 - Faithful Friends #4 & 5 - Jonathan & Ahimaaz the sons of the priests, as well as an unnamed faithful servant girl (Faithful Friend #6), are set up to get and pass the message along to David.  At some point in the process this little part of the espionage team gets exposed and a second betrayer, this time an unnamed young man, tells Absalom that something is amiss with Jonathan & Ahimaaz (J&A).  Realizing they are in danger, J&A exit quickly and take refuge at the home of Faithful Friends #7 & 8 - an unnamed man of Bahurim & his unnamed wife.

The couple in Bahurim had a well, and had wisely built their home around the well, forming a courtyard that provided it protection.  I'm guessing that it wasn't common knowledge beyond their circle of family & friends that they had a well, but J&A knew about it and were able to hide there.  The wife pulled the cover over the well, they frequently had covers for wells since they were typically a hole in the ground (no little wall around it like you see in picture books) & you wouldn't want a person or animal to fall in accidentally.  To hide the well the woman simply spread out some grain, making it look as if she were getting ready to work the grain in her courtyard & providing ideal camouflage for the well.

An interesting side note: Shimei, the one who was cursing David & his entourage in Chapter 16, was from Bahurim.  I wonder if this was God's purpose in Shimei's actions - if Shimei were home, rather than following & cursing David, would he have told Absalom's men about the well?

Absalom's men inquire of the woman where J&A have gone, and she tells them they went off toward the brook - she sends them in the wrong direction, this results in Absalom's men going back to Jerusalem empty-handed.

2 Samuel 17:21-23 - J&A make it to David, they pass along the message, and David gets his entire entourage safely across the Jordan.  Meanwhile, Ahithophel sees that Absalom isn't taking his advice & assumes Absalom will be defeated.  Instead of waiting around to be condemned as a traitor Ahithophel heads home, puts his affairs in order, and hangs himself.

2 Samuel 17:24-26 - David moves his entourage on to Mahanaim, they will wait there for Absalom's forces to cross the Jordan & come after them.  Absalom appoints Amasa as his general, Amasa is cousin to both Absalom & Joab (David's general); he is also David's nephew from his older half-sister Abigail (same mother, who probably had been widowed & then remarried to Jesse, David's father). 

2 Samuel 17:27-29 - Faithful Friends #9, 10 & 11 - If you're like me sometimes these names can just seem confusing, but these are significant people and they come alongside David at this point to provide him and his entourage with much needed supplies.  Here's a bit more about these three:

Shobi - an Ammonite, the brother of Hanun whom David had defeated.  Apparently David's treatment of the Ammonite people had been good or we wouldn't be seeing the support of the brother of a defeated warrior.  David was a kindly king to the peoples he conquered.

Makir - this was the wealthy benefactor who had taken in Mephibosheth when he was in exile, before David had called the crippled son of Jonathan to join him in Jerusalem.  So yet another of those who had cared for Mephibosheth was siding with David (also Ziba in Chapter 16).

Barzillai - an elderly but very wealthy man, with family ties to the priesthood, and who supported David all through this period of exile.

David had a way with people, despite being a warrior.  Perhaps it was the poet side of him, the sensitive side, that allowed him to garner such faithful friends.

Closing Prayer:  Lord, we thank you for the gift of friends and for the love & support they give.  Lord help us to be a people who come alongside our friends, to love & support them, even if we're not acknowledged & even if our loyalty is not reciprocated.  Amen!

Quickly Form Groups Again:

2.  When was the last time you were a "friend in need" to someone?  What was your motivation?  How did helping this person make you feel?

3.  Pray for each other.

Life of David - Lesson 32

Disobedient Sons & Loyal Friends - 2 Samuel 15:1-16:14

Prayer: Lord as we study your word today we thank you that you promise wisdom to those who seek it, help us to be a people who seek your wisdom.  Amen!

Quickly Form Groups:

1. What kinds of problems are caused by lies - yes, even "little white lies"?

Absalom is back in David's good graces, but I'm guessing its been made known that he is no longer heir to David's throne, so he's going to take matters into his own hands.  2 Samuel Chapter 14 told us that Absalom was handsome, with an amazing head of hair, and appealed to the people of Israel - he was the A-List celebrity of his day.  So lets see what Absalom does with his popularity...

2 Samuel 15:1 - Two interesting things are happening here: First Absalom has provided himself with an entourage of bodyguards, making a display of royal pomp - this is not something normally done in Israel so perhaps he learned this while in exile with his Grandfather, the king of Geshur.  Second Absalom chooses to utilize horses, it is believed that he was the first Israelite leader to utilize a chariot & horses - there are a couple reasons for this: (Deuteronomy 17:16) God had decreed that the king of Israel was not to acquire a great number of horses, a king riding a horse was considered a king of war where a king riding on a donkey (Jesus) was considered a king of peace.

2 Samuel 15:2-6 - Absalom is handsome, he's got horses & an entourage, he's going out of his way to convince the people that he would be available when they needed him, he's campaigning to be a judge for the people.  He's a hybrid of a con-man and a politician, he's even doing the middle-eastern equivalent of shaking hands & kissing babies.  He "stole" the hearts of the people.  He is a liar & a thief, just like his father the devil.  If you think I'm over-exaggerating just wait and see what he does next.

2 Samuel 15:7-12 - Four Years!!  Absalom has been up to his shenanigans at the gate of the city, telling people what they wanted to hear & drawing them over to himself.  How in the world did David not have a clue?  Was David living in blissful ignorance thinking all was well with the kingdom because people weren't bringing as many problems to him?  How is it David's government hadn't gotten wind of what Absalom was up to?

So now he goes up to daddy the king and lies to his face, he tells David that he wants to fulfill a vow to the Lord when in truth he is hatching a plot against David.  He even claims he's going to worship the Lord, which is far from true.  I'm guessing that Abaslom is fulfilling a vow, but a vow of vengeance, perhaps made when he was under grand-daddy the king of Geshur - a vow to take the throne of Israel by force if necessary (but that is just my guess).

David sends Absalom away in peace, but Absalom isn't interested in peace, he's got everything planned out, and he gathers people in to his conspiracy against the king.  One person he draws to himself is Ahithophel, a wise man & counselor to David - this is a betrayal by a trusted advisor.  Ahithophel was Bathsheba's grandfather, perhaps he didn't like what David had done to Uriah, or perhaps he didn't like Bathsheba being one of many women in David's household, we really don't know.

2 Samuel 15:13-18 - When David gets wind of the conspiracy he chooses to flee, I'm guessing the servant gave him an extensive account of Absalom's actions & forces & that Ahithophel had gone over to him.  By fleeing David spares the city of Jerusalem from attack, and spares his family as well - all but 10 concubines.  These concubines would end up being the cause of the fulfillment of one of Nathan's prophecies (2 Samuel 12:11), when Absalom took over the position of king the concubines became his to take as he pleased - we'll see more about this in next week's passage.  The king still had many who were loyal to him, including some groups of foreigners who had taken David as their king, and they left Jerusalem with him.

2 Samuel 15:19-22 - David addresses the Philistine contingent, he is not expecting them to be loyal to him & releases them from any obligation.  But Ittai & his men have allied themselves with David, they want him as their leader, they must have seen something in him that they'd not seen in other kings (or at least not in Absalom), so Ittai & the Philistine contingent remain with David.

2 Samuel 15:23-29 - Later, as they passed through the countryside there are still many people in Israel loyal to David, and they wept aloud as he passed by on his way to the desert.  But then the narrative backs up a bit to tell us about some things that happened along the way.  Just outside the city, the priests had brought out the Ark of the Covenant & offered sacrifices while the people were leaving Jerusalem.  David asks the priests to remain in Jerusalem, stating that if it is God's will he will be back - the Ark is God's not David's, in the mean time he asks that the priests & their sons provide him with intelligence concerning Absalom & his forces. 

2 Samuel 15:30-37 - Still near Jerusalem, at the Mount of Olives, David leads a group in a humble procession up the mount to pray.  David's prayer is simple: "turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness".  (1 Chronicles 27:33) Hushai was there, another trusted member of David's court, his title from Chronicles of "king's friend" is the official title for the king's most trusted advisor - I'm not sure why he would be a burden, perhaps he was quite old or infirmed (or both).  In any case David asks him to stay behind, to undermine Ahithophel & to provide intelligence to the priests to pass along to him.  David has effectively set up his espionage team, the gathering would be done by Hushai, and the transmitting would be done by the sons of the priests.

2 Samuel 16:1-4 - Just a bit further along his way to the desert, just after leaving the summit of the Mount of Olives, another loyal man comes along.  We met Ziba previously in 2 Samuel 9, he was the steward of Saul's family holdings & had kept things in order while the family was in exile.  Ziba had been instrumental in brining Jonathan's crippled (grown) son Mephibosheth into David's court, and providing for him - doing so in service to both Saul's family & the king.  Ziba brings provisions for the king, Ziba would have been old & still needed in his service in Jerusalem.  When Mephibosheth was returned Ziba & his household had to step down from enjoying Saul's holdings as if they were their own, and become Mephibosheth's servants.  Now because Mephibosheth is siding with Absalom David grants all of Saul's holdings to Ziba, this will only work if David gets back his position as king, but it is a beautiful gesture on David's part to someone who has sacrificed for David's sake.  David had not turned his back on Jonathan's son, but Jonathan's son has turned his back on David.  Perhaps he was hoping that his family will be restored as the royal family - something his father Jonathan gave up willingly to David (1 Samuel 18:1-4).

2 Samuel 16:5-14 - One more person along the way, but this is not a loyal friend.  Shimei thought that God was punishing David, and Abisahi (David's nephew & one of his commanders) want's to take off his head.  David will have none of this, David realizes that what is happening may be the fulfillment of Nathan's prophecy, and that this may be part of God's plan.  David even says "the Lord has told him to", David sees God's purpose being played out in the man's cursing (Romans 8:28).  They continue on their journey & finally arrive, and thanks at least in part to Ziba's gifts they are refreshed.

Closing Prayer:  Lord, sometimes our families let us down, sometimes our friends, but Lord we know that you are a friend that remains closer than a brother.  Your Word tells us you will never leave or forsake us, for that we are thankful.  Amen!

Quickly Form Groups Again:

2.  What makes a faithful friend?  Tell of a time when a friend stood by you.

3.  Pray for each other.