Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

David was on the run again. Out of Jerusalem – to prevent damage to the city or the people there – and in the sights of his son Absalom who was leading this rebellion against him. Absalom was attractive (he had MASSES of long, luxurious hair that he was very proud of – 2 Samuel 14:25-26). Absalom had stolen the people’s hearts (2 Samuel 15:1-6). Now he was seeking the death of David to cement his claim to the throne.

David hadn’t gone very far yet. He was on the top of the Mount of Olives. Ziba was waiting for him. Ziba was that prosperous man (15 sons and 20 servants – 2 Samuel 9:2-13) who had pointed David toward Jonathan’s only surviving son. He brought some donkeys that bore gifts – two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. Yes, David and his forces needed them, they’d left in a hurry, but this was designed to make David look favourably on him. David was appreciative, but wanted to know where his master was. In 2 Samuel 9, David had given all of Saul’s property to Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth and placed Ziba and his sons in servitude as stewards of it (Mephibosheth was a cripple). Ziba must have looked so sad as he told his lie: Mephibosheth stayed in Jerusalem, refusing to come because he was exulting that now the house of Saul would arise and again rule the country. David didn’t like that and gave all that belonged to Mephibosheth to Ziba. Ziba was very happy. David only had one side of the story, but he pronounced judgment anyway – not wise.

They marched onward and came to Bahurim. It was the home of one of David’s mighty men (Azmaveth). It was near to the Mount of Olives. Later some spies hid there. It is also listed as the place where Abner made the 2nd husband of Michal turn back (when he was returning her to David – 2 Samuel 3:16). And here is another happening. Shimei – who was a relative of Saul in some way – came out of his house and cursed David. He insulted him, cursed him, threw stones at him, and blamed him for the destruction of Saul’s family (and his own reduction in circumstances because of it). Thing is, though, David did NOTHING to Saul’s house. It was his right as the new king, but he did NOTHING. In fact, he tried to help them every way that he could. He had covenant with Saul over it and covenant with Jonathan over it. He promised not to kill Saul’s descendants or personal line – that isn’t a promise not to keep them all alive, just not to wipe them out (1 Samuel 23:21). He promised to keep Jonathan alive if it was up to him and to help Jonathan’s sons (1 Samuel 18:1-4; 1 Samuel 20:42). David was in NO WAY responsible for the life of Shimei or any reduction of his circumstances, but Shimei unjustly blamed David and verbally abused him terribly here. In fact, one of David’s generals (Abishai) wanted to cut off his head but David prevented it. His attitude is that God may have sent this man to harass David, so why interfere? If it ISN’T God, God will defend David. David is showing mercy here. They kept on into the community and refreshed themselves there.

Meanwhile, Absalom is in Jerusalem and the former counsellor of David (Ahithophel, grandfather of Bathsheba) was with him. Ahithophel gave good counsel. The BEST counsel. The ONLY counsel in the land that was considered better was God’s counsel. This man spoke and it came to pass – how proud he was of that. Absalom saw that Hushai, David’s friend and a counsellor, was there. He demanded to know why. Hushai said it was because he served the crown, whomever was king – chosen by the Lord and the people. And if he served David so well, what better way to walk out that service than to serve David’s son and heirs? Absalom liked that and kept him.

What should I do, said Absalom to Ahithophel. What was the great counsel? Go rape the concubines of David. From one point of view it made sense – in the ancient world you would take the wives of the former king as your wives to show that you have total and complete victory over the former king. But it was UNGODLY advice. Do not sleep with the wife of your father (Leviticus 18). And what about these women? No choice in the matter – which is why it is called rape. It wasn’t like they came over to him. Sure, it may have been on-paper-consensual in that they were concubines of David and now are the concubines of Absalom, the new ruler; but let’s be honest. It’s a kind of rape because they were given NO SAY. Not only that, but a tent was put up on the roof and he went into the tent in the full view of anyone watching. Disgraceful. But it WAS a symbol to all that Absalom was despising David and fully against the former king (his own father). It was a symbol to his people that they could fight with all they had because this was an unforgivable act. David was going to be out for blood, so they should be too.

You have to wonder, was this advice by Ahithophel part of his payback on David’s house for what David did to Bathsheba and her husband? What a selfish way to take revenge. But hate is sin, and sin is emotional, not logical. It’s amazing that anyone agreed with this, but his counsel was considered so highly I’m sure no one even thought ‘maybe not this time’. Oh, the responsibility we have when our opinions are valued. Thank God we have a covenant where we can ask for wisdom before we speak AND receive it (James 1:5).

Ahithophel wasn’t done. He asked for twelve thousand men (David currently had 600) to pursue and overtake David when he was tired. He was sure the men would scatter and he promised to only strike David alone (his revenge for the destruction of Bathsheba’s family and her defilement). Then the people would all follow Absalom because they’d have no other choice. This was probably the best way to defeat David. But David had prayed.

Absalom decided to test Hushai’s counsel as well. Hushai’s counsel was A way to defeat David, but also THE BEST way for David to have time to prepare and prevent it. Hushai didn’t say it was bad advice that Ahithophel gave, just the wrong timing for it. He reminded Absalom that David was a man of war. Surrounded by mighty men of war. That they were used to this king of warfare and often had defeated superior numbers. He used past victories to stir up fear of David. He warned that if they went against David and didn’t immediately defeat him, everyone would start seeing Absalom and his men as weak and inferior. He suggested that they gather all the forces of Israel and defeat David by overwhelming numbers. And even if David hid in a city, they would tear the very city down around him. What a grand picture of victory that was! Absalom liked that. He preferred Hushai’s counsel to Ahithophel’s counsel. That is the counsel that he chose.

Hushai immediately sent word to David through the priests of what the two batches of advice were – so David could prepare for any eventuality. The priests sent their sons with it, but they were spotted. They hid in the outskirts of Bahurim – a woman put them in a well and covered it with grass – and they escaped detection. They told David everything and he immediately crossed the Jordan that night, heading to Mahanaim.

Meanwhile Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed. He no longer had a perfect track record. He was not the best of the best of the best. So he went to his house, put it in order, and hung himself. His pride left him no option. In the first place, his advice wasn’t being followed. In the second place, he thought his was the only way there would be success, so he was killing himself instead of being humiliated when David won and came calling to punish the rebels. Arrogant man. Absalom got all the people together and they crossed the Jordan after David. Amasa was made captain of the army (Joab was with David). Amasa was David’s nephew, son of his sister Abigail. Absalom camped in Gilead.

David was in Mahanaim and people were coming to him in support. There was Shobi. He was the son of Nahash the Ammonite (David’s friend and brother to Hanun who started a war with David and got defeated – 2 Samuel 10-11). Machir, the man who knew David had been so kind to Mephibosheth. And Barzillai the Gileadite, a rich and godly man who supported the Lord’s Anointed. They brought beds and basins, jugs, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans, lentils, parched seeds, honey, curds, sheep, and cheese. They provided for David and his men. They supported him.

“Then David mustered the people who were with him, and he appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds.” (2 Samuel 18:1

David started out with 600 men and his family. Along his retreat from Jerusalem he showed mercy. He didn’t whine or blame God. He continued to repent, seek God, be just, and get his people to safety. In response to these godly actions, people came to David. He had spent his life sowing seeds of generosity, mercy, love, and leadership. His harvest was coming in. He now had thousands flocking to him. This response would not have been possible if Absalom had followed Athithophel’s advice. The Lord was answering David’s prayer (2 Samuel 15:31). David put a third under the command of Joab, a third under Abishai, and a third under Ittai the Gittite (the possible son of Achish of Gath, exiled by the Philistines for supporting or being friendly to David). David was going to be the overall leader and head out to battle with them (at 60-61 years of age), but his men (some say 10,000 in total) refused and would not let him. They knew what Ahithophel knew: if David died, the rebellion succeeded in a moment – regardless of what army took the day in the field. David relented and stayed behind, seeing them off at the gate of the city. But he laid on his commanders a charge heard by all his men: do NOT kill Absalom, but deal gently with him – not a wise thing, but a fatherly thing to do. The men went out to battle.

Absalom chose the woods of Ephraim as his battleground. This was NOT wise and shows that he wasn’t a man of war like his father. In fact, we’re told that more men were lost in the woods (snagged by branches, swallowed by swamps, torn by thorns, etc) than by the sword in the battle. Twenty thousand men of Israel were killed by David’s forces. They swept the field and the battle was dominated by them. Absalom fled on his mule (donkeys were symbols of royalty), but his luxurious hair got caught in the branches of a terebinth tree. He hung there, totally snagged and completely helpless.

This was reported to Joab who demanded to know why the soldier hadn’t killed Absalom – if Absalom died, the rebellion was over in a moment. The soldier was SHOCKED. Everyone knew what David had said. Joab showed his cruelty here and also the fact he cared nothing about Absalom (whom he had helped twice). He went and pierced Absalom with three darts as he hung there alive. THEN Joab’s men came and hacked Absalom to death.

The news was brought to David who wept, wailed, and mourned greatly for his son Absalom. If only he had spent that kind of emotion on Absalom when his son was alive, there MIGHT have been a different story. David obviously loved his kids, but he had so many wives and so many kids that he doesn’t seem to have really KNOWN any of them. Another reason to consider the Lord’s opinion on covenant relationships: one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24). Period (Matthew 19:4).

Summary

Key Players: God, David, Absalom, Joab, Ahithophel, Hushai, Ziba, Shimei

Key Themes: Sin, Revenge, Just Desserts, Mercy, Loyalty

Key Verse(s): 2 Samuel 16:3, 5, 21-23; 17:7-10, 15-16, 27-29; 18:1-4, 14-15, 33