Fear No Fear

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

Joab did NOT like that David was mourning so hard for his son. It was affecting the morale of the men. It was as if David would have been happier if Joab and all the rest of the loyal men had been killed and Absalom succeeded. An exaggeration, of course, but David was not only a father. He was also a king. He needed to be a leader in public, regardless of how he felt in private. David took the rebuke and went to sit in the gate. Everyone came before him and he congratulated them like he should.

Now Israel had gone after Absalom having seen David flee. Now Absalom was dead. The big debate then was do they want him back? The other side of the coin was don’t we need a king? Let’s get David back – better than nothing. The Israelite tribes (at least half anyway) got on board with David. Judah was hesitant. David sent the priests who had helped him to the elders of Judah asking them why they were hesitating? Hadn’t they been the first to follow David way back when? Why hesitate now? He even told Absalom’s general Amasa that he would replace Joab with him. Joab had been a good soldier, but he was ruthless and had murdered more than once – including helping David to murder Uriah. It seems that Absalom was the last straw. David convinced the Judeans and they welcomed him back.

David headed back. First up was Shimei (he’s the one who cursed David and threw rocks at him). He came down to meet David on his way back. There was also Ziba (with all his ten sons and twenty servants) and a thousand men from Benjamin. They all crossed the Jordan first. When David made the crossing, Shimei fell on his face and apologized to David. He admitted to wrongdoing and sin against David. Abishai was all for killing Shimei (still), but David again said no. There had been enough killing. David told Shimei that HE would not kill him. He would not die this day.

Next guy was Mephibosheth. And he looked TERRIBLE. He hadn’t bathed since David left. He hadn’t even changed the dressing on his crippled feet. This did not look like someone who had been exultant and expecting to be restored to his father’s kingdom (remember Ziba’s report in 2 Samuel 16:3?). David asked why he hadn’t come with David when he fled? Turns out he had meant to, but Ziba lied to him and then slandered him to David. Mephibosheth told David to believe who he wanted and to do what he wanted. David had already shown him mercy because he was doomed to die by the rules of the ancient world regarding rulership transitions. He was grateful for everything David had already done. David told him to divide the land with Ziba and figure it out between them – he could not renege on the vow he had already given Ziba (2 Samuel 16:4), but Mephibosheth didn’t care if Ziba had it all. He wanted a restored relationship with David and that was it.

David continued on to Gilgal. All of Judah’s elders and half the elders of Israel went with him. Judah was leading the parade back to Jerusalem. A bunch of the Israelites also came down, but they were ticked Judah was leading the show. They demanded to know why they had ‘stolen’ their king. Judah responded honestly. They hadn’t stolen David. He was their closer relative, and they were still in Judah, AND they had never taken special treatment or gifts from David. But the Israelites said, look it was WE who first suggested taking David back PLUS there’s ten of us and one of you, so WE should have the most honour here. Israel was loud, but Judah louder – after all they had supported him more during the rebellion. More of Israel had gone over to Absalom. It was a cat fight.

“Now a man of wickedness was found there whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. He blew the horn and said, “There is no share for us in David, and there is no inheritance for us in the son of Jesse; each to his tents, O Israel!”” (2 Samuel 20:1)

Can you believe this situation? David had JUST defeated a rebellion by his own son. What chance did this Benjamite out of nowhere have? But he barked and spoke well, and all the Israelites did an about face and joined him. But ALL of Judah stuck with David. This is fall out from the civil war because there was a gap in leadership. David wasn’t seated again on the throne, only heading there. Sheba took advantage of that. Off Israel went. And David got back to Jerusalem smack in the middle of another rebellion.

David learned about what had happened in his absence. The ten concubines had been raped. He couldn’t take them back into his harem (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). Instead, he put them into seclusion where they would be safe from this new rebel (or any others) and made sure they were provided for, letting them live as widows until their deaths. Now he turned his attention to the rebel. He told Amasa to gather the men and report in three days. Amasa had fully replaced Joab. He went to assemble the men. But he did not come back in time. He was NOT efficient. David sent Abishai to pursue Sheba immediately and not let him get entrenched anywhere. Abishai took Joab’s mighty men and David’s archers and sling men and pursued Sheba.

They had gotten to Gilead when Amasa caught up with them. Joab greeted him warmly and asked him if he was in good health. And then he stabbed him in the stomach. He died. Then Abishai and Joab pursued Sheba. One of his men stayed behind. The men of Amasa were hesitant to follow Joab – it took some time for Amasa to die. Joab’s man hid Amasa, who was dying slowly, and told them that if they served David, they needed to follow Joab. They saw the logic of it and followed Joab. They went from the south all the way through the north and gathered men loyal to David as they went. They stopped in Abel of Beth Maachah and besieged the city where Sheba was walled up.

A woman came to the battlements and called for the commander. She asked if it was Joab. It was. She asked why they were here to destroy a town that had been faithful to the king and known for its wisdom. Joab answered that he wasn’t here for the town, just Sheba. He asked for Sheba. If they gave him up, he’d leave them alone. So they cut off his head and threw it over the wall. Joab took it, sounded the trumpet, and they left, going back to Jerusalem.

David needed to reestablish his government. Joab was (by murder) back in command of the armies. Benaiah was over the archers and slingers. Adoram was in charge of revenue. Jehoshaphat was the recorder along with Sheva, the scribe. The priests were still Zadok and Abiathar. Ira the Jairite was the chief minister under David. All of them had remained loyal to David during the rebellion (although Joab was a little murdery).

The kingdom was back in business under the House of David.

Summary

Key Players: God, David, Joab, Amasa, Sheba, Abiathar, Wise Woman

Key Themes: Kingship, Loyalty, Jealousy, Obedience

Key Verse(s): 2 Samuel 19:1, 8, 14, 22-23, 24-27, 30, 42-43; 20:1-2, 4-6, 10, 15, 22