2 Samuel 19 - 20

The war ends and Absalom is dead. King David is so focused on the death of his son that he can’t think of the needs of his soldiers and people. Joab has to step in and help David refocus his attention. David needs to stop focusing exclusively on his own individual needs as a grieving father and focus more on the collective needs of his people and especially his army.

Verse 1, “Joab was told, ‘The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.’” And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning.”

David’s soldiers, though victorious in battle, were returning from the war in mourning. They were focusing on their individual losses rather than their collective victory. The king’s behavior was creating the atmosphere and it was not one of joy and gratitude. Joab sees the problem and steps in by going to David helping him to move ahead. He told him that he should be out there with his troops, praising them and thanking them for the victory they gave him, for saving his life and returning him to his throne. Verse 7, “Now go out there and encourage your men.” If he didn’t, Joab warned, David’s army would desert him.

It doesn’t cost anything for leaders to express appreciation for their people and their hard work. To fail to do so is to create a retention problem.

So, King David washed his face, combed his hair, got dressed in his more formal uniform (I imagine) and went out to the gate and fulfilled his ceremonial duties as he waved to the troops as they returned. He gave a wonderful speech and everyone’s mood improved. Who knows, perhaps the reenlistment rate spiked after the big parade and presentation of medals.

Meanwhile, the Israelites, who supported Absalom, “fled to their homes.” They “fled”. They didn’t stroll. They didn’t march. They seemed to be in a hurry. They must have been afraid that David’s troops would seek revenge by imprisoning them or killing them. But that wasn’t to be. David was more interested in putting the rebellion behind him and reuniting the tribes into one strong nation.

Verse 11, King David sent a message to the high priests and the elders of Judah “suggesting” that they be the ones who officially lead the movement to restore him to the throne of Israel. This would send a signal to the people that David hadn’t stolen the throne, but was legitimately restored to it, hence, uniting the people of Israel and healing the wounds of civil war.

In verse 13, we find King David angry with his commander, Joab, for killing Absalom and wanting to demote him. So, he promises Amasa a promotion to replace Joab, saying, “Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you are not the commander of my army for life in place of Joab.” Amasa was part of Absalom’s rebellion to overthrow David, but David was willing to forgive him for that. Besides, Amasa was related to David. His mother was Abigail, one of David’s sisters, and he was a cousin of Joab.

David and his men headed west towards the Jordan River and guess who they ran into. That man named Shimei. He was the one who cursed David and threw stones, mud and who knows what else at him as he was fleeing Jerusalem. Shimei’s attitude had changed since then. Verse 19, “May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem.” I think there was a long, tense pause, as he waited for David to respond. Luckily for Shimei, David was in a good mood. Verse 23, “So the king said to Shimei, ‘You shall not die.’” What a relief for Shimei. David was generous with him because he was more concerned with uniting Israel than seeking revenge. Shimei might have run home to tell his wife the good news. If so, hopefully she was pleased, too. If she wasn’t, then the couple might benefit from some marriage counseling.

But this doesn’t mean that David had really forgiven Shimei. Later, when David was on his deathbed, his memory was still intact. He gave Solomon, his son and successor to the throne one of his last requests. I Kings 2:8-9, “But now, do not consider him innocent. . . you will know what to do. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”

Solomon didn’t act on this request right away. He told Shimei that he would be safe as long as he remained living in Jerusalem (1 Kings 2:36-38). But after three years, Shimei got restless and left the city. When King Solomon found out, he called for Shimei and told him, “You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the Lord will repay you for your wrongdoing” (verse 44). Shimei was then executed (verse 46).

Guess who else showed up to greet David on his return trip to Jerusalem? Yes, it’s none other than the grandson of Saul, Mephibosheth, the one with crippled feet.

Look who else showed up, it’s Barzillai, the rich, old man who brought a convoy of equipment and supplies including bedding, bowls, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, grain, beans honey, sheep and milk to David. and his men when they were escaping Jerusalem (2 Sam 17:28-29). It sounds like he provided David with a Walmart on wheels. To express his gratitude for his assistance, David invited him to cross over with him and come live in Jerusalem. Barzillai thanked him, but he declined the invitation. Saying that he was nearly blind and deaf and would be a burden to him, he would rather spend the few years he had left in the quiet of his familiar and comfortable hometown (verse 35).

David was victorious. He could have been angry and vengeful, but that would have only divided the nation even more. For the long-term good of the nation and to help the healing process that is needed after a war, he offered a general amnesty to those who rebelled. He even offered Shimei, the man who assaulted him, a degree of mercy.

In Abraham Lincolns second inaugural address, the closing paragraph read, “With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds (a reworking of Ps. 147:3), to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan (relies on James 1:27), to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” This was David’s goal, charity, not malice towards the rebellious followers of Absalom. This, it was hoped, would lead to the binding of the nations wounds and healing.

But not everyone was happy with David’s return. A Benjamite by the name of Sheba was labeled a “troublemaker” and was still fuming over the fact that the leadership was transferred from Saul’s family, a Benjamite, to David, of the tribe of Judah. He roused his men proclaiming, (chapter 20:1), “We have no share in David, no part in Jesse’s son! Every man to his tent, O Israel!” This wasn’t a call to arms, necessarily, but a call to desertion. “Every man to his tent” meant, “Let’s go home.”

After a divisive national election, the victorious candidate should work to unite the people. The new leader is the leader of an entire nation, not just the political party that won. What if the winning candidate offered his opponent a key position in government? Wouldn’t that help bring the nation together for the common good?

Sheba’s rebellion led to the desertion of the Israelites who were with David. David continued his journey towards Jerusalem with his men from Judah (verse 3). Once David got resettled in his palace, he summoned Amasa. He ordered him to gather the men of Judah and return to him within three days (verse 4).

Why did he call on Amasa to do this rather than Joab? In verse 13 David promised to replace Joab with Amasa because he was displeased with Joab for killing his son Absalom. Amasa was David’s nephew and involved in the coup attempt by Absalom, but he was willing to forgive him. Making Amasa his new commander would also help David unify the nation.

Three days came and went and there was no word from Amasa. What happened to Amasa? Did he defect to the other side? No, he was merely delayed for some unexplained reason.

David sent out another group of soldiers (verse 6) under the command of Abishai, brother of Joab. Abishai was a leader of David’s “Mighty Men” who killed 300 men with a spear (2 Sam. 23:18). They were the special forces of the day. David said to Abishai, “take your master’s men and pursue him (Amasa). Verse 7 Joab’s men and others went out “under the command of Abishai to pursue Sheba. As you can imagine, Joab wasn’t happy that he was losing his influence with David and soon would lose his position.

When Joab and Abishai finally met up with Amasa, (the one who went on the errand for David and hadn’t returned), things got ugly real fast. When Amasa stepped forward to be greeted by Joab, Joab drew a dagger out. He grabbed Amasa’s beard and stabbed him in his belly and “his intestines spilled out on the ground (verse 10).”

With Amasa out of the way, Joab and Abishai, (who was his brother), went after the other villain, the “troublemaker” named Sheba (verse 13).

The killing of Amasa was the second time Joab killed someone to secure his position as commander of David’s army. You might recall he earlier killed Abner, who was Saul’s cousin and commander of his army. He also disobeyed David’s order not to kill Absalom.

So why would David keep Joab for so long as his commander? In spite of his vengeful attitude and insubordination, Joab was a great warrior. It was in David’s own interest to keep him in his inner circle where he could benefit from his strengths and moderate his weaknesses than to have him on the outside working against him.

Meanwhile, Sheba, the “troublemaker” is described as having passed through all the tribes of Israel. Was he fleeing or was he on a recruiting tour, trying to build an army to go against David? Sheba ended up in the town of Abel Beth Maacah which is located on the northern border of Israel. Joab caught up with him and laid siege to the city (verse 15).

While Joab’s men were battering the walls of the city, a woman stuck her head of the window and said to Joab, “Why are you trying to destroy this city.” Joab told her that they weren’t interested in invading or destroying the city, they were only after one person, Sheba. If they turned Sheba over to them, they would be on their way (verse 21). She replied, “His head will be thrown to you from the wall.” I wonder if Sheba heard her say that.

The women spoke with the leaders of the city and before long, “they cut off the head of Sheba and threw it to Joab (verse 22).

There was no trial to determine the guilt or innocence of Sheba. The choice for the people was to allow one man to die or to suffer greater loss of life. This reminds me of the reaction the Pharisees had to the miracles of Jesus. John 11:48-50, “If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” Then the high priest, Caiaphas spoke, saying, verse 50, “You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

How many leaders in our churches or governments have been willing to sacrifice truth or the reputation and careers of others to maintain their positions of power and prestige?

There may have been unconfirmed reports that the head of Sheba was used as a soccer ball by some of his unruly troops, but these reports are unverified. With that, the trumpets sounding retreat were blown and everyone went back home (verse 22).

David was betrayed by his trusted advisor, Ahithophel. Joab disobeyed him by killing Absalom. David was wondering who he could really trust. To protect himself, he divided responsibilities by creating duplicate officials which weakened the leaders. For instance, the military was under Joab’s control, but his personal bodyguards were under the control of Benaiah (verse 23). I don’t think David slept very well at night. He probably slept with a dagger under his pillow.

If you are not already confused trying to keep track of who is who in these chapters, here we learn of member of the cast of characters. His name was Adoniram (verse 24). He oversaw tax collecting and the management of conscripted laborers and prisoners of war. These men were used as unskilled laborers for construction projects. His career lasted over forty years. But he didn’t live long enough to collect any retirement pension. As you can imagine Adoniram was a very unpopular man. He was stoned to death by angry citizens while trying to collect taxes (Kings 12:18). Be careful of to make a better career choice than Adoniram.