|
|
2 Samuel Chapter 18
Absalom Killed
- 2Samuel 18:1 And
David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains
of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.
- 2 And David sent
forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a
third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's
brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite.
And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with
you myself also.
- 3 But the people
answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they
will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care
for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now
it is better that thou succour us out of the city.
Since they knew the counsel of
Ahithophel was to kill David only, they didn't want David to go to
battle with them. They felt he was worth more than they. That is
what I call loyal dedication to someone.
- 2Samuel 18:4 And the
king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the
king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by
hundreds and by thousands.
- 5 And the king
commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my
sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people
heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning
Absalom.
This may be the real reason David
decided not to go out to battle. He would be fighting against his
own son and he instructed them to not harm Absalom. This is a
heartbreaking conflict that a king would have to see his own son
come after him in battle. Absalom wanted his dad to be killed while the king
himself wanted to spare the life of his son.
- 2Samuel 18:6 So the
people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle
was in the wood of Ephraim;
- 7 Where the people
of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was
there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.
- 8 For the battle was
there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood
devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.
Not all were killed by the sword but
fell into pits, swamps and some accounts of this were that they were
killed by wild beasts. Whatever the cause, they were losing the
battle and the men of David were winning. I think those that came
againt David were fighting against God in trying to take out a king
He (God) had anointed to be king.
-
2Samuel 18:9 And Absalom
met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the
mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head
caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven
and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.
The beautiful hair that caused him to
be proud was what defeated Absalom. This is so sad though to see
people end up this way when other decisions and choices could have
caused good instead of evil. Forgiveness for one. To forgive his
father was hard considering what happened to his sister but in
killing his own brother, that was revenge against his father. He
should have stopped and forgive. His father's heart
mourned for both sons. It is hard to forgive the past but we must or
it destroys our ability to be fruitful for the Lord and an example
of godliness.
- 2Samuel 18:10 And a
certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw
Absalom hanged in an oak.
- 11 And Joab said
unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and
why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would
have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.
- 12 And the man said
unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver
in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the
king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai
and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man
Absalom.
This person respected the wishes of
David concerning Absalom and could not bring himself to kill him no
matter how much money he would have been rewarded with. He probably
also feared his own life would be taken if he killed Absalom against
David's wishes. Joab though had a mind of his own and did what he
thought, not what the king thought. Joab killed Abner before so he
desires Absalom to die as well.
He must have not trusted Joab because
if he killed Absalom, Joab would be the first person to witness
against him when David found out. Joab would not take the blame.
- 2Samuel 18:14 Then
said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three
darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom,
while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
- 15 And ten young men
that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and
slew him.
- 16 And Joab blew the
trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for
Joab held back the people.
- 17 And they took
Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a
very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every
one to his tent.
- 18 Now Absalom in
his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which
is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my
name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own
name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.
What a sad story and very hard to read
and study. Joab had no fear of killing Absalom in spite of David's
command that Absalom be spared. When David hears of it he will mourn
and grieve probably blaming himself somewhat.
David Hears of Absalom's Death
- 2Samuel 18:19 Then
said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king
tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.
- 20 And Joab said
unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt
bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no
tidings, because the king's son is dead.
- 21 Then said Joab to
Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed
himself unto Joab, and ran.
- 22 Then said Ahimaaz
the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I
pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt
thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?
- 23 But howsoever,
said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran
by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.
So we have one man wanting to go give
David the news of victory so bad and another just following orders.
At least Joab respects the fact that David's son is dead and does
not believe it is proper to give tidings at this time. Ahimaaz was
so excited to bring David news so they both went, Ahimaaz outrunning
David.
- 2Samuel 18:24 And
David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the
roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and
looked, and behold a man running alone.
- 25 And the watchman
cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone,
there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew
near.
- 26 And the watchman
saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the
porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king
said, He also bringeth tidings.
- 27 And the watchman
said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the
running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a
good man, and cometh with good tidings.
- 28 And Ahimaaz
called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to
the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be
the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up
their hand against my lord the king.
- 29 And the king
said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When
Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great
tumult, but I knew not what it was.
- 30 And the king said
unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and
stood still.
Ahimaaz wanted to share the message but
he had no message that David was really desiring to hear. Good
lesson to consider. Wait until we are ready with the right words and
the right facts before spreading messages that someone is waiting to
hear. The news media in their efforts to have good ratings are quick
to report news but they do not always wait for the correct facts to
back up their story. Riots and anger is sometimes stirred up among
those that are just waiting for the right opportunity to cause
trouble, sometimes paid by those that are behind it. After
investigations and finding out true facts many times the facts are
not what was originally reported. Sometimes people even get killed
because they believed the first report and reacted badly. Let us be
bearers of truth.
David's Grief
- 2Samuel 18:31 And,
behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king:
for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up
against thee.
- 32 And the king said
unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered,
The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee
to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.
- 33 And the king was
much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept:
and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son
Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my
son!
David was so moved by grief that he
would have been willing to die instead of Absalom. If Absalom only
would have known how much his own father loved him. It's a very sad
story when a child turns against his own parents. Sometimes it is
the fault of the parent, sometimes it is just a child going the
wrong way and perhaps being influenced by bad friends. It is sad to
see though no matter what the cause. All this was prophesied by
Nathan the prophet when David sinned.
David repented of that sin and he is
with the Lord now. I notice in the New Testament that nothing bad is
sad about David at all. This shows us the wonderful grace of God
that comes to us by Jesus, paying the debt for all of the sins of
those that repent and turn to Him for salvation. I hope that while
Absalom was still alive hanging by his hair on that tree that he
made things right with God. Only God knows. I believe King Saul had
the opportunity to make things right with God too. He too was alive
for a while before dying after he was slain in battle. DC
2 Samuel Chapter 19
|
|