2 Samuel chapter 19
Joab rebukes David. David returns to Jerusalem. David reconciles with Shimei, and Mephibosheth, and Barzillai. Israel and Judah argue over the king.
JOAB REBUKES DAVID
VERSE 1. Joab was told, “Behold, the king weeps and mourns for Absalom.”
the king weeps and mourns. What should have been a day of triumphant joy became to David a day of profound grief.
VERSE 2. The victory that day was turned into mourning among all the people; for the people heard it said that day, “The king grieves for his son.”
that day was turned into mourning. David’s dour demeanor was so infectious that David’s soldiers that felt as though they had lost the battle.
VERSE 3. The people sneaked into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
VERSE 4. The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!”
Absalom, my son, my son. David is wailing. Outwardly, he is grieving.
However, on a deeper level, he is probably experiencing regret. Absalom is dead because David wanted him dead. That was because Absalom opposed David.
Why did Absalom oppose David? Because David did not defend a rape victim. Instead, David sided with the rapist.
VERSE 5. Joab came into the house to the king, and said, “Today you have shamed the faces of all your servants, who today have saved your life, and the lives of your sons and of your daughters, and the lives of your wives, and the lives of your concubines;
you have shamed the faces of all your servants. What Joab speaks is correct. His rebuke is based in truth.
VERSE 6. in that you love those who hate you, and hate those who love you. For you have declared today that princes and servants are nothing to you. For today I perceive that if Absalom had lived, and we had all died today, then it would have pleased you well.
VERSE 7. Now therefore arise, go out, and speak to comfort your servants; for I swear by the LORD, if you don’t go out, not a man will stay with you this night. That would be worse to you than all the evil that has happened to you from your youth until now.”
arise, go out, and speak. Joad tries to salvage what little morale is left.
VERSE 8. Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. They told to all the people, saying, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” All the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled every man to his tent.
VERSE 9. All the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us out of the hand of our enemies, and he saved us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom.
VERSE 10. Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why don’t you speak a word of bringing the king back?”
VERSE 11. King David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house? Since the speech of all Israel has come to the king, to return him to his house.
VERSE 12. You are my brothers. You are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’
VERSE 13. Say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren’t captain of the army before me continually instead of Joab.’ ”
Say to Amasa. David appoints his own nephew Amasa as commander of the army. This is an instance of David’s growing nepotism.
VERSE 14. He bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as one man; so that they sent to the king, saying, “Return, you and all your servants.”
DAVID RETURNS TO JERUSALEM
VERSE 15. So the king returned, and came to the Jordan. Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to bring the king over the Jordan.
VERSE 16. Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, who was of Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.
VERSE 17. There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of Saul’s house, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went through the Jordan in the presence of the king.
DAVID RECONCILES WITH SHIMEI
VERSE 18. A ferry boat went to bring over the king’s household, and to do what he thought good. Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, when he had come over the Jordan.
VERSE 19. He said to the king, “Don’t let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember that which your servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
VERSE 20. For your servant knows that I have sinned. Therefore behold, I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.”
VERSE 21. But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?”
VERSE 22. David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For don’t I know that I am king over Israel today?”
VERSE 23. The king said to Shimei, “You will not die.” The king swore to him.
DAVID RECONCILES WITH MEPHIBOSHETH
VERSE 24. Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither groomed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.
VERSE 25. When he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?”
VERSE 26. He answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go with the king,’ because your servant is lame.
VERSE 27. He has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is as an angel of God. Therefore do what is good in your eyes.
VERSE 28. For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king; yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. What right therefore have I yet that I should cry any more to the king?”
VERSE 29. The king said to him, “Why do you speak any more of your matters? I say, you and Ziba divide the land.”
VERSE 30. Mephibosheth said to the king, “Yes, let him take all, because my lord the king has come in peace to his own house.”
DAVID RECONCILES WITH BARZILLAI
VERSE 31. Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim; and he went over the Jordan with the king, to conduct him over the Jordan.
VERSE 32. Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even eighty years old. He had provided the king with sustenance while he stayed at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.
VERSE 33. The king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will sustain you with me in Jerusalem.”
VERSE 34. Barzillai said to the king, “How many are the days of the years of my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem?
VERSE 35. I am eighty years old, today. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear the voice of singing men and singing women any more? Why then should your servant be a burden to my lord the king?
VERSE 36. Your servant would but just go over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king repay me with such a reward?
VERSE 37. Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, by the grave of my father and my mother. But behold, your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good to you.”
VERSE 38. The king answered, “Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good to you. Whatever you request of me, that I will do for you.”
VERSE 39. All the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. Then the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned to his own place.
VERSE 40. So the king went over to Gilgal, and Chimham went over with him. All the people of Judah brought the king over, and also half the people of Israel.
ISRAEL AND JUDAH ARGUE OVER THE KING
VERSE 41. Behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said to the king, “Why have our brothers the men of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king, and his household, over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?”
VERSE 42. All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close relative to us. Why then are you angry about this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s cost? Or has he given us any gift?”
VERSE 43. The men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?” The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
2 SAMUEL
CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, David and Jonathan
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