2 Samuel 18
-We see the certainty of battle between a rebellious son and
his exiled father as this chapter opens up. David is numbering his people who
were with him and assigning commanders over thousands and hundreds in their
respective regiments. One third were under the command of Joab, one third were
under the command of his brother Abishai, and the other third were under Ittai
the Gittite. David resolved to go out with them into battle, but the people
persuaded him to stay back and help them from the city. They reasoned that King
David was worth 10,000 of them and he should be in a safer environment than the
battlefield in this dilemma. David consented to their wishes and stood beside
the gate as all the people went out by hundreds and thousands. He charged Joab,
Abishai, and Ittai to deal gently with Absalom, his son. All the people heard
his charge concerning Absalom, and then they went out into the field against
Israel. The battle took place in the forest of Ephraim, and the Israelites
siding with Absalom were soundly defeated before the servants of David. The
text describes the slaughter as “great” with some 20,000 men of Israel killed
in action. The violent battle spread over the whole countryside, and the menacing
forest that they fought in actually devoured more people that day than the
sword (2 Samuel 18:1-8).
-Now Absalom happened to meet the servants of David because
Absalom’s mule went under a thicket and Absalom’s heavy hair (see 2 Samuel 14:25-26)
got caught up in the branches of a great oak, and he was suspended in the air
between heaven and earth as the mule kept running. A certain man loyal to David
saw him there and reported this to Joab. Joab, pumped up with the adrenaline of
war, wondered aloud why this certain man had not struck the usurper that was
causing all of this conflict. He told the man that indeed he would have given
him ten pieces of silver and a belt for his heroic actions if he would have
killed Absalom. But the man had remembered his king’s charge, “Even if I should
receive a thousand pieces of silver
in my hand, I would not put out my hand against the king’s son; for in our
hearing the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Protect for me the
young man Absalom!’ Otherwise, if I had dealt treacherously against his life
(and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood
aloof.” Joab, still full of animosity and vengeance retorted, “I will not waste
time here with you.” He immediately took three spears in his hand and thrust
them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the midst of the
oak. Then 10 young men who carried Joab’s armor joined in and struck Absalom killing
him off. After that, Joab blew the trumpet of return and the people came back
from pursuing Israel “for Joab had restrained the people.” They took Absalom
and cast him into a deep pit in the forest and erected over him a very great
heap of stones. Upon this action, defeated and embarrassed, the rest of the Israelites
involved in the attempted coup returned to their respective tents. This section
ends with a unique aside, which is still observable in the Kidron Valley (or as
the Word calls it, the King’s Valley) to this day. Absalom had erected a pillar
for himself to preserve his name, and it became known as “Absalom’s Monument (2
Samuel 18:9-18).” A picture of what it looks like
now is below.
-Ahimaaz, the son of the priest
Zadok, wanted to run and bring the news of the LORD’s freeing of David from his
enemies. But Joab told him that he was not the man to carry this kind of news
since this was the king’s son, and Joab knew of David’s love for Absalom. Joab
instead commissioned a Cushite (an ancient civilization south of Egypt in
Africa) to go and tell the king what he had seen. The Cushite bowed to Joab and
departed on a run. Soon after, Ahimaaz, begged once again to be the man that
runs to the king with this news no matter what would happen. Joab saw that he
would have no reward for carrying this news of the death of Absalom, but he
eventually consented and let Ahimaaz take off with his message of victory.
Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain and passed up the Cushite on his way to the
king. Meanwhile, David was sitting between the two gates of the city, and his
watchman had gone up to the roof of the gate by the wall to observe. He caught
a glimpse of a man running by himself, and the king knew this meant good news.
Then the watchman saw another man running by himself, and David knew this too
meant good news. The first runner was soon to be perceived by the watchman as
Ahimaaz due to the way that he ran, which lead the king to respond, “This is a
good man and comes with good news.” Upon arrival, Ahimaaz proclaimed, “All is
well.” Then he prostrated himself before the king in honor and respect with his
face to the ground. He continued, “Blessed is the LORD your God, who has
delivered up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king.” But the
king wanted to know about his son, “Is it well with the young man Absalom?”
Ahimaaz responded by saying that he saw a great tumult but could not discern exactly
what happened. This is when the Cushite arrived pronouncing to let the king
hear good news of the LORD’s freeing from all those who had risen up against
him. Once again, David asked about his son, “Is it well with the young man
Absalom?” The Cushite answered, “Let the enemies of my lord the king, and all
who rise up against you for evil, be as that young man!” Realizing his son’s
demise, the king was deeply moved with grief and went up to the chamber over the
gate and wept. As he walked he mourned, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son
Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son (2 Samuel
18:19-33)!”
-*Application* We should see from this episode the results
of defiance and rebellion, both from a son, a commander, and a king. The son’s insurgence
caused a war with many lives lost over virtually nothing. The commander, Joab,
caused incredible grief on the part of the king because he did not obey his
clear instructions. Of course all of this grief and loss happened because of
David’s infidelities that tore apart his life and family. This was a sin
against Almighty God. By the LORD’s decree, there are always consequences for
disobedience. While He forgives and restores in His lovingkindness, we still
can certainly make a mess of things when we don’t fully follow God’s decrees
and commands as well as those in authority over us on this earth.
Verse to Memorize:
2 Samuel 18:14
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