The
Book of second Samuel
Chapter 19
[1] And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and
mourneth for Absalom.
[2] And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for
the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.
[3] And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being
ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
[4] But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my
son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
[5] And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this
day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the
lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the
lives of thy concubines;
[6] In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast
declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this
day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then
it had pleased thee well.
[7] Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for
I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee
this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee
from thy youth until now.
[8] Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the
people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came
before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.
1) David’s Tears (Vs 1-8)
David’s supporters have won a great battle but are overcome and
disappointed by David’s many tears
David knew that his sin has
ultimately resulted in Absalom’s death
We are warned about excessive
mourning in I Thes 4:13 “sorrow not as others which have no hope”
** David is mastered by his
feelings, our feelings were never meant to master us
David
seems to have forgotten that God is in control, victory has been won,much
support & God’s mercy
David’s supporters, because of
David’s tears, feel ashamed in spite of their tremendous victory
Joab sternly says that David’s
mourning is selfish and “they that saved your life” are being shamed
Joab wants David to know that
another war will arise if he does not get past his feelings
Joab asks David to get up and
encourage the people. Congratulate the victors!
Although
David, may not have felt like doing this, he knew it was right and it was more
important than feelings
David gets up and sits at the gate, the place of authority, and appreciates
the role each person has played
[9] And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel,
saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us
out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for
Absalom.
[10] And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore
why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?
[11] And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak
unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to
his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his
house.
[12] Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye
the last to bring back the king?
[13] And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so
to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually
in the room of Joab.
[14] And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one
man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy
servants.
[15] So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go
to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.
2)
David’s Ears (Vs 9-15)
A.
9-10
David has survived Absalom’s overthrow, but the
kingdom is not automatically restored to David
Israel (N Tribes) is in a state of
unrest.
The false king, Absalom, once was embraced but
ultimately failed
The people are debating about
bringing David back as king (some opposed & some in favor)
Often we decide to bring back the
KING when other kings have failed
B.
11-15
Judah, David’s own tribe, has not yet mentioned David’s return.....they should’ve been first
David sends word to the priests to
speak to Judah about his return (he stirs the priests to stir people)
David will not come back on his own
and force the issue. He will only return if they agree to it
* God will not force you to turn to Him, but He wants you to make the
decision on your own(He
will sway)
David also will take Amasa,
Absalom’s former general, and make him general to replace Joab
Joab had broken the kings command
& killed Absalom.... now he will be replaced
The
priests stir the people, the men of Judah respond, their hearts swayed &
become the heart of one man
Judah invites David back home
“return thou”
Judah stands on one side of the Jordan and David is escorted over
&thus they welcome their king
[16] And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and
came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.
[17] And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant
of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and
they went over Jordan before the king.
[18] And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and
to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the
king, as he was come over Jordan;
[19] And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither
do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the
king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
[20] For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come
the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the
king.
[21] But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put
to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?
[22] And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye
should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death
this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?
[23] Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king
sware unto him.
3)
David’s Peers
A. Shimei Vs 16-23 (a critic)
Shimei,
the man who cursed David as he was fleeing away (2Sam16:5-8), has come to
welcome David home
1000 Benjamites also stand with the
tribe of Judah and Shimei along with Ziba (the servant of Saul)
David
comes across the river, Shimei falls before the king, is honest about his sin
& publicly asks for pardon
David’s men, who earlier wanted to
kill Shimei, now want judgment to fall and Shimei now be killed
* David has been restored should
Shimei not be? Those that are forgiven MUST forgive
(Vs 23) Therefore David spares
Shimei’s life & showed forgiveness to a man who cursed him
* Praise God Jesus will still
forgive sinners!!! “Thy sins are forgiven
go in peace”
[24] And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had
neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from
the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.
[25] And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that
the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?
[26] And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant
said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king;
because thy servant is lame.
[27] And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the
king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.
[28] For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king:
yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What
right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?
[29] And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I
have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.
[30] And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as
my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.
B. Mephibosheth (Vs
24-30)
Mephibosheth appeared as a man who
had mourned greatly over David’s banishment from the throne
David had shown kindness, grace to
King Sauls last surviving heir to the throne II Sam 9
As David was fleeing from Absalom
Ziba (Mephib’s servat) brought gifts to David & slandered Mephib
(Vs 26) But Ziba had deceived Mephib
and looked to gain from this embattlement
Mephib says I have
been given more than I deserve already &if it’s took away I’m still
ahead... could I complain?
Therefore David restores Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth and
Ziba will share the land
“let Ziba have it all”-I want to know David rules in
peace (why are we more concerned about our rights than His?
[31] And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from
Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.
[32] Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had
provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very
great man.
[33] And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed
thee with me in Jerusalem.
[34] And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should
go up with the king unto Jerusalem?
[35] I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and
evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the
voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be
yet a burden unto my lord the king?
[36] Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should
the king recompense it me with such a reward?
[37] Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own
city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy
servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what
shall seem good unto thee.
[38] And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him
that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me,
that will I do for thee.
[39] And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over, the
king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.
[40] Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the
people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.
C. Barzillai (Vs 31-40) (see 2Sam17:27-29)
A wealthy man who brought David provisions when David was
fleeing from Absalom & in great need
In gratitude David offers for this man to live with him
in Jerusalem but Barz says I didn’t want a reward
Give
the reward to Chimham..... (I K 2:7) “I am too old w/ little service left to
give” A Kiss & blessing v39
[41] And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the
king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought
the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over Jordan?
[42] And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is
near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at
all of the king's cost? or hath he given us any gift?
[43] And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten
parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did
ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our
king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men
of Israel.
4) David’s Fears (Vs 41-43)
Judah
welcomed David back as king (N 10 tribes of Israel felt left out- they talked
about it but did nothing)
Judah went ahead & acted on
faith.....this jealousy set the stage for another civil war, division
Funny to me the plot over
power.....over who honored the king the most
Funny to me they fought to drive
David away and succeeded and now they fight to bring him back