2 Samuel 19 - 21 (19th May) - Stephanie

2 Samuel 19

David went into mourning for his son, Absalom, ignoring the victory his troops. Joab confronted David on this, telling him to go encourage his men instead.

The people of Israel were confused as to who the king now is after Absalom died. David asked the priest to ask the elders of Judah to bring him back as king, announcing the Amasa would replace Joab as commander of the army and Judah insisted for David to return as king. When David made it back to the Jordan River, many rushed to meet him there.

Shimei confessed his sin of cursing David before David and asked for forgiveness. David did not kill Shimei but spared his life.

Mephibosheth (grandson of Saul), also came to David, revealing that Ziba had betrayed him while he has remained faithful to David. David ordered Ziba and Mephibosheth to divide the fields that was once Saul’s but Mephibosheth wanted Ziba to have them all. Mephibosheth felt that David’s return to Jerusalem as king was already a great reward to him.

David attempted to reward the 80 year old Barzillai who had given provisions to David and his men but Barzillai declined and offered him Kimham instead. All Barzillai wanted was to return to his hometown.

The men of Israel argued loudly with the men of Judah for bringing the king back without including them. Trouble then started to brew amongst the people.

2 Samuel 20

Sheba, a Benjamite was not ready to have David back as king, so he created trouble, sounded the trumpet and led another rebellion. Most of Israel followed him. But Judah remained loyal to David and returning with him to his palace in Jerusalem. The ten concubines were still at the palace where David had left them, he found them, confined them till their death dates. He never slept with them while they were in confinement.

David had replaced Joab with Amasa to lead his troops but Amasa took longer than his 3 day deadline to gather the men of Judah to fight Sheba. So David sent Abishai instead. Joab went with them and used deceit to get close to Amasa, stabbing him with a dagger, causing Amasa to die. After Amasa’s body was dragged off the road, Joab’s and Abishai’s men continued following reports of Sheba and eventually found his whereabouts in a city. They intended to destroy the city together with Sheba but a wise woman negotiated with them to use another way so as to save the city. Sheba’s head would be thrown over the wall to them instead. This method satisfied Joab. Sheba’s head was thrown over the wall and Joab sounded the trumpet and headed home with the men. The leadership of Israel’s army was eventually retained by Joab.

2 Samuel 21

During David’s reign, there was a 3 year famine in Israel. David sought the Lord on this and he heard from the Lord that the famine was the cause of Saul’s blood-stained house against the Gibeonites.

David called for the Gibeonites and asked to make amends. They asked for 7 of Saul’s descendents, of which 2 were sons of Rizpah (Saul’s concubine), 5 were sons of Merab (Saul’s daughter). They were handed over to the Gibeonites and got killed. Rizpah mourned over the sons’ bodies. Then David had the bones of Saul and Jobnathan moved to Saul’s father Kish’s tomb and the bones of these 7 men were gathered as well. Then God resumed answering prayer for Israel.

Then later part of this chapter talks on the war with the Philistines, who still had large and mighty warriors, descendents from the Rapha. Abishai rescued David from the Rapha descendent before and he and his men refused to let David join them at war after than. They wanted to protect David as the “lamp of Israel”. David’s men were able to kill 3 more of the giant Philistines, including one with 12 fingers and toes.