2 Samuel
15
– 19
Verse 14:15 sets the stage for today’s reading:
David could see
now that he had been outmaneuvered, so he called for his advisors in
Jerusalem and instructed them.
David: Gather
your things, and let’s flee from the city right now, or we won’t
escape Absalom’s revolt. Hurry, or he will catch us and kill us and
anyone left in the city.
David’s son Absalom was leading a revolt
and instead of fighting, David retreats. I find it interesting that when David
is challenged by outsiders, he fights, but when it comes from within either
from his king Saul or his son Absalom he runs. David respects God to the point
he will accept whatever is thrown at him. This is a virtue that we all should
learn, since most of us tend to “buck up” and fight when challenged. Often
times this resistance is just what we need to get back on track.
I believe also this is a sign of David’s
dysfunctional family. He loves God enough to pursue Him, but somehow forgot to
raise a family in the process. It appears that Bathsheba was just a byproduct
of this problem and not the reason.
Verse 18:33 is a result of what happened
when David found out about Absalom’s death:
Then the king was
stricken with grief. He went to a chamber over the gateway and wept as he
went.
David: O my
son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you,
Absalom, my son, my son!
David had a similar response when he
discovered Saul was dead, in both cases these men were hunting David down to
kill him. Interestingly, Joab, the man who killed Absalom confessed what he had
done and accepted any punishment, including death. David showed mercy and did
not have Joab put to death.
Now the end of chapter 19 starts showing the kingdom
starting to split as Israel and Judah are already considered separate. I wonder
if this has always been going on since Saul’s death and I assume it’s because David
came from the tribe of Judah and therefore they remained loyal. So where many
assume the split was with David’s infidelity, it was going on before David
became king.