Good morning everyone. This morning we are in 2 Samuel chapter 19 and this is very interesting opening to this chapter. So we just saw that Joab took Abslam's life even though David
wanted Absalom's life, his son's life to be spared. Joab didn't follow David's instructions and went ahead and took Absalom's life. Now, as I mentioned in that previous podcast, I think it may have very well been God's will that Absalom's life was taken because he was totally against his father, David, and he couldn't be trusted and he kept trying to take over the kingdom and did it as a conspirator.
So God may not have wanted Absalom who was pretty close to being successful and taking over the kingdom to be alive because maybe he would do it again. So although it was not David's wishes that Absalom was killed, it may have been gods. Now it was told to Joab, behold, the king is weeping and mourns for Absalom. Now I talked about this a little bit in the last podcast, but imagine this.
Your country is on the run. You had to leave Jerusalem because your son tried to usurp you and is raising up an army now against you. You're on the run.
your army has just won. You can go back to Jerusalem, the kingdom can be returned to David. This is an tremendous victory. And people fought for this victory and even died for this victory. And, you know, not everyone's son's dad. I mean, I only David's son's dad. So like everyone else is kind of like, well, yeah, that's sad. But, you know, we are so thankful that we are not destroyed. We get our homes back, we get our families back.
We get to go back and we get to unite the country. So this is actually a huge victory overall for David's country. But David is only mourning over the death of his son. Now we have compassion for that. But I think Joab's got a point here. And anyways, behold, the king is weeping and mourns for Absalom. And the salvation that day was turned to mourning.
For all the people, for the people heard it said that day, the king is grieved over his son. So the people stole away to enter into the city that day as people who are dishonored, steal away when they flee in battle. But as for the king, he wrapped his face up. Then the king cried out with a loud voice. Oh, my son, Absalom. Oh, Absalom, my son, my son.
You know, praise God for David's incredible loyalty that he would show to people. And in this case, to his son, and there's nothing wrong with David being sad over the death of his son, you know, but at the same time,
there needs to be some leadership here on behalf of the fact that his army won. Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, today you have shamed the faces of all your servants who today have provided escape for your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, the lives of your wives and the lives of your concubines by loving those who hate you and by hating those who love you. So
He's like, Absalom hated you. And you're showing all this love for Absalom, your son who hated you and wanted you killed and wanted you usurped. But all the people who have been saved and protected, shouldn't you be happy for them that we have won this battle?
For you have informed all of us today, he's saying what you're doing in just weeping over Absalom and not having any regard for the victory we have, you're informing all of us today that princes and servants are nothing to you. For I know this day that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, surely then it would be right in your eyes. He's like, you're showing that, you know what, if we would have been all killed and Absalom was alive, you'd be happy.
And he's saying that's not right. This is not good leadership on behalf of your country. And, you know, obviously Joab was involved in killing Absalom. So David and Joab are on opposite ends of the thing here, but Joabs got a point. David needs to show some leadership for the people who fought for him and for the people who are protected. He needs to, you know, he can mourn privately for his son.
But I think publicly he needs to show that he is pleased that these people have fought for him and they've won. So Joab says to him, so now arise, go out and speak to the heart of your servants. For I swear by Yahweh, if you do not go out, surely not a man will pass the night with you.
And this will be of greater evil for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now. He's saying, you need to go and show leadership here that you are pleased that we won this battle and that we're back in Jerusalem. And David's going to listen is painful as it was and as sad as he was over Absalom's life. I think Joab's got a point. So the king arose and sat in the gate and they told all the people saying, behold, the king is sitting in the gate.
Then all the people came before the king. Now Israel had fled each to his tent. That was the tribes that fought with them. And it happened that all the people were disputing throughout all the tribes of evil, saying the king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and provided us escape from the hand of the Philistines. But now
He has fled out of the land from Absalom. However, Absalom, whom we, this is the 10 northern tribes, whom we anointed over us has died in battle. So now why are you silent about having the king return? They're kind of not knowing what to do. You know, they were obviously fighting against David and they were with Absalom. So they're
torn about, well, now what? No, now what's going to happen? Now, King David sent to Zadak and Abiatar the priest saying, speak to the elders of Judah, saying, why are you the last to have all the king return to his house? While the word of all Israel has come to the king, even to his house, you are my brothers, you are my bone in my flesh. Why then should you be the last to have the king return?
And say to Amasa, are you not my bone in my flesh? May God do so to me and more also, if you will not be the commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab, David's having a hard time with Joab and is wanting to put someone else in charge because
of what Joab did regarding Absalom, then he inclined the hearts of all the men of Judah as one man. So they sent word to the king saying, return you all your servants, then the king, the king then returned and came as far as the Jordan and Judah came to Gilgal to, in order to pass to meet the king, to cause the king to pass over across from the Jordan. So, you know, now they're all coming back. Judah's coming back. David's coming back. They're going to come back into Jerusalem.
Then Shima, now remember, this is the one that cursed David. So now what we're going to see in the next part of this chapter is what about the people that didn't come out to fight with David? What about the people that were stayed in Jerusalem and were going to pledge loyal to the Absalom?
Well, now David's coming back to Jerusalem with Judah. So those people that stayed behind, they're traders. And this guy, Shimai, he was the one who cursed David when David left and David wouldn't take his life. He accepted this cursing from this man. There are times in, you know, David's life where he had extreme humility, not always though, but this is one of those cases and
uh you know this guy was really an enemy of david then shimai the son of gara the benjamite who was from beherom hurried and came down with the men who juted it to me king david so this guy knowing that he cursed him is wanting to show loyalty to david now because he's like otherwise
You know, my life's going to be taken because I was worst of all. I was cursing David. Now there are 1000 men of Benjamin with him with Ziba, the young man of the house of Saul in his 15 sons and his 20 servants with him and they rushed to the Jordan before the king. Now Ziba did pledge loyalty.
But he was member of the servant of Mephibosheth and he lied and said Mephibosheth wanted to stay behind, but really Mephibosheth stayed behind because he was lame. And Ziba wanted to make it sound like he was loyal to David and Mephibosheth wasn't. That's really the understanding that David's still operating under now because he hasn't talked to Mephibosheth. For those of you, you know, this was covered a few chapters back, but
Anyways, they're all rushing. Yes, we need to show respect to David now because he's coming back to Jerusalem and we want to show that, you know, we're happy he's back. Then they kept passing over the four to cause the king's household to pass over and do what was good in his sight. And Shima the son of Garah fell down. I think this guy, the guy who used to curse David is now going to fall down before him.
And he fell down before the king as he was about to pass over the Jordan. So the king said to the king, let not my Lord consider me guilty, nor remember what your servant did wrong on the day when my Lord the king went out from Jerusalem.
so that the king would take it to heart. He's really asking for a lot of grace considering he cursed David. For your servant knows that I've sinned. Therefore behold, I have come today, the first of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my Lord the king. Isn't that something? He's wanting to be first to pledge loyalty to David, the one who cursed him.
But Abishai, the son of Zoriah, said should not Shimai be put to death for this, because he cursed the anointed of Yahweh. David then said, What do I have to do with you, O sons of Zoriah, that you should this day be an adversary to me? Should any man be put to death in Israel today? For I
And for do I not know that I am king over Israel today? He's like, hey, listen, I've got my kingdom back. Let's not take retribution on even Shima, the guy who cursed him. But he's also indicating by this that he doesn't want to take retribution on the Israelites who fought against Judah. He's trying to unite the kingdom. David's being very gracious and humble.
and by not taking revenge, I think he's hoping to build unity back in the whole entire kingdom now. And the king said to Shammai, you shall not die, thus the king swore to him. Now, what's interesting, and I think I taught this in a few chapters earlier, this guy's eventually going to take his life. David pledges his personal loyalty, but when David dies and right before he dies and Solomon's going to take over,
He tells Solomon, Shimai really should get what's coming because he was indeed evil and cursing me. And Shimai eventually is going to get put to death, but David's not going to do it. It's interesting. David a lot of times did not want to be the one, but yet
the people that deserved to die, Saul, Absalom, and now Shima. They're all going to end up dying, but David's not going to have to do it. God's going to, vengeance his mind declares the Lord. God's going to take these lives for him and David's not going to have to do it.
Well, now we get to Mephibosheth. Now Mephibosheth, the son of Saul, you might want that was the son of Saul, but really the son of Jonathan, that David was really loyal to. And David gave Mephibosheth Saul's land and pledged loyalty to Mephibosheth. But remember, Ziba lied to him and said that Mephibosheth pledged loyalty to Absalom, which wasn't true. And now Absalom, or excuse me, now Mephibosheth is going to get to speak for himself here.
Now Mephibosheth, the son of Saul had calmed down to meet the king and he had not done anything for his feet nor done anything for his mustache nor washed his clothes from the day the king departed until the day that he came home in peace. So he even like mourned that David was out of Jerusalem. Now it happened when he came from Jerusalem to meet the king. The king said to him, why did you not go with me Mephibosheth? He's asking for himself now. Now he's been
told negative report from Ziba. So he answered, Oh my Lord, Mephibosheth did the king. My servant deceived me. Ziba did. For your servant said, I will settle a donkey for myself that I may ride on it and go with the king because your servant is lame.
Moreover, he has slandered your servant to my Lord the king, but my Lord the king is like the angel of God. Therefore, do what is good in your sight." This Mephibosheph was a good character. Probably had the character of his father, Jonathan, in him. And he's saying, I'm going to trust myself to you, David, but that man, Ziba, he slandered my name. He lied.
For all my father's household was nothing but men worthy of death because my Lord, the king, you set your servant among those who ate at your own table. He's saying, you could have killed me as part of Saul's family, but you didn't. And you let me eat at your own table, which David did. And he's just going to trust himself and fill the chef into the hands of David here. And he says, what right do I have yet that I should complain any more to the king?
really humble before the king here, Mephibosheth. So the king said to him, why do you still speak of your affairs? I have decided you and Zebeshel divide the land. Well, actually, David told Zeba he was going to get Mephibosheth's property, but now he's saying they're going to divide it.
And Mofiboshas said to the king, let him even take it all since my Lord the king has come in peace to his own house. That's quite interesting. Mofiboshas, like, I don't even care. I'm just glad you're back. So that situation seems to have worked it out. You know, you kind of wonder what David would think of this Ziba because, you know, now he's got to be wondering if Ziba lied.
Now, Brazil, the Gileadite had come down from Regolim and as he passed over to the Jordan with the king in order to send him off over the Jordan. Now, Brazil, you might remember this was the guy when David left town, gave David all kinds of food and provided for David when he initially ran from Absalom. So David knows that this man was loyal to him. Now, Brazil, I was very old, being 80 years old and he had sustained the king while he stayed in Manahim.
for he was a very great man. So it must have been a wealthy man and that was the one who provided for David. And the king said to Brazil, you pass over with me and I will sustain you in Jerusalem with me. David's going to give loyalty to him now. But Brazil, I told to the king, how long have I yet to live that I should go up with the king of Jerusalem? He doesn't want to go. I'm now 80 years old. Can I know between good and bad or can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Or can I hear anymore the voice of singing men and women?
Why then should your servant be an added burden to my Lord the king? Your servant would merely pass over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king compensate me with this reward? Please let your servant return. Then I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. However, so he just wants to go where his home is. He doesn't want to go to Jerusalem. He wants to die where he was, you know, kind of raised up where his family died.
But he's going to try to win favor for one of his servants. However, or maybe a son, possibly a son of Brazil, I says, however, here is your servant, Jim Ham. Let him pass over with my Lord, the king and do what is good in your sight. So the king said, chin ham shall pass over with me. And I will do for him what is good in your sight and whatever you require of me, I will do for you.
So that's kind of cool. David's like, that's fine. If you don't want to come, I'll give the loyalty that I gave to you. I'll give to this person that you're requesting, Jim Hamm, then all the people passed over the Jordan and the king passed over to them. The king kissed Brazil and blessed him.
And he returned to his place. And David really could be quite a loyal fella. And that's a good quality. You know, when someone's been good to him, he gives his loyalty back to them. And what a good quality. Now the king went to Gilgal and shim him, went on with him and the people of Judah and also the half tribe of Israel.
Accompany the king, and behold, the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, Why had our brothers, the men of Jesus, stolen you away and caused the king and his household and all the David's men with him to pass over the Jordan? They're making it sound like David, you didn't need to run when they were actually pledging loyalty to Absalom. They're trying to look good here.
Then 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 expense or has anything been taken from us? But the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said we have 10 parts in the king. Therefore,
We also have more claim on David than any of you. Why then did you treat us with contempt? Was it not our word first to have our king return? Yet the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel. So what's being indicated there is some kind of confusion regarding who's more loyal to David than not. And obviously these 10 northern kingdoms who sided with Absalom.
Have a chip on their shoulder. They did the wrong thing and and they also lost the battle and now Judah is coming back in with David and is going to have authority There's still going to be some division behind the scenes, but the kingdom's going to be brought to one under the unity of Solomon's leadership here in the future But as we'll see hidden behind lurking behind is still a division
between the northern tribes and Judah, which is going to end up dividing the kingdom later. So, sadly, kind of shows you the dysfunction of people, doesn't it? The dysfunction of a country? Sometimes people just have a hard time getting along.
Well, there we have it, chapter 19. I think that we see that David did need to exercise some leadership in realizing that God's blessing was upon him, even in a sense in the death of Absalom, because
the kingdom has now been restored and we also see that some people who were loyal to David, David ends up treating back with loyalty. What a good thing to have good brothers and sisters and friends and people who
our loyal to one another. It's a rarity in this life because people tend to be divided. Countries tend to be divided. But loyalty is rewarded. And may you and I be blessed to have some people in our lives that we can trust. Ultimately, we always got to make sure that our foundation is in God and that our trust is in Him because man is very fickle. But when man shows you that goodness, just praise God for it.
And don't move your foundation of your life onto people. Keep your foundation on God the whole time. But celebrate when God has put people in your life who have been good to you. And please reciprocate that to others. God bless you all.
