C² D 1. David's heart towards Absalom. E 2,3. Joab's strategem planned. F 4-11. Parable. Put forth. F 12-17. Parable. Applied. E 18-20. Joab's stratagem discovered. D 21-33. David's recall of Absalom.
936 B.C.
14)
1: Now Joab the son of Zeruiah (= balsam. David's sister) perceived that the king's heart was toward Absalom.
2: And Joab sent to Tekoah (= a stockade. On the edge of the hill country of Judah, south-east of Beth-lehem, about 7 miles from Jerusalem [cp. Jer. 6:1]. Abounding in caverns. The abode of Amos), and fetched from that place a wise woman, and said to her, “I pray you, feign yourself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not yourself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead: (She was a good actress)
3: And come to the king, and speak on this manner to him.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.
F h¹ 4. Woman's importunity. i¹ 5-. Kings response. h² -5-7. Woman's grievance. i² 8. King's assurance. h³ 9. Woman's importunity. i³ 10. King's assurance. h4 11-. Woman's grievance. i4 -11. King's assurance.
4: And when the woman of Tekoah spoke to the king (many codices read "and came in to the king"), she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, “Help, O king.”
5: And the king said to her, “What ails you?”
And she answered, “I am indeed a widow woman (one of 9 specially mentoned. See Gen.38:19), and my husband is dead.
6: And your handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the other, and slew him.
7: And, behold, the whole family is risen against your handmaid, and they said, ‘Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him, for the soul of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.’ ” (This is what happened to Absalom and Amnon. His seed will die)
8: And the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give charge concerning you.” (He will pass judgment)
9: And the woman of Tekoah said to the king, “My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house: and the king and his throne be guiltless.”
10: And the king said, “Whosoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you any more.” (He will protect her. He won't be able to touch her.)
11: Then said she, “I pray you, let the king call to mind the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) (i.e. take an oath), that you would not suffer the avengers of blood (or next of kin. See Ex.6:6, and cp. Num.35:19,21,24,25,27) to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son.”
And he said, “As the Lord (Yehovah) lives, there shall not one hair of your son fall to the earth.”
12: Then the woman said, “Let your handmaid, I pray you, speak one word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Say on.”
13: And the woman said, “Why then have you thought such a thing against the People of God (Elohim)? for the king does speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king does not fetch home again his banished.
14: For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither does God (Elohim) respect any soul: yet does He devise means, that His banished be not expelled from Him.
15: Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing to my lord the king, it is because the People have made me afraid: and your handmaid said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his handmaid. (They loved Absalom)
16: For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of Elohim.’
17: Then your handmaid said, ‘The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God (Elohim), so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the Lord (Yehovah) your God (Elohim) will be with you.’ ” (She's really pouring it on [i.e the acting])
18: Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Hide not from me, I pray you, the thing that I shall ask you.” (he kind of smells a rat, so to speak) And the woman said, “Let my lord the king now speak.”
19: And the king said, “Is not the work (or handywork. Fig., "hand" put for what is worked by it) of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman answered and said, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no man can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken: for your servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your handmaid: (she uses a little phycology here)
20: To bring about this turn of affairs has your servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God (Elohim), to know all things that are in the earth.”
D G¹ 21. David's decision to recieve Absalom. H j 22. Joab's thanks. k 23. Abalom in Jerusalem. G² 24-27. David's direction and Absalom's person. H k 28. Absalom in Jerusalem. j 29-33-. Joab's appeal. G³ -33. David's reception of Absalom.
21: And the king said to Joab, “Behold now, I (some codices read "You") have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.”
22: And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and blessed the king: and Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found grace in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant.” (David could have killed him for having the woman lie to him, for trying to box him in.)
23: So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
24: And the king said, “Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face. (height of insult. David only goes half-way in forgiveness)
25: But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. (Cp. Ezek.28)
26: And when he polled his head, {for it was at every year's end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:} he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight. (aprox. 4 pounds That's a lot of hair!)
27: And to Absalom there were born three sons (they did not survive him. Cp. 18:18), and one daughter, whose name was Tamar (he named her after his sister): she was a woman of a fair countenance.
936 - 935 B.C.
28: So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.
29: Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come. (Absalom not a man that stands idly by)
30: Therefore he said to his servants, “See, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley there (poor man's bread); go and set it on fire.” And Absalom's servants set the field on fire. (He wanted toget his attention, but this was a sorry move)
31: Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”
32: And Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come to this place, that I may send you to the king, to say, ‘Why am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me.’ ’ ” (He's saying, Let's get this over with. Forgive me or kill me)
33: So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king:
and the king kissed Absalom.
Y² J 15:1-13. Rebellion made K L 15:14-37. David. Departure. M 16:1-14. Mephibosheth. Ziba. Shimei. N 16:15-17:23. Jerusalem. Absalom's entry. J 17:24-19:8. Rebellion quelled. K L 19:9-15. David. Return. M 19:16-30. Mephibosheth. Shimei. Ziba. N 19:31-43. Jerusalem. David re-entry.
J l n 1-6-. Machinations. Treason (secret). o -6. Their success. " m 7,8. Request. Departure of Absalom. m 9. Permission. " l n 10-12. Machinations. Treason (open). o 13. Their success. "
934 B.C.
15)
1: And it came to pass after this (cp. Ps.3 and Chapters 15-18. David was now 56, Absalom 24, Solom 6), that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses (a sign of his pride [Deut.17:16,20]), and fifty men to run before him. (To clear the way. Mark of royalty or dignity. [Still done in Cairo]. Cp. 1 Sam.8:11. 1 Kings 1:5. 18:46. We will see Satan working in David's own house)
2: And Absalom used to rise up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, “Of what city are you?” And he said, “Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.” (He is on an ego trip. Setting himself up as king. Traiterous! Falsely winning over the People)
3: And Absalom said to him, “See, your matters are good and right (i.e. plea, cause, or suit); but there is no one deputed of the king to hear you.” (He's playing good-ole-boy)
4: Absalom said moreover, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!” (There is no record that David judged falsely. This man has become a gold-bricker)
5: And it was so, that when any one came near to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
6: And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment:
so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. (Fig., put for affections and adhesion. People will listen to a lier and even believe him when they know it is a lie)
7: And it came to pass in the 40th year (i.e. from David's anointing [1 Sam.16:13]: i.e. 974-934 B.C.), that Absalom said to the king, “I pray you, let me go and pay my solemn vow to Yehovah, in Hebron (where he was born, and had friends). (This is a lie. He had nothing to do with Yehovah)
8: For your servant made a solemn vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria (He's still lying. See 12:11), saying, ‘If Yehovah shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve Yehovah.’ ”
9: And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose, and went to Hebron.
10: But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you all hear the sound of the trumpet (cp. the 6th trump of Rev.), then you all shall say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron.’ ” (Is Jonadab still advising?)
11: And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing. (The secret of the mission was kept from them)
12: And Absalom sent and called for Ahithophel (= brother of foolishness. David's counsellor. Cp. Ps.41:9; 55:13. See "Uriah", 11:3) the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city (cp. Josh.15:51), even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the People increased continually with Absalom (cp. Ps.3:1. He's winning the People over).
13: And there came a messenger to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.”
L p¹ 14-22. Adherents. (Ittai). q¹ 23. Weeping of country. p² 24-29. Adherents. (Zadock and sons). q² 30. Weeping of David. p³ 31-. Defection. (Ahithophel). q³ -31. Prayer of David. p4 33-37. Adherents. (Hushai).
14: And David said to all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword” (Fig., put for its inhabitants. David is on the run again).
15: And the king's servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall choose.” (i.e. fight or go with you)
16: And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house. (These are his wives)
17: And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off (Heb. Beth-hammehah. Probably a proper name).
18: And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites (From Gath, the city of Goliath, now David's choisest followers. Foreigners in David's service. Not Israelites), six hundred (#600 = warfare) men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.
19: Then said the king to Ittai (= with the lord) the Gittite, Why do you go also with us? return to your place, and abide with the king: for you are a foreigner, and also an exile.
20: Whereas you came but yesterday, should I this day make you go up and down with us? seeing I go to which place I may, return you, and take back your brethren: lovingkindness (or grace) and truthfulness be with you.” (the Sept. reads "Yehovah will deal with you in lovingkindness and faithfulness")
21: And Ittai answered the king, and said, “As the Lord (Yehovah) lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will your servant be.” (Loyalty will sometimes come from strangers)
22: And David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with him. (i.e. they stayed with David)
23: And all the country (i.e. all the country around him, country, put by Fig. for the people) wept with a loud voice, and all the People passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron (Due east of the East Gate in front of the Mount of Olives), and all the People passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
24: And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing the Ark of the covenant of God (Elohim) (= ha-Elohim [with art.] = the triune God): and they set down the Ark of Elohim; and Abiathar went up, until all the People had done passing out of the city.
25: And the king said to Zadok (the just), “Carry back the Ark of Elohim into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of Yehovah (God's grace is the basis of all blessings. Cp. Num.14:8. Deut.10:15. 2 Sam.22:20. 1 Kings 10:9. 2 Chron.9:8. Ps.18:19; 41:11; 86:2. Acts 7:46), He will bring me again, and show me both it, and His habitation: (this proves he believes in our Father all the way. He knew his own son couldn't overpower God)
26: But if he thus say, ‘I have no delight in you;’ behold, here am I, let Him do to me according as seems good unto Him.”
27: The king said also to Zadok the priest, “Are not you a seer? (= a prophet) return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. (He's putting some spies along with the Ark. Covert activity. Sometimes you have to be more subtle than the serpent)
28: See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.” (i.e. see what God has to say)
29: Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the Ark of Elohim again to Jerusalem: and they tarried there.
30: And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet (= place of olives. Name due to the Vulg. Oliveti in Acts 1:12), and wept as he went up (cp. Luke 19:41), and had his head covered (sign of self-condemnation), and he went barefoot (symbol of mourning. Isa.20:2,4. Ezek.24:7): and all the People that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
31: And one told David (the news comes when the trial was greatest. Cp. Ps.41:9 and 55:12-14), saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.”
And David said, “O Lord (Yehovah), I pray you, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.” (Cp. Ps.41; 55; 69; 109)
32: And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the mount (doubtless a high place where God was worshipped. Nob was near whre the Tabernacle once stood), where he worshipped Elohim, behold, Hushai (= hasting. David's friend. Cp. v.37; 16:16. 1 Chron.27:33) the Archite (probably = a native of Archi, on frontier of Benjamin and Ephraim) came to meet him with his long tunic with sleeve tore, and earth upon his head:
33: to whom David said, “If you pass on with me, then you shall be a burden to me:
34: But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father's servant up to this time, so will I now also be your servant:’ then may you for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. (Covert activity by God and His servant)
35: And have you not there with you Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever you shall hear out of the king's house, you shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. (They will get word to David. His contact there. Covert activity is ok, IF to protect the Word of God)
36: Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them you all shall send to me every thing that you all can hear.
37: So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
M r 1,2. Refreshment brought. s 3,4. Slander of Ziba. s 5-13. Imprecations of Shimei. r 14. Refreshment partaken of.
16)
1: And when David was a little past the top of the hill (cp.15:32), behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him (now 31. Born in 965. Cp. 4:4), with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a skin-bottle of wine.
2: And the king said to Ziba, “What do you mean by these?” And Ziba said, “The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.” (Is this good news? Think for yourself no matter what men say. Don't be to quick to accept gifts.)
3: And the king said, “And where is your master's son?” And Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he abides at Jerusalem: for he said, ‘Today shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.’ ” (This is slander. See 19:24-30, and cp. the two Structures.)
4: Then said the king to Ziba, “Behold, yours are all that pertained to Mephibosheth.” And Ziba said, “I humbly beseech you that I may find grace in your sight, my lord, O king.”
s t 5-8. Imprecations. u 9. Resentment of Abishai. u 10-12. Forbearance of David. t 13. Imprecations.
5: And when king David came to Bahurim (= low grounds. On the east side of Olivet; "in tribe of Bejamin"), behold, from that place came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei ( =renowned), the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. (He was cussing for all he was worth. God caused this to happen)
6: And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the People and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
7: And thus said Shimei when he cursed, “Come out, come out (out = Begone! or Get out!), you man of bloods (David had all but murdered Uriah), and you man of Belial (Cp.1 Sam.1:16; 10:27):
8: Yehovah has returned upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead you have reigned; and Yehovah has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son: and, behold, you are taken in your mischief, because thou art a man of bloods.”
9: Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah to the king, “Why should this dead dog (cp. 1 Sam.17:43) curse my lord the king? let me go over (cp.1 Sam.26:8), I pray you, and take off his head.”
10: And the king said, “What have I to do with you, all you sons of Zeruiah? (cp. 3:39 and Luke 9:35) so let him curse (Uriah's murder closed David's mouth [12:9]), because Yehovah has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who shall then say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ” (When God is correcting you thank Him. Otherwise, don't take it [i.e. if wrongly accused by man])
11: And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, “Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeks my soul: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord (Yehovah) has bidden him.
12: It may be that the Lord (Yehovah) will look on my affliction (this is one of the 18 emendations of the Sopherim. The primitive text reads "Yehovah will behold with His eye". This was thought to be too anthromorphic, and so was altered, and the alteration recorded), and that the Lord (Yehovah) will requite me good for his cursing this day.” (Cp. Ps.109:26-28)
13: And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast much dust.
14: And the king, and all the People that were with him, came weary (perhaps the name of a place, or of a caravansary with the name, "for the weary"), and refreshed themselves there.
N v 16:15-19. Hushai's mission. Ahithophel's defeat. w 16:20-17:4. Ahithophel. Counsel given. x 17:5-13. Hushai. Counsel given. x 17:14. Hushai. Counsel taken. w 17:15-22. Ahithophel. Counsel reported. v 17:23. Hushai's success. Ahithophel's death.
15: And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him. (Enter a type of false Christ)
16: And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, “God save the king, God save the king.” (If you pass an adversary in the street, greet him. Hang tough)
17: And Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your kindness to your friend? why went you not with your friend?” ("Why didn't you go with my dad?")
18: And Hushai said to Absalom, “No; but whom the Lord (Yehovah), and this People, and all the men of Israel, has choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. (Irony: he is not lying. He is saving David's life. He's playing on Absalom's ego trip)
19: And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in your father's presence, so will I be in your presence.”
20: Then said Absalom to Ahithophel (instigated by feelings of private revenge agaist David for his sin with Bath-sheba; she being the daughter of his son, Eliam. See 23:24. Cp. 11:3. Foretold by Nathan [12:11,12]. God is in control), “Give counsel among you what we shall do.”
21: And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in unto your father's concubines, which he has left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that you are abhorred of your father: then shall the hands of all that are with you be strong.”
22: So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house (cp. 11:2); and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. (This will be for a final declaration of his so-called "kingship")
23: And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was according as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God (Elohim) (= Word. The first occ. of "oracle" as a rendering [15 times] of dãbãr, word. The holy of holies, because there the Word of Yehovah was heard. Other occ. 1 kings 6:5,16,19,20,22,23,31; 8:6,8. 2 Chron.3:16; 4:20; 5:7,9. Ps.28:2. Cp. N.T. usage in plural: Acts 7:38. Rom.3:2. Heb.5:12. 1 Pet.4:11): so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.