2 Samuel 17:15-18:15

Would one of you gentlemen like to open us up with a word of prayer? Takers.

Thank you for allowing us to see another day. Holy Spirit intervention. Lord, we would understand the message or that we would all Empower needs to you in the interpretation that you know correctly, you know exactly what took place.

You know exactly the motive and the intentions Lord in your purpose and mission. So may we learn it from you more than we. Thank you. Thank you. May you bless us.

All right.

David Escapes Absalom’s Pursuit Through Hushai’s Warning

I'm reading a very long passage. I'm gonna read where we left off last week at verse 15 of 17, and then I'm reading all of chapter 18 and I'm trying to get through that today. Then who shy said to Zadok and Abiathar the priest This is what Ahithophel counseled Absalom the elders of Israel and this is what I have counseled now.

Therefore sin quickly and tell David saying do not spend the night in the forge of the wilderness, but By all means cross over or else the king and all the people who are with him will be destroyed. Now Jonathan and Ahiames Were staying in in.

Rogel and the maidservant would go and tell them and they would go and tell King David for they.

Could.

Not be seen entering the city, but a lad did see them and told Absalom. So the two of them departed quickly came to the house of a man in Baharun or Baharim Who had well in who had a well in his courtyard and they went down into it and the woman took a covering and spread Over the wells mouth and scattered grain on it so that nothing was known.

Then Absalom's servants came to the woman at the house.

And said where are.

Ahima's and Jonathan. Okey-doke I thought it was gonna start reading it for me. This is awesome. I don't know why it just popped up. And he said and he said where is Ahima's and Jonathan. And a woman said to them They have crossed over the brook of water.

And they stretched and they searched and could not find them and returned to Jerusalem and it came about. They had departed that when they had a part of that they came up out of the well and went and told King David and They said to David arise Cross over the water quickly for thus Ahithophel has counseled against you and David and all the people who were With him arose and crossed over the Jordan.

By the dawn not even one remained who had not crossed the Jordan. Now when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed. He saddled his donkey. He arose. He went to his home to his city. He set his house in order and It's mine says it strangled himself.

He's hung himself. Thus he died and was buried in the grave of his father. And David came to my Mahanim and Absalom crossed the Jordan he and all of his men and all the men of Israel with him and Absalom set a Mesa over the army in the place of Joab now Mesa was a son of a man whose Name was Ithra the Israelite who went into Abigail the daughter of Nahash the sister of Zeriah Joab's mother and Israel and Absalom Camped in the land of Gilead.

Now when David had come to Mahanim Show me the son of Nahash from Rabba the son of Ammon and Mekar the son of Amiel From Lodabar and Barzilla the Gileadite from Rogolin brought beds Basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans, lentils, parched seeds, honey, curds sheep and Cheese of the herd for David and for the people who were with him to eat for they said the people will grow weary and hungry And thirsty while they're in the wilderness.

David’s Army, His Commanders, and His Plea for Absalom

And then David numbered the people who were with him and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. David sent the people out One-third under the command of Joab one-third under the command of Abishai the sons of Zeriah and Joab's brother and One-third under the command of Ittai the Gittite and the king said to the people I myself will surely go out with you.

But the people said you shall not go out with us for if we indeed flee they would not care about us even if Half of us were to die they would not care about us, but you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore now it is better for you to stay in the city and the king said to them whatever seems best to you.

I will do.

So the king stood beside the gate and all the people Went out hundreds and thousands and the king charged Joab and Abishai saying to Ittai You deal gently for my sake for my young man son Absalom. And all the people heard when the king charged all the Commanders concerning Absalom and the people went out into the field Against Israel and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim and the people of Israel were defeated There before the servants of David and the slaughter that was there was great.

It was 20 ,000 men for the batter there was spread out over the whole country and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword. Did now Absalom came up it came about that Absalom Happened to meet the servants of David.

To Absalom was riding on his mule and the mule went up under a thick branch of A thick place of branches and a great oak and his head Was caught fast in the oak. So he went and left hanging there between the heaven and earth and while the mule Went on riding about from under him and when a certain man saw it he told Joab He said behold I saw Absalom.

He was hanging in the oak and Joab said to him Now behold you saw him why then did you not strike him to the ground and I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a belt and the man said to Joab even if If I should receive a thousand pieces of silver in my hand I would not put out my hand against the king's son.

For in our hearing the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai saying protect for my Protect for me the young man Absalom. And otherwise If I would have helped treacherously with my own life and there is nothing hidden from the king then you yourself would have stood aloof.

Then Joab said I will not waste my time here with you. So he took three spears in his hand. He thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was yet alive in the midst of the hanging from the oak and ten young men Who were carried with Joab's?

Ten young men who carried Joab's armor gathered around and they struck Absalom and killed him. Then Joab blew the trumpet and the people returned from pursuing Israel for Joab restrained the people. They took Absalom cast him into a deep pit in the forest and erected over him a great heap of stones and all Israel fled Each to his tent.

Now Absalom in his lifetime Had taken and set up for himself a pillar which was in the king's valley for he said I have no son to preserve my Name so he named the pillar after his own name and it is called Absalom's monument to this day.

Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said please let me run and bring The king the news that the Lord has freed him from the hand of his enemy, but Joab said you are not The man to carry this news this day, but you shall carry this news another day.

However, you shall carry no news today because the king's son is dead. Then Joab said to the Cushite Go tell the king what you have seen so the Cushite bowed to Joab and he ran. Now Ahimaaz the son of Zadok Said once more to Joab, but whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite and Joab said Why would you run my son since you will have no reward for going but whatever happens.

He said I will run so he said to him run. Then Ahimaaz ran By way of the plain and passed up the Cushite. Now David was sitting between the two gates and the watchman Went up to the roof by the gate of the wall and he raised his eyes and he looked and behold a man was running By himself.

The watchman called the and told the king the king said if he is by himself There is good news in his mouth and he came nearer and nearer. Then a watchman saw another man running and a watchman called to the gate Keeper and said behold another man is running by himself as well.

And the king said this one also is bringing good news. The watchman said I Think the the running of the first one is the running like Ahimaaz the son of Zadok and the king said this is this Is a good man and he comes with good news and Ahimaaz called and he said to the king all is well.

And he prostrated himself before the king And his face to the ground and he said blessed is the Lord your God who has delivered of the men Who lifted up their hands against my lord? And then the king said it is well with the young man Absalom and Is it well with the young man Absalom and Ahimaaz answered and when Joab sent to the king's servant your servant Your servant came and I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was.

Then the king said turn aside and stand here. So he turned aside and he stood still and behold the Cushite Arrived and the Cushite said let my lord the king receive good news for the Lord has freed you this day.

We're in the hand of all those who rose up against you. And then the king said to the Cushite is it well with the young man Absalom and the Cushite answered Let the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil Be as this young man, and then the king deeply moved and went.

David, Ahithophel, and the Meaning of His Suicide

So.

Back at 15 and 17 where the Cushite had said to Zadok And Abie Athar the priest. Remember Zadok and Abie Athar the priest were actually David had sent them back into the city to To basically hear what was to be said and to bring him word.

So he sends them back if you remember what Ahithophel's counsel was against David that David would be killed in the plains.

And.

Ahithophel His counsel against David if you remember what Hushai they remember what the Arkite, Hushai the Arkite came and he basically Was doing what God said. What David's prayer was was that he would thwart the plans.

So That is exactly what's happening David and his men. In verse 16 it says do not spend the night in the fords of the wilderness. But by all means cross over or else the king and the people will be destroyed.

And Jonathan and Ahimez were staying in in Rogel. And a maidservant. So here it is he. They tell them what's taking place. David's gonna cross. Remember. We've mentioned laughing it was last week. Once David crosses the Jordan.

Remember when they crossed the Jordan that was considered the promised land. So David is actually now Exiled is how I understand that. And Now that he is basically exiled and he's gonna go To Mahanim and if you remember what Mahanim was that's the place where Ish-bosheth had set up his home base.

Well, let me back that up where Adner had propped up Ish-bosheth to go against David. So that's where David goes. Now as he goes there.

They.

It says that they could not enter a city. So there was a lad that would come and go that would or a woman that would give them Intel basically a lad saw them and he told Absalom. So this is how this whole scenario of them crossing the Jordan and fighting and all that is because of this person seeing What goes on?

It's pretty self-explanatory what takes place there is that Guy basically goes and snitches and he's this smart lady says hey hopping this well I will hide you. She throws a cover on it and she throws grain over it and to make it look like it was the threshing of it.

Come on in. It was the threshing floor or where they had already threshed the the grain. Yeah, I thought about that when you think like it's not how you would set a trap. Yeah, and you would set something over there for somebody to fall in so.

That is what has taken place and that man said and this will be the end of verse 20. Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan. And the woman said to them they have crossed over the brook water. And they searched them and could not find them.

She didn't they actually hadn't crossed yet. So Came about that after that they departed. When they came up out of the well, and they told King David. So here it is. They told David what was going to take place.

David arose. He realized that what a hit the fells had betrayed him and I don't know if you remember when we were In the other room and I was teaching through first Samuel. I was making comparisons at times with Christ and David and just making connections and if you look at a hit the fell he he is King David's betrayer.

He was going to give David over to be killed much like Judas gave Christ over.

What's that?

Yeah, he actually yeah, he actually called to I will I will strike him down myself. Yeah, and I'm not I'm not Defending a hit the fell but there was some vengeance in that in the sense of what he had.

He was a whole day was a homewrecker to him, right? Yeah, he was a homewrecker. So.

As.

He hears that. Oh, wow, the counsel that I have given has been Turned to bad basically.

A.

Hit the fell and Many ways I under how I understand it is because his Counsel was understood by those two men as being the counsel of God. So did I hit the fell? in an act of hey, I I've been found out of my betrayal or Hey, God is against me and I don't have that answer.

But we do know this whatever a hit the fell did he was it grieved him deeply enough in a time of despair That he went home remember. He's gonna get on his donkey. He's gonna ride home. He's gonna put his stuff in order so there's it's not like hey a Split thought right guy takes a gun.

Okay, we're not talking about that. We're talking about someone who goes home gets his house in order. He's riding his donkey from wherever it was. There is some thought to this. So he gets to where he is and mine says strangled himself.

Does everybody else say hang hung hung? Okay, I mean it's kind of hard to strangle yourself. So we understand it to be as he hung himself and it says he was buried in the grave of his father.

So this was the man who wanted vengeance because like you said he saw David as a home wrecker?

Yes, a hit the fell was Bathsheba's granddad.

Yeah.

He hung himself because his counsel had been turned had looked about to be wrong. His counsel was hey, I will go you give me 12 ,000. I think that's what he said. You give me 12 ,000 men. I'll chase him down in the wilderness.

I'll strike him down won't strike anybody else down. I'll strike David down and then I'll bring his people back with you. Basically. He was telling Absalom you let me go. I'll consolidate the kingdom for you.

So we understand that there was some malicious intent based on a hit the fell because that was his granddaughter. He had killed Uriah her husband Eliam was Was one of the valiant men which was a hit the fell son which we'll get into all that when we get.

I think it's in 22 or.

I.

Can't pinpoint that I would say in Judas's case. It was worldly sorrow which leads to death in this case I don't know. Did he did he feel like? His words were no longer good. And since when he spoke it was like speaking the oracles of God.

So if he says hey if what I spoke was wrong. He could be saying and correct me if I'm wrong. You men been studying the Bible much longer than me if he saw himself as a false prophet and what happened to false prophets.

They're killed. So what he had was he saying? Hey, I'm gonna go out in a way that is more just let you know suicide back then was considered A more of a an honorable way to go. Yeah, then yeah, I mean, why do you have men falling on their swords?

Yeah following their swords and even when we get to Daniel we'll talk about how. The prophecy of them well, I can't get too much into anyway that they would take the zealots would take they would they would roll dice basically and Instead of being captured by the Romans or captured by Seleucid Empire or whatever some of them would would say hey.

We're going to cast lots and as they go you kill my family when he gets down to the last two. They cast which one's going to kill who and then that last person. Kills himself. That's actually how Josephus Masada think that those were the zealots.

That's in Josephus's writings, yeah, that's what happened and actually I've been to the place where they cast a lot. It's pretty weird. Happened there and it happened in Yotapeta. That's how Josephus was spared.

But anyway, well, that's all in Daniel when we get it. Interesting historical stuff that takes place. Okay, so a hit the fell hangs himself. David crosses the Jordan he gets to my name Absalom now, this is in verse 25.

And.

The the kind of the the narrative, I mean the Genealogy of this guy is somewhat Weird to me and once I explain it, you'll see what I'm talking about. Now a Mesa was pointed as in place of Joab over the Israeli army.

Basically, all right. Did anybody as I read the narrations. Y 'all read it as I was reading. He was he was an Israelite Who had his father had gone into Abigail the daughter of Nahash. Does anybody else say anything other than Nahash?

Okay.

Who's been Nahash the whole time through the book last book in this book? It's been the Ammonite member the one that went to Jabesh Gilead. So we have either Nahash. This is what some commentators Exegetical people say, okay.

I don't read just Commentary. I want to know what is that say? So the exegetical commentary says hey, this may have been another name for Jesse I that doesn't sit well with me. It would make sense in the narrow because.

Yes.

And the reason being is because it's sister of Zariah Joab's mother. Okay, so I understand but in every time the word Nahash is used in first and second Samuel it is referring to the king of the Ammonite.

So to give you a Clear understanding of what this is. I have no idea. It does not change the meaning of the text, but it is very confusing. Obviously the original writers. I mean the original readers from this author.

Understood who it may have been. Burt when you what was your understanding of you obviously had studied this in the past. What is your understanding of who this person is. Nahash. Not it doesn't change that just like it does not change the meaning of the text.

Okay, yeah, and some say that sure, and some say it could have been a an adulterous affair. Which we don't that's all conjecture. We just don't know stuff like that drives me insane just to let you know.

Because you're you have to leave it going. Hey, we don't really know. He obviously Amasa was related to Joab. We would agree with that, right? Based on this keep that in mind because of what takes place in the next coming chapters.

What takes place with him and Amasa now when David had come to Mahanim here it is Joab the son of who? Nahash so you understand why it's hard to understand who and this Nahash here is speaking of who?

The king of the Ammonites you remember what brought about the the The David staying at home being on the roof. You remember what city they were besieging? Rabba. Why were they why were they doing that.

Because when David heard that Nahash had died Hunan his son Took the messengers that David sent to console him. Remember cut off gave him buttless chaps and cut their beard cut their beard off.

So.

That is that's why man. It's just it's just weird. Just let you know. It's just hard for me. Maybe it's just me a little hard to grasp kind of what's going on other than the fact that this person Once David had taken remember that 75 pound crown off of a Hunan's head and put it on his own.

That his brother who this person is started paying tribute to David then Rabba the son of that would have been the sons of Ammon and Emekar the sons of Hamil and From Lodabar and Barzilla the Gileadite from Rogallene.

So remember all these people up in this area David had obviously had built some alliance with them and they were taking care of David. They saw David as the anointed king. I do believe that David had built Alliances with those people when he was on the run just to let you know because if you go back It says that David had a relationship Kind he showed loving kindness and the word was covered as the covenantal word for Chesed with Nahash.

So did he make on his run from Saul? Did he make some type of covenantal? Relationship with Nahash to be kind to him not try to strike him down. Well, those people take care of him. They send all these things interesting that it says that they They they send beds.

I'm thinking man. They need just need food, but he sends them pottery and basins. In other words, it looks like they're gonna be here a while. So let me set them up for some provisions to hold them over for a little bit.

Yeah in the wilderness, yeah. So now it says and they did that for the purpose of how we would understand it to me plain and clear. They're gonna be hungry. They're gonna be weary and they're gonna be thirsty.

But we didn't see any wine there did we. Does anybody say anything. I just noticed that they didn't send any wine. So I guess they're gonna be drinking from the Jordan and that's a pretty dirty River.

Man that's dirty. Yeah. Yeah, it's dirty. Yeah when people said hey we want to get back Today about people wanting to get baptized in the Jordan River is like man. That's some dirty water over there. All right.

So now we get to 18 David numbered the people who were with him and they set him over commanders of thousands hundreds and some of hundreds remember when with this. Started early on there. It only said there was 600 with him, correct?

Now we're and with those 600 would have been. Probably the mighty men that were with him. In this case now, we're noticing that there is at least 3 ,000 because if he sets them up in thousands, there's at least 3 ,000 cuz you don't send one with good.

Yeah, there's at least there's at least 3 ,000 one for a TI one for Abishai and one for For Joab cuz you can split them up in threes and then however, they do that in hundreds. That's how I understood.

Maybe they then broken down into hundreds under Abishai could be wrong. Correct and sent them on their way that way if so if one got slaughtered. That's how they do that. They that way if one got slaughtered.

They would still have another part of the army to take place and if you remember David did that early on with with Saul. Very smart militarily don't put all your your men in one spot. Yeah, don't put all your men in one spot.

So they.

They do they're split up, but he gave specific instructions and what were those instructions? Hey, I noticed he didn't say don't worry about killing nobody else. Don't worry about getting in a fight with your countrymen.

You just be gentle and kind to my son. That's what he told me. I actually told all three and David was going to go out to battle with him. And what did they tell David? Stay back. I believe at this point their Understanding too is that David's getting weary.

I Believe that David at this point in his life. He's probably 60 His the the men the the leaders. The Joab the the officers Joab Abishai and Eti his three generals.

Then what's that?

I don't I don't think so because he says why they want him to go back. They don't tell that they want him to go back because he says hey. The king's heads worth more than 10 ,000 and that's true. If the king falls what happens to the kingdom?

The kingdom falls to hey if they can go out there they can slaughter 10 ,000 people. They slaughter 10 ,000 people, but the king still on the throne had they accomplished anything? No, when the king falls, hey all through Scripture every Kingdom is connected to it.

How the king is is ruling and reigning that's connected to us. Hey, we're rule. We're ruling and reigning as joint heirs with Christ. So we're our identity is connected with who the Lord Jesus Christ their identity is connected to to David the the defecting and rebellion of Israel is connected to who?

Absalom. Absalom and understand this as we went through this. We're The anybody that opposes God's anointed King and we could make a spiritual application to this. Anybody that opposes in this case? We'll use a fit just a physical what it's the text is looking at anybody that is opposed David as being God's anointed King meets their demise will be to agree with that.

Correct on the spiritual application of that we look at that anybody who opposes God's anointed King the Lord Jesus Christ. They will meet their demise. There's no doubt any you bow your knee to him in this life as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to your To your salvation and to be clothed in his righteousness in this life knowing that we're going to be eternal bliss with him or You will bow the knee to your condemnation and the life to come and that is that's the clits clear here.

Anybody that put their hand against David wind up being struck down.

David’s Grief for Absalom and Joab’s Defiance of the King

So.

They say hey stay in the city and David basically says you're right I'll do it. I'll stay. This happens again, too. When they tell him hey, you need to go back to the city. He gets weary and he says hey You're better for you to stay you're getting too old for this.

It says so the king stood by the gate and all the people went out by the hundreds and the thousands and the king charged Joab and Abishai deal gently with my son Absalom and all the people heard when the king charged all the commanders concerning Absalom.

That's at the end of verse 5. So hey, it says all the people heard so they hate there is a gathering of the people. Here's the commanders. You be gentle with one person my son David loved his son regardless of his rebellion.

Regardless of his desire to kill David I do think that David believed that he could reconcile those differences if they could come together if I can get him arrested Per se I can bring him to me we can work through these details.

I believe that David's gonna have to in David's mind. I know we're trying to understand but David goes. I've got a lot of answering for things I had messed up in the past. Okay as an adult dealing with Amnon and Tamar and all of that.

Yeah, oh yeah, yeah and I think I think Joab sees Absalom as a spoiled brat. That's how I understand what I read that. I mean.

No.

What's that. How come he didn't like. Try to reconcile that during those two years that.

Well my understanding of that and if I didn't say this a few weeks ago Is my understanding is that David brought him back to reconcile? David realized that Justice has to be dispensed. So David's bringing his son back to be the heir to the throne.

He's murdered someone. Okay now David could still as a as the sovereign monarch could Extend a pardon he could but that's not what David did. David instead says I just don't want to see him in my presence.

The King’s Grief, the People’s Victory, and the Final Prayer

So at some point my and my understanding could be wrong. I'm not willing to die on that hill. Okay. My understanding is as he got him back as he longed to see Absalom as they were bringing him back David said you know what?

I just don't want him in my face. I'm gonna have to deal with this justice issue because what did David continually do he dispensed justice? People murdered people. What did David do? He killed him. Okay, the only ones that he didn't kill he didn't kill Joab.

Smart move politically. Early on okay, cuz he needed Joab. But what did he say he made a condemnation to to Joab saying I'm gonna let God take care of that. He deserves to die him and his brother are wicked.

I'm gonna let God take care of it and God does take care of that through Solomon when he gives him the Godfather speech. Yeah, and I do think I think I absolutely coming back saw the opportunity. Because he was calculated for two years to kill his brother.

Okay, I do think he was calculated enough. Okay, if I come back I Can start making my way to the throne remember he's the next heir to the throne. He's the next guy either I kill my dad To get to the throne or I can do this coup because my dad's getting weak and old.

That's how I understand it and the coup seems like the easiest way Taking the military and overthrowing the other government. A coup coup d 'etat.

Okay.

So.

Where we at.

So Absalom I'm sorry in verse 7 It says there was a great slaughter there that day and I do I do like how it tells us that there was a great slaughter. But what killed more people than the sword? The trees.

The trees. The trees. So David knowing this area from his days of running the streets per se running from Saul. He knew man. I get up in here. This becomes to a place where they're not used to fighting and where they're not used to going and chasing people.

Same thing happened to when the Philistines back with Jonathan. What did Jonathan and his armor-bearer do? They took him up into the woods because they were used to fighting out in the plane. Excuse me, they're used to fighting on the plane.

Jonathan's armor-bearer takes him up in the woods and gets him where they can slice him and dice him. And they're not out in the middle of like the valley of Megiddo where they would and just like you that was a major place where armies would gather to fight because it was A huge plane.

Even Napoleon got stood up there on the mountain says hey on Mount Jezreel and he says all the armies of the world could gather into this bowl and fight.

Theological Meaning of David’s Victory and the Closing Prayer

I always wonder like how fast was that donkey?

What's interesting is that the choice the choice of what he's using wasn't a horse. It was a donkey and all and. Well, the donkey is it when a donkey comes in or the writing on a donkey that's peaceful.

We'll get to Zechariah when we read in main service horses for war donkey unless donkeys were Easier to hop the rocks. That's the only that would be the only reason for for knowing that the donkey or the horse.

It's actually it says it's a mule. So it's probably hybrid. I thought that why where was his sword? Where was his sword? That's what I thought that too because a lot of times their sword was not on them.

It was in it was in a sheath on whatever Vehicle of war that they were on and we're not going to finish.

So.

The they're devoured in the cut more were devoured in the country on that day than by the sword. Absalom Happened to meet the servants of David for Absalom was riding on his mule. The mule went under and thick branches grabbed his hair.

Remember what was about his hair. Remember early on? We learned hey, man, this dude's got a fro. Okay, he's got a fro. It grows out every year. He cut it and it was like seven pounds or something. So we understand that when we read that early on we make a mental note.

This is. Yeah, just like when you watching a TV show and there's a gun left on there. Doing there.

Yeah.

A little bit of seemingly. Yeah useless information that later on comes. Yeah, let me get to.

Let me get to where he struck down by the man. So then Joe I've said to the man who saw it Why didn't you strike him down? This is in verse 11. He said I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a bell.

He says hey, I would have made you I made you rich and I would have given you a cool clothes. And given someone a belt means you're gonna be more like a commander and he knows the character and the The nature of Joab.

He says if I would have done that the king would have said a word to me You'd have struck me down. So he knows you to double-crossed me. And then hearing that Absalom says you know what shut your mouth.

I'll take care of it myself. He grabs three spheres or javelins and he goes and while he's suspended there can't defend himself. Joab. He strikes Absalom down.

Now.