Tag Archive | 2 Samuel

2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 135

May14

    Day 135—We are in our FIFTH month of Bible reading.   Are you loving God more each day? Have you identified with any Bible characters?  Share in the comments section.

    Day 135 – 2 Samuel 13 – 15 – (The “sword” begins in David’s house)

Amnon, King David’s firstborn son, took after him in one aspect. He lusted after a woman. It happens that Tamar was his half-sister and Absalom was their brother.  Both Absalom and Tamar are said to be very beautiful (handsome). 

Amnon had a wicked friend who hatched a plan to get Tamar into Amnon’s bedroom.  It worked, and he raped Tamar. Afterward, he hated her and cast her away. (If he’d have asked his father, David would have given Tamar to him, but this was not love just pure lust.  So Tamar went to live with her brother Absalom as a defiled, unmarriable woman.

King David is clueless.

Absalom waits two years, then plots to murder his brother.  News is taken to the King that ALL his sons are dead, and he almost has a heart attack. But then it’s said only his firstborn has been killed. Perhaps this is done to make Absalom’s offense seem less horrible. David does not respond with discipline, but merely sends his now oldest son away.

Absalom waits another two years without speaking to his father, and then Joab sends a “wise woman” to trick David into bringing him back from exile.  The king suspects Joab is behind it but calls Absalom back to Jerusalem.  However, he refuses to speak to his son.  

Absalom waits another two years, then gets Joab’s attention by burning his field.  “I want to talk to my father,” he demands, and Joab arranges it.  The King welcomes him with a kiss this time, and it seems all is reconciled.  But Absalom schemes to take the kingdom for himself without waiting for David to die. Gradually, he begins winning the people’s hearts away from David.

After FOUR years of this, Absalom puts another plan into action.  On the pretense of fulfilling a vow he made while in exile, the scheming son goes throughout all of Israel, calling people away from his father and to himself. “As soon as you hear a trumpet sound, proclaim, ‘ABSALON IS KING AT HEBRON.'”  He even entices David’s top counselor to his side. 

A messenger tells David of the coming coup, and (nope, he doesn’t fight for his kingdom against his favorite son), but instead flees the City of David (which may have been on its way to be named the City of Absalom.) 

What is touching to me is that the priests and Levites remain faithful to David. They get the Ark of the Covenant and follow him.  This time, however, David is NOT dancing and rejoicing before the Ark, but he is “weeping as he went up the Mount of Olives, barefoot and with his head covered.”

He hears that his top counselor has turned against him, and David prays, “O LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!”

He also tells the priests to take the Ark back into the city. He enlists Hushai, a faithful servant and friend, to be his spy in Absalom’s court and to try to mess with Ahithophel’s advice. David tells him that Zadok and Abiathar are loyal, so if he wants to get word to him, he should tell these priests, and they will send a message to the exiled king.

So Hushai enters the city gate just as Absalom arrives and enters. And the scene is set.

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#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 131

May10

    Day 131—We are in our FIFTH month of Bible reading.   Are you loving God more each day? Are you reciting, praying, and singing the Psalms we’ve been reading?  Share in the comments section.

    Day 131 – 2 Samuel 10, 1 Chronicles 19, Psalm 20. – (War with Ammon & Syria, Trust in  God)

2 Samuel 10 and 1 Chronicles 19 tell of the same incident, with slight differences. Both show King David’s graciousness toward a son whose father has died. Both show the stupidity of the friends of that son. Both show the strategy, victory, and godliness of Commander Joab. 

Psalm 20 tells of their trust and hope in God, who helps in the day of trouble. 

David: “I will deal loyally with Hanun, son of Nahash, as his father dealt loyally with me.” So David sent his servants to console him concerning his father.

Hanun’s princes:  “Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? He’s sent them to search the city and spy it out to overthrow it.”

(This reminds me of the foolish advisors to Rehoboam who helped split Israel, after his father, King Solomon, died.)

So Hanun took David’s servants, shaved off half their beards (disgrace!), and cut off their garments in the middle (exposing their genitals). WHOA!! When King David heard this, he told his servants to stay in Jericho until their beards re-grew, and sent Joab with the army to deal with these ingrates.

When Hanun and the Ammonites saw they had become “a stench to David” they hired Syrians to come fight with them. $1K pieces of silver did the trick and the Syrians brought 20K soldiers (plus 1K and 12K from other areas) to fight. Commander Joab, with his second-in-command brother, Abishai, led Israel’s soldiers. When they saw two battle fronts they split their men.

Joab: If the Syrians are too strong for me, they you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. “Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the LORD do what seems good to Him.”

All the armies fled before Israel’s armies. (Hmmm. This reminds me of recent world news.) But when these armies saw they’d been “shamed” in battle, they called more troops, crossed the Jordan, and arrayed themselves against Israel…again.

King David himself led the battle, killed 40K horsemen, and killed Shobach, the commander of their army. When the Syrians realized this resounding defeat, they “made peace with Israel and became subject to them.”

“So the Syrians were afraid to save the Ammonites anymore.” 

Psalm 20:1-5, 7

"May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
May He send you help from the sanctuary 
and give you support from Zion!
May He grant you your heart's desire 
and fulfill all your plans!
May we shout for joy over Your salvation,
and in the name of our God, set up our banners!
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 129

May8

    Day 129—We are in our FIFTH month of Bible reading.   Are you loving God more each day? Are you reciting, praying, and singing the Psalms we’ve been reading?  Share in the comments section.

    Day 129 – 2 Samuel 8 – 9, 1 Chronicles 18. – (David’s victories & compassion as king)

2 Samuel 8 recounts the battles and victories over the nations surrounding Israel: Philistia, Moab, Amalek, Edom, and Zobah (as far as the Euphrates River), and the Syrians at Damascus.

In all these, David collected tribute and spoils that he dedicated to the LORD (later to be used by Solomon in building the Temple and its furnishings). But most importantly, the chapter says, “the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.” (verses 6, 14) King David wisely gave glory to God.

2 Samuel 9 shows King David’s kindness and loyalty to his BBF Jonathan, Saul’s son, who was killed in battle. “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul that I may show him the kindness of God for Jonathan’s sake?” 

They found a young man – Mephibosheth – a son of Jonathan alone. He had been crippled as a child when his nurse dropped him and crippled him in his feet. When David heard about Mephibosheth, he called for him and installed him in his house to “eat at his table always.” He also personally restored all the land that belonged to Saul and directed servants to till the land, harvest the crops, and give the proceeds to him. 

Mephibosheth could hardly believe his good fortune!  “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I.”

Isn’t this what God has done for believers in Jesus?  We are sinners, separated from a holy God by eons and light years because of our iniquity and transgressions.  And yet he has brought us to Himself by sending His Son, Jesus, who paid all our sin debt on the cross. Now we can sit at the banquet table of the King forever. 

1 Chronicles 18 also tells of the victories of King David over his enemies, expanding the kingdom of Israel far and wide. It’s interesting that he disabled 9/10s of the chariot horses after conquering Hadadezer, the king of Zobah. 

Why this cruelty?  For sure, to prevent an uprising and return of a mighty foe. However, it could also be that David remembered God’s cautions for the kings of Israel not to accumulate horses and chariots for themselves to win battles but instead to depend on God for their victories.

Verse 14: “So David reigned over all Israel, and he administered justice and equity to all his people.”   (Wow. If only that was David’s final epitaph….)

 

Verses 15-17 end with a list of the important men in his service:

Joab – commander of the army

Jehoshaphat – recorder

Zadok & Ahimelech – priests

Shavsha – secretary

Benaiah – over the Cherethites & Pelethites, the loyal non-Jewish men who attached themselves to the king as his bodyguards

David’s sons – chief officials in the king’s service. 

 

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 111

Apr20

    Day 111—Today we begin the eleventh book in the reading plan. We have been reading the Bible daily for a third of the year. What have you learned about God and yourself?

   Day 111 – 2 Samuel 1 – 4 (David as king, ending Saul’s dynasty)

1 Samuel ends with the death of Saul in a battle with the Philistines. Saul is fatally wounded and ends his own life. Three of his sons also die in battle, including Jonathan.

Meanwhile, David battles the Amalekites and has a resounding victory.

In 2 Samuel 1, a warrior comes to David with the news that King Saul and Jonathan are dead. Thinking he will garner some favor with David, he claims that HE killed them. David inquires who the man is and finds he is an Amalekite.  David mourns the death of Saul and Jonathan and has this man killed for what he thinks is his part in the death of “the LORD’s anointed.”  David then laments Saul and Jonathan with a beautiful song eulogizing them.

In 2 Samuel 2, David asks, and the LORD tells him to go to Hebron, where the tribe of Judah anoints him their king.  Meanwhile, Saul’s son Ish-bosheth is proclaimed king in Israel by Saul’s commander, Abner. (Where was Abner in the battle that killed his king?)  Then Abner, with the servants of Ish-bosheth, meets Joab with the servants of David and they face off. They decide that 12 from each group will fight. They do and kill each other. Then they all fight and Abner’s group is defeated and runs.  Joab’s men chase them, with Joab’s brother Asahel personally chasing Abner. Twice, Abner warns him away, but Asahel persists, so Abner turns around and kills him. (Oops. Not good!)

Joab’s men keep after Abner until a group of Benjaminites (Saul’s tribe) stand with him to fight.  They call a truce, and Joab and crew return home.

2 Samuel 3 tells us that there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David, with David growing stronger. Abner attempts a coup by sleeping with Saul’s concubine, and Ish-bosheth calls him on it. Abner then vows to take all of Israel to David and sends this message to David.  Judah’s king agrees to meet Abner but requires him to bring David’s first wife, Michal, whom Saul gave to another man. Abner grabs her and goes south, with the grieving husband following behind, crying.  David is pleased to get Michal back and sends Abner away in peace.

Joab is horrified that David made peace with the man who killed his brother and follows him. He beckons Saul to a private conversation by the wall, where he kills him.  David becomes angry with Joab and curses him and his family.  Then David makes them all mourn for Abner and bury him in Hebron, and so lets the people know it was not HIS fault that Abner is dead.

(Even though David does not punish his commander for going behind his back, his last word to his son Solomon before he died was to KILL JOAB.)

2 Samuel 4 tells how Ish-bosheth is murdered by two of his own men. These men took Ish-bosheth’s head to David, and much like the Amalekite, claimed they killed David’s last enemy.  And, like before, David has THEM killed for assassinating the young man in his own bed, and buries the head.