Friday, August 9 – 2 Samuel 16, 17 – Additional reading, Patriarchs and Prophets, Chapter 72, “The Rebellion of Absalom”

1. What was Ziba’s sin?

2. How did David take Shimei’s curses?

3. How do David’s words in 2 Samuel 16:12 correspond with Romans 8:28?

Commentary and Reflection:

2 Samuel 16 provides fascinating details about different characters who sought personal gain by taking advantage of the circumstances surrounding David during his flight from Jerusalem to save his life and that of his followers. It is called opportunism.

Meanwhile, David and his followers, accompanied by his most loyal soldiers, ascended the Mount of Olives. There, too, David had his Gethsemane. He suffered greatly like Jesus but in a different way. Internally, he understood that part of what he was experiencing was due to his sin. Jesus, on the other hand, suffered for the sins of the world.

When they reached the summit of the mount, Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, appeared. With apparent concern for David and his family, Ziba brought two donkeys with sufficient provisions for the king and his company. When David asked him about Mephibosheth, Ziba’s wicked intentions were revealed.

With great audacity, he slandered his master, claiming that Mephibosheth had stayed in Jerusalem, hoping the kingdom would be restored to him as it rightfully belonged to Jonathan. All of this was a blatant lie. David promised Ziba that he would receive all his master’s goods. Later, when David retook the kingdom, the truth was revealed, and David believed Mephibosheth, who claimed his servant had deceived him. We do not know what happened to Ziba. David indicated that Ziba would only receive half of his master’s possessions. Once again, David’s magnanimous heart shone through.

The next character in this plot, Shimei, is sly and vindictive. Shimei’s offensive words against David were unjustified. The Bible does not record any instance where David showed any intentions of treason against Saul. Quite the opposite, from the time he was very young and brought to the king’s palace to offer music therapy to the mentally disturbed monarch until he reached the peak of success after defeating the giant Goliath, David never spoke against Saul. He knew that the throne of Israel would be his one day, but he did not rush to get it. He waited for God’s timing to ascend the throne.

David did not let the insults lead him to a spirit of vengeance. He recognized that God had allowed things to happen and entrusted himself to His mercy. He was never more esteemed as the ruler of Israel in the eyes of heaven than in this hour of most profound humiliation.

Another sinister figure was Ahithophel. As David’s counselor, he appeared loyal to the king. However, he harbored a spirit of hatred and revenge against him. As soon as Absalom rebelled against his father, Ahithophel joined the conspiracy.

When this wicked man suggested to Absalom to commit incest with David’s concubines, his objective was, according to the custom of the time, to indicate that he had succeeded his father to the throne. Here, Absalom’s moral baseness reached its peak. It was not that God instigated his actions; rather, the Lord did not act to prevent them due to David’s sin.

In Chapter 17, divine providence led the struggle between Ahithophel’s counsel to eliminate David and Hushai’s advice. Verse 14 is an example of the prophetic-theological interpretation of how God works in men’s decisions. Ahithophel’s choosing the path of betrayal and wickedness against the Lord’s anointed led to the tragic end of his life in suicide. In his case, as later with Judas Iscariot, when someone does not heed the voice of the Holy Spirit, they are bound to commit the unpardonable sin.

As we face difficult circumstances like David’s, I pray that our trust and hope are in God, who restores the fallen.

Blessings to all.