2 Samuel 17-20

These chapters relate the story of how David and his people eventually won out over Absalom and his faction. When Ahithophel gave advice to Absalom about how to finish off his father David, Absalom sought a second opinion from Hushai the Arkite. Absalom, not knowing that Hushai was loyal to David, chose to follow his advice and Hushai informed David’s men ahead of time about what Absalom was going to do. The author of 2 Samuel tells us the reason for this. “For the Lord had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the Lord might bring ruin on Absalom.” (2 Samuel 17:14) Thus, the viewpoint of this author is that the Lord is sovereign and that he is active behind the scenes even when we do not see what he is doing.

In the ensuing battle, Absalom gets his hair caught in the branches of an oak tree and Joab puts him to death there. Joab sends a Cushite to give David the news, thinking that when David hears this bad news he will want to kill the messenger. That is why Joab does not send an Israelite messenger. However, Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, insists on carrying the message of victory to the king. Joab says to him, “Why will you run, my son, seeing that you have no reward for the tidings?”

Ahimaaz answers, “Come what may, I will run.”

Ahimaaz gives us a wonderful picture of the attitude that every preacher should have. We do not carry the message of God to others because of any reward. We carry the message of God simply out of obedience and the joy there is in the act itself, the act of serving our Lord and King.

When Ahimaaz arrives before David, he relays the message of victory. However, he knows nothing of what has happened with Absalom. Thus, the Cushite brings David the bad news. When David hears the news of Absalom’s death, he refuses to be consoled.

C. S. Lewis has this good word about how to handle sorrow. It comes from one of his letters to an American female correspondent:

By the way, don’t “weep inwardly” and get a sore throat. If you must weep, weep: a good honest howl! I suspect we—and especially, my sex—don’t cry enough now-a-days. Aeneas and Hector and Beowulf, Roland and Lancelot blubbered like schoolgirls, so why shouldn’t we?[1]

Getting back to David: Joab warns him that if he spends all his time weeping in private and does not encourage his troops, then all of his followers will abandon him. David heeds Joab’s advice. Then the people usher the king back into Jerusalem. Once again, David refuses to retaliate against Shimei, who is shamefacedly present to greet the king upon his return. David also makes things right with Mephibosheth who was unable to accompany him when he departed. Essentially, David does all that is necessary to set things to right.

Meanwhile, Joab is working behind the scenes, politically jockeying to keep his place in the king’s entourage. David welcomes the help of Amasa who had served as general for his son Absalom. However, Joab does not want the competition, so he kills Amasa. David had commissioned Amasa to kill Sheba son of Bichri who was opposing the king. Thus, Joab takes this opportunity to get the job done himself and thereby earn the king’s praises. In the end, we will see how Joab’s political jockeying does not work as well as David’s prayerful approach to life.

[1] Letters to An American Lady, February 22, 1954

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