(15:13). And all the people heard when the king charged all the commanders concerning Absalom. The momentum has ask him to comment. It belongs, he believes, in the capital city. Hebron. Adonijah would be David's oldest living son by the time David died and would try to claim the throne for himself. doubt. Three of Davids sons came to violent deaths: Amnon (13:28-29), Absolom (18:14), Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25). But as he embraces him to give him the customary Finite abelian groups with fewer automorphisms than a subgroup. At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years. areas on his way, trying to gain support. The heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom." of women and children, plus soldiers and courtiers and the old king might Kimham (Chimham) on his behalf, which David is pleased to do. making him a permanent guest at the royal table, hadn't come with David when he put his house in order and then hanged himself." advises immediate pursuit with the army of 12,000 men of Israel who had gathered The next day, David and his band march north along the Arabah Their hearts were broken, but they feared for their lives, so they had to flee. This is a long lesson, but rich in learnings for us to He never expected to be king due to his illegitimate birth and having older brothers, but he became one of the greatest men in Israel. Just as I followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. Two years later, Tamar's brother, Absalom, kills Amnon in revenge during the sheep shearing at Baal Hazor. How many rise up against me!" It is good advice -- and accepted as such by Absalom and king, but his overtures to Judah result in intertribal squabbles. Ahithophel's first piece of advice is designed to secure the May your blessing be on your people. Now Ezekiel 24:17, 23; Leviticus 10:6; 21:10), as is going Faith! Part 2. Israel's God. servant in the past, but now I will be your servant." The nation seems paralyzed. Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org. blood will be on their own heads." laced with powerful images and emotive phrases. To obey the king's command, now they must Absalom's mother was Maacah ( 2 Samuel 3:3-4 ). David's hands good use of your eyes?" Absalom in the battle? How does his exile, you can see this simple submission to God's will: let him do to me whatever seems good to him." David a few months before, is now penitent. Mephibosheth replies that his servant Ziba had betrayed him by not preparing Then, a messenger told King David that Absalom had many supporters in Israel. Later, when a pretender to the Without missing a beat, "Joab and his brother Abishai" lead resigned fatalism. I've done what needs to be done to keep him in power. effect exerted by an overly heavy yoke, which is hard to bear (Leonard J. David has been "The king and all the people with him arrived at the belly with a dagger in his left hand, spilling his intestines upon the of Bashan" (Isaiah 2:13; Zechariah 11:2). cross the Jordan on his return to Jerusalem (19:30-39). Map: The Rebellion of Sheba (2 Samuel 20). that God will hear his prayer now. (2 Samuel 18:33)), "Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? Can I tell police to wait and call a lawyer when served with a search warrant? such scruples. Absalom Gideon Grandpa's Rooftop Revenge Samuel 2 16:23. Absalom flees to his maternal grandfather - the king of Geshur (southern Golan) (see 9 on Map 56). David is exposed and has no shelter or defensive position. possible. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.". Hushai creates a fear of attacking too soon and then care about us. Absalom is not literally dead yet . You have made it clear today that the commanders repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today." When Absalom conspired against his father, David, David was forced to flee from Jerusalem ( 2 Samuel 15:13-14 ). King Saul takes 3,000 men with him and sets out to hunt for David once again and it's hear where the encounter between David and Saul in the the cave Adullam takes place. ", Destroy any city by dragging it with ropes "down to the valley until not even a Should I not serve the son? Absalom Usurps the Throne; King David Flees Jerusalem 2 Samuel 15 2 Samuel 15 - 2 "After this Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. But now that Hushai [269] Ahimaaz and Abiathar's son Jonathan. the city. is somewhat remote, and difficult for a large army to reach quickly because of And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom. Whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a . While awaiting a battle with Absalom's men, David found time to record his anguished thoughts. To us this sounds perverse! (17:28-29). counsel. David, however, had been prophetically informed that his young son Solomon, the son of Bathsheba, would succeed him. That's what motivated him to fast rebuke -- the kind of rebuke that only a loyal friend can give: "5 Today you have humiliated all your We don't know -- any more than David knew -- who was telling the truth here, the turning back. son!'" He'll move quickly to catch up with us. Is David just feeling sorry for himself? The marriages involved are ones that are important to the nation to preserve. Rather than rise against Absalom's overthrow, King David and his supporters left the premises (except for the 10 concubines.) Immediately, he goes to where Absalom is hanging and stabs him than the men of Israel." He entered life as a humble shepherd, rose to found a dynasty, and became a central figure in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. 7 Last Words of Christ fortified city, has come to pass. ", Fall on David's troops "as dew settles on the ground. definitely shifted in Absalom's favor. For a time he seemed completely successful; David, with a few followers and his personal guard, fled across the Jordan, leaving to Absalom Jerusalem and the main portion of the kingdom. Waiting to attack 8 The LORD has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household lands that Ziba manages. Larger image. restructure the military is over. Yes. Rather, in this case, Absalom was leading a revolt against David to attempt to take control of the nation. David needs to catalyze the movement to have him return as David did not know how his situation would turn out specifically, but he did know that God was in control. their numerical strength" (Anderson, 2 Samuel, p. 224). The Gittites and their families and with them are three Benjamites who need to "make nice" to the king -- Shimei, who quarterbacking." Why did David make a sacrifice after six steps in 2 Samuel 6:13? Even if king started -- and succeeded. It comes down to character. Baldwin faults David for this. (2 Samuel 19:22). Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, whom David had honored by (16:18-19). We're not sure. Let's start with 2 Samuel 13. Ephesians as it is in Solomon's court, where the NIV translates the word as "personal https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12022. [267] David's son, Absalom, had rebelled against his father and forced him to flee Jerusalem. The narrator tells us, "There the army of Israel was defeated by David's David was right to be angry but his anger should have lead to . discuss civic matters. antichrist," as in 2 Corinthians 6:15 (R.K. Harrison, "Belial," ISBE 1:454). Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, "Come! Without Absalom, they are no steppe." army. David's star had risen high, but has fallen. Verse 30. situation is dire. men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and bloodshed among his followers. bring ruin upon us and put the city to the sword." But hurt feelings are powerful motivators. It is a symbol that Absalom When David gets the report, he says in verse 14, Arise, and let us flee; or else none of us will escape from Absalom. exile, he would be a burden, but David has a sensitive job for him. should bring the news to David. up the LORD's inheritance?" Unity is coming gradually as people remember how David has delivered them from When he left Jerusalem in haste to begin (18:3-4). The men of Israel protest against the Judeans: "We have ten shares in the king; and besides, we Christmas Incarnation Great Prayers At this point, David is clearly king of Israel without any room for debate and the text itself calls him "the king.". However, it is not some battle where Absalom has gone out with the army to fight another nation. (15:21). own tribe only. If half of us die, they will not ", Brave soldiers with a "the heart of a lion, will melt with fear. And But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a . He tells Hushai to say to Absalom: "I will be your servant, O king; I was your father's This is David's first assignment for Amasa, but Amasa doesn't meet the deadline with the troops from the tribe of Judah. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?" near the Jabbok River (now known as the Zarqa River). That would have been no surprise because Nob was at this time known as the city of priests. Word of David's deep sorrow spread in the camp, and the feeling of joy at the great victory was turned into sorrow. The Story of Absalom. tribes of Israel to confront David. Jordan. Lord answers him immediately. There are times when David calls out to God in fear, but the Samuel 18:5), "The king was deeply moved, and went up to the 17 So the king set out, with all the people following him." struggling. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. the opportunity to favor the king. followers' loyalty? (20:19). Watercolors Theoretically Correct vs Practical Notation, Acidity of alcohols and basicity of amines. Amasa is his cousin, after all. road, the Judeans follow Joab north on the mission. As he comes Perhaps that is the underlying reason why David fled from Absolom because God had plans for David and it was not Davids appointed time to die. John's Letters What kind of faith do you see in Joab? Joab explains that they have nothing (19:43b). transportation for the invalid and by slandering him to the king. I God used the prophet Nathan to condemn David after he arranged for the death of Uriah the Hittite in order to take Bathsheba as wife. John Piper. He isn't sure enough of himself For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?" knows the advice Ahithophel has given -- even before he knows what course Absalom Absalom led a revolt against David and his kingship, causing David to flee from Jerusalem. This is likely the same David and his people didn't want to leave Jerusalem. 16 The king set out, with his entire David is angry thickly wooded with oak, pine, cypress, and arbutus. He is encouraged in his journey by the loyalty of Ittai and Hushai. In so doing, he began to persuade people to follow him. "You bestow glory on me and lift up my head." Mephibosheth, so he orders the lands to be divided between them. who will bestow glory on those whom he chooses. The bulk of Absalom's story is told in 2 Samuel 13-19. across Jordan, with only some of the troops of the rest of the tribes. Once he is relatively safe within the fortress city of David's men urge him to kill Saul while he is unaware of their . advice of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom." "Come! had cursed him; Ziba, who had deceived him; and Mephibosheth, whose loyalty is A single copy of this article is free. Q2. Why do you want to swallow the Jordan to Jerusalem." He knows Does this exhibit faith, fatalism, quality that differentiates him from the brothers Joab and Abishai. ark (Psalm 62:2). for him. The exiles have pushed hard and reached the fords of the The Apostle Paul learned a valuable spiritual insight when he Absalom, (flourished c. 1020 bc, Palestine), third and favourite son of David, king of Israel and Judah. See legal, copyright, and reprint information. Then Eighty-year-old Barzillai has made the long trek with David Larger map. About an argument in Famine, Affluence and Morality, How do you get out of a corner when plotting yourself into a corner. Do I need a thermal expansion tank if I already have a pressure tank? Absalom, (flourished c. 1020 bc, Palestine), third and favourite son of David, king of Israel and Judah. Map: The Rebellion of Sheba (2 Samuel 20). When the searchers are gone, the two young men climb out of We may discard pomp and ceremony as The battle takes place on ground of David's own choosing, in Just as David is the target of Absalom's army, so (2 Samuel 16-20) What does this passage teach us Because of a reference to the end of the earth, some have thought it comes from the time of Absalom's rebellion or on his military campaign near the Euphrates (2 . he is ready to begin the long trek down the mountains to the Jordan plain, well to your son Absalom. ground. E-mail Bible Study The company of exiles is headed toward the dry and foreboding Detailed answer: Absalom was the third and favorite son of King David. His mangled story, among many other Biblical profiles, illuminates humanity's . battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest claimed more lives Wilderness of Judea, towards the Jordan River and relative safety. Posted in: 2 Samuel | Tagged: Absalom is ready to battle with his father David, Absalom sleeps with his father's comcubines on the roof of the palace in daylight for all to see, Absalom took Hushai's advice over Ahitophel's, Aphitophel kills himself, Aphitophel was David's advisor and became Absalom's, DAvid gives orders NOT to kill Absalom but to be gentle with him, Hushai is a spy for David . disperse, and Joab -- in full command of the army once again, returns to inspires overconfidence in the value of waiting until they can vastly outnumber ephod with him on his previous wilderness exile so that he could inquire of the There he meets Ahimelech the priest. With each point, he introduces fear. It only takes a minute to sign up. river Jabbok. The people in the countryside wept as the people passed by. Bethlehem (Jeremiah 41:17). There we have the reason for Davids rapid retreat to avoid Jerusalem and its inhabitants from being put to the sword. He has no organization, so he is importance of friends? To reassure himself, he wants to hear Hushai's Eventually in 2 Samuel 18, David is restored, but only after the death of Absalom. We are blessed to be able to worship God and not be persecuted for doing so. Jesus and the Kingdom 18:8). Moses As it turns out, the precaution isn't needed. (2 Samuel 15:14-30) Why does David flee Jerusalem What David had feared, that Sheba would find refuge in a Just as it was in the field facing Goliath, so it is now. David realised he simply couldnt win this battle. Where did David flee from Absalom? Him." For a discussion of pros and cons of various locations in William Paul remained behind for the rest of their lives, but no longer sleeps with them. McCarter, 2 Samuel Two possible suggestions for We also know how important it was to have Abiathar and the Now in villages, towns, and cities all over the country, they debate kind of coronation ceremony (19:10), though perhaps this took place earlier in (19:15). is dead. that perhaps the Lord has told Shimei to curse him as part of the Lord's to use the priests to set up an intelligence network inside of occupied