Year 1, Week 39, Day 5 Bible Reading Observations

Year 1, Week 39, Day 5

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of 2 Samuel 19.

Today’s reading is the conclusion to Absalom’s attempted coup against the king, his own father David. The rebellion essentially ended with the death of Absalom, but David is overcome with grief as word about Absalom reaches him: “And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Samuel 18:33). 2 Samuel 19 reports on the effect that David’s continued grieving for Absalom had on those who stood with David. Joab will intervene to help David see what his grieving is doing to the nation. 2 Samuel also describes resolutions to some of the encounters that David experienced as he fled Jerusalem. As David made his way back into Jerusalem, he declined any acts of justice toward Shimei for his previous cursing of David, but years later, on his deathbed, David would instruct his son Solomon to deal with Shimei (see 1 Kings 2:8-9). David also deals graciously with Mephibosheth, who provides a very different version of events than Ziba’s version; and in so doing, Mephibosheth demonstrates his abiding loyalty to David: “And Mephibosheth said to the king, “Oh, let him take it all, since my lord the king has come safely home” (2 Samuel 19:30).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading is the important role that the LORD has for Joab in David’s life in the aftermath of Absalom’s death: “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy” (Proverbs 27:5-6). David was not thinking clearly: he was Israel’s king but he was very much acting as a concerned father to the potential detriment of the nation. Joab has had and will later have his bad moments, but in the matter of Absalom’s rebellion and what to do about it, Joab was clear-headed. While the fight over who was the king was raging, David wanted to see Absalom protected: “And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom” (2 Samuel 18:5a). And there was an opportunity to apprehend Absalom when his hair got him captured by a tree: “And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on” (2 Samuel 18:9). Joab ignored David’s instructions and liquidated Absalom. I suspect that Joab realized that David’s reign as king would not be secure as long as Absalom was around. While Joab’s orders were rebellious in one sense, they were rational in another sense.

In the aftermath of Absalom’s death, David is somewhat paralyzed by grief: “It was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”…The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Samuel 19:1,4). The army felt shame for what should have been celebrated as a successful mission to defend their king: “So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle” (2 Samuel 19:2-3). Joab enters with sober words to David: “Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines” (2 Samuel 19:5). Joab continues with strong words to David: “because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased” (2 Samuel 19:6). Joab continues with stirring words to David: “Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now” (2 Samuel 19:7). The result of Joab’s words is that David is awakened. There is not much nice in Joab’s words, but there was much at stake.

We must guard against using Joab’s harsh but effective words as a vindication for us to deploy harsh words whenever and however we like. The agenda for our style and selection of words should never simply be that airing out what we want to say in order that it might help us to feel better. Such a therapeutic approach to conversation is more self-oriented than others-oriented. Can hard things be said to others? Yes. But the agenda should be what would be helpful to the other person and not what is helpful to the person speaking: “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29). Our words should be used to build up others not feel good about ourselves. Our words should be appropriate for the situation at hand and therefore what could be said in one situation maybe shouldn’t be said in another. Our words should be shaped by how they could aid in planting grace in the other person. The LORD used Joab’s words to David. May we seek the LORD for words that He would like to use in the lives of those around us. Might they be sober, strong, and stirring words? Yes. But other times, no.

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe