September 20,
2007
Rise
up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee
before thee. (Numbers 10: 35 KJV
2 Samuel Chapter 16 Author: Unknown KJV
(2
Samuel 16:1 KJV) "And when David
was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of
Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred
loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of
summer fruits, and a bottle of wine."
Ziba was a
welcome site to all of the people and to David because he brought them some
food.
(2
Samuel 16:2-4 KJV) "And the king
said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these?
And
Ziba said, The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the
bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be
faint in the wilderness may drink.
{3}
And
the king said, And where is thy master's son?
And
Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day
shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
{4}
Then
said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto
Mephibosheth.
And
Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my
lord, O king."
We’ll learn
later that Ziba has turned on Mephibosheth and left him behind so he could tell
David Mephibosheth would wait it out, Absalom and David would destroy one
another leaving the way open for Mephibosheth to ascend the throne. For the
moment David has nothing else to go on and he assumes Mephibosheth as returned
David’s kindness for evil. In
response to Ziba’s generosity and because Ziba has chosen to stick with David,
David awards him with all land that had been given to Mephibosheth for whom Ziba
had been hired by David to care for. This was land that was once owned by
Mephibosheth’s grandfather Saul.
This lie
from Ziba will hurt David greatly.
(2
Samuel 16:5-8 KJV) "And when king
David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house
of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and
cursed still as he came. {6} And he cast stones at David, and at all the
servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on
his right hand and on his left. {7} And thus said Shimei when he cursed,
Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: {8} The LORD
hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou
hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom
thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art
a bloody man."
Shimei had
become very bitter over the years because David had taken the place of
Saul. This was all David needed
first he thinks Mephibosheth has turned from him and now
Shimei.
There
are always people ready to rejoice when a leader falls. Shimei had this heart
against David for a long time, but he could only show it when David was down and
out. (David Guzik)
"It
is very hard to bear a cowardly attack. One is very apt to reply and use hard
words to one who takes advantage of your position and deals you the coward’s
blow. Only the coward strikes a man when he is down." (Spurgeon)
Shimei was wrong on all accounts about David. David had always treated Saul with kindness. When Saul tried to kill David, David ran the other way. David was not bloodthirsty, yes David was a man of war, he fought in the name of the Lord for Saul and for the people. He rousted the Philistines and Ammonites and killed off many Syrians. When Ish-Bosheth Saul’s last son was killed, David had no hand in it he was killed by two of his own men, Baanah and Recab (2 Samuel 4). Today we might say Shimei had flipped his lid, but then today we are fed so many lies and untruths that we come to believe them. Truth today comes from whom one believes no matter the evidence otherwise. The real truth of all time is God’s Holy Word.
(2
Samuel 16:9-12 KJV) "Then said
Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord
the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. {10} And
the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse,
because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore
hast thou done so?
{11}
And
David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth
of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do
it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him. {12}
It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will
requite me good for his cursing this day."
David has done a
wise thing instead of cutting off Shimei’s
head, which David could have done he looks to God. If we need to avenge ourselves, we
should look to the Lord instead of acting.
The Lord had a reason for Shimei’s curses upon David perhaps it was a
test. Ironically, had David been a
bloodthirsty man, Shimei would have lost his head.
(2
Samuel 16:13-14 KJV) "And as David
and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against
him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust. {14}
And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and
refreshed themselves there."
In
refusing to cling to the throne David was like Jesus, who, being in the form
of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no
reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient
to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians
2:6-8). "As we thus follow David through these days of humiliation and shame
. . . we nevertheless understand more perfectly that he was indeed a man after
God's own heart." (Morgan)
(2
Samuel 16:15-19 KJV) "And Absalom,
and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with
him. {16} And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend,
was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God
save the king.
{17}
And
Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest
thou not with thy friend?
{18}
And
Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the
men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. {19} And
again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of
his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy
presence."
Hushai is a
spy for David. His job was to
confuse the advice given to Absalom by Ahithophel and to report what he found
out to the High Priest Zadok.
(2
Samuel 16:20 KJV) "Then said
Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall
do."
Absalom did not
know if he should accept the services of Hushai so he asked Ahithophel. Ahithophel’s answer was David’s answer
to prayer Ahithophel would give foolish advice. At the same time God’s word through
Nathan the prophet was to come true for David concerning his wives as David
committed adultery with Bathsheba, but now a neighbor (Absalom) would do the
same with the ten concubines David left in charge of the
palace.
(2
Samuel 16:21-22 KJV) "And
Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath
left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy
father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong. {22}
So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in
unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel."
Hushai never
had to say a word. Absalom would
begin his kingdom with the sin of incest, a man who thought to himself that
perhaps God wanted him to replace his father as
king.
Ahithophel
was bitter toward David for committing adultery with Bathsheba who was his
granddaughter. Ahithophel was willing for harm to come to the ten concubines; he
was willing to see Absalom commit a grievous sin against the Lord. Bitterness is a poison that not only
poisons the individual, but it can definitely affect our leaders which then
affects the whole country.
"Every
part of the conduct of Absalom shows him to have been a most profligate young
man; he was proud, vindictive, adulterous, incestuous, a parricide, and in fine,
reprobate to every good word and work." (Clarke)
(2
Samuel 16:23 KJV) "And the counsel
of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had
inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both
with David and with Absalom."
Strangely,
Absalom thought he could establish his kingdom directly through immorality. He
was a clever and skilled politician, but ignorant about the ways of God. (David
Guzik)
24 The LORD bless
thee, and keep thee:
25 The LORD make his
face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The LORD lift up
his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
27 And they shall
put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless
them.
Numbers
6 KJV
Have
a blessed day
Lee
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