2 Samuel 14 - 16 and Psalm 3
After the sin with Bathsheba and against Uriah, events turn decisively against King David. The one who reigned in justice and wisdom in the previous chapters now is speechless at times, unaware of the most significant events in his own household. It begins with the conquest of Rabbah that almost happens in David’s absence (2 Samuel 12:27-28). Later when his firstborn Amnon is tormented in desire for his half-sister
Tamar, David’s nephew is the one giving advice – wicked counsel that sows rape and death in the royal household, words that manipulate David himself like a puppet responding to Amnon’s sinful desires (2 Samuel 13:3-7). When David finds out about the rape, “He was very angry” (2 Samuel 13:21), but just like Jacob in Dinah’s rape in Genesis 34, he did nothing to resolve it in justice and opened the door to the bitterness and excessive violence of another son (2 Samuel 13:22-29). And David does not exercise justice against Absalom, either; and 2 Samuel 13 finishes with an indecisive King David again, one who desires to receive Absalom but finds no legal opening to do so (2 Samuel 13:37-39).
Joab decides the resolve this situation in today’s reading. He probably was very impressed with Nathan’s parable and how it caught David and forced him to recognize his sin, so he tries to do the same. He directs a wise woman to act out a parable before the king (2 Samuel 14:2-3). But Joab’s parable does not have the same impact on us as readers as Yahweh’s parable through Nathan had. Several details between the parable and the situation between David and Absalom simply don’t coincide. For example, the woman in the parable has only one son who deserves to die but for whom she begs forgiveness so that her husband’s descendants would not be wiped out… but David has many other sons than Absalom; his descendants will not be wiped out if David executes judgment against him. The woman’s two sons fought in a field when, with nobody to separate them, one killed the other (2 Samuel 14:6); but Absalom’s murder of Amnon was premeditated, fed by two years of bitterness (2 Samuel 13:22-28). When Nathan revealed the meaning of his parable, he could declare, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel” (2 Samuel 12:7); but the parable in chapter 14 comes only with Joab’s authority (2 Samuel 14:19). When all is said and done, even though Joab is extremely happy with the result (2 Samuel 14:22), we readers should not be convinced of the urgency or
the wisdom of this decision.
And it turns out that in allowing Absalom’s return, David and Joab have let a tiger out of the cage. David recognizes that Absalom’s return does not fulfill the justice that
his actions demand, and therefore he puts a limit on his reception: “Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence” (2 Samuel 14:24). But in two more years Absalom dares to cross this boundary, setting fire to Joab’s field to get his
attention and force his father to make a decision concerning his status: “Let me go into the presence of the king, and if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death” (2 Samuel 14:32). Chapter 14 apparently ends in peace (2 Samuel 14:33), but as readers, we should be concerned that we do not see Yahweh’s hand directly in any of these events.
When Absalom gets a chariot and horses and 50 men to run before him, we can’t help but think of Abimelech, another young man who desired to reign over all Israel (Judges 9:1-4). He begins to manipulate the hearts of the Israelites by putting down the
king and elevating the expectations of those who come to Jerusalem in search of justice: “Absalom would say to him, ‘See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.’ Then Absalom would say, ‘Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give
him justice’” (2 Samuel 15:3-4). “Thus Absalom did to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel” (2 Samuel 15:6). And
once again David is manipulated like a puppet – with no idea of what Absalom is doing and no desire to make a decision against him, he allows him to go to Hebron… where Absalom proclaims himself king (2 Samuel 15:7-10).
Rather than endanger the capital, David decides to flee the city (2 Samuel 15:14). This also allow him to see who is committed to serving him (2 Samuel 15:15); no enemy would enlist to join him and share in his tribulations when it seems like he is on the
verge of defeat. At this point everyone must decide between faithfulness to Yahweh’s anointed or commitment to the handsome manipulator who promises a lot but who has not been raised up by Yahweh.
And this is David’s only hope: that Yahweh will protect and exalt His anointed one, because judging by all appearances, Yahweh has abandoned him, and Absalom will attain the throne: “And Shimei said as he cursed, ‘Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! The LORD has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood” (2 Samuel 16:7-8). “Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God” (2 Samuel 16:23). Though supported by his faithful servants, David clearly is at a disadvantage.
Therefore it is impressive to read these chapters along with Psalm 3, the psalm that David composed as he fled from Absalom. The first two verses describe the situation that we have just read – the multiplication of enemies and the perception that Yahweh has abandoned him (Psalm 3:1-2). But when David lifts his eyes from the sight of the enemies surrounding him to the One who reigns in the heavens, everything in the psalm changes: “But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head” (Psalm 3:3). In desperation the anointed one cries out to Yahweh, and tremendous grace follows: “He answered me from his holy hill” (Psalm 3:4).
The blessing that follows is so simple, and at the same time, so profoundly reassuring. As David suffers this painful tribulation, he says, “I lay down and slept; I woke again” (Psalm 3:5). His enemies had not reached him during the night; they did not take his life when he least expected it. He did not sleep fitfully, waking up every five minutes to see who was approaching, nor did he sleep grinding his teeth in anxiety. He
slept peacefully, without pills or medicine: “For the LORD sustained me” (Psalm 3:5). And all of this without Yahweh having given him victory or a cease-fire with his enemies who were multiplying around him!
Because of this security in Yahweh’s present mercies, by knowing that he is in the palm of the divine hand though surrounded by tribulation, David can declare peacefully, “I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around” (Psalm 3:6). And therefore by faith he can see the victory that will be fulfilled
before his eyes: “Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked” (Psalm 3:7). Their most effective weapon
thus far that they have exercised against Yahweh’s anointed will be broken – the weapon of the jaw that proclaimed against David, “There is no salvation for him in God” (Psalm 3:2). It will not be able to roar against him any longer; broken, its silence will testify that Yahweh saves His anointed.
Therefore David can proclaim another simple but very profound statement: “Salvation belongs to the LORD” (Psalm 3:8). It does not come from David’s merits nor his wisdom or his diplomatic savvy – just remember how disoriented his wisdom and righteousness seems in 2 Samuel 13 – 16! Salvation belongs to Yahweh and His grace, given freely and abundantly to whomever He chooses to give it. And David looks beyond
his own tribulations to see and request the coming of this grace to many more in Israel: “Your blessing be on your people!” (Psalm 3:8) May Yahweh’s same grace that sustains David support and bless all those who cry out to Him in faith.
Tamar, David’s nephew is the one giving advice – wicked counsel that sows rape and death in the royal household, words that manipulate David himself like a puppet responding to Amnon’s sinful desires (2 Samuel 13:3-7). When David finds out about the rape, “He was very angry” (2 Samuel 13:21), but just like Jacob in Dinah’s rape in Genesis 34, he did nothing to resolve it in justice and opened the door to the bitterness and excessive violence of another son (2 Samuel 13:22-29). And David does not exercise justice against Absalom, either; and 2 Samuel 13 finishes with an indecisive King David again, one who desires to receive Absalom but finds no legal opening to do so (2 Samuel 13:37-39).
Joab decides the resolve this situation in today’s reading. He probably was very impressed with Nathan’s parable and how it caught David and forced him to recognize his sin, so he tries to do the same. He directs a wise woman to act out a parable before the king (2 Samuel 14:2-3). But Joab’s parable does not have the same impact on us as readers as Yahweh’s parable through Nathan had. Several details between the parable and the situation between David and Absalom simply don’t coincide. For example, the woman in the parable has only one son who deserves to die but for whom she begs forgiveness so that her husband’s descendants would not be wiped out… but David has many other sons than Absalom; his descendants will not be wiped out if David executes judgment against him. The woman’s two sons fought in a field when, with nobody to separate them, one killed the other (2 Samuel 14:6); but Absalom’s murder of Amnon was premeditated, fed by two years of bitterness (2 Samuel 13:22-28). When Nathan revealed the meaning of his parable, he could declare, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel” (2 Samuel 12:7); but the parable in chapter 14 comes only with Joab’s authority (2 Samuel 14:19). When all is said and done, even though Joab is extremely happy with the result (2 Samuel 14:22), we readers should not be convinced of the urgency or
the wisdom of this decision.
And it turns out that in allowing Absalom’s return, David and Joab have let a tiger out of the cage. David recognizes that Absalom’s return does not fulfill the justice that
his actions demand, and therefore he puts a limit on his reception: “Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence” (2 Samuel 14:24). But in two more years Absalom dares to cross this boundary, setting fire to Joab’s field to get his
attention and force his father to make a decision concerning his status: “Let me go into the presence of the king, and if there is guilt in me, let him put me to death” (2 Samuel 14:32). Chapter 14 apparently ends in peace (2 Samuel 14:33), but as readers, we should be concerned that we do not see Yahweh’s hand directly in any of these events.
When Absalom gets a chariot and horses and 50 men to run before him, we can’t help but think of Abimelech, another young man who desired to reign over all Israel (Judges 9:1-4). He begins to manipulate the hearts of the Israelites by putting down the
king and elevating the expectations of those who come to Jerusalem in search of justice: “Absalom would say to him, ‘See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.’ Then Absalom would say, ‘Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give
him justice’” (2 Samuel 15:3-4). “Thus Absalom did to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel” (2 Samuel 15:6). And
once again David is manipulated like a puppet – with no idea of what Absalom is doing and no desire to make a decision against him, he allows him to go to Hebron… where Absalom proclaims himself king (2 Samuel 15:7-10).
Rather than endanger the capital, David decides to flee the city (2 Samuel 15:14). This also allow him to see who is committed to serving him (2 Samuel 15:15); no enemy would enlist to join him and share in his tribulations when it seems like he is on the
verge of defeat. At this point everyone must decide between faithfulness to Yahweh’s anointed or commitment to the handsome manipulator who promises a lot but who has not been raised up by Yahweh.
And this is David’s only hope: that Yahweh will protect and exalt His anointed one, because judging by all appearances, Yahweh has abandoned him, and Absalom will attain the throne: “And Shimei said as he cursed, ‘Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man! The LORD has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood” (2 Samuel 16:7-8). “Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God” (2 Samuel 16:23). Though supported by his faithful servants, David clearly is at a disadvantage.
Therefore it is impressive to read these chapters along with Psalm 3, the psalm that David composed as he fled from Absalom. The first two verses describe the situation that we have just read – the multiplication of enemies and the perception that Yahweh has abandoned him (Psalm 3:1-2). But when David lifts his eyes from the sight of the enemies surrounding him to the One who reigns in the heavens, everything in the psalm changes: “But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head” (Psalm 3:3). In desperation the anointed one cries out to Yahweh, and tremendous grace follows: “He answered me from his holy hill” (Psalm 3:4).
The blessing that follows is so simple, and at the same time, so profoundly reassuring. As David suffers this painful tribulation, he says, “I lay down and slept; I woke again” (Psalm 3:5). His enemies had not reached him during the night; they did not take his life when he least expected it. He did not sleep fitfully, waking up every five minutes to see who was approaching, nor did he sleep grinding his teeth in anxiety. He
slept peacefully, without pills or medicine: “For the LORD sustained me” (Psalm 3:5). And all of this without Yahweh having given him victory or a cease-fire with his enemies who were multiplying around him!
Because of this security in Yahweh’s present mercies, by knowing that he is in the palm of the divine hand though surrounded by tribulation, David can declare peacefully, “I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around” (Psalm 3:6). And therefore by faith he can see the victory that will be fulfilled
before his eyes: “Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked” (Psalm 3:7). Their most effective weapon
thus far that they have exercised against Yahweh’s anointed will be broken – the weapon of the jaw that proclaimed against David, “There is no salvation for him in God” (Psalm 3:2). It will not be able to roar against him any longer; broken, its silence will testify that Yahweh saves His anointed.
Therefore David can proclaim another simple but very profound statement: “Salvation belongs to the LORD” (Psalm 3:8). It does not come from David’s merits nor his wisdom or his diplomatic savvy – just remember how disoriented his wisdom and righteousness seems in 2 Samuel 13 – 16! Salvation belongs to Yahweh and His grace, given freely and abundantly to whomever He chooses to give it. And David looks beyond
his own tribulations to see and request the coming of this grace to many more in Israel: “Your blessing be on your people!” (Psalm 3:8) May Yahweh’s same grace that sustains David support and bless all those who cry out to Him in faith.