2 Samuel 18-20: David Returns to Reign with a Broken Heart

07/22/24 • 36 min

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In 2 Samuel 18, David, the king with such a big heart, is bereft. With this deathof his son, Absalom, our story comes full circle. David began in 2 Samuel mourning the death of Saul. A man he loved. A man who was trying to kill him. The man he had to take the kingdom from. David is back where he started, mourning the death of Absalom. A man he loved. A man who was trying to kill him. The man he had to take the kingdom from.

Being king is painful, and David would rather die himself than experience this pain for his son. His grief was made all the more painful because of his deep conviction that it was his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah that brought about Absalom’s rebellion. His pain consumes him, and his despondency is made public.

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Previous Episode

2 Samuel 16-18: Absalom’s Obsession with Power Ends Violently

Note the author's focus on relationships in these last few chapters. David’s sin is in his relationships with Bathsheba and with his children And therefore, his consequences are relational.
In the 2 Samuel 15:

Joab interfered in David’s relationships by bringing back Absalom
- Absalom rebelled first against Joab and then against David
- The Kerethites, Pelethites and Gittites all foreigners are loyal to David
- Zadok the priest is loyal
- Ahithophel is not loyal
- Hushai is loyal.

With every step in his exodus from Jerusalem, David is confronted by people who have chosen to be for or against him. It must have been an emotional roller coaster for a man with such a tender heart.

David is still on the rollercoaster in this 2 Samuel 16, his emotional exodus from Jerusalem. He is still at risk of being caught and killed by his son, Absalom. With every step on the journey and with every person he meets, David is forced to face the fact that this is war. And in a war of kings, only the winner gets to live.

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Next Episode

2 Samuel 20-21: Joab Kills for a Job, A Woman Kills for Peace and Gibeon kills to Avenge

In 2 Samuel 20, we pick up in the middle of the new rebellion led by Sheba, the Benjaminite. David has a new commander, Amasa, who is the former commander of Absalom and tried to kill David. When David appointed Amasa as his commander, back in Chapter 19, we were never given any insight into how Joab felt about being replaced. Was Joab totally fired or just demoted and ordered to report to Amasa? How did Joab react, did he walk off in his usual temper and quit? And was David confident in this decision or had he decided rashly?

Yes, Joab had disobeyed David and killed Abner and Absalom. Abner, out of jealousy. Definitely wrong. But should David have trusted Abner? Regarding Absalom, perhaps Joab had good reasons for killing him. First, according to the law, Absalom should have been killed for rebellion. Second, he had betrayed Joab, who was the one who talked David into acknowledging him. So Joab had a personal vengeance. And third, Joab knew that had Absalom lived, David would have gone soft on him and Absalom probably would have planned another rebellion.

Back to David’s decision to replace Joab. Despite the wrong that Joab had done by killing these two men, he had done a lot well. As leader of the army, he had an outstanding record. And his loyalty to David and Israel was admirable. We don’t know how Joab felt about this demotion, and we can’t say whether it was fair of David without more detail. Whatever the case, Joab is not the kind of leader who sits quietly in the background. His commitment to David and Israel is too strong. And in this episode, Joab will find a way to take center stage.

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