The Second Book of Samuel
Chapter 18
The Death of Absalom the Son of David Lesson
The Death of David's Son Absalom Hurt David
So glad to have your company again here at Daily Bread! Yesterday, we
read about Ahithophel and Hushai both giving Absalom different advice
about what to do about David. Hushai's advice was given to help David
escape, since he is David's friend and his purpose in pretending to
be Absalom's counselor was to confuse the advice of Ahithophel.
Absalom, not knowing Hushai's intention, ignored the advice of
Ahithophel and took the advice of Hushai. David's plan was working,
let's take a look at what transpired after that.
David counted how many people were with him and appointed captains
and leaders over the soldiers. David made Joab leader over one third
of them, Abishai was leader over one third, and Ittai was leader over
one third, dividing his army into three parts.
The Death of Absalom the Son of David Truth
The Death of David's Son Absalom Brings Tears
(Remember, Ittai was a Gittite who had recently become a follower of
David, and when David tried to persuade him to stay in Jerusalem when
he fled from Absalom, Ittai wouldn't hear of it, because he was so
committed to David.) David also affirmed to them that he would be
going to fight with them as well.
But the people disagreed saying, "You can't go with us. If we have to
flee, Absalom's army won't care if they capture us. If half of us
die, they won't care. They're after you. You're worth ten
thousand of us. It's better if you stay in the city."
David went along with what they said, so he waited by the city gates
and his troops left. The king commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai,
"Deal gently with Absalom, for my sake, please." All the troops heard
David give this command. In essence, David was requesting that they
spare Absalom's life.
The Death of Absalom the Son of David Teaching
The Death of David's Son Absalom Message
So David's people went out to battle against Israel in the forest of
Ephraim, and it was a huge victory for David's troops. They killed
about 20,000 men from Israel's army in one day. More men died because
of the terrain in the forest than those that died by the sword ... As
we've seen so many times before, the amazing and peculiar hand of God
working with David and his men.
Well, it came to pass that Absalom encountered the servants of David.
He was riding on a mule, and when the mule went under a huge oak
tree's branches, Absalom's hair got caught in the branches and he was
left just hanging there while the mule kept on going. Remember that
Absalom had tremendously thick hair. Who would have thought that this
would be his demise?
A man saw what had happened and went to tell Joab that he saw Absalom
hanging from the branches. Joab asked, "If you saw him hanging there,
why didn't you kill him? I would have given you 10 shekels and a
belt." The man replied, "Even if I would have received 10 shekels, I
would not lay a hand on the king's son.
The Death of Absalom the Son of David Study
The Death of David's Son Absalom Warning
Everyone heard when the king gave the orders not to harm Absalom. I
would be putting my own life in jeopardy. The king finds out about
everything. He would have known it was I that killed his son, and you
would have gone against me as well."
Smart boy.
Joab said, "I'm not staying here with you any longer." He then took
three spears and thrust them though Absalom while he was still alive
hanging from the oak.
Remember that Joab defended Absalom by getting the woman from Tekoah
to soften David's heart toward his son and bring him out of
banishment. Then when Absalom was brought home, David didn't speak to
him for two years and it was Joab who convinced David to speak to him
again. Well, we have our answer to whether Joab was sincere in
steering David toward forgiveness of Absalom back in Chapter 14.
It must have troubled Joab greatly that Absalom conspired against
David so. Even at David's pleading to spare Absalom's life, Joab felt
justice would be done if Absalom died for his treason. Does this
remind you of what he did to Abner?
The Death of Absalom the Son of David Facts
The Death of David's Son Absalom Was it Wrong
Then ten of Joab's men surrounded Absalom and killed him. Joab
sounded the trumpet indicating to cease fighting and his men
retreated from attacking Israel's army. They took Absalom's body and
threw it in a big pit in the forest and laid huge stones on top of
him. And all of Israel returned to their tents.
Then Ahimaaz (Zadok the priest's son) said, "Let me go and tell the
king the good news of the victory. The Lord has delivered him again
from his enemies!" But Joab said, "Don't tell David today of the
victory, because today ... His son has died." So Joab sent Cushi to
go tell the king what he observed. Cushi bowed to Joab, then ran to
go report to the king.
Now why would Joab send Cushi instead of Ahimaaz? Perhaps because
Ahimaaz was usually the bearer of good news, so maybe Joab thought it
more appropriate to send someone else so as not to get the king's
hopes up that this was going to be a "happily ever after" kind of
ending to this awful disaster.
The Death of Absalom the Son of David Discussion
The Death of David's Son Absalom Questions
Ahimaaz pleaded again with Joab, "Please, let me go with Cushi!" Joab
asked him, "Why do you want to go with him since you don't know what
to say?" But Ahimaaz kept pleading, "Come what may ... Please let me
go!" So Joab said, "Go ahead." So Ahimaaz caught up with Cushi and
then outran him.
David sat waiting at the city gates. The watchman on the roof saw a
man running by himself and told the king. The king said, "If he's
alone, there must be news." But then the watchman saw another man
running and announced, "Another man is running behind him now." And
the king said, "He must be bringing news too."
The watchman told the king that from the way the first messenger ran,
it looked like the way Ahimaaz runs. David said, "He's a good man.
He's bringing me good news." Ahimaaz called out to the king, "All is
well." He bowed to the ground before the king and said, "Blessed be
the Lord thy God which has delivered you from your enemies that tried
to kill you."
The Death of Absalom the Son of David Tragedy
The Death of David's Son Absalom Event
The king asked, "Is Absalom safe?" Ahimaaz answered, "When Joab sent
me, I saw a lot of commotion going on, but I'm not sure exactly what
was happening."
"Wait here", David told him, and he waited. Cushi then approached and
said, "Good news for my king. The Lord has delivered you from the
enemies that turned against you." "Is Absalom safe?" David asked.
"May all your enemies end up as that young man is," Cushi answered.
The king was overwhelmed with emotion and went up to a room over the
gate and cried. As he left he said, "O my son Absalom! My son, my son
Absalom! I wish I had died for you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
The Death of Absalom the Son of David Summary
The Death of David's Son Absalom Conclusion
As we know from how David reacted to Saul's death, he was very
compassionate at heart, so one can imagine that his natural affection
for his own son was even stronger and the news of his death, an
unbearable thing to hear. Even though Absalom was trying to overthrow
the kingdom, David didn't want any harm to befall his child.
Perhaps also, David may have hoped that had Absalom lived, he would
have come to repentance and he would sacrifice his own life for that
hope.
Come on back soon to see what happens next ... We'll share it
together right here at Daily Bread!
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