The Death of Absalom

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Introduction

As we continue looking at the book of 2 Samuel, we come to the showdown between two family members. King David has fled Jerusalem because Absalom had usurped the throne.
Today, we are continuing our study in the book of 2 Samuel. If you have your Bibles, I want to encourage you to turn with me to 2 Samuel chapter 18 and we’ll begin reading verse 1.

David Sends Out the Army

(18:1-6)
(18:1-2) The story begins with David gathering all of his troops and dividing them into groups of thousands and hundreds.
2 Samuel 18:1–2 NIV
David mustered the men who were with him and appointed over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. David sent out his troops, a third under the command of Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. The king told the troops, “I myself will surely march out with you.”
David wants to march out with the men, but the men tell him that he shouldn’t go at all.
2 Samuel 18:3–4 NIV
But the men said, “You must not go out; if we are forced to flee, they won’t care about us. Even if half of us die, they won’t care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It would be better now for you to give us support from the city.” The king answered, “I will do whatever seems best to you.” So the king stood beside the gate while all his men marched out in units of hundreds and of thousands.
David gave orders concerning Absalom
2 Samuel 18:5 NIV
The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, “Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.
—David tells his commanders that he wants Absalom ALIVE.
—Notice that all the troops heard the order that David gave.

The Battle

(18:6-17)
2 Samuel 18:6 NIV
David’s army marched out of the city to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.
When we come to verse 6, David’s army is on the march. And we’re told that the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. While it is believed that the forest was somewhere near Mahanaim where David and his men were staying.
We’re told that Israel’s troops were routed by David’s men.
Israel lost 20,000 men.
2 Samuel 18:8 NIV
The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest swallowed up more men that day than the sword.
While the battle spread out across the countryside.
The forest swallowed up more men that the sword. This appears to be an indication that God fought for David and his men.
Verse 9 tells us about Absalom.
2 Samuel 18:9 NIV
Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.
Absalom’s hair got caught in a tree, and his mule kept going.
So Absalom is left hanging helplessly in a large oak tree.
2 Samuel 18:10 NIV
When one of the men saw what had happened, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree.”
One of Joab’s men saw Absalom hanging in a tree, and went and reported it to Joab.
2 Samuel 18:11 NIV
Joab said to the man who had told him this, “What! You saw him? Why didn’t you strike him to the ground right there? Then I would have had to give you ten shekels of silver and a warrior’s belt.”
Joab is upset that the soldiers saw Absalom hanging in a tree, and he didn’t finished him off.
Joab would have give the man a reward of 10 shekels of silver and a warrior’s (or victor’s) belt.
But this man heard the king’s order and spared Absalom’s life. Look at verse 12.
2 Samuel 18:12–13 NIV
But the man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels were weighed out into my hands, I would not lay a hand on the king’s son. In our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’ And if I had put my life in jeopardy—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have kept your distance from me.”
This answer just frustrates Joab even more so he takes matters into his own hands.
2 Samuel 18:14–15 NIV
Joab said, “I’m not going to wait like this for you.” So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom’s heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. And ten of Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him.
Joab kills Absalom himself, surrounded by his trusted servants.
Then Joab sounds the trumpet for his army to stop pursuing Israel’s army.
His men take Absalom throw him in a pit in the forest, and then put rocks on top of him.
And we’re told that Israel’s army fled home!

Absalom’s Monument

2 Samuel 18:18 NIV
During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King’s Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, “I have no son to carry on the memory of my name.” He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.

The Message to David

(18:19-32)
At this point in the story the battle is effectively over. And David’s men have one. Yet there is a problem, Absalom, the king’s son is dead.
Nevertheless a report needs to be sent to David. Ahimaaz (A Him a az), Zadok’s son wants to carry the good news back to David, but Joab says, “No.”
Joab sends a Cushite to run and deliver the news. The Cushite accepts the task of delivering the message—both the good news, they won the battle; and the bad news, Absalom is dead! So he takes off running.
Ahimaaz begs Joab to allow him to run after the Cushite, and Joab agrees to allow him to run.
But he outran the Cushite and arrived at the city first. In fact, the watchman sees him coming and tells David that there is only one runner, so David believes it will be good news.
In just a little bit the watchman sees another runner, which David also believed meant good news. He also announces that the first runner appears to be Ahimaaz.
Ahimaaz gives David the news that his troops have won the battle.
But David wants to know about Absalom, and Ahimaaz says he’s not sure about Absalom.
Just then the Cushite arrives and David turns his attention to his message, and hears the same news that Ahimaaz gave.
David asks him about the fate of his son Absalom. The Cushite replied.
2 Samuel 18:32 NIV
The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man.”
The king was shaken and upset. Look at verse 33.
2 Samuel 18:33 NIV
The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!”

David’s Mourning

(18:33-19:4)
So his army returns to the city, David is up over the gateway weeping. As they came back to the city, they heard that David was up over the gate weeping!
2 Samuel 19:2–3 NIV
And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, “The king is grieving for his son.” The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle.

Joab’s Correction

(19:5-8)
David’s grief over the death of his son infuriates Joab.
He goes to the house where the king is and tells him:
2 Samuel 19:5–7 NIV
Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, “Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines. You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come on you from your youth till now.”
Joab is pretty harsh. He was honest, but harsh. Nevertheless he seems to have gotten through to David, because verse 8 tell us:
2 Samuel 19:8 NIV
So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, “The king is sitting in the gateway,” they all came before him. Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes.

David Returns to Jerusalem

(19:8-44)
David makes plans to return to Jerusalem, but he doesn’t know whether or not the people will accept him as king.
The tribes of Israel, begin to argue among themselves about how should be king, now that Absalom is dead.
Meanwhile, David sends a message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests to talk to the elders of Judah about bring him back to Jerusalem as king.
And David also prepares to replace Joab as the commander of his army with Amasa (his nephew).
Verse 14 tells us how Judah responded.
2 Samuel 19:14–15 NIV
He won over the hearts of the men of Judah so that they were all of one mind. They sent word to the king, “Return, you and all your men.” Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan. Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan.
The rest of chapter 19 tells the stories that came out of David’s return.
He travels to the edge of the Jordan River where dignitaries of Judah come to meet him and bring him back to Jerusalem.
Mephibosheth comes to the Jordan—he is a bit disheveled—and says that the reason he didn’t go with David when he left Jerusalem was that he didn’t want to hinder David’s escape.
Chapter 19 closes with sharp dispute between the men of Judah and the men of Israel.
The argument centers around the men of Israel being left out of the pomp and circumstances of bringing the king back to Jerusalem.
From verse 43 it sounds like Judah won the dispute.
2 Samuel 19:43 NIV
Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king; so we have a greater claim on David than you have. Why then do you treat us with contempt? Weren’t we the first to speak of bringing back our king?” But the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men of Israel.
This sets up another dispute over the throne, which is recorded in chapter 20.

Sheba’s Rebellion

20:1-22)
Sheba, the son of Bikri, a Benjamite began to stir up trouble.
He rallied the men of Israel to desert David and follow him.
The men of Judah did not follow him, but stayed with David.
So the king sent his new commander, Amasa, to gather the troops of Judah, and gave him three days to do so.
But Amasa took longer than three days, so David sent Abishai out with all of his men to pursue Sheba.
So Abishai, Joab, the Kerethites and Pelethites, and all the mighty warriors left.
Amasa (and the men with him) caught up to Joab at the rock of Gibeon.
Joab kills Amasa and leaves him in the middle of the road where Amasa dies.
One of Joab’s men stood in the road encouraging the army to follow Joab if they are supporters of the king.
Joab and his troops pursue Sheba to Abel Beth Maakah.
2 Samuel 20:15 NIV
All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel Beth Maakah. They built a siege ramp up to the city, and it stood against the outer fortifications. While they were battering the wall to bring it down,
While they are battering the walls of the city a wise woman comes to negotiate a cease-fire (of sorts).
2 Samuel 20:16–20 NIV
a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab to come here so I can speak to him.” He went toward her, and she asked, “Are you Joab?” “I am,” he answered. She said, “Listen to what your servant has to say.” “I’m listening,” he said. She continued, “Long ago they used to say, ‘Get your answer at Abel,’ and that settled it. We are the peaceful and faithful in Israel. You are trying to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why do you want to swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?” “Far be it from me!” Joab replied, “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!
Joab agrees to the idea, while the woman goes back to the city officials to convince them to give up Sheba, son of Bikri to save the city.
2 Samuel 20:22 NIV
Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice, and they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bikri and threw it to Joab. So he sounded the trumpet, and his men dispersed from the city, each returning to his home. And Joab went back to the king in Jerusalem.

Recap of David’s Official

2 Samuel 20:23–26 NIV
Joab was over Israel’s entire army; Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; Adoniram was in charge of forced labor; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; Sheva was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; and Ira the Jairite was David’s priest.

So What?

One of the amazing things about our God is how He uses human conflict to accomplish His purposes. Just in this story we have seen several human agendas that God used, or allowed so that His purposes would be accomplished.
Joab puts Absalom to death after Absalom openly broke God’s commands.
God uses Absalom’s desire for prestige and power to fulfill His punishment of David’s sin.
You and I need to realize that often God uses “coincidence” or other people’s agendas to complete His purposes in our lives as well.
Perhaps that is why Jesus told us to love our enemies, and do good to those who hate you. That’s why I picked our memory verse out of Luke.
Luke 6:27–28 NIV
“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
That’s the beauty of the promise of Romans 8:28.
Romans 8:28 NIV
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
We need to learn the lessons of trust—trusting in God to work even when we cannot see what He is doing, how He is doing it, and especially when we cannot make sense of what He is doing!
We need to remember the wonder of Proverbs 3:5-6.
Proverbs 3:5–6 NIV
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
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