2 Samuel 15:1-37

A Son’s Betrayal

[1] treachery of a son (vv. 1-12)

[2] trials of a king (vv. 13-23)

[3] trust in the Lord (vv. 24-37)

[1] treachery of a son (vv. 1-12)

There is a contrast between the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-24 and that of Absalom. Like Absalom, this son was rebellious, was the heir to his father’s inheritance, yet threw it all away for worldly gain. However, in stark contrast to Absalom, the prodigal son returns repentant. Absalom is far from repentant here.

“After this.” Return back to the contention between Absalom and Joab. 2 Samuel 14:33 “Then Joab went to the king and told him, and he summoned Absalom. So he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king, and the king kissed Absalom.”

Again, king David let Absalom off the hook for burning his top military commander’s field. Absalom even admits that if he was wrong, then David should have put him to death. Yet, death does not occur. We already see clearly many of the short-comings of David in response to sin: (1) Not judging Amnon, (2) Jonadab, (3) the woman of Tekoa for lying, (4) Joab for circumventing the king (twice now), (5) Absalom.

Now, in light of Israel’s history in disputing any judicial claims. We see this admonition from Jethro in helping Moses with these disputes.

Exodus 18:14“When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?”” Exodus 18:16“when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws.”” Exodus 18:26“And they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves.”

However, this was set apart to the tasks of elders. It is obvious by what results from Absalom doing this that he is trying to circumvent his father.

He does this in his craftiness.

There is nothing wrong with an early riser. As the proverb goes, “the early bird gets the worm.” Yet Absalom was catching those who had a meeting with the king in the hopes to plead his own case. Remember, they came to the king for judgment.

He does this in his credibility.

Absalom also builds a bit of rapport with those who seek David. He relies upon his own knowledge of the twelve tribes of Israel and determines their cases on their behalf.

Not only is Absalom handsome and thereby wins the hearts from a outward sense, but also by being the prince of Israel. Phillips writes, “Absalom presented an image of royalty that was alluring to worldly minded Israelites.” He is second in line to David. Obviously, if David dies, Absalom is next to be king.

He does this in his circumvention.

This is plainly seen in 2 Samuel 15:4–5“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.” And whenever a man came near to pay homage to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.”

And the conclusion as to what the focus was is in verse 6. Absalom “stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” To steal here means to misappropriate. It is the same word Jeremiah uses in relation to the false prophets in Jeremiah 23:30 “Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who steal my words from one another.”

Truly this is a violation of the 3rd commandment. Absalom is promising these elements of justice on behalf of the Lord who has not anointed him to this work.

Q. 55. What is forbidden in the third commandment?

A. The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abusing of any thing whereby God maketh himself known.

In contrast to David, who refused to “touch God’s anointed” as in not striking King Saul or even overthrowing him, leaving it to the judgment and justice of God, Absalom holds nothing back in an attempt to do the same to David.

After four years of craftily grooming Israel to have less trust in David, Absalom returns back to his home, the place of his conception, to execute his plan.

(vv. 7-12)

David may have been hoping since Absalom wanted to return to Hebron to uphold his vow, that this could be a demonstration of repentance.

By returning to Hebron, Absalom was returning to his own birthplace as in 2 Sam.2-3. Hebron was very significant in David’s kingship as that was the place he was anointed as king over Judah in 2.4 and over all of Israel in 5.3.

David was also a pious man and would know the significance of proper worship. To David, this seemed like the right thing to do. He even tells his son to go in “peace” of “shalom,” the ultimate sense of peace in light of God’s redemptive mercies.

Unknown to David, however, was Absalom’s true intentions. Granted, he could have very well have been sincere in going to Hebron, but instead, he flees to gather strength in opposition to his own father.

Absalom probably pulled on the emotional strings of those who were affected by David’s sin against Bathsheba. Ahithopel was the grandfather of Bathsheba. David’s heinous sins had no doubt cost him the respect and affection of many in the nation, and Ahithophel seems to have nurtured a special resentment that would now bear fruit in malicious betrayal

[Doctrine] Longing Effects of Sin

This has really been an on-going theme which we have looked at from 2 Samuel 11 onward. It deserves extra attention. The more I read this passage and work through it the more aware I am of just how prevalent and widespread sin is.

Typically, we see the heinous sin of David and leave things there. We do not realize just how much it affected the kingdom.

Even still we need to be watchful and careful of how we approach our brothers and sister.

Use 1. Christians must be watchful how they view their own leaders.

“Anything you can do I can do better.” How many times have we heard that or even think that? When a pastor or leader in the church doesn’t do everything how we feel it should be done, rather than doing the basics, like praying for them, or encouraging, we hold ourselves up as though we could to the job better.

Likewise, we seldom look at all of the extenuating circumstances which lead to decisions. We do not have all of the fact. In fact, it is an act of God’s gracious mercy that we are not all privy to many of the complex dealings within the church.

False teachers often have a way of pitting Christians against each other. A “my way or the highway” mentality.

Absalom resembles quite clearly the issues faced in the church today with false teachers on the one hand, and those who wish to be divisive on the other.

Paul warns us of these types in Romans 16:18“For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.”

2 Peter 2:3“And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

Look at the smooth talking of Absalom. How often do false teachers disguise themselves as angels of light with the hope of snatching away the faithful for their own gain and greed?

Use 2. Christians must be willing to confront those who are in sin.

Many issues arise from miscommunication. We take offense and take things personal. Instead of confronting the individual, we let that sin fester and build until it comes to a boil.

It is obvious that David was in error in his lack of justice. Not only does it fulfill the prophecy proclaimed by Nathan but also the reaping of David’s negligence.

Yet the Bible gives us precedence for confronting anyone in sin. Remember Jesus’ own words in Matthew 18.

Even if leaders are in sin, we need to be willing to confront them, with the hopes that they will be restored. This is precisely what James closes his own epistle with. James 5:19–20“My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

[2] trials of a king (vv. 13-23)

The backdrop of this passage is found in Psalm 3 “A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son. O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, “There is no salvation for him in God.” Selah But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around. Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked. Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessing be on your people! Selah”

Once again, David is forced to flee from the presence of his own people.

There is a contrast in the narrative with David’s own heart in contrast to the hearts of the people. If you remember, in 2 Samuel 13:39“And the spirit of the king longed to go out to Absalom, because he was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.”

Now, the people whom David rescued and freed from the hands of their oppressors are now turned to Absalom instead.

It seems odd that David would so quickly flee the fortress of Jerusalem. However, David is actually doing a huge service to those under his control. Siege warfare was horrendous. Often, an army would block all means of communication and food, often starving the inhabitants.

David’s family consisted of many faithful servants, young children, and women. In fact, David is exercising godly wisdom in this moment to avoid undue loss of life.

Commentator Gordon Keddie rightly notes, “He was completely unprepared. He had no reliable intelligence on the strength of the rebellion and could not simply assume that all his soldiers would fight for him.… David’s decision to withdraw and, in effect, declare Jerusalem an open city, was strategically sound and a tactical necessity.”

As David is certainly torn that his kingdom is nearly in ruins, an unlikely sympathizer provides a brief amount of encouragement. Ittai, a man who just joined David’s cohort, displays a level of loyalty and faithfulness unseen in the rest of Israel.

Davis, “Ittai uses a double oath (by the life of Yahweh … of my lord the king) to put his answer in bold print, to underscore how seriously he means his words.”

He swears by the Lord and by the king’s life to support him. 2 Samuel 15:21“But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be.””

In life and in death, Ittai demonstrates a level of commitment unparalleled in Israel. It is reminscent on Paul’s own care he had for the church in Philippi. Philippians 1:20“as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.”

Davis notes “Ittai is an island of fidelity in a sea of treachery.” In contrast to Absalom whom David showed an unparalleled amount of love and service to him, providing Absalom with forgiveness, and yet is betrayed, Ittai, one whose army was conquered by David, who really owed nothing to David and was permitted to leave stays faithful.

Use 1. The faithfulness of God toward those who come to the kingdom late.

It is a reminder that God saves those regardless of when they enter His kingdom. Even the thief on the cross arrived into the kingdom at the last minute.

Matthew 20:11–16“And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.””

How does this relate to Ittai? We see David expressly blessing him for such commitment. 2 Samuel 18:2“And David sent out the army, one third under the command of Joab, one third under the command of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the men, “I myself will also go out with you.””

2 Samuel 18:5“And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.”

Use 2. The faithfulness of fellow brothers and sisters in Christ as a great comfort.

It is difficult for us to separate ourselves from the very individualistic mindset we have. Even in evangelicalism as a whole, it is about your personal relationship with Christ, your devotion, and your walk.

Yet we are walking together. In ancient warfare, in defensive and offensive situations, soldiers would reform their line to attack or receive blows from the enemy. We in this life need to lock arms with one another. We cannot retreat at the first sight of trouble, lest the link be broken.

[3] trust in the Lord (vv. 24-37)

As in the previous section, there is a parallel in David’s Psalm with the experience he is undergoing.

Psalm 63 “A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.”

Now, David likely wrote this particular Psalm when he was fleeing Saul in 1 Samuel 23:14“And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.” Nonetheless, David likely clung on to these promised words of the Lord.

David’s faith was certainly bolstered by the arrival of his fellow countrymen and dear friends, such as the Gittites but also Abiathar and Zadok, the priests. They arrived with the ark of God.

The ark represented God’s presence, blessing, and authority. By the ark leaving Jerusalem, it symbolized to the people that David’s victory would be by divine edict and not by mere military force. Even still, David knew better than to rely upon the ark solely for conquest or gain.

Surely he remembered Eli’s wicked sons from 1 Sam. 4.1-11 who thought this was a relic of sacred power to fight against their enemies. Moreover, David was especially conscious that he had brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem to be its resting place from travels. Therefore, David ordered: “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place. But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him” (2 Sam. 15:25–26).

Here we see a key turning point in David’s spiritual state: instead of seeking to misuse the holy ark, he submits himself to the Lord’s judgment or deliverance. So also does David ascend to the Mount of Olives in seeking the Lord. The very place where Christ ascends into heaven in Acts 1.9-12, David goes and finds solitude.

The Mount of Olives had a significant place in the final judgment, the last days, or eschatology. Here, Jesus tells his disciples of the nature of the lasts days. Matthew 24:3“As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?””

Even the prophet Zechariah explains the great judgment that will come on that day.

Zechariah 14:1–4“Behold, a day is coming for the Lord, when the spoil taken from you will be divided in your midst. For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses plundered and the women raped. Half of the city shall go out into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.”

Unfortunately, David hears word that a dear friend of his, or to his knowledge, Ahithopel, has betrayed him as well. Ahithophel was David’s close friend, whose betrayal came like a knife thrust up under David’s armor. He wrote of the pain involved in Psalm 41:9 “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” These were the same words that Jesus would later put on his own tongue in the betrayal of Judas Iscariot. John 13:18“I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’”

Even David resembles Christlikeness in praying for his friend who has now turned into an enemy. “O Lord,” David says, “please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

Use 1. Despite your sufferings, trust in the Lord.

Even David, one who was after God’s own heart, needed to trust in the Lord. You wonder if he perhaps came to a realization there that he was failing and neglecting his duties.

Use 2. Despite your wanderings, trust in the Lord.

“Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.” That is such an unfortunate reality in the Christian life. Yet God is still faithful to uphold us.

Use 3. Despite your shortcomings, trust in the Lord.

We see David here resembling our own propensity to ebb and flow in the Christian life. Sometimes we are absolutely crushing it. We get our Bible study done in the morning, we journal, we pray, we fellowship, and feel as though we have done what the Lord asks of us.

Other times, we neglect these things. Whether because of deliberate preference of idols and other things over the Lord or simply by means of the challenges we face. Regardless, the Lord is still faithful and we trust in his good providence.