This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.
Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.
Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&h) for each page to:
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COMMENTARY ON GENESIS to the address above.
2Samuel
1 And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.
2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.
3 And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
4 But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
5 And Joab came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy wives, and the lives of thy concubines;
6 In that thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive, that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had pleased thee well.
7 Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.
David, accounting his own behavior to be the cause of Absalom's death, is in great agony of spirit. Perhaps he thought if he had done better, Absalom migh have been saved.
8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.
So David arose and went to the gate of the city and spoke with all the people. He demonstrated that he didn't feel animosity toward them.
9 And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.
10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?
11 And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.
12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then are ye the last to bring back the king?
13 And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.
14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return thou, and all thy servants.
The rest of the nation realized the error of accepting Absalom. Now that he was dead, they determined to call David home (verses 9-10).
15 So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.
16 And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim, hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.
17 And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.
The tribe of Judah came out in full force to welcome David. They even went to the Jordan River to help him return.
18 And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan;
19 And said unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to his heart.
20 For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold, I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.
21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's anointed?
22 And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know that I am this day king over Israel?
23 Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.
as the ferry boat took all the things of David and his family across jordan, Shimei approached David asking forgiveness (verses 18-19).
24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.
25 And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?
26 And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.
27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in thine eyes.
28 For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto the king?
29 And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.
30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house.
Mephibosheth came also to David. He was disheveled; he had not cleaned up since David left. Obviously he avowed loyalty, but David asked why he did not come when David was running away. Mephibosheth aswered that Ziba had deceived him. So now David heard the TRUTH of the matter. Ziba had LIED back in chapter 16:3.
31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.
32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for he was a very great man.
33 And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.
34 And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?
35 I am this day fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?
36 Thy servant will go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king recompense it me with such a reward?
37 Let thy servant, I pray thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what shall seem good unto thee.
38 And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.
39 And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto his own place.
Barzillai had helped David when he had come to Mahanaim. Now he comes to express thanksgiving and send David properly home (verses 31-32).
40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him: and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the people of Israel.
41 And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's men with him, over Jordan?
42 And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king's cost? or hath he given us any gift?
43 And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
Oh! How quickly envy and jealousy can make a wreck of brotherhood!
Please continue with us in daily Bible study.
CHAPTER 19
The "victory" over Absalom is "turned into mourning unto all the people" (verse 2) by David continuing in grief.
Have you ever had a "victory moment" wiped out by someone else's sadness? No doubt, David's men had acted in haste, Joab especially. No doubt they had killed Absalom when he might have been captured.
But should David not have accepted it as God's will for Absalom and go on with life? He had accepted the loss of Bathsheba's first child in that manner. When it is DONE, it cannot be CHANGED -- it is time to GO ON!
These men had battled and risked their lives for David. Should he not lay aside his grief for their benefit? God's will is for us to HELP others.
David's constant wailing did not befit a king (verse 4). To Joab, and the army, it seemed that David would have rather had all them dead and Absalom safe! (verses 5-6)
Therefore, Joab very strongly told David that his actions will run everyone off if he doesn't stop (verse 7).
There is a time for grief. But grief is a burden for us to bear.
"Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it."(Jeremiah 10:19)
This assured them he was all right and did not despise them for killing Absalom.
David agreed to accept Amasa as chief captain of the armies of Israel. By doing this he would replace Joab. Perhaps some of the people wanted this change because of what Joab had done in the past.
It might have been a wise decision, but it probably shouldn't have been publicized. Joab had already murdered two men against David's wishes. And he didn't mind reproving the king.
Nevertheless, because of this statement, the people of Judah (David's own tribe) agree heartily to accept him (verse 14).
Remember Shimei? He was the descendent of Saul who cursed David as during his escape from Absalom (Chapter 16:5-10).
He did not wait for David to be returned to the kingdom before he asked forgiveness (verse 16). A very wise move. He accompanied the house of Judah to Jordan and brought 1,000 other men from the tribe of Benjamin with him (verse 17).
My friends, sinners have wronged the King of Glory and cursed His Holy Name. Men should not wait presumptuously upon His return before asking forgiveness!!
No man is forgiven until he goes and humbles himself.
Abishai had desired to kill Shimei at first, when he cursed David (verse 21). And now, he would still like to see Shimei killed because of his treachery. But David has put behind him any grudges. He desired reconciliation (verse 22).
His statement to Shimei was forgivness and not death.
And that is God's statement to men who will come willingly to Jesus, the King of Glory and beg forgiveness. (See John 3:16)
But David has become full of compassion. He no longer has a heart for requiting sinners, and only wants peace. Therefore he made a decree that as he had formerly determined (Ziba serving Mephibosheth) so should it continue to be (verse 29).
In other words, Ziba DOES receive punishment. The master agains whom he devised evil shall remain his master all his life! He will be responsible to the king for tilling the land and forwarding all profit to Mephibosheth!
Pretty strong judgment! Mephibosheth stated that he was unconcerned for the land and the profit. He simply was glad to have David home and safe.
OH! What a lesson for us sinners! We should have no concern for possessions or profit, but our joy should be to have reconciliation with our KING, JESUS!
David, in desire to return this man's kindness, offers to take him to Jerusalem and care for him all the rest of his life (verse 33). But Barzillai offers many reason to NOT GO with David.
1st - he is old, and has little time to live.
2nd - he cannot decide if it would be good or bad to go with David.
3rd - good food is of no concern to him, for he can no longer taste.
4th - music is of no concern to him, for he can no longer hear.
Therefore, he says, just allow him to go with David a short way, then he will return to his land and die in peace in his own home town.
HOWEVER, Barzillai had a request. He would like for his servant, Chimham, to have the privilege of going with David (verse 37).
Barzillai must have had great respect for this servant. He wanted the best for him, and he was quite pleased with Chimham's loyalty. Chimham, he said, would ALWAYS be loyal to David.
NOTE: Jeremiah 41:17 records that Johanan took lodging at the "Inn of Chimham." Conjecture is that this was land David gave to Chimham in return for his loyalty, and Chimham built an inn there for weary travelers.
Might this be the place of the birth of our Lord some 1,000 years later? It's a thought!
The tribe of Judah in great force, and 1,000 men of Benjamin's tribe had gone to welcome David and aid his return to Jerusalem. But the other tribes did not hurry to help David. However, when they did come, they made a lame excuse. They accused the tribe of Judah of "stealing away" David, and bringing him back before the others were asked to join in (verse 41).
Judah's answer is righteous - yet indignnant. Sometimes we OPEN our mouth when it should stay SHUT!
The claim that David is their kin, and that's why they went early. There was no need to wait (verse 42). And that claim was certainly true. However, angry words answering angry words never help a situation - even if they are true.
"As coals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife."(Proverbs 26:21)
Of course the other tribes have to retort (verse 43). Then Judah had to retort again (verse 43).
But this situation caused a great division among the tribes as we shall see in the next chapter. It even caused WAR between the tribes.
Friends, when we as Christians, become jealous and vain, we distort truth. And answering angry words with angry words always causes division - sometimes even WAR.
Let us remember, and always be gentle and kind in our words and answers.