Second Samuel 16:13

The Bible says in Second Samuel 16:13-23, “And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.[14] And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.[15] And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.[16] And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king.[17] And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?[18] And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.[19] And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so will I be in thy presence.[20] Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do.[21] And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong.[22] So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.[23] And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.” Shemei illustrated the fact that David was in a difficult situation because his enemies seemed to have the upper hand. But David did not give up on doing the right thing, and serving God, and trusting in the Lord. David just had to change his plans is all. And David’s new plan was working: we see in verses sixteen through nineteen that Hushai had gained access to Absalom just as David had wanted.

Just as it had been prophesied to David, it says in verse twenty-two, “Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel.” This shameful situation was both a consequence to one of David’s own previous sins, and was one more revelation of the kind of person Absalom was. He was not only violent and arrogant, but Absalom was also lustful and selfish. God sees and God knows.

The Bible says in Second Samuel 17:1-14, “Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night:[2] And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only:[3] And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace.[4] And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.[5] Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith.[6] And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him, saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after his saying? if not; speak thou.[7] And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.[8] For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people.[9] Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom.[10] And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men.[11] Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto thee, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.[12] So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so much as one.[13] Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there be not one small stone found there.[14] And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.” Which advice would Absalom take? That decided everything. God decided that Absalom would take the wrong advice. God is in control. It was summed up perfectly at the end of verse fourteen: “For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.”

The Bible says in Second Samuel 17:15-23, “Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and thus have I counselled.[16] Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.[17] Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En-rogel; for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and they went and told king David.[18] Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down.[19] And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.[20] And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them, They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.[21] And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David, Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel counselled against you.[22] Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of them that was not gone over Jordan.[23] And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.” Once again, we see that everything is working out just fine for David. This time the two messengers are hidden and kept safe with the quick thinking of the woman that helped them. It is strange that Ahithophel committed suicide. Perhaps he knew that since his advice was not followed, destruction would follow. Perhaps he was embarrassed or ashamed at being put down. But someone who is close to the Lord would never do such a thing. A believer understands that life is precious because it is so very short compared to eternity. Live life to the fullest and do everything you can to bear fruit for God so that your life is not vain, but is meaningful.

The Bible says in Second Samuel 17:24-29, “Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he and all the men of Israel with him.[25] And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab: which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.[26] So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.[27] And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the son of Ammiel of Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,[28] Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and parched pulse,[29] And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the wilderness.” In these verses we see that the two opposing armies are gathering and forming because they are preparing to battle each other. A son has risen up against his father. But the father has the blessing of God upon him. Why is David so well taken care of? God touches people’s hearts to help him. Notice that Absalom is picking the worst people to be on his side. The vain people, the lustful people, the unbelieving people are gathering themselves to Absalom. That fact is seen by the choosing of Amasa to be Absalom’s general. In order to be clear what type of person that Amasa was, we are told in verse twenty-five that Amasa “went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's mother.” This was an immoral person who was elevated by Absalom.

The Bible says in Second Samuel 18:1-5, “And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.[2] And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.[3] But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city.[4] And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.[5] And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.” David knew he was going to win. He was concerned about his son Absalom because he knew Absalom was in danger. But David was not going to decide Absalom’s fate. God would do that. There comes a time when we must give up our children and give them back to God. They must suffer the consequences of their decisions just like everyone else on this earth. Hopefully, they will be among the few who trust in the Lord.

The Bible says in Second Samuel 18:6-15, “So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;[7] Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.[8] For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.[9] And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.[10] And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.[11] And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.[12] And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.[13] Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.[14] Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.[15] And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.” And so Absalom came to his violent end. Interesting irony that his great head of hair that he was so proud of is what trapped him. Joab was a violent man of war, but he knew that Absalom would never be tamed and would always be a threat to King David, and so Absalom was killed. In a way this was a sad end to the son of King David. What great gifts he had and what potential, but instead of dedicating his abilities to the Lord, Absalom went the way of self-will and arrogance. It says in Proverbs 16:25, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

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