II Samuel 19: David Flubs Things Up

My weekly quiet time in II Samuel 19 was somewhat of a struggle. Reading the commentaries went smoothly, for I was actually feeling pumped and inspired as I read the Jewish Study Bible's notes on the chapter, while listening to Madonna's "Material Girl." But when I prayed about what I read, I got confused.

Here's what happens in the chapter: King David weeps over the death of his son, Absalom, who had tried to take over the monarchy of Israel. David's general (and cousin), Joab, tells David to get a grip, for he's disappointing the brave men who fought for him. Joab hints that David's lack of appreciation for their efforts could lead them to revolt. So David thanks his men.

Meanwhile, all the tribes of Israel (except Judah) decide to welcome David back by guiding him across the Jordan. Remember that Israel as a whole sided with Absalom in his rebellion. But the Israelites now realize that David had delivered them from their foreign enemies (e.g., the Philistines) and that Absalom is dead, so they talk about welcoming David back to the throne.

David hears about this talk, and he reaches out to the men of Judah. He reminds them that he is their flesh and blood, since he is from that tribe. And he fires Joab (who killed Absalom) as general and appoints in his place Amasa, a relative of his who'd just led Absalom's forces. Amasa then persuades the people of Judah to accept David and guide him back to his throne.

David encounters Shimei, a Benjamite and a relative of Saul who cursed him a few chapters earlier. Shimei arrives with 1,000 fellow Benjamites and apologizes for treating David so badly when David was down. Although Abishai wants David to execute Shimei, David vows never to take Shimei's life. Years later, when he's old and handing over his kingdom to Solomon, David tells his son to kill Shimei (I Kings 2:8).

Ziba prepares for David's crossing across the Jordan, and David encounters Mephibosheth, Ziba's master, whom Ziba said betrayed the king, leading David to give Mephibosheth's land to Ziba. Mephibosheth accuses Ziba of slander, and he requests that the king do what he thinks is best. David offers to divide the land between Ziba and Mephibosheth, and Mephibosheth lets Ziba have it all, for Mephibosheth is just glad that the king has returned home safely.

David then offers a reward to Barzillai the Gileadite, who gave him provisions when he was fleeing from Absalom. Barzillai says he's too old to enjoy the pleasures that David offers, but he asks David to give them to Chimham, possibly Barzillai's son (I Kings 2:7).

All of Judah and half of Israel guide David to his destination, the throne in Jerusalem. All the men of Israel then come to David with a complaint: they wonder why David asked the men of Judah to guide him home, rather than them. After all, they were the first who offered to do so! The Israelites and the Judeans argue, as the Judeans get fiercer and fiercer. In the next chapter, a Benjamite named Sheba leads Israel in a revolt against David.

The Jewish Study Bible says that David's decisions were political. He appointed Amasa to be general because he wanted to win back Judah. He pardoned Shimei because he wanted Benjamin on his side. And, earlier in the chapter, he appeases his own soldiers because he doesn't want them to revolt.

But, if David's goal were to win supporters and prevent another revolt, he sure had a bone-headed way of going about it! He knew that Israel wanted to welcome him back. So why did he snub the Israelites and ask the people of Judah to guide him back home instead? P. Kyle McCarter says David thought Judah would be tougher to win over, since Absalom's rebellion originated there, and the people of Judah weren't initially talking about giving David a warm welcome. Maybe David took the Israelites for granted, assuming he had their support. Perhaps favoritism inspired his preference for Judah, since that was (after all) his tribe.

David hopes to win friends and hold off another revolt, but he fails. He forgives Shimei to win the tribe of Benjamin, but Israel's revolt in the next chapter gets headed up by a Benjamite. And the Babylonian Talmud (b. Shab. 56a) says that David's division of Mephibosheth's land was unjust and led God to later divide his kingdom between Rehoboam and Jeroboam.

What's the lesson here? God was with David and was bringing him back to the throne, but David's political moves were failing miserably. Should he have consulted God before he made his decisions? Was he trusting too much in his own wits to bring Israel and Judah back to himself?

This is somewhat of a tension in the entire story of David's flight from Absalom: should David trust God, or himself? What's God's role, and what's David's role? In II Samuel 15-17, David recognizes his dependence on God, for, when Absalom hires the wise Ahithophel, David asks God to turn Ahithophel's counsel into foolishness. Yet, David acts practically: he sends a spy, Hushai, into Absalom's camp to turn Absalom from Ahithophel's good counsel. God ensures that Absalom listens to Hushai rather than Ahithophel, so God has a role. But David still acts practically when he has men deliver messages to him about what Absalom is about to do.

In II Samuel 18, David flees to Gilead. He numbers his men, which indicates he puts a lot of stock in his military strength. Yet, it turns out that numbers don't matter in the battle. Absalom's forces outnumber those of David, but Absalom still loses. And David's army doesn't even have to fight that much, for the forest ends up killing many of Absalom's men. Here, David was placing a lot of emphasis on his own role, but God fights David's battles for him.

We should trust God, yet we should do our part. But, even then, our own machinations can fail miserably. Maybe the lesson is that we need guidance from God and from one another. David accepted Joab's advice, and that at least kept his own men from revolting!