2 Samuel 16-18: Absalom’s Fall

Thoughts

Samuel 16

There are so many names in the next few chapters so I will do a list of new individuals at the beginning of each chapter.

• Ziba: servant of Mephibosheth
• Shimei son of Gera: from Saul’s clan
• Abishai: Joab’s brother 
• Absalom: David’s son
• Ahithophel: David’s former counselor, now advising Absalom. Also Bathsheba’s grandfather.
• Hushai the Arkite: secretly loyal to David, pretends to serve Absalom.

Ziba (servant of Mephibosheth) meets David with donkeys, food, and wine.He claims Mephibosheth stayed in Jerusalem hoping to take over the kingdom. David believes him, and gives all of Mephibosheth’s property to Ziba.

Shimei, from Saul’s family, meets David near Bahurim. He curses David, throws stones, and calls him a man of blood (against Saul).

Abishai offers to kill Shimei, but David says perhaps the Lord told Shimei to curse him. David continues, hoping the Lord will repay him with good.

Absalom and his supporters arrive in Jerusalem. Hushai, David’s friend, greets Absalom and pretends to be his friend. 

Absalom asks Ahithophel for advice. Ahithophel advises Absalom to sleep with David’s concubines, publicly claiming the throne. Absalom follows the advice and pitches a tent on the roof of David’s palace. 

• This fulfills 2 Samuel 12:11-12  I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of the sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun 

Samuel 17

New Individuals

• Zadok and Abiathar: priests who send messages to David.
• Jonathan and Ahimaaz : sons of the priests
• Shobi, Makir, Barzillai: allies to David
• Amasa: commander of Absolom’s army

Ahithophel tells Absalom to let him take 12,000 men and attack David immediately. He wants to strike while David is tired and kill him, while bringing all the people back. 

Absalom then asks Hushai for his opinion. Hushai says that Ahithophel’s advice is dangerous: David and his men are fierce.

• He recommends gathering all of Israel to attack
• Absalom chooses Hushai’s advice because the Lord intended to defeat Ahithophel and Absalom. 

Hushai tells Zadok and Abiathar the priests what Absalom plans to do. Jonathan and Ahimaaz (their sons) deliver the message.

They are spotted, but a woman in Bahurim hides them in a well. They are then able to warn David, who quickly crosses the Jordan with his men.

When Ahithophel sees his advice rejected, he returns home, gets his house in order, and hangs himself.

Absalom, with Amasa as commander, crosses the Jordan with Israel’s army.

Allies come to David’s aid:

• Shobi son of Nahash (from Ammon),
• Makir son of Ammiel (from Lo Debar),
• Barzillai the Gileadite (from Rogelim).

Samuel 18

New Individuals

• Joab: David’s commander
• Ittai the Gittite: loyal foreign commander.

David organizes his army under three commanders: Joab, Abishai, and Ittai the Gittite. He wants to go into battle, but his men insist he stay behind for safety. He tells them to deal with his son gently. 

David’s army meet Israel’s army in the forest of Ephraim and defeat Absalom. More men die from the dangers of the forest than by the sword (??)

Absalom, riding his mule, gets caught by his head in the branches of a great oak tree.A soldier reports this to Joab and refuses to kill Absalom because of David’s command.

Joab, however takes three javelins and thrusts them into Absalom’s heart, and 10 men kill him. Absalom is then thrown into a pit in the forest and covered with stones.

The text notes Absalom had set up a monument for himself in the King’s Valley because he had no surviving sons to carry on his name.He called it “Absalom’s Monument,” which people referred to for generations.

Ahimaaz wants to tell David but Joab sends a Cushite (Ethiopian) instead. Ahimaaz insists on running and overtakes the Cushite.

But when David asks him about Absalom, Ahimaaz avoids giving a direct answer. The Cushite arrives and delivers the news. David is devastated.

• The Hebrew says the king וַיִּרְגַּז (vayyirgaz) which means to “shake or tremble”

Questions

Was David correct in that God told Shimei to say those things?

Why did Ahithophel hang himself just because Absalom chose to do something else?

What does “the forest devoured more people that day than the sword” mean?

Why was Absalom riding a mule if he was so vain?

What was the point of Ahimaaz outrunning the Cushite if he wasn’t going to say anything?

Application

There is so much injustice and deception in the world today, and we see the effects of it in these 3 chapters. From Absalom’s rebellion to Ahithophel’s deception, these chapters are full of evil motives and plans. However, through it all, God remains sovereign. He rose up Hushai to help Israel win the battle, and many allies to come to David’s aid. We don’t know how much of this is due to judgement of David’s sin, but even through judgement, God remains loving. He doesn’t abandon us even if we are reaping the consequences of our sin.