Begins with the words, after all this, something happened,and it surely did! Now that Absalom has got into the palace to see his father, he sets about setting up his future. His chief failure was that he never included God in his
plans. He had obviously made a vow to The LORD at Geshur (7,8) but it was more of a bargain with The LORD – “If The LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve then The LORD.”
God doesn’t want vows or bargains like that, they are worthless, they don’t show any love and commitment to The LORD but we are still guilty of it today. Often our love is conditional and that isn’t really love at all. It is like a husband/wife saying, “I will love you if you will love me”. The love should be mutual, unforced, spontaneous, willing, desired and totally unconditional.
It is not uncommon for some to try to bargain with God – “if You will do this for me, I will do this for You.” If Jesus had displayed that kind of love for us, none of us would be saved. I’m glad God doesn’t wait for us to start loving Him, or for us to become better people, before He shows His love for us.
God doesn’t want service like that; true love and commitment serves God now before the bargain we ask Him to perform. To love the unlovely, unlovable, that’s God’s love and should be ours as we “love one another as I have loved you” (words of Jesus (John 15).
Absalom begins his scheming to undermine his father David who had received him back and shown mercy to him. Often seen today what we call ‘biting the hand that feeds you’, ‘looking after number one’. He’s ‘got his feet under the table’ and he shows his craftiness, firstly by acquiring chariots, horses and fifty men to run before him (v1). He would get up early and stand in the gate to his father’s palace. That was very commendable, but his motive was to intercept those who came to his father for justice. The king was, in effect, the appeal court. We saw a little of this when Joab sent the wise woman with the story of the two sons, albeit that may not have been a true story.
Absalom would see the people seeking to speak with David, the king, and tell them that David was too busy, and he would deal with the complaint. Like many a lawyer, he would convince them that they had a good case, and if they would submit to him, he would see that they got justice, if they made him a judge. However, the justice he spoke of would be partial towards them. It sounds like a political manifesto – vote for me and I will do this for you – but their promises are like pie crusts, they fall apart very easily. Absalom would bow down to them and kiss their hand. In this way, he made himself very popular and stole the affections of the men of Israel (v1-6).
How easy it is to ‘steal the hearts or affections’ of people by telling them only what they want to hear. Oh, to be popular! The apostle Paul refers to such people in Romans 16:17,18, “I urge you brethren, note those who cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine you have learned, and avoid them. For these who are such, do not serve our LORD Jesus Christ, but their own belly and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple.”
One gets the impression David doesn’t know exactly what is going on. Maybe there were so many coming for justice and Absalom shrewdly only taking those who came early in the morning, possibly the more urgent cases who came early to avoid the crush. Whatever the case Absalom was indeed stealing their hearts and affections. Even his entourage of chariots, horses and men, give the impression that he was ‘riding around in his Rolls Royce’, making a big fanfare. He was also very subtle by ‘sneaking in’ to undermine his father.
The people were easily impressed by his image, which is not unusual even today, but we need to look behind the image. He was not supporting his father but undermining him and bringing discontent. He was preparing the way for himself when his father would die, and he be crowned king. He was impatient and wanted the kingdom while his father was still alive, which was treason.
We come to the next stage in Absalom’s scheming – “Now it came to pass after forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please, let me go to Hebron and pay the vow which I made to the LORD. For your servant took a vow while I dwelt at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the LORD indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.’” And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron. Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’” (v7-10)
It is thought that the translation could be interpreted two ways, in that it meant it was Absalom’s age or the ‘forty’ should read ‘four’. This was treason indeed, disguised as worship. He is obviously on speaking terms with his father, but again Absalom in his shrewdness is craftily plotting and scheming David’s downfall. Absalom says he wants to go to Hebron to pay his vow, but he didn’t need to go there. His vow was to The LORD and he could pay it here and now, that is if it really was such. The question is whether we should make vows at all? Even if it was genuine his actions belie it as we shall see. We can convince ourselves and others that we are being spiritual, as we have seen in our present day, that many have and are being brought down by cults, purporting to be following/serving God. Most of them want our money and our allegiance but are not interested in our souls.
I digress a little, but it might be useful to look at what the Bible says about vows. In Judges 11 we read of Jephthah who made a vow to The LORD and said, “If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands, then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.” (V30,31)
Jephthah was indeed victorious but the first that came out of his house was his only child, his daughter. He was distraught but said, “Alas, my daughter …. For I have given my word to the LORD, and I cannot go back on it.” (v35)
“She said to him, “My father, if you have given your word to the LORD, do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, because the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the people of Ammon.” (v36)
And so, he eventually offered his daughter and carried out his vow. (v39) If only he had remembered God’s law or even sought advice from the priests or leaders who should have pointed out God’s word to him. He was full of bravado and careless in his vow. It was a ‘rash utterance’ and Numbers 30:6 refers to and provided for it. Numbers 30:2 states, “If a man vows a vow to The LORD or swears on oath …. He shall not break his vow, he shall do according to all the proceeds out of his mouth.”
Deuteronomy 23:21 says that it is sin not to pay a vow, but not to make a vow is not sin. Everything seemed to be pointing to Jephthah having to fulfil his vow. If only the priests had told him that Leviticus 5:4 said, “If a person swears (vows) thoughtlessly …. When he realises it, then he shall be guilty …. And when he is guilty …. He shall confess that he has sinned and shall bring his trespass offering to The LORD …. And he shall be forgiven.” (v13)
The religious leaders had a duty to tell him but obviously they did not. There was a way out if one vowed thoughtlessly, or if the realisation was hidden as this was. That was the law concerning vows, but Absalom wasn’t really interested in that, it was part of his wicked plot, a plot to overthrow his father king David. He wasn’t interested in repaying his vow, nor was he intent on carrying it out to fulfil his service to The LORD.
David sent him on his way (v9) perhaps hoping that Absalom would perform his vow to serve The LORD. No sooner had he left (v10) but he started his plot immediately. He sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel, with his plan – Go and when you hear the trumpet sound, shout, “Absalom reigns in Hebron!” Does that sound familiar? We live in times when a few people chant a slogan and many join in and believe it, even whether they understand it or not. People are easily carried along with the crowd or even one who sounds convincing.
Here we read of David’s last words to Absalom, “Go in peace.”
Absalom also invited two hundred men from Jerusalem who went along not really knowing what they were going for (v11,12). That also sounds familiar! “You have been specially chosen; we are not trying to sell you anything, we are just inviting you ….” We think these are modern methods, but they are clearly not.
He also sent for Ahithophel, David’s counsellor. So, the conspiracy grew. Evidently, they all fell for it. David’s top adviser defects to Absalom’s side. This really hurt David, he even mentions it in a Psalm (see Psalm 41, 55). Maybe Ahithophel was still smarting after what David had done to his granddaughter Bathsheba (see chapter 11).
He was still appearing to be ‘spiritual, but it was a façade for his plot to overthrow the king.
A messenger came to David to inform him that Absalom was taking along the affections of the people of Israel (v13). David knew deep down what his son was like, how ruthless he was, and in fear for himself and his servants, he fled from the palace in Jerusalem to the outskirts of the city. Once again David seems to suffer from ‘knee jerk
reactions ‘. God had given him His promise about kingship, but of course, the sin with Bathsheba and then murdering Uriah had resulted in the promise that the sword would never depart from his house (12:10). David is confused and doesn’t know what is going to happen. Absalom is quite capable of killing his father, he’s already killed his half-brother and stolen the hearts of the people away from his father. Should not David have thrown himself on the mercy of God before doing anything as he seems to do after, as we see later in chapter 15.
Seems to be utter confusion – (v14) as David tells his servants to run for their lives as they will not escape from Absalom.
What sin does! Instead of knowing the peace of God and having the utmost trust and confidence in God, we become uncertain and confused, especially when God has said we shall have problems because of our sin. It must again be made clear that upon repentance and confession, God forgives our sin, but often scars remain and we reap what we sow in this life.
David is afraid of what Absalom might do in his treachery. His servants assure him that they will stand with him. (v15) and David took his household out, however he left ten of his concubines to look after his house (v16), perhaps unknowingly carrying out the prophecy of Nathan. A large number of people followed David – “All his servants and all the Cherethites, Pelethites and Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath.” (v18)
The Cherethites followed David after the Egyptians had invaded their territory and David, whilst on the run from Saul (1 Samuel 30:14) found an Egyptian who had been left behind sick, and who agreed to take David and his men to the Egyptian raiders and David attacked them and recovered all that the raiders had taken.
The Cherethites and the Pelethites formed part of David’s guard and were areas of Judah; the Gittites were from Gath of all places. They too had followed David since he went there on the run from Saul. They of course were foreigners (v19-23). David is surprised that they want to continue to be faithful followers and he speaks to Ittai, who I guess is one of their leaders, “Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king (Absalom). For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place. In fact you came only yesterday.” David is amazed that Ittai
and his people followed him but was overwhelmed at Ittai’s reply- “As The LORD lives, and as my LORD the king lives, surely in whatever place my LORD the king shall be, whether in life or in death, even there also your servant shall be.”
He is amazed that Ittai, who had only arrived the day before, after David told him that it wasn’t going to be an easy ride and gave him the opportunity to go back, Ittai adamantly refused to leave. What a statement of commitment Ittai made! Ittai wanted to go with David and was prepared to go through thick and thin. How like the statement of Ruth, the Moabitess, to Naomi, “Where you go, I will go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay…. Nothing but death shall separate you and me.” (Ruth 1:16,17) When Naomi saw how determined she was, she stopped trying to persuade her to go back home to her people.
Is that our commitment to The LORD? Is that our commitment to one another? Sad to say it is a rare commodity, but thankfully it is not extinct. There are those who are committed to The LORD and to each other, but there could be more. In lands where there is persecution, one reads of great commitment and people being prepared to sacrifice even their lives to meet with other Christians and to serve The LORD. Do we have to wait for persecution to bring that about? I hope not.
David received Ittai and his men and their families – “…. All their little ones who were with him.” (v21); and “all the country wept with a loud voice” and they crossed the brook Kidron.
David wrote several Psalms during this time reflecting his highs and lows. His moods went from being afraid to trusting God. It is thought that Psalms 3, 41, 55, 61, 62 and 63 were written displaying his thoughts during these events.
Zadok and Abiathar, the priests and the Levites also came bearing the ark of the covenant (v24). You would have thought David would have wanted the ark there with him at all times but instead he sent them back to the city with the ark. Confusing, but maybe he didn’t want the ark to be lost again so he preferred to keep it where it belonged in the custody of the priests and Levites. To a certain extent, David is allowing God to have His way – “…. If I find favour in the eyes of The LORD, He will bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place. But if He says thus: ‘I Have no delight in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.” (v25,26). It could also appear to be an air of resignation, even defeat!
The king reminded Zadok that he was a prophet and therefore, had words from God, so he sent him back to Jerusalem with the ark of the covenant (v27-29). He said that he would remain in the wilderness until Zadok had a word for him.
Then (v31) someone told David that Ahithophel had joined with Absalom. There were times when David seemed to panic and do the wrong thing, especially when under threat e.g. from Saul and now Absalom, but also times when he does seem to remember his God. Psalm 55 was a product of this event and what wonderful words are contained there. David does right, he prayed. How often do we pray? Only when in trouble or at all times? It should never be a last resort. David prays that The LORD would make Ahithophel’s counsel to become foolishness. An interesting prayer and one which God answered.
Psalm 55 may well have been David’s prayer in full or at least in greater detail. He begins by pleading with God to hear him and to be with him. Had God ever left him, is the question, I think not. Verses 2-5 show the distress and fear he got into – “…. Severely pained…. terrors of death…. fearfulness and trembling…. horror has overwhelmed me.” Those familiar words of v6 “Oh that I had wings like a dove! I would fly and be at rest.” He wants to escape.
He then prays that God will destroy the enemy and mix up their speech or counsel, make it unintelligible or contraryto each other. That is what happened – Absalom received counsel from Ahithophel and Hushai which were contrary to each other and ‘divided’ which led to Absalom‘s downfall. David mourned that it was his friend Ahithophel who turned traitor on him – “For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, then I could bear it …. But it was you, a man my equal, my companion and my acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together and walked to the house of God in the throng.” (v12-14) They had obviously been very close, understood each other, even attended God’s house together, and now Ahithophel forsakes David for the ‘young pretender’. He probably thought there was more in it for him – a greater opportunity for the future, but he counted against a God.
David throws himself upon the mercy of God (v16) and speaks those immortal words – “Cast your burden on The LORD and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved (shaken) …. I will trust in You”. (v22,23)
What a blessing those words have been to many! Words born out of adversity and words which have a very practical application and not just nice platitudes.
I still can’t understand why David left Jerusalem at all especially when he sent the ark of the covenant (sign of God’s presence) back to the city in the hands of the priests and Levites. v30 & 32 might give the answer – David went up the Mount of Olives and worshiped God. It is clear that he was in mourning for the sins of his nation and for his own sins. It is there that he is met by Hushai who he sends to Absalom to confuse the counsel given by Ahithophel and to keep David informed, in conjunction with Zadok the priest, of what is happening.
Whether David did right in leaving Jerusalem may be open to question, but he certainly did right in worshiping God. It’s always the best thing to do, especially, but not only, when in difficulties. It should be our constant occupation.
