2 Samuel 19 - Printer Friendly

What does 2 Samuel 19 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

In 2 Samuel 18, David won a war; in this chapter, he tries to win the peace. His forces defeated the larger rebel army, and the enemy fighters have run back home (2 Samuel 18). But he feels like he's lost. His son is dead. David climbs to the chamber above the city gates of Mahanaim. David's soldiers heard his command to "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom" (2 Samuel 18:5). They don't know that Joab killed the prince until they reach the gates and hear their king's cries of despair. Believing they failed their king, they skulk into the city in shame (2 Samuel 19:1–4).

When Joab hears, he tells David he's bringing shame on everyone who risked their lives to save him and his family. The king is acting like he hates those who love him and loves only those who hate him. Joab sees that David would be happier if Absalom had lived and all his servants and soldiers had died. David will lose the support of everyone if he doesn't pull himself together. Properly chastised, David shakes himself off and returns to the city gate to meet his people (2 Samuel 19:5–8).

The path towards restoration is more complicated than the road which led to the war. Some factions within tribes that followed Absalom insist David must be restored. Their reasons are simple: Absalom is dead, and David has always protected them. Others aren't as enthusiastic. But they do promise David their allegiance (2 Samuel 19:9–10).

Meanwhile, the elders of Judah who followed Absalom haven't said a word. David enlists the priests Zadok and Abiathar to persuade them in a way showing both David's impatience with his kinsmen and his willingness to reconcile. He even goes so far as to replace Joab with Amasa, Absalom's general. Judah welcomes David back, and he brings his people to the east side of the Jordan River (2 Samuel 19:11–15).

At the river, David finds a measure of closure with four men. The first are Shimei and Ziba. Shimei, a relative of King Saul, cursed David for "stealing" the kingdom from Saul's heirs (2 Samuel 16:5–14). This time, Shimei comes with one thousand Benjaminites, groveling for forgiveness and offering to carry David's household back across the river. Again, Abishai offers to kill Shimei and, again, David stays his hand. Ziba was Saul's servant who claimed that David's ward, Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, had betrayed David. David gave him Mephibosheth's estate (2 Samuel 16:1–4). Ziba adds his fifteen sons and twenty servants to the Benjaminite couriers (2 Samuel 19:16–23).

Next, Mephibosheth arrives, disheveled and unwashed. He explains that Ziba refused to help him saddle and mount his donkey. With his crippled feet, he couldn't follow while the king fled Absalom. Despite any desire to punish Ziba, David knows this isn't the day to cause conflict. Instead, he returns half of the estate to Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth insists the land means nothing compared to David's return (2 Samuel 19:24–30).

Finally, David says farewell to Barzillai. Barzillai is a wealthy eighty-year-old man of Gilead who provided food and supplies for David and his servants (2 Samuel 17:27–29). As a reward for the old man's care, David invites him to live in Jerusalem and have a place at his table. Barzillai graciously refuses, insisting he is too old to enjoy such luxuries. He'd rather live out his few remaining years at home. Barzillai asks David to honor Chimham, perhaps a son or grandson, instead. David agrees (2 Samuel 19:31–39).

Finally, the elders of the northern tribes appear, complaining that Judah got there first. Judah snaps back, and the two sides argue over who has the most love for a king they just went to war against (2 Samuel 19:40–43).

The northern tribes lose the argument. A Benjaminite named Sheba shouts that they "have no portion in David" (2 Samuel 20:1). The men of the northern tribes leave, and David must deal with another short but very messy civil war (2 Samuel 20).

Second Samuel 19:1–4 demonstrates how much David grieves over recent events. His son Absalom spent four years conspiring against his father (2 Samuel 15:1–12). He drove David out of Jerusalem, built an army, and attempted to kill the king (2 Samuel 15:13–14; 17:2, 11–14). David's men defeated Absalom's, and Joab killed the rebellious son (2 Samuel 18:6–8, 14–15). The kingdom is saved and many men are dead, but David only cares that his son is lost. Joab will confront David about this dishonorable display of grief for a traitor (2 Samuel 19:5–7).

Second Samuel 19:5–8 records Joab returning from a battle against rebels to an altercation with his king. Absalom's revolt is over. David's men bravely conquered a much larger force. But, against David's orders, Joab killed Absalom (2 Samuel 18:6–8, 14). David's public, distraught mourning over his son has made his soldiers think they've failed him (2 Samuel 19:2–3). Joab tells David that if he continues to choose the son who wanted him dead over the men who fought to keep him alive, they will all abandon him. David recovers his senses and starts the hard work of repairing the kingdom (2 Samuel 19:8).

Second Samuel 19:8–10 describes how Absalom's followers debated over whether to return to David. Absalom manipulated them into thinking he'd make a better king (2 Samuel 15:1–6), so they joined him in battle. But David's smaller army had both more experience and God's favor. Some in "Israel," the northern tribes, want to return their allegiance to David. Others aren't sure. After fighting with Judah over who loves David more, the skeptics will decide to revolt all over again (2 Samuel 9:41–43; 20:1–2, 14–22).

Second Samuel 19:11–15 depicts David chastising the elders of Judah into reconciliation. The northern tribes have welcomed David back as king after Absalom's rebellion failed (2 Samuel 19:8–10). Judah hasn't responded. David sends the priests to inspire them to act. David then makes a bold move: he fires his long-time general Joab and replaces him with Absalom's general, Amasa. Judah remains faithful to David, but Joab will soon murder Amasa (2 Samuel 19:41–42; 20:8–10).

Second Samuel 19:16–23 begins David's work of personal reconciliation. When David fled Jerusalem, the Benjaminite Shimei cursed him and threw stones (2 Samuel 16:5–8). Now, he arrives with a thousand men to help David's people cross the Jordan and return home. David forgives him. Ziba, Mephibosheth's property manager, also comes. Soon, Mephibosheth will tell David Ziba betrayed him, and David will restore half his land (2 Samuel 19:24–30). When Solomon is king, he'll have reason to execute Shimei (1 Kings 2:36–46).

Second Samuel 19:24–30 contains a bittersweet reunion. David had made Jonathan's son Mephibosheth a courtier and given him Saul's estate under Ziba's management (2 Samuel 9). While David fled Absalom, Ziba claimed Mephibosheth wanted the crown restored to Saul's house. David gave Ziba Mephibosheth's land (2 Samuel 16:1–4). Now, Mephibosheth meets David, claiming that Ziba refused to help him follow David and, with his lame feet, he couldn't travel on his own. David splits the difference and returns half of the land, but Mephibosheth is just happy David is back.

Second Samuel 19:31–40 records David's happy farewell to a good friend. When David heard Absalom had betrayed him and was marching to Jerusalem, there was no time to prepare. They just fled (2 Samuel 15:13–14). They found protection in Mahanaim where Barzillai brought everything from food to beds (2 Samuel 17:24–29). The rebellion is over, and David wants to reward Barzillai, but the old man just wants to return home. David takes Chimham, perhaps Barzillai's son or grandson, instead.

Second Samuel 19:41–43 is filled with hypocrisy. David's son Absalom convinced the tribes to make him king (2 Samuel 15:1–6). Despite their smaller numbers, David's forces won easily (2 Samuel 18:9–10). The elders of "Israel"—the ten northern tribes—argued about what to do but eventually reaffirmed their fealty to David (2 Samuel 19:9–10). Meanwhile, David shamed Judah into welcoming him home (2 Samuel 19:11–15). Now, Israel and Judah argue over who loves David, the king they rebelled against, more. Before long, Israel will join a new and very short rebellion (2 Samuel 20:1–2).

Chapter Summary:

David comes home after a tragic and costly rebellion. His son Absalom is dead, and rebel fighters have fled back home (2 Samuel 18). David falls into self-indulgent grief until Joab reminds him of his soldiers' honor. On the journey back to the Jordan, David reconciles with Shimei, Mephibosheth, and the elders of Judah, and blesses Barzillai. The elders of the northern tribes arrive and argue with Judah over who loves the king more—the king they tried to kill. The first chance they get, the men from Israel leave and try to start another rebellion (2 Samuel 20:1–2).

Chapter Context:

David's son, Absalom, manipulated the elders of the tribes, convincing them that he would make a better king than David (2 Samuel 15—17). During the one-day civil war, Joab killed Absalom, against David's orders (2 Samuel 18). David falls into a very public expression of mourning until Joab tells him to honor his living servants, not his dead, traitorous son. On the way to Jerusalem, David tries to forgive his enemies. The elders of Israel claim to welcome him back. But after squabbling with the elders from Judah, they join a new rebellion (2 Samuel 10:1–2).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.

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