2 Samuel chapter 14. I'll begin reading in verse 1. So Joab the son of Zariah perceived that the king's heart was concerned about Absalom. And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, please pretend to be a mourner and put on mourning apparel.
Do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning a long time for the dead. Go to the king and speak to him in this manner. So Joab put the words in her mouth. And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself and said, help, O king.
Then the king said to her, what troubles you? And she answered, indeed, I am a widow. My husband is dead. Now your maidservant had two sons, and the two fought with each other in the field.
And there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him. And now the whole family has risen up against your maidservant, and they said, Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may execute him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and we will destroy the heir also. So they would extinguish my ember that is left, and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the earth. Then the king said to the woman, go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.
And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, my lord, O king, let the iniquity be on me and on my father's house, and the king and his throne be guiltless. So the king said, whoever says anything to you, bring him to me and he shall not touch you anymore. Then she said, please let the king remember the Lord your God and do not permit the avenger of blood to destroy anymore, lest they destroy my son. And he said, as the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.
Therefore the woman said, Please let your maid servant speak another word to my lord the king. And he said, Say on. So the woman said, Why then have you schemed such a thing against the people of God? For the king speaks this as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring his banished one home again.
For we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away a life, but he devises means so that his banished ones are not expelled from him. Now therefore, I have come to speak of this thing to my Lord, the King, because the people have made me afraid. And your maidservant said, I will now speak to the King.
It may be that the King will perform the request of his maidservant. For the King will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God. Your maidservant said, the word of my Lord the King will now be comforting. For as the angel of God, so is my Lord the King in discerning good and evil.
And may the Lord your God be with you. And the king answered and said to the woman, Please do not hide from me anything that I ask. And the woman said, Please let my lord the king speak. So the king said, Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?
And the woman answered and said, As you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken. For your servant Joab commanded me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your maidservant, to bring about this change of affairs your servant Joab has done this thing. But my Lord is wise, according to the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth. And the king said to Joab, All right, I have granted this thing.
Go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom. And Joab fell to the ground on his face and bowed himself, and thanked the king. And Joab said, Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, O king, in that the king has fulfilled the request of his servant. So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.
And the king said, Let him return to his own house, but do not let him see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, but did not see the king's face. Now in all Israel, there was no one who was praised as much as Absalom for his good looks. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head, there was no blemish in him.
And when he cut the hair of his head, at the end of every year he cut it because it was heavy on him. When he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels according to the king's standard. To Absalom were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of beautiful appearance.
And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, but did not see the king's face. Therefore Absalom sent for Joab to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. And when he sent again the second time, he would not come. So he said to his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he has barley there.
Go and set it on fire. And Absalom's servants set the field on fire. Then Joab arose and came to Absalom's house and said to him, Why have your servants set my field on fire? And Absalom answered Joab, Look, I sent to you, saying, Come here, so that I may send you to the king to say, Why have I come from Geshur?
It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king's face, but if there is iniquity in me, let him execute me. So Joab went to the king and told him. And when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king.
Then the king kissed Absalom." Amen.
Introduction: David's Ongoing Consequences
Well, we're in the section where David is dealing with the consequences of his sin. Remember in 2 Samuel 11, he commits adultery with Bathsheba. He covers it up by the murder of Uriah. And then God, through the prophet Nathan, tells him, specifically in 12.11, Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house, and 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 this son.
As well, he says, the sword will not depart from your house. We've already seen that sword inflicted by Absalom upon Amnon. We've seen consequences, and we will see that adversity rising up in this chapter and following. As well, we saw the incestual rape of Tamar by Amnon, her brother, and then Absalom killed or murdered Amnon as a result of that.
Amnon then goes to Gesher, according to chapter 13, he spends three years in Gesher. And notice in verse 39, King David longed to go to Absalom, for he had been comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead. And then in 14.1, said Joab, the son of Zariah, perceived that the king's heart was concerned about Absalom. These verses are a bit difficult.
In fact, 14.1 could be translated that his heart was against Absalom, which would indicate or would give credence to why Joab concocted this plan to get Absalom and David together. But even if we take it as it's written here, He was concerned about Absalom. That does not necessarily mean that there was this absolute longing and love, because we see later on in the passage, David doesn't even want to see him. So, there was a reason for Joab to want to get involved, because he saw the concern about Absalom.
So as we look at this particular chapter, the return of Absalom to Jerusalem,
The Plan of Joab
we'll look at first the plan of Joab in verses 1 to 20, secondly the decision of the king in verses 21 to 24, and then the return of Absalom in verses 25 to 33. But note in the first place the plan. As I already mentioned, difficulty between 1339 and 1401. Suffice it to say, Absalom is away from David.
David has some sort of concern for him. Joab perceives this, and so Joab concocts a particular plan.
Joab's Motives and Method
Notice in verse 2, he sends to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman and said to her, pretend to be a mourner and put on mourning apparel. Do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning a long time for the dead." Now, Joab most certainly did not do this because he was a family counselor. I don't think Joab had that sort of vein running through him where he genuinely was concerned about the disharmony in David's household. We don't know why Joab did what he did.
But we can surmise, based on what we know of Joab, that he reckoned it was the best scenario, that it was the most politically advantageous, and that it would be most helpful to the nation as a whole. John Gill says that Joab was inclined to take such a step as he knew it would establish him in the king's favor. I think there's reasons to believe this. As we study 2 Samuel, we see Joab.
I don't think Gill is out of line. He does this in order to establish himself in the king's favor and as well to ingratiate him into the affection of Absalom. All things being equal, if chapter 15 doesn't happen, then Absalom is on his way to the throne. And what better way for Joab to get in good with the king and to get in good with the heir apparent to the throne than by bringing them together.
He goes on to say, as well as please the people whose darling he was. And then Matthew Henry mentioned several reasons why Joab would have done what he did. As a courtier, he was concerned with the royal household. And then as a friend to Absalom, he would want to bring this reconciliation as a statesman and one concerned for the public welfare.
And then Henry makes this good observation. He says, as one, Joab, who was himself a delinquent by the murder of Abner. Remember that Joab murdered Abner previously in 2 Samuel. So Henry says, whatever favor he could procure to be shown to Absalom would corroborate his reprieves.
In other words, he got off with it, and if Absalom gets off with it, then this corroborates David's decision with Joab. So nevertheless, this was indeed, as far as Joab was concerned, the best possible scenario to bring Absalom back from Geshur, to reconcile with David, and then hopefully the kingdom will live happily ever after. But Joab doesn't know how things are going to turn out. According to verse 24, David doesn't even want to see Absalom.
And then later, when Absalom usurps David's throne and assumes control of the kingdom, Joab employs Amasa to be the head of the army and not Joab. So things certainly didn't happen in a way that was advantageous to Joab. But nevertheless he does this, his plan is quite simple, he tells the woman to go, to tell this particular story and it's in a sense similar to what Nathan did. Remember, Nathan wove that particular tale to show David his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah.
He told the tale of the man who was rich and the poor man who had a ewe lamb, and the rich man took the ewe lamb so that he could butcher it and barbecue it and feed it to his friend. And David got so incensed and he got so upset And then Nathan says, Thou art the man. Well, the same sort of technique is employed here, though there are dissimilarities between what Nathan does and what this woman from Tekoa does. As well, at the end of verse 3, notice it says, So Joab put the words in her mouth.
Think that Joab gave her the general reference or the general outline, but he couldn't have possibly foreseen every answer or response that David would make. She genuinely was a wise woman. The way that she goes from the story to David and back to the story, she does it subtly. She shows the utmost respect to David, but she is using the plan that was developed by Joab.
But she is certainly improvising along the way.
The Woman of Tekoa's Appeal
Now note specifically the woman of Tekoa in verses 4 to 20. We see her story in verses 4 to 7. She appeals to the king for justice. This was common in Israel.
The king would be involved in the court. She spoke to the king, prostrates herself before him, and says, help, oh king. And then she goes on to tell this particular story. Now, the dissimilarities between her story and Absalom and Amnon are pretty conspicuous.
In the first place, notice the two sons, they fight with each other in the field. There was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him. Now, it was more of a crime of passion, and in some sense, it might even be charged as manslaughter because there was no premeditation. There was no malice of forethought.
It doesn't strictly fit the bill for murder. Well, conversely, Absalom bided his time for two long years. He nurtured and cherished hatred in his heart and vengeance in his heart, and then he had his servants take out Amnon while Amnon's heart was married with wine. So there are some apparent dissimilarities between the two stories as it comes to us.
As Davis says, Absalom's disposal of Amnon was a methodically planned, long-calculated act of carefully nursed hatred. It was murder, not pure, but simple, and it cried out for justice, not clemency. And as we move through the story, you see the real rub now with reference to the woman's dilemma. Again, this is the plan of Joab.
This isn't an actual story. She is using it to set David up and to bring him over into this way of thinking in terms of mercy or clemency for Absalom. Notice in verse 7, and now the whole family has risen up against your maidservant. And they said, deliver him who struck his brother, that we may execute him for the life of his brother whom he killed.
On the one hand, they affirm that they want to do so for justice, but they have ulterior motives that are not well noticed, and we will destroy the heir also. In other words, we kill both sons, and then that inheritance is no longer confined to that particular family. And that leads the woman to say at the end of verse 7, so they would extinguish my ember that is left and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the earth. So you see, it is a difficult situation that she proposes to David, and it does require a certain degree of wisdom and judicial insight for David to respond.
So David then says in verse 8, I'm sorry, in verse 8, "...go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you." Now, this could have meant a whole number of things. It's just ambiguous enough to elicit from the woman what she goes on to say in verse 9. The fact is that he says, "...go to your house, and I'll take care of it." Well, that's not enough for her. And again, her particular intention has not been achieved because she has not got him sympathetic to Absalom in so many details.
So the woman then pleads with him, verse 9, My Lord, O King, let the iniquity be on me and on my father's house, and the king and his throne be guiltless. Kyle and Dalich say this, that the woman wants to secure release for her other son. And then they say, the meaning of the words is this, but if there should be anything wrong in the fact that this bloodshed is not punished, let the guilt fall upon me and my family. See what she's doing?
She's appealing to David to spare the life of her son that does deserve the death penalty. Again, it's arguable in terms of murder and manslaughter, but for the sake of the analogy, he deserves the death penalty for the crime that he has done. She wants David to promise or to highlight to her that he will indeed protect his son. Because then she can reel him in and say, well, what about Absalom?
As she does later in this particular narrative. Now notice, the king swears to her that no harm will fall to her son. Interesting language as well. Notice in verse 11 at the end, as the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.
It's pretty interesting in light of the hair story concerning Absalom. I mean, he's a pretty boy with a full head of hair that he cuts every year and it weighs 200 shekels by the king's standard. So on the one hand, not one hair of his head will fall to the ground. But Absalom cuts his hair every year.
I think the narrator is doing things in the passage to highlight his literary craft and ability. At any rate, the woman makes application to David's situation. Notice in verse 12. The woman then said, Please let your maidservant speak another word to my lord, the king.
And he said, Say on. So she's got him where she wants him. Just like Nathan, when David was upset, he's incensed, and he gets all, you know, he says, That man deserves to die. And then Nathan lets the hammer fall and says, Thou art the man.
Well, here David has sworn by Yahweh that not a hair of the head of a remaining son is going to fall to the ground. Now notice in verse 13, "...why then have you schemed such a thing against the people of God?" This does seem to indicate Joab's desire was for peace and unity in Israel. He perhaps perceived a civil war in the making if they did not reconcile. I mean, Absalom is a popular guy.
When we get to his introduction later in the chapter, I mean, he's Israel's beloved. I mean, he's handsome. You thought we only elected leaders today based on their looks. No, it has a long pedigree.
He had the long flowing hair. He had the beautiful family. He has everything to commend him in the narrative. And so, Joab might have perceived an uprising didn't perceive quite what does happen, but so Joab, I think we see something of his heart in this sentence.
Why then have you schemed such a thing against the people of God? For the king speaks this thing as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring his banished one home again. So you see, that's the Nathanian hammer falling at this time again. In other words, you are keen to protect my son, you are keen to exercise clemency in his situation, why are you not keen to do so for your own son Absalom?
So David's on the hook at this particular point. Now note what this woman does in verse 14, for we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. This is a very ambiguous statement that I'm not sure I know what she means specifically. When she says, for we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, does she mean Amnon?
Does she mean Absalom? Does she mean David? Does she mean if you exercise this act of clemency, eventually you're going to die anyway. It's not going to have any significant bearing on that.
I take it to be a reference to Amnon. The idea being that Amnon is dead. Amnon is gone. There is no bringing Amnon back.
So the king can legitimately exercise clemency over Absalom. and no one will be put out of sorts. I think that's what is going on, though I'm not absolutely positive in this particular instance. Absalom's life should be protected, just as David had guaranteed the safety of her own guilty son, and the fact that this particular situation occurred, Amnon is gone, he's not coming back, Let's go ahead and let Absalom live.
God's Known Mercy as Her Argument
Now note in the second place, in verse 14, the way that she reasons. She says, yet God does not take away a life, but he devises means so that his banished ones are not expelled from him. If you recall the story, I mean it was a whole seven or eight minutes ago, it has a lot of reminiscences to it concerning Cain and Abel, doesn't it? I mean, two brothers out in the field, they get in a fight, one kills the other.
I mean, if you're not thinking Cain and Abel, if you weren't then, I hope that you will at least now. Well, what happens in the instance of Cain? God suspends judgment, God does not execute him. What happened in the case of David and Uriah?
Did God kill David immediately for having killed Uriah? No. What this woman says is something that Israel knew, that the Lord God Most High had a proven track record of mercy. The Lord God Most High, though a just God and though a righteous God and a God full of judgment, is nevertheless a God that is full of grace and mercy.
This is what she says. God does not take away a life, but He devises means so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him. In other words, we ought to cast ourselves, David, upon the mercy of Yahweh of Israel. Bringing back or keeping Absalom in exile or even executing Absalom is not going to bring Amnon back, so let's let Absalom continue and let's put it in the category of the mercy and the kindness and the goodness of God.
If God the Lord can function in such manner, then certainly His representative over the kingdom of Israel can act in such a manner. I think that's the direction she's going in this particular instance. Now notice, the woman casts herself on the justice of the king by retreating to her original story, verses 15 to 17. Just a brief aside.
Verses 13 and 14 are enough to get the hook in David and put him on the line. David knows something's up. And I suspect David knows that he's been manipulated because he's going to respond to her based on that in just a moment. But notice what she does in verses 15 to 17.
Now therefore, I have come to speak of this thing to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. And your maidservant said, I will now speak to the king. It may be that the king will perform the request of his maidservant. For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God." She's a wise woman.
She's casting herself upon the man who would ultimately write that Yahweh was a defender of the widow. And so she is doing that very thing now. She is respectful. She is wise.
She goes from the story to David and back to the story. And now that brings us specifically to her motivation in verses 18 to 20. Then David says, please, please do not hide from me anything that I ask you. The woman says, speak on.
David says, is the hand of Joab in or with you in all this? David did, you know, he wasn't a dim bulb. He saw what was happening. He knew what had happened.
Thirteen and fourteen, he's on the hook. As soon as she, she doesn't even mention Absalom. She does not reference Absalom one bit. But David knows all too well what the situation is.
He's smart enough to see the parallel. He sees the analogy that has been drawn out, and he asks specifically, is the hand of Joab with you in all this? The woman answered, as you live, my lord, the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord, the king, has spoken. For your servant Joab commanded me, and he put all these words in the mouth. of your maid servant." So she does respond, yes.
The Decision of the King
Now note secondly, by way of the major breakdown, the decision of the king. Verse 21, all right, I have granted this thing, go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom. Now this is not going to bode well for David. I'm sure you've all read past 2 Samuel 14.
This is not a good thing. It's going to cause major problems in the house of David. It's going to cause major problems in the kingdom of David. But at this particular juncture, he gives in, he caves in, go therefore, bring back the young man, Absalom.
Absalom returns the necessary respect. Absalom arises, he goes to Gesher, and he brings Absalom to Jerusalem.
Half-Forgiveness and Its Bitter Fruit
Note verse 24. And the king said, let him return to his own house, but do not let him see my face. This is not a good thing. I mean, you either punish him or you forgive him.
Right? I think David shows us something of his continuing inactivity. He's in the mess he's in because of his inactivity, well he's in the mess he's in because of his activity with Bathsheba, his activity with Uriah, but his inactivity with Amnon and his inactivity with Absalom and he's still demonstrating that inactivity.
David's Inactivity as a Father
I think this goes along with what Paul says to us as parents. Do not provoke your children to wrath. Either punish them or forgive them. Don't try to teeter in this no man's land.
Even Absalom understands this because after he burns Joab's field down, he basically forces David's hand via Joab by saying, let him bring me back or let him execute me. Those are the two options that a father has with an errant son. There's not this third sort of neutral position. He can go back to Jerusalem, but I don't want to see his face.
Either you forgive him and you reconcile, or you execute him according to the law of God. You cannot toe the line between the two options. I think that as fathers, and I think that as mothers, we need to learn from 2 Samuel 13 and 14. David's inactivity did not help situations.
David's inactivity did not bring resolution. David's inactivity exacerbated already problematic situations and made them five times worse. If he would have handled Amnon, if he would have handled Absalom, well, if he would have handled Amnon, he would not have had Absalom's problem. You see, it's systemic.
When we don't deal with sin in our children, when we don't deal with sin in ourselves, it doesn't just go away. Have you ever found that sin just goes away? Have you ever found that it just fixes itself? I find, not now because I've got the Jetta, but when I had the Toyota, whenever I'd hear a new rattle in the car, I'd always secretly pray.
It probably wasn't prayer, God, like this is a real-life petition. But it was a hope that the rattle would just go away. I'm not a mechanically inclined individual. So if the rattle doesn't go away, I've got to take it to a mechanic and they're not cheap.
So I would have this secret wish that the rattle would go away so that I wouldn't have to deal with it. Well, sin isn't like that. Once in a while the rattle did go away. I can't imagine that.
I don't think it actually fixed itself. It probably got more broke so I didn't hear the rattle. But at least I was content that my car wasn't going to fall apart. And now it's Josh's problem.
He probably wears earphones so he doesn't hear the rattles. Sin's not like that. You can't just ignore sin and hope it goes away. David's inactivity in chapter 13 spills over into his inactivity in chapter 14.
And I say this as a lover of David. Brethren, it pains me to even point these things out. Lots of guys don't ever point out anything ill about David except his sin with Bathsheba. I don't think that's legit, and I don't think David would want us to do that either.
This is inscripturated for a reason, it is written for a reason, it is to show us David in his humanity, it highlights the grace of God in his goodness, and it points us continually to David's greater son that made David's redemption an actual reality. So I don't think we do any favors by saying, oh no, David only ever did what was right except for that sin with Bathsheba. Well, that sin with Bathsheba had a ripple effect and it spilled right over here into Jerusalem in chapter 14. John Gill comments on David's statement in verse 24.
Let him return to his own house, but do not let him see my face. Gill says, which he ordered. partly to show his detestation of the crime he had been guilty of and some remaining resentment in his mind at him on account of it. I think that's absolutely right. There's still resentment.
Either execute him or forgive him. Either justice or mercy. There's not this sort of conglomerate in the middle. You can't be mad at him on the one hand and kind to him on the other hand.
And I think parents do that, and it's wrong, and we're not supposed to do it. He says, and some remaining resentment in his mind at him on account of it, and partly for his, David's, credit among some of the people, at least, who might think it was a crime so great as to not go unpunished, though others were of a different mind. and also for the greater humiliation of Absalom, who, the king might think, had not been sufficiently humbled for his sin or had not truly repented of it. Kyle and Dalich point out that this half-forgiveness was an imprudent measure and bore very bitter fruit. This didn't help the situation one bit.
This did not bring any sort of reconciliation whatsoever. It just created more bitterness and resentment in the heart of Absalom, who then undertook to try and steal the throne away from his father David. Again, Things like that will still happen even when we're dealing with sin, but we're not to facilitate the sins of our children by exercising this kind of inactivity in their lives. May it not be the case that they'll on the Day of Judgment be able to say, well, because they didn't, or they did, or they were this, or they were that.
No, it ought to be the case that they stand on their own before God, and that as far as we're able, and as hard as it may be, we can say our hands are clean. We sought, by the grace of God, to be faithful to them in their upbringing.
The Return of Absalom
Now notice, in the third place, the return of Absalom. His description is given to us in verses 25 to 32.
Absalom's Appearance and Family
In the first place, his good looks. This is an interesting section, isn't it? I mean, here he comes, he's back in Jerusalem. Now let's talk a little bit about this mysterious character called Absalom.
We know he's the brother of Tamar. We know he cherished and nurtured a hatred and a vengeance against Amnon for two long years. We know that he ordered his servants to execute Amnon while his heart was merry with wine. And then we know that he traveled to Geshur to ride out the storm.
He was there for three years. He's back now in Jerusalem. Let's get to know Absalom. He's gorgeous, isn't he?
He's the darling of Israel. This probably created problems in the whole situation. There was probably a contingency of persons that were very pro-Absalom, because what Absalom did does strike at the nerve of justice. David didn't execute Amnon, so Absalom executes Amnon.
Amnon deserved to be executed, make no mistake about it. Incestual rape were two crimes compounded together that demanded execution. And so what Absalom did, he was probably cheered by many in Israel. In fact, that contingency probably was looking a little suspiciously at David.
Like, why is he doing your job? What's happening to the kingdom, David? Aren't you, according to chapter 8, verse 15, exercising justice and judgment over the realm? Well, no, he wasn't.
He is engaged in inactivity. He is reaping the consequences of his own sin and inaction. So in all Israel, verse 25, there was no one who was praised as much as Absalom for his good looks. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head, there was no blemish in him.
Again, you think that we only pick political leaders on the fact that they look beautiful and they're gorgeous and they have nice smiles. Well, Absalom probably had adoring fans because he was a handsome sort of guy. I remember back when Bill Clinton ran the first time. And they polled, yes they do, they poll everybody, and they asked, and they found out that a good percentage of women were voting for Bill Clinton because he was sexy.
Well that's kind of what the author is suggesting in this particular instance. Notice in verse 26, he had the gorgeous hair, I mean this is just a stunning fellow. And when he cut the hair of his head, at the end of every year he cut it because it was heavy on him. When he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels according to the king's standard.
I mean, this is a gorgeous man, isn't he? I think this foreshadows his eventual end. How does Absalom die? Well, he's hung by his head in a terebinth tree.
So, that didn't ultimately do him any good in the long run. But again, introducing Absalom, Israel's new king to be. That's what the author is doing. Now notice, it mentions his family.
To Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a woman of beautiful appearance. So he names his daughter after his beloved sister. Now when you go to 1818, you will see that Absalom had no sons.
And so he built a monument in order to remember his name by. Well, there seems to be an apparent contradiction. On the one hand, 1427 tells us he has three sons, and 1818 tells us he had no sons. And so this monument was constructed to be a remembrance of his name.
I think Kyle and Dalich make the simplest observation. Contrary to general usage, the names of the sons are not given in all probability for no other reason than because they died in infancy. Consequently, as Absalom had no sons, he afterward erected a pillar to preserve his name." Gil says the same thing. They died in infancy.
So when we get to 1818 and it says he had no sons, that's the explanation. So keep that in your mind for a few weeks down the road when you say, but I thought he had three sons. Just remember we dealt with it. Recall it to my mind and I'll remind you of Kyle and Dalich.
Absalom's Conduct: Anger Unresolved
Now, notice his conduct in verses 28 to 32. He wants to see the king. He wants to see David, so he sends his servants to ask Joab. Joab declines the offer of a meeting.
Now, I suppose we can understand why by this time. We get to verse 24, and David doesn't want to see Absalom. So now Joab's thinking, this may not have been the best idea. So as Absalom is seeking meeting with Joab, Joab doesn't want to go.
So what does Absalom do? He gets his servants to go burn down his field. What a guy! Absalom has his ways of making people talk, doesn't he?
He's functioning like a mafia thug in this particular chapter. Now, what does long hair and burning down a field suggest to you, or at least cause you to remember? This was the tactic of Samson, wasn't it? But Samson acted against the wicked, godless Philistines.
Absalom is acting against the general of the Lord's army. This is not a good move. It does show us that his anger issues have not quite been dealt with at this particular juncture. So the author is relating to us something of who Absalom is in terms of his looks, but as well in terms of his conduct.
Gil says he served Joab as Samson did the Philistines, which shows him to be a bold and revengeful and ungrateful man, to use his friend and the general of the king's army after this manner. And then in verse 32, he says very specifically, and again, it is to force the hand of David. Absalom answered Joab, Look, I sent to you, saying, Come here, so that I may send you to the king to say, Why have I come from Gesher? It would be better for me to be there still.
Now therefore let me see the king's face, but if there is iniquity in me, let him execute me. You see, Absalom understood this principle, either Punish me or forgive me. Either punish me or restore me. Either execute me or bring reconciliation.
It would be better for me to hang out in Gesher than to live in Jerusalem and not have contact with my father, who happens to be the king as well. Now, when we just look at this, we need to ask why. I mean, we'll look at verse 33 in just a moment, but what's the rationale for this sort of description of Absalom? Meet Absalom, your new potential leader.
Why does the author do that? Well, I think in the first place, the description of Absalom foreshadows his usurpation of the throne. Davis comments thus, Once Absalom is back, verse 24, he dominates the narrative, doesn't he? I mean, Absalom is gorgeous.
Absalom has gorgeous hair. Absalom has a gorgeous family. Everything about Absalom is wonderful. Oh, except this, you know, let's go burn a field down so I can get a meeting with Joab.
That's what's going on. Absalom dominates the narrative. We read of his appearance, his antics, his daring. Absalom takes over the narrative just as he will take over the kingdom.
As well, as I've already said, it demonstrates that he still has some unresolved anger issues. I mean, that two years when he, you know, built up to murdering Amnon, and then the three years that he spends in Gesher, didn't resolve his anger problem. He still got it. This, again, foreshadows what's going to happen when we get to chapter 15.
And as well, this description of Absalom demonstrates his desire to force David's hand. That's what verse 32 is. He put pressure on Joab, David's general, by burning Joab's field just to get a meeting with him and Absalom says, in essence, you get back there and you tell the king that either A. he put me to death or B. let me see his face. He is forcing the king's aunt in this instance.
As well, I think this let's meet Absalom serves as a caution to the readers. We need to remember that the attractive appearance of a man with his family does not equal competent leadership ability. As I was thinking about verse 27 today, I thought about the present political election cycle in America. Whenever the candidate appears, he's got as the background to sort of showcase him, his family, right?
Isn't that what we're seeing here with Absalom? Israel, meet your about-to-be king. He's got beautiful looks, he's got beautiful hair, and he's got a gorgeous family. And I couldn't help it, please forgive me if Internet world gets mad, I'm sorry, but I could not but help think of Trump.
Whenever I see Trump up there, and this is not an endorsement for or against, it's just an illustration. Trump is up there, and he's decorated by his family. Absalom presents like this. Only Absalom had better hair than Trump had, okay?
But that's what the author is doing. Here is your would-be king. Now, for those of us who have been here for a while, those of us who have gone back to 1 Samuel, what do we learn there? That when we judge leaders based on the outward appearance, it never goes well.
Wasn't Saul described in 1 Samuel 16 as a man that was handsome in appearance? Wasn't Saul, I'm sorry, chapter 9, wasn't Saul described in chapter 10 of 1 Samuel as being head and shoulders above all else? And then after Saul, God says that we're going to anoint another king. Samuel goes, and who does he go to in the house of Jesse?
He doesn't go to David. He goes to Eliab, because Eliab had a beautiful appearance. Eliab presented well. And God the Lord cautions Samuel.
In 1 Samuel 16.7 He says, Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For Yahweh does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. You see, the author is brilliant. It's not like he's just giving us this.
He is creating a narrative that is absolute brilliance. He is showing us and leading us by the hand and causing us to reflect upon several themes that we've already seen and how Absalom's rise to power is very consistent with what we've seen already. And it does demonstrate for us the dimness of people who are wooed by gorgeous looks and by long hair and by a beautiful family. We'll follow Him, but He doesn't have a heart for God.
Haven't we learned anything yet, Israel? Haven't we seen anything that Yahweh is concerned with what's on the inside? Jesus will indict the religious leaders this Sunday as we look in Matthew 23. You busy cleaning the outside of the cup, but the inside is filled with extortion. and self-indulgence.
You're like whitewashed tombs. They look good on the outside, but inside they're full of dead man's bones. Well, that's an Absalom. That's a Saul.
That was an Eliab. Thankfully, God kept Samuel from anointing Eliab, and David entered in and was anointed. David, again, is a great man, a man after God's own heart. We are still looking at this in that context, but we do need to point out David's inactivity in this section.
Davis makes this comment. He says, not that Yahweh looks on physical attractiveness or impressiveness as a disqualification. In other words, we don't pick the ugliest guy with the most wretched family. That doesn't necessarily ensure the man is godly.
David was a handsome man according to 1 Samuel 16. He was ruddy. He was good-looking. So Davis is right.
Not that Yahweh looks on physical attractiveness or impressiveness as a disqualification. You're too handsome to be king. No, he doesn't do that. He says, but physical presence before men without internal submission to God makes for leadership disaster.
We should be uneasy then when we come upon verses 25 to 27. For they tell us that here is another Saul. And chapter 15 will make clear that unfortunately, Absalom is not so reticent as Saul about laying hold of the kingdom. You see, he has these qualifications, he has this charm, he has this appearance, he has this ability, and he exploits it.
He sits at the city gates and he starts to draw people to himself. He draws all Israel after himself. He's a wicked and godless man who usurps the kingdom from the rightful king, even his father David. So this is why the author is doing that.
He is foreshadowing for us what this Absalom is all about.
The Meeting Between David and Absalom
Now notice in the last place the meeting between David and Absalom. So Joab, I'm sorry, yes, Absalom and David. Verse 33, so Joab went to the king and told him, and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king. Then the king kissed Absalom.
Now it sounds good, doesn't it? It sounds like everything's hunky-dory. There might be a couple of hints in here that it's not all hunky-dory. In the first place, Absalom bows to David.
A few verses later, he's not bowing to David. He's a fake. He's a fraud. He's illegitimate.
But in the second case, notice it's not David kissed him. It's not his father kissed him. It's the king kissed Absalom. That indicates that it wasn't altogether good on the other side as well.
Something just doesn't feel right about verse 33. In other words, I don't think we're supposed to end chapter 14 saying, wow, everything's fixed, everything's back in order, now Israel can go destroy Philistines like they're supposed to do. No, you've got that uneasy feeling leaving chapter 14, and as soon as you plunge into chapter 15, you realize that uneasy feeling is right to be there. So there's an uneasiness about verse 33 on both sides.
Absalom bows, but he's not subordinate. The king kisses Absalom. This could just be a political, it could just be a truce, it could just be something like that. It doesn't seem to be reconciliation.
If it was a truce, it was certainly a short-lived one on both parties.
Application: Lessons from the Chapter
So what do we learn? We've already hit a few of these, I just want to repeat. First, the inactivity of David. I don't think we ought to escape this reality.
We're not kings of Israel. We will never be kings of Israel. But in this particular instance, David isn't dealing necessarily with the Philistines. He's not dealing with, not necessarily, he's not dealing at all with foreign enemies or foreign oppressors.
He is dealing with his own household. And if he's not exercising activity judiciously in his own context, he is not fit, or he's not going to be fit, to do so outside in the kingdom. He fails to punish Amnon, he fails to punish Absalom, and he fails to reckon with the promise of God in chapter 12, verses 10 and 11, that there would be adversity that would rise up from his own house. And I suspect this clouded David's mind.
When we get to chapter 15, you do not get the feel whatsoever that David really had the pulse of Israel. It didn't take much for Absalom to take over. It didn't take much for David to lose control. It didn't take much, and that's the consequences for David's sin.
He doesn't see it, he doesn't recognize it, he doesn't... detect that rising adversity. And ultimately, in David's case, it was a failure to implement the law of God. I mean, the law of God is clear. We saw, you know, early hints of it in 2 Samuel 3, as David is multiplying wives.
Some would chart that up, well that's just the common practice of ancient Near Eastern kings. It was political, it was economical, it wasn't always lust driven, it wasn't always sexually oriented, there were political... God said not to do that. That's what I don't get, you know, you read the literature and some persons are so sympathetic to David, and I like to think I'm one of David's biggest fans, but the man sinned against Deuteronomy 17.
God didn't say, you know, don't multiply women, wealth, and horses or weapons, unless you're David. You see, there's not two standards. There's not two laws. There's not, well, you know, David was a unique situation.
He didn't have to obey the law of God. We're all bound to obey God's law. And when we as fathers and when we as mothers do not obey God's law, we will indeed produce exasperation in our children. A second thing that I think we ought to consider, I've made a brief mention of it.
Notice in verse 15. I'm sorry, verse 14. I like the fact that this was a common assumption among Israel, that this woman could say, yet God does not take away a life, but he devises means so that his banished ones are not expelled from him. Now, that's not a Pauline doctrine of grace and mercy, I'll grant you.
That's not Ephesians 2. But what's an assumption in her head and an assumption she can present to David that she realizes will be in his head? That our God, who is just and righteous, is a God nevertheless who exercises mercy. He exercises grace.
He didn't immediately eliminate Cain. He didn't immediately eliminate David. David, of all people, should have understood this principle very well. David should have owned it, embraced it, and rejoiced in it, which, you know, David does, ultimately.
He, you know, sanctions the life of the made-up son, and he sanctions the life of Absalom as well. But the wise woman's words in verse 15 indicate that God's track record was proven in Israel. He is a God of justice to be sure, but there is mercy and grace to be had with Him. See, brethren, again, it's not an Ephesians 2 doctrine, Pauline explanation of that super abounding grace that we have in Jesus.
But just read the text and what she assumes and what she knows and what Israel's tried and proven concerning their God. He's merciful. He's gracious. He's good.
He does these kinds of things. In the third place, we ought to see God's providence in chapter 14. Davis, in his commentary, does something interesting. He says, look at the chapter from Absalom's point of view.
Look at the chapter from Absalom's point of view. As far as Absalom's concerned, God's providence is A-OK. Right? I mean, Absalom commits an act of murder.
He goes and he sits in Gesher for three years. He meets with his father two years later. So after five years, he meets with his father. His father gives him a kiss.
As far as anyone knows, at least in verse 33, everything is hunky-dory. Absalom's got to be thinking that providence has worked out okay on his behalf. Davis shares a story about Hitler. Apparently he was in a bunker one time, and it got bombed and he got injured, only in his arm, his right arm, and he got a little pain in his arm, and Mussolini was coming to visit.
So Hitler goes and he sees Mussolini, and he shows him this bunker that had gotten bombed, and Hitler attests to the providence of God. God spared me, God kept me, look at this bunker, look at the destruction, look at the devastation, look how horrific it is, but the divine mercy spared me from that. Obviously God wants me to do what I'm doing. You could probably hear Absalom's mind work that way, couldn't you?
Listen to Davis. Absalom could be nominated for comeback of the year. Looking at chapter 14 from Absalom's viewpoint, it all seems to be a marvelous piece of providence, whereby what he forfeited by liquidating Amnon, he now recovers and stands poised for the next opportunity. What Absalom had seemingly sacrificed forever was now amazingly restored to him.
It seems all things work together for good, i.e., for Absalom. Lest you disagree, look at 2 Samuel 15.8. Absalom does interpret everything as having worked out for him. Notice in 15.8 when he speaks to the king.
For your servant took a vow while I dwelt in Geshur in Syria, saying, If the Lord indeed brings me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the Lord. Wow, Absalom, good for you! You wonderful specimen of a... The point is, God's providence is at work.
And though it may seemingly favor Absalom in this instance, and while Absalom may interpret this that way, we need to remember Psalm 73. Remember Asaph's musings in Psalm 73? He says, I looked at the wicked, not that you guys are wicked, I'm just dividing up. I looked at the wicked and they prospered.
There's no pangs in their lives. There's no problem. Their kids go to the best school. They drive the best cars.
They have summer homes. There's no problems for the wicked. And then I see the righteous and they suffer. Their lives are hard, it's difficult, it's a constant wearisome battle and trial and hardship.
And for Asaph, it took going to church for him to set things properly in order. He says in verse 17, until I went into the sanctuary, then I understood that thou hast set them in slippery places. In other words, what God appears to be doing favorably for the Absaloms of this world is not favorable. Absalom's going to die a hideous death in chapter 18.
He is going to be, you know, hung up on a tree. I mean, there's other nicer ways to go than that. He dies without a male heir. I mean, all the bad things one can imagine in Israel happens to Absalom.
So the point is, when we look at providence, we ought not necessarily conclude that just because things are going well, it is well. What is the true test and the true mark by which we know God is favorable toward us? It's when we walk in His ways. It's when we walk in His will.
It's when we walk according to His word, such that if we are those poor, tried, afflicted ones in Psalm 73. Nevertheless, we have the favor of God because we are walking with God. That's what's foundational. That's what's fundamental.
It doesn't matter that you're gorgeous. It doesn't matter that you have the long hair. It doesn't matter that you have the beautiful, smiling family. What matters is your relationship with the living and the true God.
And God's providence is at work in chapter 14, not to prosper Absalom necessarily, but to continue the consequences upon David, 2 Samuel 12, 10, and 11. And finally, we ought to take notice from at least this brief description of Absalom that we have the tendency or we have the propensity to follow leaders based on appearance and not principle. If a man has the looks, and he has the hair, and he has the family, but he doesn't have the principle, then he shouldn't get our following. Brethren, God is most emphatic that what mattered in Israel was not the looks, was not the hair, was not the family, but was what was inside, the heart.
That's what God said to Samuel, a man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Well, let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Our Father, we thank You for Your Word, and we thank You for the lessons that we learn, even from a passage like this. And I pray that You'd help us to take these things to heart. Help us, God, to think Your thoughts after You. Help us, God, to be faithful and to persevere and to do those things You call us to, even when we suffer trials and difficulties and tribulation.
May we be faithful in the ways of the Lord. according to the will of the Lord, defined by the word of the Lord. May you give us grace, Father, to pursue these things and to do so for your glory's sake. Go with us now, we pray, and we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.