Now, we pick up with David's return to Jerusalem. Absalom had taken over the throne and the crown. Now that Absalom is dead, there is no king other than David. So, that's what the specific context is.
So, beginning in verse 9, Now all the people were in a dispute throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us from the hand of our enemies, he delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king? So David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak to the elders of Judah, saying, Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the words of all Israel have come to the king, to his very house?
You are my brethren, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king? And say to Amasa, Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.
So he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, just as the heart of one man, so that they sent this word to the king, Return, you and all your servants. Then the king returned and came to the Jordan, and Judah came to Gilgal to go to meet the king, to escort the king across the Jordan. And Shimei, the son of Gerah, a Benjamite, who was from Baharim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him.
And they went over the Jordan before the king. Then a ferry boat went across to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. Now Shimei the son of Gerah fell down before the king when he had crossed the Jordan. Then he said to the king, Do not let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart.
For I, your servant, know that I have sinned. Therefore, here I am, the first to come today of all the house of Joseph, to go down to meet my lord the king. But Abishai, the son of Zariah, answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this? Because he cursed the Lord's anointed.
And David said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zariah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? For do I not know that today I am king over Israel? Therefore the king said to Shimei, You shall not die.
And the king swore to him. Now Mephibosheth, the son of Saul, came down to meet the king. And he had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace. So it was, when he had come to, or probably from, Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?
And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go to the king, because your servant is lame. And he has slandered your servant to my lord, the king. But my lord, the king, is like the angel of God.
Therefore, do what is good in your eyes. For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord, the king. Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore, what right have I still to cry out any more to the king?
So the king said to him, why do you speak any more of your matters? I have said, you and Ziba divide the land. Then Mephibosheth said to the king, rather let him take it all, inasmuch as my lord the king has come back in peace to his own house. And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogolim and went across the Jordan with the king to escort him across the Jordan.
The Barzillai was a very aged man, 80 years old, and he had provided the king with supplies while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man. And the king said to Barzillai, come across with me, and I will provide for you while you are with me in Jerusalem. But Barzillai said to the king, how long have I to live that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? I am today 80 years old.
Can I discern between the good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any longer the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my lord the king?
Your servant will go a little way across the Jordan with the king. But why should the king repay me with such a reward? Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, near the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant, Kimham.
Let him cross over with my lord, the king, and do for him what seems good to you. And the king answered, Kim Ham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him what seems good to you. Now whatever you request of me, I will do for you. Then all the people went over the Jordan, and when the king had crossed over, the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own place.
Now the king went on to Gilgal, and Kimham went on with him, and all the people of Judah escorted the king, and also half the people of Israel. Just then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, Why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king, his household, and all David's men with him across the Jordan? So all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, because the king is a close relative of ours. Why then are you angry over this matter?
Have we ever eaten at the king's expense, or has he given us any gift? And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, We have ten shares in the king, therefore we also have more right to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Were we not the first to advise bringing back our king?
Yet the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel. Amen.
Introduction
Well, as we look at David's return to Jerusalem, there are just a few things we ought to observe before we begin. Now, the nation of Israel was one particular body. It was one particular people group. But when you look at the nation of Israel on a map, you'll see that roughly it divides into two portions.
You have northern tribes and you have southern tribes. Now, when we get to 1 Kings 12, there is a definitive breach between those two kingdoms. You have the northern tribes of Israel and the southern tribes of Judah. But even long before 1 Kings 12, you see that there was this disunity.
There was already these factions in place. There was already this sort of a northern and southern, not breach necessarily, but you see even in a chapter like this or in a passage like this, there were differences between Israel and Judah. So, when you read your Bible and you see the word Israel, that can at times mean the entirety of the nation. It can at times mean the northern tribes.
It can at times mean non-Gentile. It's the context that ultimately decides for you how the word Israel is being used. Sometimes it can be a bit confusing. And then later on in the Bible, you get to the place where in certain of the prophets, the entire nation is referred to as Ephraim.
And you go, well, where did that come from? Well, after having been somewhat familiar with Scripture, you will see that many of these things are appended or names for Israel as a people. But I want us to understand. that there is a division between the North and the South with reference to the return of David. In fact, this section starts with division and ends with division.
And the end division is going to breed the rebellion that we find in chapter 20. So David returns home from a long time outside of Jerusalem, and instead of getting home and finding comfort and warmth and happiness and reception, he finds more division and rebellion. So don't ever let anyone tell you it's easy to be a king. David would certainly probably disagree with you.
Well,
Three Considerations Introduced
let's carve up this particular section, verses 9 to 43, into three considerations. First, the decision concerning the king. Secondly, the subjects of the king. And then thirdly, the quarrel over the king.
And remember that all of this finds its place in the larger context of chapters 9 to 20 in 2 Samuel, which deal with the consequences of David's sin. Remember David committed adultery, he committed murder, and then he was plunged into despair. God, through Nathan, told him that the sword would never depart from his house, God would raise up adversity from within his house, and that David's wives would be violated in the sight of all Israel. Well, certainly all of this comes as a result of that promise by Nathan, because we see that Absalom, a son of David, revolted against his father.
So
The Decision Concerning the King
let's pick up this decision concerning the king, verses 9 to 15. The emphasis in the first place is on the tribes of Israel, the northern tribes. Notice verses 9 and 10. Now all the people were in a dispute, or we might call that a deliberation or a decision.
It isn't necessarily a vicious dispute, it's a discussion, a decision concerning the king of Israel. Notice, the king saved us from the hand of our enemies, he delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, has died in battle. Now therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing back the king?
So you see that Israel starts first with reference to the question concerning the disposition of David. They're going to use this later on in the quarrel at the end. We were the first to ask about David. But this is good, this is legit, this is all accurate information.
David had indeed delivered them or saved them from the hand of their enemies. He had delivered them from the hand of the Philistines and he had to flee because of Absalom. Now that Absalom's dead, we ought to ask the question, why isn't David returning to the kingship? Everybody following at this point?
Now notice, David gets wind of this. Verse 10 in the Septuagint, which is a Greek translation of the Old Testament, actually adds this clause, and the word of all Israel came to the king, but we certainly conclude it because David now sends these messengers to the tribe of Judah. David is from the tribe of Judah, remember that. David has a special or close affinity with the people of Judah, so he wants to know why it is that they have not come on board with asking for his return.
Notice in verse 11, so King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests. He had done this previously in chapters 15 and 17. Remember, David used the sons of the priests to communicate messages to the priests and they would then bring back intel to David to communicate to him what was going on under Absalom's authority in Jerusalem. So he says, speak to the elders of Judah, saying, why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the words of all Israel have come to the king to his very house?
You see, David wants Judah to be involved. Robert Alter says, throughout this episode, there is a central focus on who will be first and who will be the last to show support for the Davidic restoration. You've got to understand the particular scene and the particular logistics. David has been ousted from his command.
He has been dethroned by his son. His son is dead and David suspects or David supposes or David believes that it's going to be Judah that clamors first for his return. The northern tribes, Alter goes on to say, have already evinced their support, verse 10. And David is concerned to enlist the backing of his own tribe, Judah, which had largely swung to Absalom during the insurrection.
See, David doesn't just return saying, well, I was the lawful king, and I was ousted unlawfully by Absalom, and I deserve to be here. David is a wise leader. He wants the support of the people, In particular, he wants to make sure that Judah is on board. Remember that the revolt occurs specifically in Hebron, which is in Judah.
Of course, Absalom was from Judah. Ahithophel was from Judah. Amasa was from Judah. So Judah's not looking good in terms of the revolt against David.
So now that Absalom is dead, David wants to make sure that Judah is on board with his return to the kingship in Israel. Israel, the northern tribes, are on board. He wants to make sure that Judah is on board. Again, he's not a demagogue.
He doesn't thrust himself back upon the throne. He wants to make sure that popular support is there. He's a wise leader. He's a good leader.
And he's a godly and upright man. He appeals to them in terms of their affinity with one another. You are my brethren. You are my bone and my flesh, verse 12.
Why then are you the last to bring back the king? Probably in an attempt to root out any traces of this rebellion or this attitude of usurpation that was present in Judah. Now note what he does in verse 13. And say to Amasa, are you not my bone and my flesh?
He was literally, he was his nephew. God do so to me and more also if you are not commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab." Now this is a pretty powerful statement that David makes in this particular context. Joab has served David faithfully and Joab has served David well. For the most part, as we have considered Joab, he has his ups and his downs.
He's not always the most balanced individual. But for the most part, he's been a good military leader. But perhaps David is mindful at the thought that Joab was at least somewhat involved in the death of Absalom. David did not want Absalom to die and Joab was involved in that.
So perhaps this is an attempt to get one over on Joab by making Amasa the military commander. As well, it could have been a politically savvy move to gain support of those who supported Absalom. Absalom appointed Amasa as his military commander. And David may be appealing to those persons now, saying, Amasa is going to be my military commander.
And as well, by sparing Amasa, he is communicating to Judah that there isn't going to be this heavy-handed retaliation that falls upon the Judahites. Because wouldn't you suspect that? If you were in Judah, you had revolted against the king, what might you believe would be the first order of business when the king returns to Jerusalem? Get everybody who defected and bring them to the gallows, bring them to the chopping block, take them out to the field and stone them.
We've got to eradicate any and all that would have sympathized with Absalom. But by sparing Amasah, he is communicating to the Judahites that summary executions are not in their near future. So this is political wisdom on the part of David. Probably a combination of those things is the reason why he makes Amasah his particular military commander.
Verse 14, he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, just as the heart of one man, so that they sent this word to the king, return you and all your servants. Now remember, David is on the east side of the river Jordan. You've got Israel, if you know, we probably have a map. Actually, it's not the best of maps.
You have Israel, but then there's the River Jordan, and east of the River Jordan, there are three tribes of Israel over there. Remember, that's where David went during this usurpation by Absalom. So in order for David to return to Jerusalem, guess what he has to do? He has to cross the River Jordan to come back so that he can occupy the throne in Jerusalem.
That's what verse 15 tells us. Then the king returned and came to the Jordan, And Judah came to Gilgal to go to meet the king, to escort the king across the Jordan. So Judah is in. Their hearts have been swayed as one man.
As far as we can tell in verses 9 and 10, Israel, the northern tribes, are in collectively. Unanimously, all of Israel is poised for the return of David to occupy the throne, to receive the crown once again, and to rule over all Israel.
The Subjects of the King
Now notice, in the second place, the subjects of the king. Remember when we followed David's departure from Jerusalem, we noted that he met several interesting characters along the way. And as he returns to Jerusalem, he meets some of those same characters again. And I'm going to lean on Ralph Davis in this particular section because he draws out some very particular lessons concerning the various men that are named.
But remember, when David departed from Jerusalem, the narrator recorded meetings with several along the way. There was Ittai. Remember Ittai, the Gittite? He was a faithful man that supported David.
He newly arrived to Israel. David essentially tells him, you might as well just leave because this isn't your fight. And Ittai says, I'm going to stay with you. I'm going to submit to you.
I am going to serve you. Ittai was a faithful man along the way. And then Zadok, the priest, and then Hushai, who became David's counselor. and then Ziba in chapter 16, verses 1 to 4, and then Shimei in chapter 16, verses 5 to 14. He would also meet Barzillai in 17, 27 to 28.
Now, when he returns, he meets Shimei again, he meets Mephibosheth instead of Ziba, and then he meets Barzillai. And as I said, there are lessons here that we can learn from each of these particular men. Altar, again, says there is an approximate symmetry between David's encounters in his exodus from Jerusalem and those that now occur in his return. In other words, the author is essentially picking up the storyline for us in case we get to chapter 19 and we start to scratch our melon and we start to say, well, David's on his way back to Jerusalem and everything's going to be, you know, happiness and joy forever and ever.
What about Ziba? What about Mephibosheth? What about Barzillai that he met on his departure from Jerusalem? Well, it's as if the author wants to tidy up and he wants to tie up any loose ends so that we understand those persons in David's life and what has become of them.
Now,
The Pardon of Shimei
note in the first place, with reference to the subjects of the king, the pardon of Shimei. the pardon of Shimei. Verse 16. And Shimei, the son of Gerah, a Benjamite who was from Baharim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Zeba, the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him, and they went over the Jordan before the king.
Notice his quickness to act. Ziba has a lot to lose, doesn't he? As we recall what Shimei does back in chapter 16, he blasphemes, he curses, he throws rocks at David. Remember this?
Yes, you were just here. It couldn't have been more than two months ago. Time ability is escaping me, but I don't think it was that long ago, but we all remember Shimei and we all remember Abishai at the time when Shimei was doing what he was doing. Abishai is a predictable fellow.
When Shimei cursed and when Shimei threw stones, Abishai said to David, let me go take off his hat. When he comes groveling for pardon, Abishai says, let me take off his head. You know, Abishai, for right, wrong, or indifferent, you know what you're going to get with Abishai, the son of Zariah. But he's swift to act.
He needs to act quickly, because if this purge does go on, then Shimei is certainly going to top the list as a candidate for getting his head chopped off for what he has done. Note the numbers that accompany him. There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him. So Shimei has a lot of people with him as he goes to try and make peace with David.
Note in verses 18B to 20, the acknowledgement of his error. He says in verse 19, do not let my Lord impute iniquity to me, or remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my Lord, the King, left Jerusalem, that the King should take it to heart. In other words, let's let bygones be bygones. Please, don't busy yourself with the memories of the way things used to be.
You see, Shimei knows that David has every right to be upset with him. I mean, David is departing from Jerusalem, having been thrown off the throne by his own son. He's in the lowest place of his life, reaping the consequences for his sin, and he meets a Shimei who curses him, who throws stones at him, and who charges him with the death of the house of Saul. That was absolutely inaccurate, but nevertheless, David saw it as of the Lord.
David knew his sin, David understood that nothing too bad was too good for him, because he had sinned against God, he had committed adultery with Bathsheba, and he had murdered Uriah. Now notice what he goes on to say in verse 20, for I your servant know that I have sinned, therefore here I am, the first to come today of all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my Lord the King. Now the house of Joseph there is probably a reference to the northern kingdom, the tribes of Israel, perhaps Joseph being You know, one of the friendliest ones, some even suggest that he's hoping to suggest to David that though you meant this for evil, God overruled it for good, please don't destroy me for having done what I've done. Now, notice the particular emphasis that he then highlights, I'm sorry, Abishai's response in verse 21, shall not Shimei be put to death for this because he cursed the Lord's anointed.
Abishai is wanting to protect the king. Now, there are certain commentators that say, you know, Abishai shouldn't be doing this and he shouldn't be doing that. Well, Abishai has a particular task and he wants to protect the king. That is a lawful and a good task.
But note David's response, what have I to do with you, you sons? Notice plural, of Zariah. Now the brother of Abishai was Joab. So it could be the case that here and as well in chapter 16, when Abishai says, let me take off his head, Joab is standing right there with him.
Or David may mean concerning Absalom. Because Joab had been involved, at least to some degree, with the death of Absalom. So he says, what have I to do with you, sons of Zariah, that you should be adversaries to me today? You know what the word is, literally?
That you should be Satan to me today. Makes one consider the Lord Jesus Christ. When Peter says, or tries to forbid Jesus from going to Jerusalem, and Jesus says, get behind me, Satan. You're not mindful of the things of God, but you're mindful of the things of man.
And I think that David is suggesting at least something typically like this. He says that you should be adversaries. He's not telling them specifically that they're Satan, but the word Satan in Hebrew means adversary. We have an adversary, that is Satan himself, an accuser of the brethren.
He says, shall any man be put to death today in Israel? This is a time for reunification. This is a time for solidarity. This is not the time to settle political scores.
David is being the bigger man here. Now, I need to remind you all that this promise that he makes to Shimi is not an eternal promise. Because on his deathbed, by way of exhortation to Solomon, he tells Solomon, do to Shimei as he has coming to him. 1 Kings 2, verses 8 and 9. David is acting politically here.
Now, don't say, well, it's wrong to be political. Not if you're a king. You've got to orchestrate the affairs of the kingdom with savvy and wisdom. If David runs into Jerusalem without getting the support of the people of Israel and Judah, it's going to be difficult for him to function as God's Messiah.
If David just starts executing every single person that got caught up in this usurpation, it's going to be hard for him to function as God's Messiah to the nation of Israel in this kingdom. You see, David is acting with political savvy and wisdom. Not perfectly, there's some things that he does, especially with Mephibosheth, that I don't think are too cool, but we have to understand that he is trying to rule a kingdom, brethren. He's not just trying to make sure that your little two children each get a cookie.
There are big, huge things going on that David has to successfully and effectively manage. And if he uses some political savvy along the way, we ought not to fault him. And we ought not to say, well, that just doesn't seem right. No, David knows that Shimei deserves to be punished, but he will stay this or he will put this on hold until another time.
Right now, it's imperative that Shimei be shown some clemency. And no doubt, probably due to the fact as well, that he's got a thousand Benjamites with him, that he's got Ziba with him, he's got a lot of numbers with him. If David has Abishai take off Shimei's head, then that's going to adversely affect these numbers that are supporting Shimei, you see what David is doing? He is seeking, by the grace of God, to orchestrate his return to Jerusalem so that he can return to the throne and do it effectively.
Now, what can we say about Shimei? Notice at verse 23, it says, Therefore the king said to Shimei, You shall not die. And the king swore to him. Again, this was not an eternal swear.
It was not a forever promise. This was just a temporary thing. He didn't say this to Shimei, obviously. I'm going to let you live until Solomon, my son, takes the throne, and then I'm going to have you executed." No, but 1 Kings 2, 8 and 9 shows us that Shimei is a menace to the crown.
Remember what's going on in 1 Kings 1 and 2. Solomon is occupying the throne. Solomon has to protect his throne. And the way to protect your throne is to eliminate your enemies.
And if Shimei is an enemy to the throne of Israel, then as David says, you need to take care of him. But what do we learn about Shimei? He doesn't acknowledge his sin out of love for David, does he? He doesn't come and say, I have sinned against you.
I was wrong. It was horrible. No, he says, don't impute iniquity to me. Let bygones be bygones.
I don't want it to be the case. He does say, I have sinned. But the idea seems to be more of a political expediency, more of a pragmatism, more of a doing what I need to do in order to make sure I don't die. Pragmatism, doing what works for the sake of our advantage.
He wasn't concerned with genuine repentance and loyalty, but with prospering under whatever king found himself on the throne. That's probably what marks this particular man, Shimmy. Davis makes this observation. He says, there is no reason to hold that Shimmy had undergone any massive change of heart.
He had committed a tactical error called treason, and now he must save his skin if he can. He does not submit to David out of love, but out of policy. In other words, he's just calculating what's going to be the best move, not for the kingdom, not for the king, not for the glory of Yahweh, but for shimmy. See, before we get too hard on shimmy, I think there's a bit of shimmy in all of us.
There's certainly some shimmy in Jimmy. This political expediency, this pragmatism, this desire to save one's bacon at all costs. Davis goes on. He recognizes the realities of power and adapts himself accordingly.
You see, that's not service to God or to his king. Just to recognize the political situation and to accommodate oneself to it is not loyalty. Here, Shimei is an utter contrast to Mephibosheth, the next character that we'll meet in David's return to Jerusalem. Mephibosheth is the real deal.
Mephibosheth was a loyal servant of God and therefore of David. And I think you'll see and appreciate that as we move through this passage. But Davis comes to apply the Shimei ethic to the Church of Christ. He says, one can bump into a shimmy in the church, someone who aligns himself or herself with Christ's people out of self-interest.
Why are we here? Is it for ourselves or is it for the glory of God, the exaltation of Jesus? Now obviously we're here because we made a decision to get in our cars and drive here at 7.15 or whatever the case may be. We're here on Sunday because we wake up in the morning, we make the conscious decision.
So there's a sense where there's a bit of self-interest, but that's not what Davis is talking about. He says there is some advantage to be gained. There's a proverb that says, you know, the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. How much more when he brings it with evil intent?
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. How much more when he brings it with evil intent? I remember being a young Christian in the church that we were in. This was before even the Reformed Baptist days, and there was a guy in that church, and it always seemed like he was selling insurance.
It just seemed to be the case that in the back of the church, or on the side of the church, or before the church, or after the church, he was putting a card in your hand, selling insurance. And I remember, as a very young Christian, reading that passage, and I couldn't help it, but my mind went to that man. It seemed to me, now if he wasn't doing this, then God will deal with me for my sin and evil and whatnot, but it seemed to me he was at church because there was a group of people that could hear his spiel about insurance. So here he comes to so-called sacrifice to the Lord, but he's doing it with the evil intent.
He's there to win converts, not to Christ, but to this particular insurance policy. You see, shimmy isn't far from every one of us, and we need to watch our hearts that we're not about self-interest. But there are those shimmies that are not converted that are here only for what they think they get. He says, there is some advantage to be gained.
Perhaps it mollifies aging parents or pacifies a spouse. It is a token submission to Christ, not a matter of conviction, but simply a policy. The same way Shimmy does it. It's not conviction.
He doesn't think David's the best man for the job. David's just the man with the power. And so for Shimmy to live and thrive and flourish, he's got to make peace with the man in power. It's not love, it's not loyalty, it's not devotion, it's not concern for Yahweh and His kingdom, it's a concern for Shemi.
We need to guard our hearts against that particular tendency, that love of self that drives everything that we do.
The Vindication of Mephibosheth
Now notice, secondly, we find the vindication of Mephibosheth. The vindication of Mephibosheth. Turn to 16 for just a moment. Chapter 16 in 2 Samuel. just to review our minds or refresh our memory concerning the background for our Mephibosheth passage here.
Notice in 16.1, when David was a little past the top of the mountain, there was Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys. Now, Ziba fares in chapter 19, but he really is incidental. He's just an accessory to Shimei. Shimei brings the Benjamites and he brings Ziba.
There's no mention of Ziba in terms of any consolidated focus in chapter 19. The emphasis is on Mephibosheth, the other side of the Ziba story from 16.1-4. Notice, verse 1. When David was a little past the top of the mountain, there was Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 summer fruits, and a skin of wine.
And the king said to Ziba, what do you mean to do with these? So Ziba said, the donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and the summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who are faint in the wilderness to drink. Then the king said, and where is your master's son? This is Mephibosheth.
And Ziba said to the king, indeed he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me. Remember that Mephibosheth was a descendant of Saul. And so what Ziba is suggesting to David is that Mephibosheth is rejoicing over what's happening in terms of the tumult of the kingdom. And what he proposes is that Mephibosheth is rejoicing at the thought or prospect that a descendant of Saul will sit on the throne of Israel again.
That's what Ziba has concocted for David here. So the king said to Ziba, here, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours. And Ziba said, I humbly bow before you that I may find favor in your sight, my lord, O king. Now go back to 19.
Brings us to verse 24. Let's look first at verse 25 because David asks him a question. So it was when he had come to, probably as I said, from. David's not in Jerusalem yet and Mephibosheth lives in Jerusalem.
So it was when Mephibosheth had come from Jerusalem to meet the king that the king said to him, why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth? You can see why this would haunt David, right? Because what even precedes the event in chapter 16 was chapter 9. In fact, go back there.
Just so we can get a good feel for Mephibosheth and understand what's going on in this section. David wants to show kindness to the house of Saul in 2 Samuel 9. He finds out that there is a descendant and his name is Mephibosheth. And Mephibosheth is lame in his feet.
You can read about that in 2 Samuel 3 and 4. I think it was 3. 3 or 4, probably 3. I could turn there, but I don't want to lose the flow here. It's in 3 or 4.
But notice, he is told that there is this descendant, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, and he had come to David. He fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, Mephibosheth. So David had a real love for Jonathan, and as a result, he wanted to show kindness to a descendant of Saul.
And so Mephibosheth was the man. And David essentially gives him all that Saul owned, and then David invites Mephibosheth to be one of his own sons. Essentially, he says, you will eat with me at my table. So he has let Mephibosheth in. to one of the most intimate circles of love and relationship known in that particular era.
So when we do come to 1925, we understand why David is asking, why didn't you support me? Why weren't you there for me? I fed you at my table. I looked after you as one of my sons.
I made sure I extended the chesed of God to you. That's the impetus behind verse 25. Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth? Now, Mephibosheth shows his allegiance in two ways.
First, there is a visible sign, and secondly, there is the word of explanation. Note verse 24. Now Mephibosheth, the son of Saul, came down to meet the king, and he had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace. Now, this isn't simply a description of the unhygienic practices of the lame man Mephibosheth.
It's not simply a statement concerning his lack of ability with toenail clippers, or his lack of ability with a razor, or his lack of attention to the bodily odors that emanate when one doesn't wash themselves. Note the particular end of verse 24. From the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace. All of these things were signs of mourning.
By his visible appearance, there was an indicator of his allegiance to the king. I may not have been physically present with you, David, but I was in exile in spirit. I was in mourning right alongside of you, and this hair, and this smell, and these nails all evidence that they are signs and tokens of my mourning because of your exile. But then note, he goes on to explain very specifically in verses 26 to 28.
My Lord, O King, my servant deceived me. This is Ziba, what we just read in 16, 1 to 4. Mephibosheth says that Ziba deceived me. For your servant said, I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go to the king, because your servant is lame.
Mephibosheth has a legitimate disability. He is dependent upon people. If Ziba takes off without bringing Mephibosheth, there's not a lot Mephibosheth can do about it. He is physically handicapped and unable to do these things.
Notice in verse 27, And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is like the angel of God. Therefore, do what is good in your eyes. For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king. Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table.
Therefore, what right have I still to cry out any more to the king?" This is not a man who slighted the king. This is a man who says, I got to participate in that table communion. How in the world could I ever complain about your rule? In other words, David, I am fully in allegiance with you.
I am a supporter. I am loyal to you and to the crown and to the God of heaven and earth. Mephibosheth is a champ in this particular section. Make no doubt about it.
Now notice what David says in verse 29. Why do you speak any more of your matters? I have said, you and Ziba divide the land. This is unfortunate, because this was not the original deal.
In 9, Mephibosheth was the recipient. In 16, David believes Ziba's deception, and so David gives everything of Mephibosheth to Ziba. And now here in 19, when he learns the truth, he says, you are to divide it. And I think that what Mephibosheth responds with underscores again his allegiance and his loyalty to the king.
Notice in verse 30, Then Mephibosheth said to the king, Rather let him take it all, inasmuch as my lord the king has come back in peace to his own house. In other words, Mephibosheth said, it ain't the stuff, it's the reality that you're back. It isn't the goods or possessions, it's the knowledge that King David has returned to Jerusalem. Mephibosheth is a loyal man.
He's a man of integrity. He's a man of God. Davis again says that Mephibosheth was lame and limited, but loyal. And his loyalty was not driven by survival, like Shimei, or greed, like Ziba.
He could not sustain David with abundant provisions like the wealthy farmer Barzillai. Oddly enough, toenails and facial hair and dirty clothes were the sacraments of his faithfulness. I think that's a fitting description, and he likens, or he reminds us in that commentary on 2 Samuel of the woman who took that oil and broke it over the head of the Lord Jesus, and the disciples complain and whine, and in Mark's Gospel, Jesus says, leave her alone. She did what she could.
Isn't that beautiful? Sometimes you think you make very insignificant contributions to the kingdom. You think that just breaking a little bit of oil over the head of Jesus, this small tiny thing will go unnoticed. He says to his disciples, leave her alone.
She did what she could. Praise God that he accepts us when we do what we can. Mephibosheth did what he could. He couldn't saddle his own donkey and trot over and support David, but he could let his hair grow, he could let his toenails grow, he could let his body odors offend people around him, because these were the legitimate signs of mourning.
And when a person said, why are you such a mess? I'm a mess because my king is in exile, and I will not rest content, and I will not clean myself until my king is back on his throne." He did what he could. This is what God is about. He doesn't say, well, Spurgeon and Edwards and Calvin and Luther, they've done a lot, so I'm pleased with them.
Brethren, when you do what you can, the Lord God is pleased with it. When you do even small and insignificant things, by the world's survey, the Lord God Most High sees it and He approves of it. This is a blessed encouragement for the people of God. Now
The Gratitude for Barzillai
notice thirdly, the gratitude for Barzillai. This man had served David, notice in 17. 17, 27 to 29. Now, it happened when David had come to Mahanaim that Shobi, the son of Nahash from Rabba of the people of Ammon, Makir, the son of Amiel from Lod-de-Bar, and Barzilai the Gileadite from Rogolim brought beds and basins, earthen vessels and wheat, barley and flour, parched grain and beans, lentils and parched seeds, honey and curds, sheep and cheese of the herd, for David and the people who were with him to eat. For they said, the people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness." You see a bit of refreshment for David on his journey out of the city.
And so Barzillai now approaches David. He comes down from Rogoling, he went across the Jordan with the king to escort him across the Jordan. Notice in verse 32 of chapter 19. Now Barzillai was a very aged man, 80 years old.
He was an octogenarian, an 80-year-old man, and he had provided the king with supplies while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very rich man. And the king said to Barzillai, come across with me and I will provide for you while you are with me in Jerusalem. Now essentially what Barzillai says is I'm an old man, I don't know how much longer I've got, my senses don't work like they once did, I don't see too well, I don't hear too well, and I'm not going to enjoy all the benefits of being in Jerusalem anyway. And what Davis says, and I think he's on the right path or trajectory, is that Barzillai is a content man.
He's content as an old man because he has done what he could for David. He's content as an old man because he has served God by serving God's king. He only asks that David take this man, Kimham, could have been, probably was, the son of Barzillai. Take Kimham, take him along with you, everything you were going to confer on me by way of benefit, please do that to this man, Kimham.
We look in 1 Kings chapter 2, 7, David does this. Jeremiah 41, 17, there's a place called Kimham. So David made good on his promise to Barzillai in this particular instance. But it is intriguing.
Notice. Verse 36, your servant will go a little way across the Jordan with the king, and why should the king repay me with such a reward? Please let your servant turn back again that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and mother. In other words, I've done my thing.
I don't need any more benefit. I don't need any more blessing. I don't need to come to Jerusalem and have you convey these things upon me. In other words, David, I'm content.
I'm happy. The Lord God has blessed me. The Lord God has prospered me. I'm ready to rest, to die in peace near my own city. near the grave of my father and mother.
Davis said, Barzillai had been faithful to Yahweh's covenant king. Besides that, what else matters? This is a good lesson. What else matters?
I mean, we have served well, we have the knowledge, the contentedness that God the Lord is pleased with us. We don't need all the dainties and all the food and all the blessings. that Jerusalem holds for us. He says, whatever could one want beyond that? A man like that is free, content to go back to his hometown and finish out his days.
So those are three subjects of David's kingdom that he meets with on the way back.
The Quarrel Over the King
Now notice finally the quarrel over the king, verses 40 to 43. It really does sound like two little children arguing, doesn't it? I think probably the author writes it that way, so we'll think two little kids are arguing. No, that was my cookie, and you took it from me.
No, no, I had that cookie first. That's kind of how it sounds here. Now notice in verse 40, now, the king went on to Gilgal, and Kimham went on with him. And all the people of Judah escorted the king, and also half the people of Israel.
Just then all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king, his household, and all David's men with him across the Jordan? Why? Did they steal you away? We should have got this privilege.
Isn't this typical? We always think we should be the ones for prestige. The spotlight should be ours. We made the first decision.
We were the first ones receptive. Therefore, we should have got to escort David across the river. And it's really reading the motives of your brethren in the worst possible light. They don't say that Judah escorted, they stole David away.
This is an affront to us. They are making a mockery of this. Now note the response of Judah in verse 42. So all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, because the king is a close relative of ours, why then are you angry over this matter?
Have we ever eaten at the king's expense or has he given us any gift? In other words, it's not favoritism as Israel seems to imply. But we are close. He's our own tribe.
But just because He's of our own tribe, it's not that He's ever, you know, given us free food. We don't eat at His table. He doesn't give us, you know, at the end of verse 42, or has He given us any gift? One translates this as He's never exempted us from taxes.
You know, we are of the tribe. We are bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh. But we're not getting free food. We're not benefiting over and above Israel.
It's a quarrel over who gets to be first and who gets to be closest to David. And it's probably not out of loyalty to God and to David himself, but it's a position. It's a desire for stuff. It's a desire to be in the limelight is what's going on in a nation that is in covenant with the living God.
Brethren, when we see troubles in the church, should we be surprised? I mean, really, it still hurts, it's still hard, it's still difficult to wrap one's mind around, but there is nothing new under the sun. I mean, these guys are arguing over who gets to escort David across the river. Why not argue about who can be the most loyal subject and do what they're supposed to do?
The issue isn't leading David across the river. The issue is submitting to the rule of God's Messiah. It's like I tell the young people that are getting married. The issue isn't the wedding.
It's the marriage. Don't spend, you know, millions of dollars and millions of man hours preparing for a 45-minute ceremony. Spend the time and effort and energy in prayer. preparing for the marriage where the long battle is fought and won. It's not a battle in that regard where, hopefully, it's not a battle like that.
Do you know what I mean? They're arguing over who gets to take David across the river. Really? Come on, brethren, you're the covenant community.
Submit to God's King. Do what God's King says. Don't get upset because Judah escorts him over. And unfortunately, this little argument over a cookie would lead to further rebellion.
Sheba rises up and guess who follows? Israel. You see, people get bent out of shape and they're open to Satan's devices. We gotta guard our hearts, man, that we don't jockey for and crave that position or that prestige or that spotlight or we were here first.
No, we need to work on submitting to and glorifying God the Lord. Because once we put ourselves in that compromised position, we're willing to follow the Shebas. We're willing to follow the uprising. We are willing to follow Absalom in rebellion against the sitting king in Israel.
Verse 43, the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, we have ten shares in the king. Remember I said, the division, 10 northern tribes, two southern tribes. What's the logic of Israel? We have 10 shares in him.
He's more ours than he is yours. Three quarters of that cookie is mine, so give it up. That's what they're doing here. Therefore, we have more right to David than you.
No, you don't. David is the king over Israel. Instead of breaching the kingdom, instead of divisiveness, instead of disunity, praise God, He's given you such a king, and submit to His rule with your brethren, even the Judahites. Therefore, we also have more right to David than you.
Why then do you despise us?" Really? It was a despising of Israel to escort David across the river? You see, brethren, when you get into this frame, you're open to the temptations of the devil to do horrible things and to think horrible things about people you should actually love. You shouldn't impugn evil motives to people that you're supposed to love.
Why then do you despise us? Were we not the first to advise bringing back our gang? We have that going for us. We deserve more.
You guys ought to be inferior to us. Yet the words of the men of Judah were fiercer, Yet the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel." This means that the argument escalated. The argument probably came to blows. Sheba rises up, and Israel, the northern tribes, follow him in rebellion.
So you see, we need to guard our hearts. We need to dare to be a Mephibosheth and guard our hearts against whining northern kingdom Israelites that just want position and prestige.
Conclusion and Application
Well, in conclusion, I think we appreciate, or we should appreciate, the savvy of David. His outreach to Judah was very wise. When he comes back, it was wise for him to reach out to Judah. The clemency toward Shimei It was politically expedient at that particular time.
His pragmatism toward Mephibosheth seems an unfortunate thing to me. I think Mephibosheth should have got everything back without any questions whatsoever, but I'm not David, David's not me. And then the gratitude toward Barzillai. You see something about David there though.
Again, when, you know, praise God our lives aren't contained in, you know, 20 chapters of scripture, right? When it's like that, you see everything, don't you? Not everybody sees what happens in your life that's inconsistent. It's all written down by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
So it's easy for us to Monday morning quarterback, David, you should've did this. David was a godly man. He wasn't a perfect man, but he was a godly man. Barzillai did him a solid.
What does he say to Barzillai? Come on, you're coming with me to Jerusalem, and I'm going to bless you beyond measure. David remembers when people do good things. David remembered when people did bad things.
Shimei ends up getting it through Solomon. Now it's not that David's vindictive and he holds, you know, he's got this list and Shimei made the list and Mephibosheth was on the list. No, but David remembers and David deals with men fairly, righteously, with equity. As well, we ought to appreciate the defining characteristics of the subjects listed.
I would suggest you read Davis on this section. He draws out these lessons in more detail that are very helpful. The pragmatism of Shimei, he actually calls it the policy of Shimei. His life was about policy.
Policy was everything for Shimei. Anything that would be advantageous to him, that is what he pursued. The loyalty of Mephibosheth and then the contentedness of Barzillai due to his service to God. As well, we ought to appreciate, and we've had cause to reflect on this many times in our studies in 1 and 2 Samuel, the providence of God.
You cannot miss that. God's not mentioned a lot in this section. I don't know if he's... Yeah, he's mentioned a couple times in here, but not conspicuously.
It's not one of the more theologically rich chapters in Scripture, but when we have those occasions in the books of Samuel that there's not a lot of reference to God, Those chapters are oftentimes the most glaring references to God, or the most powerful, because they're demonstrations of his providence. Vannoy says, the providential guidance of the historical process is hidden behind the maneuverings and machinations of political scheming and counter-scheming. Nevertheless, it moves inexorably forward in accordance with God's purposes for David's life and dynasty. Everything that transpires, transpires according to the will and plan of God in the specific purpose for David's life.
And it happens through some very interesting things. It happens through guys like Shimei, and Mephibosheth, and Ziba, and Barzillai. It happens through usurpation. It happens through rebellion.
And nevertheless, God is working out His plan to bless David, who ultimately is a blessing to his people. And then, with reference to the kingdom of God, the chapter begins and ends with references to division over David's kingship. Now, let that sink in for about a second. David's kingship.
If I were to do a word association with you and said great king, who would you say? David, I hope. One of the best kings ever, David. An excellent king, David.
And yet, in David's kingdom, there's all this tumult, and turmoil, and challenge, and problem, and chaos. Davis again says, the fiasco was not the fault of David's politics, but of the reaction to the manner of his return, and of Judah's reaction to Israel's reaction. It was reaction to reaction to reaction about what happens with David. The impression is clear.
Here he quotes a Jewish commentator. It seems as if political life is full of nothing but quarrels, either through opposition to the king or because of devotion to him. Now, I think we'd all agree with that. It seems as if political life is full of nothing but quarrels.
We know that to be the case, don't we? We're living through an election cycle, and we know that political life is full of quarrels. Back to Davis. He says, the rightful king has returned, but there is no peace in the kingdom.
The animosity and envy among his subjects threatens the stability of his kingdom. This negative situation, however, carries a positive witness. This kingdom must truly be the kingdom of God or it would have self-destructed long ago. Amen, absolutely amen.
It must be the kingdom of God, for if it was not of God, it would have self-destructed long ago. Because the people certainly aren't helping to advance the kingdom when they're arguing like children at the side of the River Jordan over who gets to escort David across the river. Let us labor to submit to the Lord Jesus Christ rather than to argue with one another and impugn evil motives toward one another about this, that, or the other. May our ethic be the ethic of John the Baptist.
Remember what he said concerning Christ. He must increase, but I must decrease. I've often mused, if everyone in the church had that mindset, it'd be a much happier place to be. He must increase, but I must decrease.
Closing Prayer
Well, let us pray. Our Father, we thank You for Your Word, and we thank You for the life of David and the many lessons that it teaches us, not only about David, but more importantly about You, about Your faithfulness, about Your goodness, about Your commitment to Your covenant and to Your kingdom. and how we thank you that we live under the reign of David's greater son, even our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that we would be loyal subjects, that we would out-Mephibosheth Mephibosheth when it comes to loyalty in the kingdom, that we would be faithful servants of Jesus Christ Most High, and that we would bring glory and honor and praise to you. May we as well imitate the Baptist who said that Christ must increase, but I must decrease.
Forgive us for pride, forgive us for arrogance, forgive us for longing for position and privilege. Help us to be a faithful people, God. We pray that you would go with us now and watch over us and bring us together on the Lord's Day. And we ask in Jesus' name.
Amen.