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Okay, you can turn in your Bibles 
to 2 Samuel chapter 20. 2 Samuel 20. I'll read the chapter 
and then we'll look at it in some detail. 2 Samuel 20, beginning 
in verse 1. And there happened to be there 
a rebel, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet and said, 
We have no share in David, nor do we have inheritance in the 
son of Jesse. Every man to his tent, so Israel. So every man of Israel deserted 
David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of 
Judah, from the Jordan as far as Jerusalem, remained loyal 
to their king. Now David came to his house at 
Jerusalem, and the king took the ten women, his concubines 
whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in seclusion 
and supported them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut 
up to the day of their death, living in widowhood. And the 
king said to Amasa, assemble the men of Judah for me within 
three days, and be present here yourself. So Amasa went to assemble 
the men of Judah, but he delayed longer than the set time which 
David had appointed him. And David said to Abishai, Now 
Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. 
Take your Lord's servants and pursue him, lest he find for 
himself fortified cities and escape us. So Joab's men, with 
the Charithites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty men, went 
out after him. And they went out of Jerusalem 
to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. When they were at the large stone 
which is in Gibeon, Amasa came before them. Now Joab was dressed 
in battle armor, and on it was a belt with a sword fastened 
in its sheath at his hips. And as he was going forward, 
it fell out. Then Joab said to Amasa, Are 
you in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard 
with his right hand to kiss him. But Amasa did not notice the 
sword that was in Joab's hand, and he struck him with it in 
the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground, and 
he did not strike him again, thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai, 
his brother, pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. Meanwhile, one 
of Joab's men stood near Amasa and said, whoever favors Joab 
and whoever is for David, follow Joab. But Amasa wallowed in his 
blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all 
the people stood still, he moved Amasa from the highway to the 
field and threw a garment over him, when he saw that everyone 
who came upon him halted. When he was removed from the 
highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba, 
the son of Bichri. And he went through all the tribes 
of Israel to Abel and Beth-meachah and all the Baraites. So they were gathered together 
and also went after Sheba. Then they came and besieged him 
in Abel of Bethmaica, and they cast up a siege mound against 
the city, and it stood by the rampart, and all the people who 
were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down. Then a wise 
woman cried out from the city, Here, here, please say to Joab, 
come nearby that I may speak with you. When he had come near 
to her, the woman said, Are you Joab? He answered, I am. Then she said to him, Hear the 
words of your maidservant. And he answered, I am listening. 
So she spoke, saying, They used to talk in former times, saying, 
They shall surely seek guidance at Abel. And so they would end 
disputes. I am among the peaceable and 
faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and 
a mother in Israel. Why would you swallow up the 
inheritance of the Lord? And Joab answered and said, Far 
be it, far be it from me that I should swallow up or destroy. 
That is not so. But a man from the mountains 
of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his 
hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only and I 
will depart from the city. So the woman said to Joab, Watch, 
his head will be thrown to you over the wall. Then the woman 
in her wisdom went to all the people, and they cut off the 
head of Sheba, the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. Then 
he blew a trumpet, and they withdrew every man to his tent. So Joab 
returned to the king at Jerusalem. And Joab was over all the army 
of Israel. Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, 
was over the Karathites and the Pelathites. Adaram was in charge 
of revenue, Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilad, was recorder, 
Sheva was scribe, Zadok and Abiathar were the priests, and Ira the 
Jerite was a chief minister under David. Amen. Have you ever had 
those times or seasons in your life where a lot of things go 
wrong for you, and you get to the point where you think, God, 
please let it stop. I've had enough. Give me a season, 
give me a time, give me a period of reprieve. And we oftentimes 
expect, we just assume that God is going to give us that reprieve 
after we have gone through that trial or difficulty. I'm not 
sure why we assume that or why we expect that if we're familiar 
with the story of David. We see in his life one tragedy 
after another, one trial after another, one difficulty after 
another, and it does not stop here in chapter 20. He has just 
returned to Jerusalem after the usurpation of Absalom when Absalom 
stole the throne and he stole the crown from David. Absalom 
was eventually killed in battle. David now returns to Jerusalem 
only to find that there's another man by the name of Sheba who 
has launched a rebellion against the crown, against the throne, 
and he has solicited all of Israel, all the northern tribes, to follow 
him. So certainly, as we have these 
seasons of trials and difficulties and hardships in our lives, we 
can pray that God will give us a reprieve. We can pray that 
God will send us a peaceable time. But we ought never to expect 
it in the sense that God somehow owes us. It's not a formula. 
We've suffered for thus long, therefore now I deserve not to 
suffer for that long. That is simply not the way we 
ought to interpret God's Word or interpret history or set forth 
our expectations for things when the man after God's own heart 
went through a period of time where it was trial after trial 
after trial, and it certainly doesn't end until he dies and 
enters into that place where there is no more sorrow, no more 
pain, no more suffering, no more hardship. The life of David should 
put in order some of our thoughts concerning our lives and the 
way that God deals with us. So as we look at chapter 20 tonight, 
it comes on the heels of chapter 19. Again, David's return to 
Jerusalem where he's garnered the support of the northern tribes 
and the southern tribes. All Israel is thrilled at the 
prospect of David returning to assume the throne and his reign 
over Israel. Well, I want to look at five 
things tonight. Some of these things will be 
brief. In the first place, the rebellion of Sheba in verses 
1 and 2. Secondly, the reminder of David's 
sin in verse 3. Thirdly, the murder of Amasa 
in verses 4 to 14. Fourthly, the destruction of 
Sheba in verses 15 to 22. And then finally, the officers 
of David in verses 23 to 26. But note in the first place, 
the rebellion of Sheba, verses 1 and 2. And there happened to 
be there a rebel. We might also call him a scoundrel. or a worthless man, or literally 
a son of Belial, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet and said, 
notice how the chapter, at least the largest section in this chapter, 
begins and ends with the blowing of a trumpet, here in verse 1 
and then at verse 22, the blowing of the trumpet with reference 
to the destruction of Sheba. He blew a trumpet, verse 1, and 
said, We have no share in David, nor do we have inheritance in 
the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, O Israel. Now remember the occasion. We've 
outlined it briefly. David returns to Jerusalem. The northern tribes express their 
enthusiasm at the return of David in chapter 19, verses 9 and 10, 
and then again in chapter 19, verses 40 to 43. also indicated in verses 40 to 
43 in chapter 19, is the quarrel between the north and the south. 
Remember, the northern tribes didn't like the fact that Judah 
was bringing David back across the river Jordan. And they asked 
specifically in verse 41, 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." This man Sheba capitalizes on this particular quarrel. He 
sees what's happening, he understands what's going on, this division 
between the north and the south, fighting over David, fighting 
over position. He is described as a rebel. To rebel against God's king is 
to rebel against God himself. As well, he was a Benjamite, 
so that means he's probably sympathetic to Saul and his reign. Remember 
that Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. As well, he is an 
opportunist. At the time of this quarrel, 
he then makes this particular plea. He blows the trumpet and 
says, we have no share in David, nor do we have an inheritance 
in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, O Israel. Robert Alter says, the northerners, 
resentful of the harshness of the Judahites' words, in which 
the members of David's own tribe claimed a special proprietary 
relationship with the king, are ripe for the appeal of a demagogue 
such as Sheba. who is at once identified as 
a worthless fellow. You see, the northern tribes 
judged the Judahites very severely. They thought that they were using 
their position as being from the tribe or the same tribe as 
David to try and garner favor with him. They simply said, no, 
he's part of our tribe to be sure, but he's never benefited 
us directly. This should have been an easy 
crossing. There shouldn't have been any problems. There shouldn't 
have been any hitch whatsoever, but men being as men are, they 
start to argue and quarrel and whine and cry, and so the northerners, 
as Alter suggests, are ripe for this usurpation. Van Hoy says, 
the underlying weakness of northern support for David had apparently 
never been fully overcome, and Sheba was able to exploit a long-simmering 
discontent and undermine the unity and stability of the kingdom. And essentially what this man 
does is publicly repudiates the kingship of David. So just as 
we believe everything is going to return to normal, Absalom 
has met his end, David is now coming back, there's another 
problem in terms of the kingdom. And as we have observed many 
times, if it were not for the sovereignty of God overruling 
the sinfulness of men, the kingdom would never advance, the kingdom 
would never be stabilized, the kingdom would never be. Thankfully, 
the Lord God Most High values His kingdom more than men do, 
and as a result, He causes it to flourish and to prosper. Now note the response to the 
rebellion of Sheba. We have both Israel and Judah 
indicated. Notice in verse 2. So every man 
of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. So their claims of allegiance 
in chapter 19 was very short-lived. I mean, the enthusiasm they show 
in 1909-10 and then the enthusiasm they show in 1940-43 certainly 
does not last long. As soon as Sheba makes this public 
repudiation of David's kingship, it says that every man of Israel 
deserted David and followed Sheba, the son of Bichri. I don't know 
how David functioned or managed to cope with all of this rejection, 
but certainly he was a better man than I am. He managed to 
motor on, he managed to press on, he managed to persevere, 
even in the midst of these things. As well, with reference to Israel, 
the specific claim in 1943 is absolutely contradicted by their 
practice. Remember in 1943, as they are 
quarreling with the Judahites, they say, we have ten shares 
in David. We have ten pieces of David because 
we are ten tribes. Now they join a rebel who has 
the gall to say, we have no share in David. So they go from the 
10 shares of David to the no share of David, just over however 
long this took. The text doesn't indicate it 
took very long whatsoever. So Israel departs from, defects 
from, turns against David. Now Judah thankfully maintained 
loyalty, the end of verse 2. But the men of Judah from the 
Jordan as far as Jerusalem remained loyal to their king. So we have 
again the line drawn in the sand. When we get to 1 Kings chapter 
12 and the monarchy officially splits, We ought to appreciate 
the fact that relations between the North and the South never 
seem to be that solid to begin with. We see it already here 
in both 1st and 2nd Samuel that there is this sort of a delicate 
situation between these two groups of tribes. So 1st Kings 12 is 
the official split of the monarchy, but in this instance we see it 
as well. Now notice secondly the reminder 
of David's sin. It records for us David's return 
to Jerusalem and what happens when he comes to his house. Now, 
Davis recognizes that the author could have appended this at the 
end of the chapter, just sort of an incidental note with reference 
to the concubines that he had left behind. But the fact that 
it's right up at the front tells us that the author wants us to 
take notice of this. He wants us to remember that 
we are most likely in the situation we are in because of David's 
sin. David's sin with Bathsheba and 
Uriah launched a whole series of events. We have seen that 
chapters 9 to 20 as a whole could be summarized as the consequences 
for David's sin. Up to that point, up to chapter 
8, we see David's reign in a very positive light. But from 9 to 
20, we see it in a negative light. We see trial, difficulty, hardship, 
specifically consequential to the sin that David had committed. 
Verse 3 reminds us of these various women. Remember in 12, 11 and 
12, through the prophet Nathan. In fact, you can go there just 
so we can appreciate what our author is doing in chapter 20 
at verse 3. Remember in 2 Samuel chapter 
11, specifically verses 10 to 12. I'm sorry, chapter 12, verses 
10 to 12. This is God, through the prophet 
Nathan, reproving David for his sin of adultery and murder. Verse 10, Now therefore, the 
sword shall never depart from your house, because you have 
despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to 
be your wife. 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 
sign. Turn over to 1516, when David 
departs from Jerusalem after the usurpation by Absalom, he 
leaves his wives in Jerusalem. 1516, then the king went out 
with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, 
concubines, to keep the house. Notice in chapter 16, specifically 
in verses 20 to 22, the word of the Lord is brought to fruition. Absalom said to Ahithophel, give 
advice as to what we should do. And Ahithophel said to Absalom, 
go into your father's concubines, whom he has left to keep the 
house, and all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your 
father. then the hands of all who are with you will be strong." 
Remember Ahithophel gave this advice, which was wise, it was 
savvy. I'm not saying it was morally 
acceptable, it was absolutely reprehensible, but it was wise 
from a political standpoint. Ahithophel knows that if Absalom 
goes in to David's wives, then all Israel will know that the 
breach is real. There's no chance for reconciliation 
after Absalom does this. David and Absalom aren't going 
to get back together again. This is going to rupture them 
once and for all, then all the support for Absalom will be consolidated, 
their hand will be strengthened, because there's no fear whatsoever 
that Absalom and David are going to make peace. And so note specifically 
in verse 22, they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the 
house, and Absalom went into his father's concubines in the 
sight of all Israel. So we come back to chapter 20, 
David returns to his house at Jerusalem, the author is suggesting 
to us that home will never be the same again. The effects of 
sin is such that the life that David enjoyed prior to this Absalom 
rebellion is never going to be restored. David looks after them 
in terms of food and shelter and security and all those sorts 
of things, but he no longer has relations with them. The king 
took the ten women, his concubines whom he had left to keep the 
house, and put them in seclusion and supported them, but did not 
go into them. So they were shut up to the day 
of their death, living in widowhood." Never believe or never think 
that the sin that you commit has no consequences on other 
people. The sin of David had consequences 
at least on these ten women. These ten women were not homeless, 
this is Davis. David situated them in secluded 
quarters, nor were they starving or destitute, for David provided 
for them. But he would have nothing more 
to do with them. They were confined, isolated, 
and alone. They passed the days of their 
bland existence as de facto widows. They would no longer know the 
joys of a husband. They would no longer have children. 
They would no longer be able to reap the benefits associated 
with being a healthy young woman in Israel at this particular 
time. David's sin had far-reaching effect and far-reaching consequences, 
and I think it would be good for us to remember that in our 
own lives. So often people engage in wickedness 
or some sort of activity that they find pleasurable for the 
time, but there's a ripple effect. It affects persons that are closest 
to them. It affects friends. It affects 
relationships. When pastors sin, they fall into 
sexual sin. It affects their wives. It affects 
their children. It affects the entirety of the 
church. We ought to think about the consequences 
of sin. David should have thought more 
before he went into Uriah. When David saw her and he was 
pleased with her, he should have put the brakes on and stopped 
the whole process from going out of control. So these women 
are destitute, desolate, and alone until they will go to die. And we could go further back 
and realize that in Deuteronomy 17, 17, the prohibition against 
the king multiplying wives is the word of the living God. with 
reference to principles governing warfare, and specifically the 
king, in Deuteronomy chapter 17. The king is not to multiply 
weapons, he's not to multiply wealth, and he's not to multiply 
wives. This is simply unacceptable, 
and yet Israel falls into this, like the nations around them, 
and we see that the consequences of sin affect a whole multitude 
of people. So notice in the third place 
the murder of Amasa, verses 4 to 14. Note first Amasa's duty in 
verses 4 and 5. Remember he is the military commander. He was appointed by Absalom during 
Absalom's usurpation. He appoints Amasa. And then when 
David comes back to court the favor of the people of Israel, 
he says that he is going to appoint Amasa as the military commander, 
probably seeking again the support and the favor of those people, 
and as well as a diss to Joab. Remember, Joab was specifically 
responsible for the death of Absalom. David didn't want that 
to happen. And Joab was involved in that. So Amasa is the military commander. He's been lawfully appointed 
by David himself. So as we proceed through the 
narrative, what Joab does here is an act of murder. It is cold-blooded, 
it is hard-hearted, it is calloused, it is wicked. And yet it is something 
we've come to expect with Joab, because he dispatched Abner in 
much the same way, and he gets rid of Absalom in much the same 
way. So he is the military commander 
and David gives him instruction. Notice in verse 4. Why within 
three days? Because Sheba must be crushed. this attempt or this revolt, 
or it's not a revolt yet, it's more of a secession, but it will 
turn into a revolt specifically against the crown. And if David 
has learned anything, David has learned that you put down would-be 
revolters in a harsh and severe manner. So he tells Amasa, gather 
the troops, come back to me and be present here for yourself 
so we can deal with this Sheba situation. Verse 5. So Amasa 
went to assemble the men of Judah, but he delayed longer than the 
set time which David had appointed him. Now we don't know why he 
delayed longer, the text does not indicate, but as we go on 
in the text, it was to his own demise. If he would have been 
a bit more punctual, at least humanly speaking, some of the 
things that go on from here may not have happened. So Amasa's 
late, he fails to get it done in time. Now note David's response 
in verses 6 and 7. Even though Amasa has not returned 
with the troops, we've still got a Sheba problem. So he tells 
Abishai, we've got to take care of this Sheba problem. If we 
don't take care of the Sheba problem, we're going to have 
great, great travail. So verse 6, David said to Abishai, 
notice not Joab, Abishai and Joab are brothers, remember that. And Joab is present there, but 
David addresses Abishai directly. Again, David's not thrilled with 
Joab. David did not want Absalom to 
die. David did not want Joab to do 
the sorts of things that he did. So he tells Abishai, now Sheba 
the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take 
your, note this, Lord's servants and pursue him, lest he find 
for himself fortified cities and escape us. So Joab's men, 
See, there's a bit of a hint here that Joab, though he has 
been excluded by David, hasn't been excluded by the people. 
The Lord's servants, as your Lord's servants, as David refers 
to the military, David being the Lord, are called Joab's men. Joab is still on top. Joab ends 
on top throughout this particular narrative. As I've suggested 
many times, Joab is one interesting fellow. He is loyal to David. 
He's not always morally upright. He's not always the godliest 
sort of a fellow. But we see that there is still 
support within the military for Joab specifically. But you see 
the thrust of David. We need to deal with the Sheba 
problem. He says in verse 7, So Joab's 
men, with the Carathites, the Pelethites, and all the mighty 
men, went out after him. And they went out of Jerusalem 
to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri. Now note Joab's plan. Verses 8 to 10. The location. They are at this large stone 
which is in Gibeon. That's an interesting location 
because in chapter 2 it was the place where the civil war began 
between the North and the South. Remember they had that with the 
young men who had the swords and they would basically walk 
by each other and stab each other? This is the particular location. And then the author describes 
for us what Joab is wearing. And that's important because 
Joab is going to deceive Amasa so that he can put this sword 
into Amasa's belly. That's what's behind the description. Now, Joab was dressed in battle 
armor. On it was a belt with a sword 
fastened in its sheath at his hips. and as he was going forward 
it fell out. It seems to be the case that 
it was positioned in such a way that it would be natural for 
it to fall out and wouldn't cause someone to think that Joab was 
actually drawing his sword. If he walks up to Amasa and he 
takes his right hand and he withdraws his sword, typically the sheath 
and the sword would be on the left hip of a right-handed man. So if Joab does this action, 
Amas is going to know what Amas is going to get. And so David 
can't, I'm sorry, Joab can't do that. So he puts the sheath 
in front of him, it's a bit clunky, it's a bit awkward, so that the 
sword can fall out. He can then conspicuously pick 
it up with his left hand. Now make no mistake about it, 
if Joab wanted Absalom dead, when Absalom was hanging in that 
tree, Joab could have done it. Joab is a skilled warrior, not 
just with his right hand, but with his left hand as well. And 
when the narrator or the author tells us he didn't have to strike 
him again, Joab knew where to pierce a man so that his entrails 
would fall out. Joab's no lightweight on the 
field of battle. But the specific reference here 
is to present to us how he was able to pull off this deception 
over a man, Amasa, who was a military leader as well. Amasa is not 
a lightweight. He has not been commander of 
Israel because he just fell off the turnip truck. Gil explains 
the situation in terms of his clothing thus. He says, and upon 
it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath 
thereof. The sword and the belt was not 
on his thigh, but on his loins, on the outside of his clothes. 
and was put into a sheath too large and placed in such a position 
that with the least motion, when he pleased, it would easily drop 
out of it without drawing attention, and so give no suspicion of his 
design. Again, the typical warrior position 
would be on the left hip for a right-handed soldier. To put 
it in the front and make it clunky and it could fall out was the 
design of Joab, so it would not draw attention from Amasa. Now 
note as well the deception of his address in verse 9. He addresses 
Amasa as my brother. I mean this man is full of deception 
here. Joab took Amasa by the beard 
with his right hand to kiss him. This doesn't mean he wrenched 
him, it was a sign of affection. This is something that was commonly 
done. You grab the beard and you lean 
in to give them a kiss. Not in some homosexual, sodomite 
way, but a sign of respect, a sign of affection, a sign of love. 
So you see what he's doing. He does this, he calls him my 
brother, he goes in for this sign of affection, and this disarms 
Amasa. He doesn't know what's coming. 
He thinks, as far as he's concerned, that Joab is just showing him 
the sign of affection, the sign of brotherly love. He addresses 
him as brother. His right hand would be his typical 
hand to wield the sword. That right hand is on his beard. 
He doesn't know what's going to happen. Amasa is completely 
in the dark here. Verse 10, the narrator tells 
us, Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab's hand, 
his left hand. The author expects you to realize 
that, because if his right hand is on the beard of Amasa, he's 
only got one other hand, and now his hand is on that sword. and he struck him with it in 
the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground, and 
he did not strike him again. Thus he died." This is a chapter 
that has both a decapitation and a disemboweling. I could 
hear the liberals now going nuts at the thought of a 2 Samuel 
20 situation. He was not suspected because 
the sword was in his left hand and he was able to kill Amasa 
with precision. Go back to 2 Samuel 15 for just 
a moment. I'm sorry here. Second Samuel 18, forgive me. Verse 14, then Joab said, I cannot 
linger with you. And he took three spears in his 
hand and thrust them through Absalom's heart while he was 
still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree. Probably these 
weren't spears. They might've been something 
like sticks. What we learn in this account 
with Amasa is that Joab knew how to kill people and for whatever 
reason, At this particular instance, he didn't deal the death blow. 
Perhaps he wanted some plausible deniability if David asked him 
outright, did you kill Absalom? Notice that David never does 
ask Joab that. No, I didn't kill him, your highness. Well, yeah, but you began the 
work that the ten young men, according to verse 15, finished. The ten young men who bore Joab's 
armor surrounded Absalom and struck and killed him. With Joab, 
we see that he had the ability to deliver a particular blow 
to the stomach of Amasa to pour out his guts. And then notice 
specifically what Joab does. 10b. Then Joab and Abishai, his 
brother, pursued Sheba, the son of Bichri. This man is a trained 
killer. He doesn't sit and sort of muse 
on the situation. There's no grief. There's no 
remorse. This is business as usual for 
Joab. Davis says, no need to cry over 
spilled blood. It's merely a clinical matter 
for Joab. An obstacle has been removed 
and he proceeds to the next item on the agenda. We've gotten rid 
of Amasa. Now let's go get Sheba, the son 
of Bichri. Now note, this henchman's exhortation, 
verses 11 to 13. He's not identified, he's just 
one of Joab's men and we learn that Amasa is still an obstacle. 
He's an obstacle for the people that were supposed to go in pursuit 
of Sheba. Verse 11, meanwhile one of Joab's 
men stood near Amasa and said, whoever favors Joab and whoever 
is for David, follow Joab. Gil notes the order there, that's 
not a good thing. Whoever is for Joab and whoever 
is for David, follow Joab. The author is telling us that 
David has returned, but David doesn't have the sort of control 
over the kingdom that he once exercised. We've got Joab mentioned 
first. We've got Joab's men, the army, 
in verse 7. Again, these could be subtle 
hints that not everything is as it seems. Not everything is 
going to be as strong as it once was. And so, specifically, the 
henchman says, follow. Verse 12, Amasa wallowed in his 
blood in the middle of the highway. And when the man saw that all 
the people stood still, he moved Amasa from the highway to the 
field and threw a garment over him, when he saw that everyone 
who came upon him halted. You get the picture. They're 
not quick to rush after Sheba while this man is wallowing in 
his blood. I mean, if people slow down on 
the freeway to see somebody changing attire, you might imagine that 
people are going to slow down to see Amasa wallowing in his 
blood. The henchman recognizes this, 
drags him out of the way, and throws a garment over him because 
we've got bigger business. We've got to get Sheba. Let us 
not forget Sheba. Verse 13, when he was removed 
from the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue 
Sheba, the son of Bichri. And that brings us fourthly to 
the destruction of Sheba, in verses 15 to 22. The location, 
we're told it's Abel and Bathmeyikah, or it might be Abel-Bathmeyikah. It's the northernmost part of 
the nation of Israel. So, Sheba has gone up there. It's a fortified city, so we 
read in verse 15, they came and besieged him in Abel of Bathmeyikah. They cast up a siege mound against 
the city, and it stood by the rampart. And all the people who 
were with Joab battered the wall to throw it down. Now note specifically 
this wise woman. The careful reader will remember 
2 Samuel 14 verses 1 to 20. There was a wise woman from Tekoa 
that was put up to a particular scheme by Joab to bring reconciliation 
to David and Absalom. This is prior to the usurpation. So we have another wise woman 
who intercedes on behalf of the city, so that Joab and his men 
don't destroy the entirety of the city. Note specifically her 
petition, verses 18 and 19, well she requests Joab, verses 16 
and 17, and then in verse 18, so she spoke saying, they used 
to talk in former times, saying, they shall surely seek guidance 
at Abel, And so they would end dispute. Seems to be a city that 
was known for wisdom. It seems to be a city that was 
known for dispute settling. Verse 19, I am among the peaceable 
and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city and 
a mother in Israel. Probably the mother in Israel 
isn't her, it's probably the city. A city could be referred 
to as a daughter, a larger city, or a principal city might be 
known as a mother in Israel. And then she asks specifically, 
why would you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord? Now, 
probably behind this is Deuteronomy 20. When the children of Israel 
went to a city that was not under the ban, these are foreign cities, 
they would, before they attack, ask the persons in the city if 
they wanted peace. If they wanted peace, then there 
was a particular procedure that Israel would employ to bring 
peace to that city. Now, it wouldn't be as favorable 
as the foreigners might like, but it would spare their lives. 
So the lady here, the wise woman, again thinking in terms of this 
perhaps, says you ought to seek peace from Abel, Beth, Maacah. You ought not just come in and 
besiege the wall and destroy all of the inhabitants. And then 
Joab responds, notice specifically. Joab answered and said, far be 
it from me that I should swallow up or destroy. Those of us who 
have followed Joab's career kind of put tongue-in-cheek at this 
point, don't we? Joab, we don't know for a moment 
that this is outside of your wheelhouse. I mean, you're certainly 
capable of destroying this entire city with the sword that's hanging 
in the front of you. I mean, you've got mad skills 
to do that very thing. But in this instance, he wants 
to assuage this particular woman. He says in verse 21, That is 
not so, but a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of 
Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against 
David. Interesting. He has to specify 
the king. These have been tumultuous days, 
right? If you're in the northernmost 
part of Israel, you don't have email, you don't have an internet 
connection, you don't have CNN, whatever the Jerusalem equivalency 
is, you may not have heard at this point. There has been tumult 
and he has to describe that the king is David. And then he says, 
deliver him only and I will depart from the city. Now note the woman's 
response. This is a very wise woman. So the woman said to Joab, watch, 
his head will be thrown to you over the wall. Great answer, 
wise woman. This will actually solve the 
problem that is Sheba. And then the woman, in her wisdom, 
went to all the people, and they cut off the head of Sheba the 
son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew a trumpet, 
and they withdrew from the city, every man to his tent. So Joab 
returned to the king at Jerusalem. The plan was successful. Joab 
comes out on top. Joab is effective. Joab is successful. Joab has accomplished this particular 
task in putting down the rebellion posed by Sheba. This then caused 
everybody, hopefully, to return to happily ever after, and David 
assumes control of the north and the south, and that's essentially 
what verses 23 to 26 indicate, the officers of David. Verse 23 ought not to be a surprise, 
and Joab was over all the army of Israel. If we've seen the 
writer's hints along the way, we probably assume that he was 
never not over all the army of Israel. They were always Joab's 
men. Joab did this successfully. Then we have Benaiah, the son 
of Jehoiada, was over the Carathites and the Pelathites, no change 
there. Adoram was in charge of revenue, this is Adoniram, and 
the same Adoniram, just a different form of the word there, in 1 
Kings chapter 4. We have Jehoshaphat, the son 
of Ahilad, was recorder. Sheba was scribe. Zadok and Abiathar 
were the priests. That's not been changed. And 
Ira the Jarite was a chief minister under David. Now this chief minister 
under David was probably a personal priest. He has Zadok and he has 
Abiathar, but then he has sort of like a chaplain. You'd have 
a military chaplain. I think John Owen was the chaplain 
to Cromwell at one point. You would have that, it would 
be common. But back in chapter 8, this post was served by David's 
sons specifically. Well, the sons have not proven 
themselves to be the most noble characters, so now Ira the Jarite 
is now the chief minister under David. Now, why is this important? Because of the structure of the 
book, we have argued that there is a particular outline or flow 
in the book. The commencement of David's reign 
at Hebron is chapters 1 to 4. The consolidation of David's 
reign over all Israel is in chapters 5 to 8. And that's a positive 
view, 5 to 8, positive, an optimistic, a good look at how David orchestrated 
the affairs of the kingdom. The consequences of David's sin 
is in chapters 9 to 20, and then the close of David's reign is 
chapters 21 to 24. Well, the author at the end of 
chapter 8 gives us a list of David's officers. just like he 
does at the end of chapter 20. It signals for us a change in 
the narrative structure. It shows us that structurally 
we are leaving the section dealing with the consequences of David's 
sin, and 21 to 24 is the close of David's reign. And with reference to Joab, before 
we close with a few concluding observations, Davis makes an 
observation concerning Joab that I think is perceptive. We have in Sheba utter rebellion, 
right? I mean, we have no share in David, 
nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse. Every man to 
his ten, so Israel. There's no question as to whose 
side Sheba's on. He's certainly not on David's 
side. Joab's an anomaly. I mean, he does things that serve 
David, but is he submissive to David? Would David authorize 
this wholesale murder of Amasa? David just appointed Amasa to 
serve as the military commander. Remember when David gave Abner 
the same treatment? David disowned that vehemently. He wanted no part of it whatsoever. He didn't want to be associated 
with the thought of the fact that Joab had murdered Abner. So Davis makes this observation. 
Joab is both intensely loyal and completely uncontrollable. That's probably very much the 
case. Completely uncontrollable. How do you stop a Joab? Thankfully, 
he's loyal to David and he does accomplish the thing. But you 
know, brethren, loyalty to the kingdom also implies, or should 
imply for kingdom citizens, submission to the king. Right? And this is not Joab. He says, 
he does not raise the standard or revolt against David like 
Sheba, nor does he seek David's throne like Absalom. Joab is 
faithful to David. He does not try to become king, 
and yet he acts as his own king. He is extremely loyal to David, 
but essentially unsubmissive to David. Could it be that 2 
Samuel 20 depicts a double rebellion? There is Sheba who wants to leave 
the Davidic kingdom behind. And then there is Joab who will 
not be controlled within the kingdom, but is ever hacking 
and slicing away to keep his own position unrivaled. I mean, 
that's probably why Amasa got the point. Probably why Abner 
got the point. Joab didn't like the thought 
of being replaced, did he? I mean, he's David's military 
commander. He kills with precision. He's 
a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. And then we've 
got Abner, and then we've got Amasa. Well, Joab doesn't like 
these rivals. He will brook no rivalry, so 
he gives them the sword to dispatch that. So on the one hand, he's 
loyal to David, but he's not submissive to David. I think 
the lesson here for us is we need to be loyal kingdom citizens, 
but that loyalty must not be to secure our position or to 
secure our benefit, but we must be submissive to the king himself 
in that pursuit of loyalty. So, in terms of some concluding 
thoughts. First, we see the rebellion of 
Sheba. The rebellion against the authority 
of God himself. If you rage against King David, 
you're raging against Yahweh who appointed him in 1 Samuel 
16. And then we see that this can happen in the church today. 
We can see that there are Shebas that profess faith in Jesus Christ. Again, Davis says there are Shebas 
in the church. Some of them are evangelicals 
of the stricter sort. They rebel against rightful authority. They are determined to go their 
own way, to call their own shots. They lift up their hand against 
the king. What can you say of a man who 
sows discord among brethren? He's a Sheba. He's got the Sheba 
spirit. We're not to sow discord among 
brethren. Proverbs 6, 16 says, There are 
six things which Yahweh hates, yea, seven are an abomination 
to Him. And specifically in 19b, it is 
one who sows discord among brethren. I mean, it's obvious when Sheba 
calls all Israel to reject the rule of David. How come it's 
not so obvious in the church when there's a Sheba who calls 
all Israel to rage against Christ and against instituted leadership 
and against the authority of Scripture? That's a Sheba spirit 
that must be crushed, not by physical means or by the employ 
of a joab, for instance. But brethren, we, if we have 
that rage against authority, we need to guard our hearts. We need to kill that. Secondly, 
we see the fickleness of Israel. I don't know how else to describe 
it. The fickleness. I mean, chapter 19, they are 
gung-ho. They're fighting over who is going to bring David across 
the Jordan. And in the next chapter, mere 
verses away. They joined in a man or with 
a man who says, We have no share in David, nor do we have inheritance 
in the son of Jesse. Every man to his tents, O Israel. They could have used a great 
big dose of Matthew 6.33 in the north in those days. Seek first 
the kingdom of God and and his righteousness and all other things 
will be added to you." They sought their own privilege, they sought 
their own position, they sought their own whatever it was, and 
they got hurt and upset and they took it personally when Judah 
transported David across the Jordan River. I mean, when you 
stop and think about what causes this rift, isn't it silly? You mean you cry, whine, grumble, 
and complain because Judah transported David across the Jordan? You 
know, in the church, when you see these church splits, or you 
see people who rupture relationships, or they'll never have anything 
to do with each other again, if you trace it back, sometimes 
it's as insignificant as, well, we didn't get to bring David 
over the Jordan. It's something insignificant. 
It's something small. But because of our sin, our pride, 
our lack of humility, our arrogance, our selfishness, we let it get 
blown out of proportion. We judge people falsely. Oh, you Judahites, you're only 
doing this to curry favor with David. No, he's of our tribe. It's legit that we would bring 
him across the river. Brethren, we cannot judge the 
motives of our brethren as always diabolical and wicked and wrong 
and evil and vile. We need to be charitable one 
to another. And then as well, we ought to 
see the lesson that verses 23 to 26 teach us. The lessons of 
verses 23 to 26, the officers of David indicate what? There was still a military to 
command, taxes to be collected, recording needing to be done, 
scribes to conduct their scribal business, and priests to minister. What does the author communicate 
in verses 23 to 26? The kingdom, though fragile, 
still exists. God has His kingdom. And though it may be battered, 
though it may be besieged, though it may be assaulted, it stands. They're still officers. We leave 
this section of the consequences of David's sin reminded of 2 
Samuel 7 and the promise of Yahweh. that God will indeed preserve 
his kingdom, that God will indeed station a man over his kingdom, 
and though David is imperfect, David's greater son will take 
the reigns and the control of that kingdom, and he will administrate 
it with justice and righteousness and equity throughout eternity. And then the final lesson, the 
final observation is the typical significance that we observe 
in the chapter. In the first place, the acceptation 
and subsequent rejection of God's anointed. The acceptation, Israel 
accepts David in chapter 19, Israel rejects David in chapter 
20. In John 6, 15, after Jesus does 
miraculous things, the people seize him by force and try to 
make him a king. At the end of chapter 6, they 
all bail. They all leave him. We get to 
chapters 18 and 19 and they're crying out, away with him, away 
with him, crucify him. David knew something of acceptation 
and utter rejection, just like David's greater son would experience 
in his life, according to his humanity. Secondly, we ought 
to see the proper identification of one who rejects God's anointed. a son of Belial that rejected 
David in the Old Covenant, he's still a son of Belial who rejects 
the Lord Jesus Christ today. He's a scoundrel, he is a rebel, 
he is a worthless man. Not worthless because he can't 
do wonderful things, but worthless spiritually. So the typical significance 
of Sheba is all those in this new covenant age that reject 
God's anointed. And then the third thing I think 
we ought to gather by way of typical significance is the prophesied 
end of those who rise up against God's anointed. It is a mortal 
head wound. A mortal head wound. The promise 
in the garden was that the seed of the woman would crush the 
head of the serpent. And what do we find in this occasion 
when Sheba the worthless man rebels against the Lord's anointed? He receives a mortal head wound. It wasn't blunt force trauma, 
it was the actual removal of his noggin. It was thrown down 
and this then showed the people that this rebellion was suppressed. The same thing is true in the 
life, the death, and the resurrection of our Lord. It is that means 
by which He crushes the head of the devil and subdues that 
rebel and subdues that enemy. Well, let us close in a word 
of prayer. Our Father, we thank You for Your Word. We thank You 
for the life of David as we have had cause to consider so many 
times. You sustained him, even through 
great trial and great difficulty. And wave after wave comes, and 
the Lord God Almighty keeps His servant. We praise you for this, 
and help us to learn from this, and help us to realize your providence 
and your government over our lives. And as well, God, we thank 
you for this image, this picture that we have in scripture of 
the skull-crushing seed of the woman bringing redemption to 
the people of God. how we thank you for the work 
of our Lord Jesus Christ, David's greater son, how we thank you 
for what he accomplished at the cross, where he disarmed principalities 
and powers, where he has destroyed the work of the devil, and in 
this we greatly rejoice, Lord God. We pray that you would go 
with us, that you would watch over us, that you would bring 
us together on the Lord's day, that we may worship you in spirit 
and truth. And we ask through Christ our 
Lord. Amen.