2 Samuel 16

2 Samuel 16: Ziba Brings Provision to David

1 And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.

3 And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, “Today shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father”

4 Then said the king to Ziba, “Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth.” And Ziba said, “I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.”

“As David left Jerusalem, Ziba (whom David had appointed to manage the property of Saul’s grandson Mephibosheth; see 9:9-13) took the opportunity to win David’s favour by bringing him food and animals to assist his escape.” (Donald C. Fleming) “The asses be for the king's household to ride on. The royal fugitives were moving on foot, not from inability to procure conveyances, but as being suitable to their present state of humiliation and penitence.” (Jamieson Fausset, Brown) Jesus, in like manner, in his humiliation rode on a donkey.

“And the king said, "And where is thy master's son?" etc. Ziba had been servant to Jonathan.” (Sutcliffe) And was still considered so. — And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, ‘Today shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father’ (3) For the family of David being so divided, and one part enraged against another, it was possible they might destroy one another by mutual wounds; and the people, being tired out by civil wars, might think of restoring the kingdom to the family of Saul their former sovereign, of which family Mephibosheth was the principal branch.” (Joseph Benson) “Then said the king to Ziba, ‘Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth.’ And Ziba said, ‘I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.’” (4) He got Mephibosheth's lot. “There may have been some truth in Ziba’s statement, but we should balance it with 2 Samuel 19:24.” (F. B. Meyer)

“There is much of God's providence in this visit of Ziba. This base servant meant no good to David, it is probable, more than he did to Mephibosheth. But the Lord overruled it for good, David's few friends would need the common necessaries of life; and in this manner the Lord was pleased to have him and them supplied. Reader! if you wish to have a real enjoyment of even the most common blessings of life, the secret of so doing, is to trace the hand of the Lord in them. Every mercy is doubly sweet, when we can discern the Lord's appointment in it. Paul's thought on this point is delightful; Philippians 4:19 ,” (Robert Hawker)

“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 4:19) I believe that Ziba thought that Absalom would be the victor and that David would not survive to overthrow. But when he returned to the throne , Mephibosheth got to tell his side of the story. Upon David’s return to Jerusalem, “Then Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came home in peace.” (2 Sam 19:24) Then the king split the inheritance between Ziba and Mephibosheth but whatever ambition in young man had left him. He said that Ziba could have all of his portion of the land for the king was his portion, as is the case for the Levites and the LORD. “The priests, the Levites—all the tribe of Levi—shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and His portion. Therefore they shall have no inheritance among their brethren; the LORD is their inheritance, as He said to them.” (Deut 18:1-2)

Last attempt- 2 Samuel 15: Shimei Curses David

5 Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came. 6 And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. And all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. 7 Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! 8 The LORD has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!”

“Now when King David came to Bahurim”—a city of Benjamin— “there was a man from the family of the house of Saul,’ That is, 'of the family,' in the larger sense of tribe. Many of the Benjamites naturally felt aggrieved when the royal house passed away from their tribe; and, although under restraint while David’s government was strong, were ever ready to show their opposition and hatred when opportunity offered, as now with Shimei, and a little later with Sheba, the son of Bichri (2 Samuel 20:1-2).” (C. J. Ellicott)— “’whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came,’ that is, using imprecations, such as David employed against the enemies of God. See Psalms 7, 35, 55, 58, 59, 69 79, 83, 109 and 137. He had high expectations that David would die in the wilderness, being devoted to eternal destruction.

“Shimei cast stones at David (2 Sam 16:6), as if his king had been…. the worst of criminals, whom all Israel must stone with stones till he die. Perhaps he kept at such a distance that the stones he threw could not reach David, nor any of his attendants, yet he showed what he would have done if it had been in his power.” (Henry) Perhaps it was a prophecy of his imminent, temporal death…. And termination in the role as as the king of all of Israel

“Also Shimei said thus when he cursed: ‘Come out! Come out!’ Rather, ‘Go out,” namely, of the land, into banishment. Compare Jeremiah 29:16.” —‘You bloodthirsty man, you rogue!’ (7), literally “man of blood.“ This expression “was applied to David by God Himself (1 Chronicles 22:8); and here, Shimei who probably knew what the Lord said, casts the same words into David's teeth." (Albert Barnes)… that is to reproach him of evil done to the house of Saul.

“‘The LORD has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son.’ Shimei's sentiments were probably the same as that of many other people in the tribe of Benjamin. They no doubt blamed David for the death of Saul and his sons on Mount Gilboa (1 Samuel 31:1-6), Abner (2 Samuel 3:22-39), Ishbosheth (2 Samuel 4:5-12), and particularly, ‘The seven descendants of Saul whom David handed over to the Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21:1-14).” (John T. Willis) "David was guiltless of the crimes of which Shimei accused him, but his conscience reminded him of other flagrant sins in his life, and he therefore regarded the cursing of Shimei as a chastisement from heaven.”(Jamieson)

9 Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head!” 10 But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ” 11 And David said to Abishai and all his servants, “See how (my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him. 12 It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day.” 13 And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust. 14 Now the king and all the people who were with him became weary; so they refreshed themselves there.

“Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, ‘Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?’ for Israel, a “dog“ is used to mean that he was a Gentile or outsider of Israel. Thus, he was “seen as a nuisance and a scourge as they hovered around the edges of cities [of Judah]. But a ‘dead dog’ had ceased even to be that. It no longer counted as it lay there in the dust until someone dragged away its carcase and cast it into the waste pit.” (Peter Pett)

“‘Please, let me go over and take off his head!’ (9) Allow me tt begin the prcess his return dust. But David did not want to kill a prophet of Israel. If Shimei’s prophecy was fulfilled, he knew that it would be a just recompense for his sin. — And the king said, ‘What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?’—“thus classifying all three of them, Asahel, Joab and Abishai, as men of a different temperament from himself. These sons of David's sister wanted to solve every problem violently. If one says something distasteful, go over and take his head off!” (Burton Coffman) This is the way of the world.

This story reminds me of when Jesus was seeking refuge in Samaria and some people didn’t receive Him, and James and John wanted to call fire down from heaven, like Elijah did, to devour them. It earned them the nickname “sons of thunder!” But “the Lord rebukes His two disciples, as David does with Abishai. He doesn’t want His disciples to eliminate people who treat Him unfairly and tells them they don’t know what spirit they are. They do not reveal the spirit of grace and love and humility (Lk 9:52-56)." (G. de Koning)— “So let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ”The particle וכי vechi should be translated ‘for if’, not ‘because’.” (Adam Clarke)

“And David,” justifying his leniency, “said to Abishai and all his servants, ‘See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite?’ (11a) The ‘Benjamite’ is in contrast to his own son, because he represents the adherent of another and rival dynasty. It is noticeable that David accuses Absalom not only of seeking his throne, but his life.” (C. J. Ellicott) If I submit to His chastisement: “It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day.” (12) I will look to His hand.

“‘And as David and his men went along the road, Shimei went along the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, threw stones at him and kicked up dust.’ (13) Besides the imprecations and stones he threw, Shimei now begins to cast dust in the air— the substance from whence David had come… and to which he would soon return. The throwing of dust in the air is used in Israel to demand public justice on a criminal. For example, they listened to Paul up to point when discussing his newborn faith in Jesus. “And then they.. said, ‘Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!’ And as they were crying out and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air.” (Acts 22:22-23)

Though they were the object of Shimei’s imprecations, the LORD provided for them on that day! “’Now the king and all the people who were with him became weary; so they refreshed themselves there,’ that is, at Bahurim, with food and rest; which revived their spirits, and put as it were new life and soul into them, as the word used signifies.” (Gill)- Thus they were ready “to pass over [the river] on the approach of Absalom’s army, and to receive the king’s friends every moment flocking to the royal standard.” (Joseph Sutcliffe)

2 Samuel 15: Absalom's Exchange with Hushai- 15 Meanwhile Absalom and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Jerusalem; and Ahithophel was with him. 16 And so it was, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” 17 So Absalom said to Hushai, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?” 18 And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but whom the LORD and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his I will be, and with him I will remain. 19 Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence.”

David and his small band of loyalist are ready to pass over on the banks of Jordan. Meanwhile, "from Hebron they marched to the capital, of which, in its defenseless and deserted state, they obtained immediate possession, and there the usurper held his first council of war.” (Jamieson Fausset, Brown)— "And Ahithophel was with him [Absalom].’ For a moment, as we see them together, our hearts are filled with dread for the Anointed of YHWH, but then suddenly we observe advancing to meet Absalom YHWH’s answer to Ahithophel. For onto the scene comes ‘David’s Friend’ (his official title)…” (Peter Pett) “No doubt, David's hopes began to give way, and fear took possession of his heart…. [Likewise:] We have the sentence of death in ourselves, that our eyes may be altogether to JESUS. 2 Corinthians 1:9-10.” (Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary). He is indeed that blessed Friend who sticks closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24)

“Hushai's devotion to David was so well known, that his presence in the camp of the conspirators excited great surprise. Professing, however, with great address, to consider it his duty to support the cause which the course of Providence and the national will had seemingly decreed should triumph, and urging his friendship, for the father as a ground of confidence in his fidelity to the son, he persuaded Absalom of his sincerity, and was admitted among the councillors of the new king.”(Jamieson, Fausset, Brown) But listen for the double meaning in his words. “They are masterful double entendre.” (Dr. Thomas B Constable) ”Hushai has kept his integrity, Absalom has been blinded by his own egoism, and the reader is permitted to see one example of the outworking of God’s providence." (Baldwin)

Hushai “immediately breaks any suspicion by calling to Absalom twice ‘Long live the king!’ In the original, wherever this phrase occurs, it is simply, ‘Let the king live.’ This and the expression ‘God forbid’ are exceptional instances in which modern phraseology refers more directly to God than the ancient.” (C. J. Ellicott) “These words are very ambiguous, he might mean David, who was true and lawful king.” (John Gill) This saying “threw dust in Absalom’s eyes.” (G. de Koning) Absalom responded, “Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?’ Meaning to David. “Doth this action answer that profession of greatest friendship which thou hast hitherto made to him? Dost thou thus requite his favour and true friendship to thee? He speaks thus only to try him.” (Poole)

And Hushai said to Absalom, “No, but whom the LORD and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his I will be, and with him I will remain.” “When he speaks of ‘him whom the LORD has chosen’, it is and remains David for him.” (G. de Koning)— “‘Furthermore, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence.’ This was so worded that Absalom thought Hushai would serve in devotion to Absalom, but Hushai had in mind that even in Absalom's presence he would still be serving David, just as he had done before.” (L. M. Grant)

2 Samuel 16: Bad Advice - 20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, "Give counsel as to what we should do." 21 And Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Go in to 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." 22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. 23 Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one had inquired at the oracle of God. So was all the advice of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

"When asked by Absalom what should happen now, Ahithophel advises that he should have relations with the concubines his father left in Jerusalem. This will be clear proof to the whole people of their seizure of power. At the time, a king showed his power by taking the wives of the expelled king. This disgusting advice is followed without hesitation by Absalom. This is where Nathan’s word is fulfilled, which he has spoken about David as a punishment (2Sam 12:11-12)." (G. de Koning) "'Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was as if one had inquired at the oracle of God.' (2 Samuel 16:23a) — It was received by the people with equal veneration, and was usually attended with as certain success. Which is mentioned as the reason why a counsel which had so ill a face, should meet with such general approbation." (John Wesley)