2 Samuel 15 Corruption at Home

Absalom is not content, even though he is allowed in David’s presence again. There is corruption at home in David’s family. And its source is Absalom.

Absalom already proved what a schemer he is by waiting two years after Tamar’s rape to kill his brother Ammon. David pardoned him and he is safe at home again. But Absalom wants more. He wants to be king. He goes about taking David’s throne by making himself out to be the good guy for the people. He worms his way into their hearts.

David’s style of disciplining his children doesn’t help matters. I don’t know if David was aware of Absalom’s actions during the first four years he was back in good graces again. But David did know about Absalom declaring himself king. Rather than stay and confront his son, David turns and runs. Let’s rejoin our story as Absalom steals the hearts of the people.

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Absalom is feeling confident. He has access to his Abba’s court again. He is by far the most handsome man in all of Israel, and he KNOWS it. Things are coming up roses wherever he turns. But this isn’t enough. Absalom wants more. More power. More recognition. More adulation. More EVERYTHING. He wants everything his Abba has. HE wants to be king. Not after David is dead, but right now!

Absalom is smart enough to know that this isn’t something that can happen right now. It will take some planning and a lot of careful work. “Step one” says Absalom to himself. “Become more noticeable, in a good way.”

All of David’s sons have donkeys. Even David uses donkeys for his travels. To raise himself above everyone else, Absalom purchases a chariot and horses. “Horses are a more noble animal than a donkey” Absalom tells anyone who will listen. Absalom takes it a step farther when he hires 50 men to run in front of his chariot and horse, wherever he goes. They cry out for people to pay attention to who is coming after them. When Absalom moves about in this fashion, his chest nearly explodes with pride!

Now that everyone is noticing him, it’s time for them to get acquainted with him. Absalom’s intent is to be the one that the people turn to in times of trouble. The only way to do this is to meet them in their struggles. Absalom begins spending his days outside the palace gate so he can intercept those who are seeking David’s help.

When Absalom notices someone approaching the palace looking for an audience with the king, he calls out to them. “From what city are you?” (2 Samuel 15:2c)

The petitioner would answer; “Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel.” (2 Samuel 15:2d)

Once engaged in conversation, Absalom sets about undermining David in their eyes. “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you.” (2 Samuel 15:4) If he doesn’t encounter immediate resistance, Absalom begins building himself up in their eyes instead. “Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice.” (2 Samuel 15:4)

Absalom doesn’t do this for a day, a week, a month, or even a season. Absalom does this for FOUR years! Day by day, he turns the people from David and towards himself. All the people begin to trust Absalom and to treasure him as their advocate. Absalom even tries to act as though he is ‘one of the people’ by not accepting high praise. When someone comes to him to honor him, Absalom turns the honor back on them. Absalom reaches out, grasps the person, draws them to himself and gives them a kiss. A kiss denoting service of the giver to the receiver.

The people eat it up! By the end of the three years, there isn’t a tribe in all of Judah that doesn’t love Absalom. They will follow him to the ends of the earth and back!

Now, it’s time to take the final step. Absalom has to be in the right place, with the right people, at the right time. The ‘right place’ is Hebron. The ‘right people’ are all those who are loyal to Absalom. And the right time is now.

Absalom has to be careful that the king doesn’t find out what it happening. For his plan to work, Absalom has to get to Hebron without arousing David’s suspicion. He goes to his Abba with a request. “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the Lord, in Hebron. For your servant vowed a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the Lord will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will offer worship to the Lord.’” (2 Samuel 15:7-8)

These are ‘magic words’ used against David without his even knowing it. Whenever David hears that honor to the Lord is involved, he is all for it; whatever ‘it’ is. He is more than willing to let his son go and fulfill a vow to the Lord. “Go in peace” (2 Samuel 15:9b)

Exactly what Absalom wanted to hear, and expected. “He has no clue” thinks Absalom. “He will figure it out though; when it’s too late!

Absalom prepares for his ‘big day’ by sending secret messengers ahead of himself. They go to every tribe and tell them that Absalom is ready to make his move for power. “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then say, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’” (2 Samuel 15:10b)

Those whom Absalom has been ‘grooming’ are ready to follow him anywhere. Absalom also invites people who have no idea what is going on. The highpoint of Absalom’s plan is inviting more than 200 people from Jerusalem to go with him to ‘sacrifice to the Lord’. They have no idea what is coming. They are as in the dark as David is. One of those people is Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor. Absalom believes that with Ahithophel on his side, he can’t lose.

It’s time! Absalom and all those who are with him, or fooled by him, are in Hebron. All Hebron waits for the coming moment.

In Jerusalem, it is a day like any other. Merchants in their stalls, shoppers looking for the best bargains, carpenters hard at work, children learning their lessons, animals driven through the streets, soldiers keeping order. All the things you would find on any other ordinary day.

But something is in the air. It isn’t something tangible; at least not yet. Its source is miles away but it will change the face of the city in ways that no one expects. If you listen closely you can hear it approaching.

Running footsteps approach David’s home. Nothing too unusual as messengers are always coming and going from the home of the king. Yet this one comes with an urgency unmatched in recent days. Surely this one brings news of trouble. He is quickly ushered into the throne room of David where he waits to be acknowledged by the king.

David can tell the news is bad by the way the messenger holds himself. He is fidgety and his face is drawn. He is in a hurry to get the words out but is restraining himself out of honor for his king. “What news do you bring” asks David as he sits forward in his seat.

“My king, I bring you dire news. Absalom has installed himself as king of Hebron. And ‘the hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Absalom’ (2 Samuel 15:13b). It has been heard in the streets of several of the cities and several tribes, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’ (2 Samuel 15:10b).”

The color drain from David’s face at these words. “How did this happen” is the first thought that springs to David’s mind but he doesn’t have the time right now to ponder this thought. The next thought is the one he must pour his attention to. “Absalom is devious and will think nothing of killing ALL who stand in his way to the throne of Israel.”

“Thank you for bringing this word to me so quickly. Remain here as I may have need of your services again.”

“I am ever at your service my king.”

Abket, David’s personal servant and several of those under him are ministering in David’s throne room. David addresses them with urgency. “Arise, and let us flee, or else there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Go quickly, least he overtake us quickly and bring down ruin on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword” (2 Samuel 15:14b).

Abket responded immediately for the group. “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king decides” (2 Samuel 15:15).

It’s an ‘all hands on deck’ situation. Each of the servants who heard the king’s command rushes to inform the other servants and David’s family. The whole household of David is in a rush to leave. They can only take the barest of necessities with them; food for travel and a change of clothes.

As the household assembles, it is discovered that Ithream and his family are missing. David calls out to his household, “Does anyone know the whereabouts of Ithream?”

“I heard they were going to Gibeah to sacrifice to the Lord for their newest child.”

David turns to the messenger. “Run before us and bring word to them to join us.”

The messenger can set a much faster pace as he is one man alone. David has a MASSIVE amount of people he is moving together. Before leaving David appoints ten of his concubines to stay behind and care for the king’s home.

Everything is in place. David gives the order. “We leave now!”

A column of soldiers surround David’s immediate family as they move through the city. David is leading the way. As they approach the last house before reaching the fortified gate, David stops and has all his servants pass by him. He is taking a count and ensuring that all are present.

While reviewing the members of his procession he notices more than just his family has fallen in behind him. When his servants dispersed to let everyone know of his evacuation his family wasn’t the only ones to hear the news. Those who are loyal to him joined in. The Cherethites, the Pelethites and all six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath are part of those following him now. David is touched by their loyalty but this isn’t their fight. He stops Ittai the Gittite and speaks to him.

“Why do you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and also an exile from your home. You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about wit us, since I go I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you” (2 Samuel 15:19-20).

Ittai shakes his head at David’s care for him but he and those with him will follow David wherever he goes. “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the ling lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be” (2 Samuel 15:21).

David’s heart nearly burst with gratitude. “Go then, pass on” (2 Samuel 15:22a).

Ittai and all those who were with him file out the gate following David’s family. They would all make their way across the Kidron brook towards the wilderness.

As this large contingent of people continue to pass through the fortified gate David stands watch. He won’t leave until all his people are safe. While he is watching Abiathar, Zadok and the Levites arrive bearing the Ark of the Lord. David is touched by their loyalty but he cannot let them come with him. God is the God of Israel, not just of David. Abiathar and those with him set the Ark down and wait while the rest of David’s procession passes through the gate. Once the last man, woman and child have passed through David turns his attention to those bearing the Ark.

Firmly but gently he tells them they cannot come with him. “Carry the Ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place. But if He says ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let Him do to me what seems good to him” (2 Samuel 15:25-26).

David has a further task for this group of loyal men. They will be his eyes and ears in the city. They can bring him word of what Absalom is planning. He turns to Zadok and addresses him personally. “Are you not a seer? Go back to the city in peace, with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar. See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me” (2 Samuel 15:27-28).

This is a sound plan in the eyes of the Levites. They quickly agree and return back the way they came. They will carry word to David any time Absalom’s behavior means peril for him.

The whole time the large procession made its way out of the city those that remain weep openly at the scene. Their king is in retreat. The man whom God sent to save them from their enemies. They have no idea what to expect next.

The Kidron brook lies between Jerusalem and Mt. of Olives. This is the path David has laid out for those following him. After exiting the fortified gate the people cross the Kidron brook and wait for David. When the last person had passed before him David makes his way to the front of the group. After passing through the Kidron brook himself he removes his sandals from his feet. This next step in their journey will be done in great reverence to the Lord and with obvious signs of mourning.

David begins to ascend the Mt. of Olives. At the summit of this mountain is a special place where God is worshiped. With his shoes tied at his belt, his hands covering his head and weeping David leads the people up the mountain. Those following him covering their heads and are weeping along with him.

While only partway up the mountain a messenger met David with another message.

“Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom” (2 Samuel 15:31b).

David shakes his head in disbelief. Ahithophel is one of David’s most treasured advisors, for he always delivers wise counsel. David utters a heartfelt prayer as he continues on up the mountain. “O Lord, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness” (2 Samuel 15:31c).

This is the perfect place to pray, even if he doesn’t have time to stop and truly seek the Lord. And it appears that the Lord was listening to David’s need. As David is coming up to the summit, Hushai the Archite comes to meet him. His coat is torn and dirt is on his head. Signs of mourning for he too has heard of David’s flight. Hushai had planned to join David but David has other ideas for him. Ideas that will assist in answering to the prayer he just prayed.

David greeted him quickly but then gets right to work. “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in the past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. Are not Zadok and Abiathar the priests with your there? So whatever you hear from the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priest. Behold, their two sons are with them there, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son, and by them you shall send to me everything your hear” (2 Samuel 15:33-36).

Hushai agrees that this is a very good plan indeed. He parts ways with David; Hushai to the city and David to the wilderness. Hushai makes it through the great crowd following David back into the city at the same time Absalom and those following him make it into the other side of the city. David and his group have escaped just in time!

(to be continued)

David is on the run again. I wonder why he didn’t stand and fight to defend his kingdom. Does he believe that this is the Lord’s hand? Is he refusing to fight because he doesn’t want to hurt his son? Does he think Absalom has more support than him? By not standing up to Absalom, he is continuing his ‘hands-off’ style of parenting. I DON’T think it’s working out very well.

Father God, my children are already grown, but I still like to be part of their lives as much as possible. I like it when they turn to me for advice. I can’t always solve their problems, but I like sharing them with them, to lighten the load where I can.

YOU are the one who ‘lightens my load.’ Jesus, You are my true Intercessor. You aren’t turning me away from my King, but directly to Him. You don’t tear Him down, but build Him up in my heart every day. Help me ALWAYS turn to You; in times of trouble and in times of joy. Be with me and my husband on Monday as we see what is next in his battle. Give our doctors Your wisdom to deal with his issues.