2 Samuel 16 Fleeing
Davie is fleeing from his own son. Absalom has turned Israel to himself. Not completely away from David, but enough to choose Absalom instead.
David is running away from his home. He knows the treachery of his own son; Absalom. He is in fear of his life. David doesn’t choose to stand and fight. It would mean shedding his own people’s blood. David won’t do it!
As he is escaping, David meets two kinds of people. Those bent on helping him, and those bent on tearing him down. We see one from each side of the equation today. Fortunately, there were more for him that there were against him. Let’s rejoin our story and see who David meets today.
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David wishes he could stop and watch Hushai to be sure he makes it safely into Jerusalem but he has to keep moving. He places Hushai into the Lords hands. David crests Mt. Olivet and leads the descent down the far side. He would have love to stop at the place of worship as he passed but has to settle for a quick whispered prayer.
“Lord God, watch over my people. Provide for their needs. Keep us safe in Your care. Lead us to safety.”
Almost as soon as David has voiced his prayer the Lord begins answering it. As David is descending the other side of the Mt. of Olives, he is met by Ziba. This is the man who reunited him with Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. David is glad to see him. David is also intrigued by what Ziba has with him.
Ziba holds the reins of two donkeys. They are both saddled and loaded down with bags. David can see some bread poking out of a few of the bags.
“Ziba, ‘why have you brought these here’ (2 Samuel 16:1b)?”
Ziba bowed his head in respect before answering David’s question. “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and summer fruits for the young men to eat, and the wind for those who faint in the wilderness to drink” (2 Samuel 16:2b).
There is a bounty of gifts loaded onto these two donkeys. David doesn’t have time to stop and count all he is receiving but Ziba knows the total. Two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred bunches of raisins, a hundred of summer fruits and a skin of wine. These he offers to David.
David is grateful to see Ziba but wonders about Mephibosheth. He isn’t here with Ziba. Did he send him with these gifts? Rather than keep speculating David goes straight for the answer. “And where is your master’s son?” (2 Samuel 16:3a).
Ziba shakes his head and the color of shame creeps onto his face as he answers. “Behold, he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father’” (2 Samuel 16:3b).
David is angry at Mephibosheth for his attitude. Since learning of his life, David has honored him in every way he could. He has even eaten at David’s table EVERY DAY for more than ten years. David had also returned everything that Saul or Jonathan owned. And David’s leaving is NOT opening an advantage for Saul’s house. Absalom is of David’s house and he is not likely to share the throne with anyone!
As a reward for Ziba’s kindness, and a punishment for Mephibosheth, David made his final proclamation as king, for now. “Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours” (2 Samuel 16:4a).
Ziba is in awe of David’s decision. “I pay homage; let me ever find favor in your sight, my lord the king” (2 Samuel 16:4b). Ziba passes the reins over to David and steps back a few paces. He bows once again to honor the king.
David takes the reins of the donkeys and continues his descent. He has no idea what lies ahead but whatever it is, he will face it with his God. He is grateful for the answer to his prayer that God has already provided.
David and his people continue to make their way into the wilderness and towards safety. They are traveling as fast as this large group can safely accommodate. David is buoyed by the encounters he has had as he left Jerusalem. Much love and support have been poured out on him. If he weren’t fleeing for his life he would have liked to stop to take it all in.
Ithream and his family have joined up with the procession. They had been away when the call first went out to evacuate Jerusalem. The runner who had brought David the news of Absalom’s treachery had brought them word too, at David’s request. David is still concerned for those with him but at least one fear has significantly decreased. His most trusted men are with him.
Above the noises of the column moving through the land, David hears a new noise. It is someone shouting. At first the words are difficult to make out but as the one doing the shouting comes closer they become clear. The words are NOT the same as those David has previously encountered on this journey. They are words of hate, not love.
David recognizes the one shouting at him. He is Shimei, the son of Gera, from the tribe of Benjamin; a clansman of Saul. Shimei is angry and is not shy in making his anger known.
“You are a murderer! You killed Saul!” shouts Shimei.
David looks straight ahead. He refuses to acknowledge Shimei’s presence or his words. He may not be physically turning to Shimei’s words but his heart is hearing each syllable being uttered.
“Get out, get out, you man of blood, you worthless man!” (2 Samuel 16:7b).
David fights the feeling of worthlessness rising up within him.
“The Lord has avenged on you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom” (2 Samuel 16:8a).
“Please don’t let it be so”, David prays. David knows the Lord has called him to be king but the words of Shimei have struck a chord within him. He should have been there to protect Saul against the Philistines. Maybe Absalom’s actions are a punishment from the Lord.
“See, your evil is on you, for you are a man of blood” (2 Samuel 16:8b) continues Shimei.
“I am a man of blood. Untold numbers have fallen at my feet, including the innocent Uriah.” David ponders this fact as Shimei continues to taunt him.
Abishai has heard enough of this. This man spews hate upon a man who deserves none of it! David is a righteous king. He was appointed king by God. This man has no right to say the things he does. Abishai turns to David while pointing at Shimei, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head” (2 Samuel 16:9b).
David looks at Abishai with fire in his eyes. “What have I to do with you, you son of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” (2 Samuel 16:10). David then looks to the rest of his men. The fire has left his eyes. Now only sadness and resolve remain. “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today” (2 Samuel 16:11b-12).
Silence descends on David’s men; but not on Shimei. He ratchets up his taunts and begins throwing rocks at David. He is also throwing handfuls of dirt towards David. Shimei is warry enough of David’s men to do his taunting from a ridge away but he is still close enough that some of his stones strike home.
David had hoped that by not acknowledging Shimei he would tire of his taunts and go home. Yet mile after mile he follows alongside David spewing his hate. It seems as if his mouth never stops. David’s men have put themselves between Shimei and David so his rocks no longer impact him. But David feels guilty whenever one of his men is pelted. Out of obedience to David, they say nothing and take no action against their tormenter.
Mile after mile David and his company walk. Shimei stays with them until he runs out of ridges. The Jordan robbed him of is vantage point. Bone and soul weary, David and his followers reach the safety of the Jordan. Here they stop for a break.
“I thought he would never leave” whispers Abishai to one of his fellows.
“Me too! It amazes me that he could shout for so long. Didn’t he ever get thirsty?”
“Apparently not. I have never heard such a string of vile hatred in all my years.”
“I pray for the king. I know he was honoring what he believes God ordained, but my heart cringed within me, and I wasn’t even Shimei’s target!”
“The Lord must have His reasons.”
Everyone is enjoying a much-needed rest and the quiet it brings. But David knows this is not the end of their journey. Danger still licks at his heels.
(to be continued)
This is the beginning of the final part of David’s punishment for his sin with Bathsheba. God told him that evil would rise up against him from within his own house. There is more to come, but it will happen in Jerusalem for all the people to see.
We also know, from previous readings of David’s story, that Mephibosheth didn’t abandon David. Ziba lied to David, but we don’t know that yet in our story, so I didn’t put it in. Ziba doesn’t really get punished for his betrayal of Mephibosheth. David, upon hearing Mephibosheth’s version of the story, divides the property of Saul between the two of them. But Mephibosheth tells David to let Ziba have all of it. All Mephibosheth cares about is David’s safe return. We hear no more about it after this. We will get to this portion of the story in a little while.
David did nothing to deter his enemies, other than remove himself from their reach. This includes Shimei. I don’t know if I could have been so gracious during his attack. On his deathbed David strikes out at Shimei through Solomon. I wonder if Solomon remembered hearing Shimei’s taunts from his childhood. David took the good and the bad in his life. He didn’t raise his hand to protect himself from another Israelite. Those who came at him in battle he would defend against. But he would attack and defeat all of Israel’s enemies though. I believe it was all part of being a humble king.
Father God, thank You for sharing Your story with me today. Thank You for the friends You have brought into my life. Thank You for protecting me from the ‘enemies’ I have had to deal with too. I know that I’m not nearly as humble as David. I would want to strike back or I would crumble under the attack. David did more than his ‘fair share’ of crumbling while away from the throne. You are the one who would rebuild him. Was he better than before? I suppose that is another ‘bench question’ to add to my list.
