Day 93. 2 Samuel 19-20

The beginning of today's reading finds David deep in sorrow for the death of his son Absalom. Even though the battle is won and the rebel army scattered, "the victory that day [has been] turned into mourning for all the troops," because the king continues to mourn for his dead son (19:2). Now Joab, David's tough-minded commander, takes the king aside and talks tough to him. He tells David that unless he shows himself to his troops and speaks kindly to them, "not a man will stay with [him through the] night" (19:7). It is unwelcome truth, but truth none the less. David recognizes it as such, and sets aside his grief and begins to act like a king.
And the people recognize him as such. He is called back to the city of Jerusalem by all the people of Judah (19:14). Even Shimei, who had earlier cursed David and thrown stones at him, now comes out to beg David's pardon, and David forgives him, refusing to put to death anyone who has rebelled against him (19:22).
Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, comes too. He explains why he had not followed David. It was not out of disloyalty and from a desire to see the family of Saul to the throne, as his servant Ziba had said, but because he had no mount and he could not walk, on account of his lameness. The king accepts this explanation and offers to restore half of Methibosheth's property that he had previously given to Ziba (16:4). But in joy for David's return, Mephibosheth says, "Let him have it all, since my lord the king has arrived home safely" (19:30).
Everywhere forgiveness is being offered and loyalty is being rewarded.
David offers to reward the aged Barzillai, a wealthy Gileadite who had provided David with food during his exile, with a place at court. Barzillai, who is eighty years old, declines, but sends his servant in his stead (19:37). Here is another Gentile foreigner who shows loyalty to David, and is repaid with loyalty. The king kisses Barzillai and blesses him, and the old man returns to his own home (19:39).
But in the midst of all this reconciliation, deep divisions remain. Israel, (the ten northern tribes) threatens to leave Judah (the two southern tribes) and go its own way (19:41). Both north and south protest their loyalty to David, but they can find no community of interest with each other (19:43).
David returns to Jerusalem to set things to rights (20:3). He locks up those concubines who had earlier had sex with Absalom. He provides for them, but will not "go in to them," maybe because they had been polluted by contact with his son. Or perhaps he simply did not want to beget any more treasonous offspring with them.
Already another civil war is breaking out under the leadership of "a scoundrel" named Sheba, who takes advantage of the dissatisfaction in Israel to stir up another rebellion. (20:1-2). This revolt is short lived, however. Joab, the king's commander-in chief, first brutally murders Amasa (20:10), with whom the king had intended to replace him (19:13). Then he besieges Sheba and his followers in the city of Abel. The citizens of that city, however, facing the disaster such a siege would cause, made an arrangement with Joab through a certain "wise woman" to spare the city in exchange of the life of Sheba. So they behead the rebel leader and throw his head over the city wall to Joab (20:22). The rebellion is over.
The siege was lifted, and Joab returns to Jerusalem and to the king. A troubled peace is re-established. Joab will survive for a while longer, but he will later pay for his crimes. We are given a list of the chief officials who served David during the later years of his reign. Joab is in control of the army, as we would expect (20:23). Other familiar names are mentioned—Zadok and Abiathar the priests, among them. We are also told that a certain Adoram is "in charge of the forced labor" (20:24). Long before, Samuel had warned the people of Israel that kings would conscript them for forced labor (1 Samuel 8:15-18). That prediction has come true. It will be the burden of forced labor that will cause the division of the uneasy realm of David into the two separate kingdoms of Judah and Israel in the next generation.