II Samuel 10: Conquer and Divide

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The king of Ammon mentioned in verse 1 was highly likely to have been the same Nahash that was defeated by Saul as recorded in I Samuel 1:1-11. Saul’s victory over the Ammonites at that time was a bright place in his kingship, where God was with Saul.

Moving ahead to David and the Ammonites, David remembers Nahash fondly because at some point (unrecorded in the Bible), Nahash was kind to David. Some suppose that this kindness was when Nahash gave Aid to David while David warred with Ishbosheth, Saul’s son that became king of Israel after Saul’s death. 

But no good deed goes unpunished, especially when it comes to political busybodies in Ammonite hierarchy: “And the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Has David not rather sent his servants to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?” II Samuel 10:3

Hanun, impressionable to the point of foolishness, humiliates the comforters David sent due to this supposed threat and shaves off half of their beards and removes half their garments. 

David hears of this and sends word to the men that they should wait at Jericho as their beards grew back. This sets off a chain of events where the Ammonites hire mercenaries to help defeat the Israelites, David hears of it, so he sends reinforcements to Jericho to help defend it. Along with his brother Abishai, Joab defeats the hired Syrians and the Ammonites.

The Syrians’ defeat got the attention of Hadadezer, a Syrian king. He sent for more Syrian warriors and brought them closer to David’s kingdom for battle. David, unthwarted and unthreatened, gathers all Israel and comes to Helam. There the army of Israel led by David completely defeats the Syrians. 

The net results of all this fracas is that David was able to conquer first, then divide his enemies: “And when all the kings who were servants to Hadadezer saw that they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel and served them. So the Syrians were afraid to help the people of Ammon anymore.”

Once more, David has faith in his people, himself, and his God. David’s confidence in the Lord and his commitment to support and be loyal to his subjects rewards the entire nation. What is the lesson for us? 

  • Steadfastness
  • Willingness to do good even to our enemies
  • Support and help the weak
  • Stand up for the goodness and righteousness of God

Whenever you are discouraged and grow tired of doing good and maintaining righteousness in thought and deed, remember David in this chapter. He did not fail to represent God and the interests of the nation in all of his deeds. So should we be with our responsibilities and our commitment to ourselves and our Creator.

II Samuel 9: Love for Family

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The friendship between Jonathan and David was a special one, and it left such an impression on David that he remembered Jonathan as he sought to do good for lingering members of the household of Saul: “Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” David remembered all of the kindness and support shown to him while Saul sought to kill David. David saw Jonathan’s loyalty and willingness to go behind his father’s back to protect him as Jonathan’s commitment to do what was right. This is a good point to remember David’s steadfast faith in God because as he remembers Jonathan, he seeks to show a similar kindness to one of his same household. 

After making an inquiry, David comes to know of Ziba, a servant that was formerly of the house of Saul. David asks Ziba if there is anyone in the house of Saul that he could show kindness to. It is David’s way of asking if there is anyone in the previous king’s family that could use some help. 

Ziba tells David that there is a son of Jonathan that has lame feet. David sends for this individual and has him brought before him. His name was Mephibosheth. We remember Mephibosheth from II Samuel 4, where in verse 4 we have record of his having become lame: “…[Mephibosheth] was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel; and his nurse took him up and fled. And it happened, as she made haste to flee, that he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.” This was after the news of Abner’s death caused members of Saul’s family to flee in fear.

When Mephibosheth comes before David, he bows down before him in fear, perhaps fearing retribution as it was customary in those times for the prevailing king to decimate the family of the old king. But we know from David’s character that he was not one to do this. In fact, David recognizes Mephibosheth and does two very generous things for him:

  1. David returns all of the land that Saul had owned to Mephibosheth and instructs Ziba to work the land and to reap the crops. 
  2. Mephibosheth will henceforth eat at David’s table continually, just as one of David’s own sons. 

Mephibosheth was given a place of honor and respect. This can be seen as a link back to David respecting the office of the king of Israel, even though Saul was incompetent. Also, David loved both Saul and Jonathan and he felt compassion and love for Saul’s offspring despite the way he was hunted and treated by Saul in the end. 

An easy lesson for us in this chapter is to seek the righteousness of the Lord above the righteousness of our own selves. How easy it would have been for David to forsake and kill the offspring of Saul in the wake of the conflict that led to David becoming king. Instead of taking the easy, bitter, vengeful way out, David chose righteousness and kindness, seeking to do good to those that the Lord had chosen to bless, even if they were seemingly undeserving. 

In our lives, how do we treat our fellow brothers and sisters in the faith? With petty thoughts and vengeful motives based on imagined sleights? Perhaps we should all aspire to David’s attitude instead. Let us not keep our own honor and sense of entitlement about us in our relationships, no matter how full of turmoil they might be. Instead, let us be kind to our brethren in the faith, heeding the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul to “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

II Samuel 1: How the Mighty Have Fallen!

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The number of biblical phrases found in our modern culture never ceases to amaze. The phrase “How the mighty have fallen!” is often found in our society when a known strength or power fails. 

The account of Saul’s death in I Samuel 31 differs from the account we find here. We can confidently posit that Saul died of suicide and that the wayward Amalekite that tells David that he killed king Saul is seeking some sort of reward or recognition for having killed Saul. It was no secret that Saul and David were at odds, and the Amalekite’s fabrication is trying to capitalize on that. 

The Amalekite is punished for his lies, David supposing that he is punishing him for the actual murder. Retribution is exacted on this unruly man for his falsehood. David orders his death and one of David’s young men strikes and kills him. 

When David realizes that Saul and Jonathan are both dead, he pays respect to the first king of Israel. David also greatly laments the death of his very close friend Jonathan, whom he loved and cherished.

Much like the grieving will fast, David seeks a lack of blessing on the mountains in verse 21: “O mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings. For the shield of the mighty is cast away there! The shield of Saul, not anointed with oil.” It is beautiful sentiment, but one that we might wander at in light of king Saul’s failures.

It is not clear whether David’s adulation of Saul was attributed to directly to his understanding of Saul’s character, the fact that Saul was God’s first anointed king of Israel, or another unknown reason. In any case, his sorrow and praise for the deceased king are authentic. It is important to note that David did not praise Saul’s goodness or his character. There was not much there to praise. 

David’s praises of Jonathan are understandable; indeed the two men were very close friends, pledging their lives to one another. Here are some examples of their spoken pledges and admiration for one another:

  • I Samuel 18:3: “Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul.”
  • I Samuel 20:42: “Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.’ ”
  • II Samuel 1:26: “You have been very pleasant to me; your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women.”

David and Jonathan’s friendship transcended normal friendship and went into the bounds of brotherhood, wherein is absolute trust, protection, fidelity, and the willingness to die for one another. It must have been very difficult for Jonathan to see the evil in his father and betray him or the sake of David, as happened in I Samuel 19. But this aspect of Jonathan’s loyalty to David shows us how Jonathan was committed to goodness and righteousness over family relations. He could see the goodness in David and the lack of true godliness in his father, and this is a big part of what led to his loyalty to David. 

 What can we learn from David here? Perhaps it is that sometimes, even if someone is of a poor and selfish character, they are still deserving of respect in death, and not just because of the office that they held, but out of respect for the fact that they gave their life in the midst of the cause of defending the purpose of the Lord: in this case, defending the nation of Israel from the Amalekites.

The bigger lesson to learn from David here, beyond his praises of Jonathan and Saul, are that his laments are rooted in the fact that God’s people were defeated, and God’s chosen first king of Israel has perished. When God’s enemies triumph, it is a cause for lament and mourning. In a similar mindset for us, do we lament when God’s people suffer?

I Samuel 30: God Guides David Through Ziklag

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Most things are not what they appear to be. They certainly were not for David when, after being rejected by the Philistines, he finds that another enemy of Israel, the Amalekites, had “attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire.” I Samuel 30:1

Ziklag was laid waste but the people that were there, the women and the sons and daughters of David’s warriors had all been kidnapped, most likely to serve the Amalekites as slaves. This was devastating to all of the men of David’s fighting force, and also to David, whose own wives were also taken.

Rightly or wrongly, David’s warriors laid all the blame at David’s feet. Such was their distress at losing their families they spoke of stoning David. But David, displaying signs of a great and abiding faith, “strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” I Samuel 30:6

David consults what was likely the Urim and the Thummim from the priest’s ephod for help. The guidance that he gets from God is as follows: “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.” Weary and emotionally drained, David pursues the Amalekites with six hundred men. When the men get to the body of water called Brook Besor, two hundred of the men are too weary to continue, so they stay behind to rest and guard the supplies.

As providence would have it, David’s four hundred in pursuit of the Amalekites find a weak Egyptian servant in a field and he is nursed back to health with food and water. Once the man regains his strength, he tells David that he will lead him and his men to the group that burned Ziklag and kidnapped their families. The servant does as he says and David and his men attack this group by surprise. Through God’s guidance, and David’s faith and bravery, the outcome is overwhelmingly positive:

“So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives. And nothing of theirs was lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they had taken from them; David recovered all. Then David took all the flocks and herds they had driven before those other livestock, and said, “This is David’s spoil.” I Samuel 30:18-20

But there is still a hitch to address: When the men who accompanied David to recover what was theirs come into contact with the two hundred men that were too weary to continue beyond Brook Besor, they do not want to share the spoils with the men that they now looked down upon as weak. The judgmental men are referred to as “wicked and worthless” or “sons of belial” in verse 22. But David, once again with a decision of sound judgment and admirable leadership, commits to sharing with the men that had stayed behind, saying in verses 23 and 24: “My brethren, you shall not do so with what the Lord has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us. For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike.”

David’s sense of what was right and his sense of fairness win the day as this common-sense decision sets a standard for Israel as a statute and an ordinance.

Lastly for this chapter, David ingratiates himself with the leaders of Israel by sending them a portion of the spoils that were retrieved from the Amalekites. This smart move was done in a timely manner, as David will have the need to be on good terms with these political factions very soon.

What can we learn from this chapter? Here are some thoughts:

  • No matter is too great nor too small to consult God on: He is trustworthy to lead us through that which He decides is worthy
  • Mercy and compassion within a team is a very valuable component: We ought to extend grace towards those weaker than us, even if it is against our impulses
  • Never lose hope: When it seems obvious that all is lost, God can be relied upon to lead us to salvation, even if it seems hopeless from our perspective

Tonight I urge you to keep hope alive, rely on God, and have compassion for the weak. When we allow ourselves to be a conduit for God’s love and blessings, we are accomplishing His will and letting His light shine forth for other men, women, and children to see.

I Samuel 29: David’s Feelgood Rejection

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You will remember from chapter 28 how David was expected to fight with the Philistines on behalf of King Achish, who was impressed with his prowess in battle.

Throughout his life, David has been able to maintain profitable relationships with his enemies. The first and most obvious is King Saul, but we should also look at how David handled his relationship with King Achish. He never got too close so as to make himself an obvious enemy of his people, but he stayed close enough to the Philistines so that he could personally benefit from them.

David used the Philistines as a form of protection as Saul hunted for him and he also fought under the guise as a part of the Philistine army, but he did so to selectively defeat those other peoples that were enemies to Israel. We look at David and his political, strategic, and spiritual savvy: how did he do it? He was shrewd yet godly. David was smart and capable in both brains and brawn and he used both to his advantage. It should prompt us to wonder – how are we using our talents and blessings to bring attention to the glory of God?

In this chapter, David finds himself at a loss. Even though Achish values and trusts David, the princes of the Philistines remember all too well how effective David was in battle against the Philistines early on. They fear that he will become their adversary, so it is safe to say that they do not trust him. They know where his true allegiance lies, even if Achish is blind to it:

“But the princes of the Philistines were angry with him; so the princes of the Philistines said to him, “Make this fellow return, that he may go back to the place which you have appointed for him, and do not let him go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become our adversary. For with what could he reconcile himself to his master, if not with the heads of these men? Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying: ‘Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands’?”

The depth of the relationship between David and Achish seems genuine. See how Achish can testify of David even in light of the displeasure of the lords of the Philistines: “Then Achish called David and said to him, “Surely, as the Lord lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless the lords do not favor you. Therefore return now, and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.”

Achish seems to understand David. I do not think that we can think that he is blind to David’s true allegiances, but I could be wrong. I think it is interesting that a man like David could have a civil relationship with his enemy without being duplicitous. After all, he did impress upon Achish that he was devoted to God: “I know that you are as good in my sight as an angel of God.”

David, the “man after God’s own heart” knew how to live in such a way with friends and enemies so that they believed him, trusted him, and perhaps even saw God in him. David was an imperfect man, but he was great in much. Tonight let us meditate on our own lives, on our own relationships, and ask ourselves how we can make peace with our enemies in a way that glorifies God.

I Samuel 27: In Hiding

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After David’s second “reconciliation” with Saul, David fled with his 600 fighting men to the land of the Philistines. David chose this place, called Gath, because he knew that Saul would not pursue him there. While there, David met with Achish, the king of Gath. This is unlikely to be the same Achish as from I Samuel 21, due to the mention of this Achish being the son of Maoch.

Now the Philistines were profane idol-worshippers, and David did not want to stay in the royal city. As a way of seeking a place to stay away from the main population, David said to Achish in verse 5: “If I have now found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there. For why should your servant dwell in the royal city with you?”

Achish sent David to Ziklag and made him to rule over it. Ziklag had originally been part of the the tribe of Judah, but from the context of this chapter, we can assume that the people of Ziklag no longer worshipped God but were now idol-worshippers, having been assimilated into Philistine culture.

Verses 8-10 tell about how David led raids against surrounding territories. David used his position for two purposes:

  1. Deceptively convince Achish that he was raiding the surrounding territories in the interest of the Philistines. This assured that David would continue to reside in Philistia
  2. Actively seek and destroy people and territories that were against the kingdom of Israel

David used his position to both fortify his nation and to ensure his continued personal protection until the time was right for him to return to Israel proper. Did he do it honestly? No. As great a man of faith in action as David was, he was far from perfect.

Let’s review some questions that will help reveal the true motives behind David’s actions in I Samuel 27.

Q: Did David seek to sin for his own personal gain?

A: No. He lied to assure his continued protection and to kill enemies of Israel.

Q: What was David’s motive based on his actions?

A: To protect His nation.

Q: Were David’s actions the actions of a king? How so or why not?

A: David’s fleeing was not kingly, but it was necessary given the fact that he still respected Saul as the king that God appointed over Israel. David’s actions were kingly in that even when he was weak, he still found a way to fortify the protection of the nation that he knew he would one day lead.

Q: If you were David, what would you do in this situation?

David, like us, was far from perfect. But it is hard for us to look at his actions in this chapter and accuse him of having bad intentions or a weak or selfish heart. Even though David lied, he did so at the benefit of his nation and for his own protection. This is not an endorsement to say that sometimes it is okay to lie, but sometimes we must have the ability to recognize that life can be so complex as to usher in the necessity for solutions that are neither black nor white.

I Samuel 26: Cat & Mouse?

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Another profound chapter in the midst of a profound book, I Samuel 26 has us watching David and Saul playing cat and mouse once again. But which is which? Saul pursues David, but despite this David always comes away with the upper hand. Who is chasing whom?

Saul is told of David’s whereabouts and seeks to track him down. Ultimately, David has the chance to take Saul’s life for a second time, but he relents. David again has to restrain a fellow soldier in Abishai, who desires greatly to kill Saul as he sleeps. Later, they will converse across a great distance, David speaking from the top of a hill.

In the big picture, David knew that it is not up to him to decide when Saul should be removed as King. This was of course up to God to determine. These events flow according to the pattern His will, under which nothing happens that He does not allow.

At this point, we can ask ourselves, to what extent do we behave like David and let events take their course, behaving righteously? Or do we sometimes take matters into our own hands when they are not ours to take? Naturally there are times when intervention is needed, and in these situations, we must not hesitate. But David knew that in this situation, and in the cave of chapter 24, it was not appropriate to act. How do we know the difference? How did David know the difference?

The answer is that David was close to God in thought, prayer, and action. Because of his closeness to God, his faith was great. Because his faith was great, he was better attuned to the right course of action, being sensitive to what was most appropriate and what was right or wrong. We can of course experience the same thing today, and we should strive for it every morning.

Notice that Saul, when speaking with David in verse 17, refers to him as “my son.” What does this say about Saul, when we consider the totality of his actions? Is this endearment sincere?  

David, understanding how impressionably weak Saul is, appeals to Saul asking him if he is following the directive of God or of men when he decides to pursue David. It must have been surprising to David to find that Saul had pursued him yet again (with three thousand men). Surprising or not, David understands the foolishness in Saul’s pursuing him. He seems to have an understanding that Saul is motivated by jealousy and the chiding words of men close to him. He says openly to Saul in verse 20 that he is not worth Saul’s time: “So now, do not let my blood fall to the earth before the face of the Lord. For the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

This statement is not based on the character of the two men, but rather on the fact that one has been chosen as king and the other, his subject. Now of course David knows, having already been anointed king by Samuel in chapter 16, that he would likely replace Saul. But until that time, David remains in full respect of God’s will and the natural flow of events as he sees them dictated by God.

Verses 23 and 24 encapsulate the highly righteous attitude of David. Who else but God’s true anointed could see events and capture them in speech so perfectly?

“May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hand today, but I would not stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. And indeed, as your life was valued much this day in my eyes, so let my life be valued much in the eyes of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.” I Samuel 26:23-24

Based off of these verses, here is what David knows:

  • Man is repaid for his righteousness and faithfulness
  • God rewards mercy
  • To request mercy is not foolish
  • The true giver of mercy is Almighty God

Saul’s meager rejoinder betrays a shallow heart and lips that want to please. It is difficult not to see Saul as a hollow man because that is exactly what he appears to be based on his words and actions. Saul was a long way from the condition Paul expounds on in Ephesians 4 as he addresses kingdom unity, for Saul was “tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind…” Saul was not swayed by doctrine however, but by the persuasive words of evil cohorts.

Saul is a great case study of how not to act, how not to think, and who not to listen to. When we seek God as our primary source of truth and excellence, we ourselves put on the attributes of truth and excellence, much like the armor of God of Ephesians 6.

This would be the last meeting between Saul and David.