In this chapter and the next chapter, we see that David’s troubles and the trouble for his household are continued to be lived out as Nathan the prophet told him earlier, 2 Samuel 12:10.
After hearing the devastating news about his son, Absalom’s death, David struggles to come to terms with his death. Sadly, in doing so, he was neglecting his men, who should have been celebrating after winning the war against Absalom and his men, 2 Samuel 18:16-18, but were becoming discouraged.
When Joab was informed that David was still crying and mourning over the death of his son, Absalom, 2 Samuel 19:1 / 2 Samuel 18:32-33, he was aware that David’s men were becoming very discouraged, 2 Samuel 19:2.
A day which should have been filled with celebrations turned into a day of mourning. This led David’s men to believe that he wasn’t very happy with them, and as a result, they entered the city feeling ashamed of themselves, 2 Samuel 19:3.
However, they shouldn’t have felt ashamed of themselves; they should have been ashamed of their king. These brave men who risked their lives for their king should have been shown some kind of appreciation by David, but when they arrived back from the war, they found David crying, 2 Samuel 19:4.
It’s clear that David’s grief over Absalom was sinful because God had warned Samuel earlier that he shouldn’t grieve over Saul for too long because God rejected Saul as king, 1 Samuel 16:1.
We also remember when the sons of Aaron the High Priest were killed by God because of their disobedience. Moses tells Aaron not to mourn their loss, Leviticus 10:6.
Joab was absolutely right when he told David he was bringing shame on his men. He was basically telling David that if his son’s death is more important than the victory they’ve just won, this would only cause another rebellion. If Joab didn’t kill Absalom, 2 Samuel 18:14-15, and he was allowed to live, Joab knew he would go on to cause another rebellion, 2 Samuel 19:5-6.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Joab’s speech to David on his immoderate grief for the death of his rebellious son is not only remarkable for the insolence of office, but also for good sense and firmness. Every man who candidly considers the state of the case must allow that David acted imprudently at least and that Joab’s firm reproof was necessary to arouse him to a sense of his duty to his people. But still, in his manner, Joab had far exceeded the bounds of that reverence which a servant owes to his master, or a subject to his prince. Joab was a good soldier, but in every respect a bad man, and a dangerous subject.’
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Had Absalom gained the victory, it is likely that, according to the manner of Oriental despots, he would have sought to secure his throne by killing all possible competitors, Judges 9:5 / 1 Kings 15:29.’
Joab tells David to go out and encourage your men, and he swears by the LORD that if he doesn’t go out, not a man will be left with him by nightfall; it will be worse for David than all the calamities that have come on him from your youth till now, 2 Samuel 19:7.
David listened to him and went out and took his seat in the gateway, and when the men were told he was there, they all came before him, 2 Samuel 19:8. Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes, 2 Samuel 19:8.
Because of David’s lack of leadership, there was confusion, 2 Samuel 19:9-10. It’s possible they were blaming one another for all the trouble which had started in Israel, which should never have started in the first place. Because of all the confusion, David sends word to Zadok and Abiathar that they should bring him back to Jerusalem in a triumphant fashion, 2 Samuel 19:11-12.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘David was afraid to fall out with this tribe: they were in possession of Jerusalem, and this was a city of great importance to him. They had joined Absalom in his rebellion, and doubtless were now ashamed of their conduct. David appears to take no notice of their infidelity, but rather to place confidence in them, that their confidence in him might be naturally excited: and, to oblige them yet farther, purposes to make Amasa captain of the host in the place of Joab.’
It’s clear that David was still upset with Joab after he rebuked him, and so David decides to remove Joab as supreme commander of the army, and as one of the incentives offered to Judah for their re-joining David’s cause, he promised that the incompetent traitor-general Amasa would be appointed supreme commander in Joab’s place, 2 Samuel 19:13.
This was a crazy move by David because Joab, even though he had his faults, was clearly loyal to David, whereas Amasa was David’s enemy. It may also have been a political move by David so that he could bring all those who had earlier given their allegiance to Absalom back to David because he had forgiven them all for the sake of Israel as a whole.
Whatever the reason was, David wanted to provide an incentive to Judah; he wanted to punish Joab for killing Absalom, and he wanted to punish Joab for his stern rebuke.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It is very plain that David felt the weight of Joab’s overbearing influence to be very oppressive, 2 Samuel 19:22 / 2 Samuel 3:39 / 2 Samuel 16:10. He was, at this time, very angry with Joab for killing Absalom and so, thinking it of vital importance to win over Amasa and the army of Judah, he did not scruple to offer him Joab’s high post.’
He won over the hearts of the men of Judah so that they were all of one mind and they sent word to David to return with all of his men, 2 Samuel 19:14. David returns and went as far as the Jordan and we are told that the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet him and bring him across the Jordan, 2 Samuel 19:15.
Shimei is clearly in a hurry to see David, 2 Samuel 19:16, and with him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul’s household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants, 2 Samuel 19:17.
They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was and crossed at the ford to take David’s household over and to do whatever he wished, 2 Samuel 19:18. When Shimei, son of Gera, crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before David and said, May my lord not hold me guilty. Do not remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem.
May the king put it out of his mind, 2 Samuel 19:18-19. Shimei begs for forgiveness because of the way he cursed David earlier, 2 Samuel 19:20 / 2 Samuel 16:5-8, a crime punishable by death, 1 Samuel 24:6 / 1 Samuel 24:10 / 1 Samuel 26:9.
He tells David he has come as the first from the tribes of Joseph, which is a reference to the ten northern tribes of Israel; some translations have the words, ‘house of Joseph’, Amos 5:6, to come down and meet his lord the king, 2 Samuel 19:20.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The hatred and jealousy between Judah and northern Israel existed long before the formal division of the Chosen People in the times following the death of Solomon into the separate kingdoms of Judah and Israel. In fact, the rebellion of Absalom was probably fuelled by their fierce jealousy of Judah over the influence of the northern tribes with David.’
As he is begging for forgiveness, Abishai wanted to kill him because of the way he treated David, 2 Samuel 19:21. David asks him, ‘What does this have to do with him?’ 2 Samuel 19:22.
This was David’s way of saying, ‘get behind me, Satan’, Matthew 16:23. David once again shows mercy to Shimei and allowed him to live 2 Samuel 19:22-23, because he knew he would have more support from Shimei.
It should be noted that as long as David was alive, he stuck to his word and never put Shimei to death. However, later, before he died, he told his son Solomon to take vengeance on Shimei, 1 Kings 2:8-9 / 1 Kings 2:36-46.
When David came back to Jerusalem, he was informed that Ziba had earlier lied concerning Mephibosheth’s loyalty, 2 Samuel 16:1-4. After being questioned by David, Mephibosheth, who is the son of Jonathan and the grandson of Saul, showed his humbleness and loyalty to David, 2 Samuel 19:24.
Notice that Mephibosheth hadn’t taken care of his feet or trimmed his moustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely, 2 Samuel 19:25.
When he came from Jerusalem to meet David, David asked him, why didn’t he go with him? 2 Samuel 19:25. Mephibosheth tells David that since he is lame, he will have his donkey saddled and will ride on it, so he can go with the king, but Ziba betrayed me and he has slandered him to David, 2 Samuel 19:26-27.
Notice he says David is like an angel of God, so do whatever he wishes, 2 Samuel 19:27. In other words, David understands and has the wisdom to do what is right.
Mephibosheth continues and says all his grandfather’s descendants deserved nothing but death from David, but David gave Mephibosheth a place among those who eat at his table, so what right does he have to make any more appeals to David, 2 Samuel 19:28.
David then orders him to divide the land between himself and Ziba, 2 Samuel 19:29, but notice that Mephibosheth is happy to give Ziba everything because David is not back home, 2 Samuel 19:30.
Barzillai, who was an eighty-year-old man, also showed his loyalty to David, 2 Samuel 19:31, because he made sure David got across the Jordan to Mahanaim safely, 2 Samuel 19:32.
He was offered a place to live in David’s court, 2 Samuel 19:33, but because of his age, he declined the offer, 2 Samuel 19:34-36, and asked if his son, Kimham, could go instead, 2 Samuel 19:37.
Clarke, in his commentary, says the following.
‘It is generally understood that this was Barzillai’s son; and this is probable from 1 Kings 2:7, where, when David was dying, he said, Show kindness to the sons of Barzillai and it is very probable that this Chimham was one of them. In Jeremiah 41:17, mention is made of the habitation of Chimham, which was near to Bethlehem; and it is reasonably conjectured that David had left that portion, which was probably a part of his paternal estate, to this son of Barzillai.’
David accepts his offer and takes his son with him, then they depart the company, 2 Samuel 19:38-39.
Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The ‘people’ is the term especially applied in this narrative to David’s followers, 2 Samuel 15:17 / 2 Samuel 16:14 / 2 Samuel 17:2 / 2 Samuel 18:1-2 / 2 Samuel 19:2-3. They crossed by the ford, while David and his household, accompanied by Barzillai and Chimham, came over in the ferry.’
When David returned to Jerusalem, it should have been a time of rejoicing, but it ended up being a time of confusion and division as Northern and Southern Israel, Judges 8:1-3 / Judges 12:1-6, argue about who had the biggest stake with David as their king.
The northern tribes of Israel complained that the tribe of Judah had stolen away from the king, 2 Samuel 19:40-41. We can understand their argument because David decided to make his capital city in the land of Judah, 2 Samuel 5:7-9.
The men of Judah tell the men of Israel that Judah did this because David is closely related to Judah, and then they ask, Why are you angry about it? Have we eaten any of David’s provisions? Have we taken anything for ourselves? 2 Samuel 19:42.
Then the men of Israel now tell the men of Judah that Israel has ten shares in the king, so Israel has a greater claim on David than they have, and they too ask some questions.
Why then does Judah treat them with contempt? Wasn’t Israel the first to speak of bringing back David? 2 Samuel 19:43. Notice that the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men of Israel, 2 Samuel 19:43.
It appears that in David’s efforts to produce unity, all he managed to achieve was more division, which eventually will lead to the division of the tribes. The division between Judah and Israel had started and would eventually play out throughout the rest of David’s life and his grandson’s lives.
Here again, we’re reminded as to why God never wanted an earthly king to rule Israel as a nation. This is a lesson we must all learn from, 1 Corinthians 10:11 / Romans 15:4.