2 Samuel Chapter 18 – Another Look

The troops who followed King David had increased from the small contingent that left Jerusalem with him. Also, other loyal followers rallied to his cause. David set captains of thousands and of hundreds over them. He sent out one third of the troops under the hand of Joab, one third under the hand of Abishai, the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one third under the hand of Ittai the Gittite (v1-3).

David wanted to go out with his men into battle with Absalom and his army, but he was persuaded not to go, both for his own protection and for the safety of the city of Mahanaim. David stood beside the gate as the people went out by hundreds and thousands. He commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai to deal gently with Absalom his son. All the people heard when David gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom (v4-5).

The people went out into the field of battle against Israel in the woods of Ephraim. The people of Israel were overthrown before the servants of David. A great slaughter of 20,000 took place there that day. The battle was scattered over the face of the whole countryside, and the woods devoured more people that day than the sword devoured (v6-8).

Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree. Absalom’s head was caught in the terebinth and he was left hanging between heaven and earth. The mule under him went on. A certain man saw it and told Joab, and said, “I just saw Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!” Joab said to the man, “You just saw him! Why did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a belt.” But the man said to Joab, “Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!’ Otherwise I would have dealt falsely against my own life. For there is nothing hidden from the king, and you yourself have set yourself against me.” (v9-13)

Then Joab said, “I cannot linger with you.” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree. And ten young men who bore Joab’s armour surrounded Absalom, struck and killed him (v14-15).

So, Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the people. And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods and laid a large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent. (v16-17)

Then Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok said, “Let me run now and take the news to the king, how the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.” (v19) But Joab said to him, “You shall not take the news this day, for you shall take the news another day. But today you shall take no news because the king’s son is dead.” Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” So, the Cushite bowed himself to Joab and ran. And Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok said again to Joab, “But whatever happens, please let me also run after the Cushite.” But Joab said, “Why will you run, my son, since you have no news ready?” Ahimaaz said, “But whatever happens, let me run.” So, Joab said, “Run. “Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite (v20-23).

David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and there was a man running alone. Then the watchman cried out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is alone, there is news in his mouth.” And he came rapidly and drew near. Then the watchman saw another man running and he called to the gatekeeper and said, “There is another man, also running alone!” And the king said, “He also brings news.” The watchman said, “I think the running of the first is like the running of Ahimaaz, the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “He is a good man, and comes with good news.”

So Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “All is well!” Then he bowed down with his face to the earth before the king, and said, “Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king!” The king said, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and me your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I did not know what it was about.” And the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So, he turned aside and stood still. Just then the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, “There is good news, my lord the king! For the LORD has avenged you this say of all those who rose against you.”

And the king said to the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom safe?” So, the Cushite answered, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do harm be like that young man!” (v24-32) Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus, “O my son Absalom-if only I had died in your place” O Absalom, my son, my son!” (v33)

COMMENTARY

1. David numbered those thousands and hundreds of people with him and divided them into three groups of one third in number each. Each group was placed under the hand of a captain namely Joab, Abishai and Ittai. He sent them into the field of the battle with Absalom and the men of Israel in the woods of Ephraim.
2. David gave orders to them in the hearing of the people to deal gently with the young man Absalom his son, with whom they were going to battle.
3. The people of Israel were slaughtered before the servants of David, twenty thousand died that day. The battle was scattered over the whole face of the countryside and the woods devoured more of the people than the sword devoured.
4. Absalom rode on a mule which went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head was caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. A certain man saw it and reported it to Joab. He did not touch Absalom nor strike him to death, for he heard the king David’s command to Joab, Abishai and Ittai to deal gently with the young man his son. He would not deal falsely against his own life, for nothing was hidden from the king. Moreover Joab then would have set himself against him.
5. However Joab lingered not with the man but took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom’s heart while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree. And ten young men who bore Joab’s armour surrounded Absalom, struck and killed.
6. Joab was so defiant to kill Absalom against the order of king David by which he, Abishai and Ittai were charged not to harm Absalom but deal gently with the young man. It was because he was aware of the earlier plot of David to murder Uriah the husband of Bathsheba by having Uriah sent to the battle front to be killed, to cover his sin of adultery with his wife. (Ref: II Sam.11:14-25; 19:
7. Absalom who was killed was cast into a large pit in the woods, and a large heap of stones laid over him. His body was not brought back to Mahanaim to David. That also was Joab’s disrespect for the king.
8. Ahimaaz wanted to run and bring news of the battle that day to David, but Joab told Ahimaaz to run another day. Instead Joab designated a Cushite to run and bring the news to David. Nonetheless Ahimaaz ran to David by way of the plain and reached the city ahead of the Cushite. He bowed down with the face to the earth before the king and said, “Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king”. But he did not give a straight answer to David when asked whether Absalom was safe. He said that he saw a tumult but did not know what it was all about.
9. The Cushite however answered David, “May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise against you to do harm, be like that young man!” The king was deeply grieved and went up the chamber over the gate and wept, saying, “O my son Absalom-if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!”

TEACHINGS

1. David faced the Absalom and his army in battle. He wanted to go into the battle himself but heeded the people to remain at Mahanaim for his own safety and that of the city. David heeded the counsel of loyal servants. “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” (Prov.11:14).
2. David loved Absalom his son. He ordered Joab, Abishai and Ittai to deal gently with the young man. Absalom usurped his throne and pursued David his father to kill him, yet David was merciful to his son. Do not despise our parents and presume upon their mercy and love. “He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother is a son who causes shame and brings reproach.” (Prov 19:26)
3. “Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp will be put out in deep darkness.” (Prov. 20:20) Absalom usurped the throne of his father David and pursued him, seeking to kill him. He himself died a tragic death under the hand of Joab.

•