King David returned to Israel not as a Conquering Hero but seeking the consent of the people and the nation's tribal leadership. 510-2 - 15 - 3

After the death and defeat of Absalom King David was humble enough to return to Israel not as a Conquering Hero but seeking the consent of the people and the nation's tribal leadership.

There had long been a hostility between the house of Saul and the House of David, the tribes of Benjamin and Judah. One of the Benjamites, Sheba, fomented a rebellion against David and led some of the Israelites to abandon the king. The rebellion was put down.

Israel was in a turmoil with the people quarreling among themselves. The self-appointed ruler Absalom, was dead. King David, who had saved them from the Philistines, was in exile so a movement thus began to restore David to his throne. Now at home the remnants of Absalom’s army was in quandary. The man they had rallied behind was dead. Many were questioning why the elders not bringing the King David.

When David heard that the ten tribes of Israel were talking about restoring him to the throne, he sent two priests to the elders of Judah, asking why they, of his tribe of Judah, were the last to bring him back as king. The elders had supported Absalom during in the rebellion, so likely some resentment as well as fear existed.

Lots of politics ensued. Perhaps out of political correctness and partly because Joab had killed Absalom David removed Joab as commander in chief and appointed Amasa to take Joab’s place. Amasa was a nephew of David but had only recently supported Absalom. This was rather like the king punished loyalty and rewarded rebellion, however, these moves won over the men of Judah over to David's side.

Shimei and Ziba proved to be politically expedience and helped David in his return. Recall that Shimei had cursed David previously and Ziba had slandered Mephibosheth. David promised Shimei amnesty but later ordered Solomon to with him.

The slandered Mephibosheth also came to meet the king. He had been truly loyal to the king but the crippled Mephibosheth was unable to accompanying the king into exile. David rather unfairly ruled that Ziba and Mephibosheth should divide the land between them that had been unfairly given to the lying Ziba.

Finally, a great procession had formed with all the people of Judah and half the men of the other tribes to bring the king back to Jerusalem.

As an aside, part of regaining his claim to the throne was in recovering King David’s harem. These women had been compromised by David's son Absalom and as a result were treated somewhat like wards of the state and pensioned as widows.

King David and his son Absalom and the Throne 510-2 - 15 - 1

How very painful it must have been for King David to engage his son Absalom in a battle for the throne of Israel. I would imagine that he would be very conflicted as the king loved his son and had full knowledge that he, King David, had caused the dysfunctionality in his family by his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah.

2 Samuel 12:9-10, "9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife."

And the sword never departed from King David’s house. Incest, murder, power struggle, fratricide and more. Earlier there was a strained relationship between King David and his son Abalone due to the seemingly indifference of King David to the rape and rejection of Abalone's sister Tamar by her half-brother Amnon. It was two years before Abalone avenged his sister by orchestrating the murder of Amnon. Abalone fled only to return to court later. Abalone plotted with the grandfather of Bathsheba to capture the throne from his father. A dysfunctional family, absolutely.

Just as King David had to flee from King Saul, he felt the need to flee his son Absalom rather than exposing Jerusalem to a Siege as well as he was not certain how firmly entrenched were the loyalties of his people. That said, all the time that King Saul sought to kill David, David would not touch the anointed of God. Absalom felt no such restriction.

Abalone even took his father's concubines in a very public manner to give credence to his claim to the throne. Given all the outrageous actions of Abalone King David still mourned for his son. David's extreme bereavement for Abalone had a decremental effect on his men and the Israeli.

King David finally took back the personae of King. He had to win back nation’s tribal leadership and fend off other challenges to his throne such as from Saul’s descendants

Comparing the counsel and motives of Hushai and Ahithophel as provided to King David. 510-2 - 14 - 4

Ahithophel had been a trusted adviser to King David, however, he also was the grandfather of Bathsheba. After King David fled the capital Ahithophel sided with Absalom likely to avenge the perceived disgrace David had brought upon Bathsheba and the murder of Bathsheba's husband Uriah.

King David had a friend Hushai who had asked to accompany him on his flight from Absalom. David recruited Hushai to undermine Ahithophel’s effectiveness with Absalom by returning to Jerusalem and attaching himself to Absalom’s court as a counselor. Hushai was to contradict the advice of Ahithophel and to report Absalom’s plans to Zadok and Abiathar whose sons Jonathan and Ahimaaz would then relay them to David.

Ahithophel gave Absalom good advice. The first advice from Ahithophel was for Absalom to lie with his father’s concubines, as evidence of his succession. Absalom did so in a very public manner.

Would the fact that the concubines were not King David's wives negate Leviticus 20:11, "And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them." Ultimately Absalom was killed after catching his hair in a tree limb and hanging midair, killed by the terrain, the hand of God? The 10 concubines were segregated in their own palace and lived as widows.

Ahithophel recommended that Absalom should delegate the responsibility of defeating David to him.  Ahithophel would pursue David, make a rapid conquest, kill David and bring David’s disheartened followers back to Jerusalem.

Hushai’s advice to Absalom was 180 degrees removed from that of Ahithophel. Hushai suggested that David and his men would be ready for battle and fight like “a cornered bear: like a wild bear whose cubs have been stolen, the king, Hushai said, would be enraged over the loss of his kingdom.” To move against David would be premature, rather Absalom should wait until he could assemble a huge army and then attack.

Hushai also warned David about Ahithophel’s advice to Absalom through the sons of Zadok and Abiathar advising David to hasten his flight.

The advice of Ahithophel was brilliant as David was only miles from Jerusalem with his forces in disarray and without food and ammunition. Thankfully, Absalom took Hushai’s advice.

Meanwhile, Hushai’s messengers, Jonathan and Ahimaaz, were spotted on their way to warn David to hurry. A woman hid them in a well and when asked if she had seen them she said, “They be gone over the brook of water.” The men looking for Jonathan and Ahimaaz gave up the search and returned to Jerusalem. Rather reminiscent of Joshua and Caleb, once more the hand of God.

King David had an unconditional covenant with God so regardless of whose advice Absalom might take, God would protest him.