II Samuel 19, Return to Jerusalem

Absalom is dead. The civil war is over and David is victorious.

2 Samuel 19: 1-4, Grieving for Absalom

Joab was told, "The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom." And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, "The king is grieving for his son." The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle. The king covered his face and cried aloud, "O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!"

Despite victory, David's public distress has brought down the morale of the army.  Joab sees dangers everywhere with this.

2 Samuel 19: 5-7, Intervention by Joab

Then Joab went into the house to the king and said, "Today you have humiliated all your men, who have just saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters and the lives of your wives and concubines.

"You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that the commanders and their men mean nothing to you. I see that you would be pleased if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead. Now go out and encourage your men. I swear by the LORD that if you don't go out, not a man will be left with you by nightfall. This will be worse for you than all the calamities that have come upon you from your youth till now."

Joab, loyal to David and to his throne, confronts David. He assures David that by focusing on his son, Absalom, the one who tried to kill him, David has insulted all of the men who risked their lives for David. Embedded in his argument is a threat -- David is about to lose control of his army and all he has fought for.

2 Samuel 19: 8a, David responds

So the king got up and took his seat in the gateway. When the men were told, "The king is sitting in the gateway," they all came before him. 

David responds to Joab's correction and makes a public appearance, reassuring the people that he is indeed back in charge.

2 Samuel 19: 8b-10, What of Israel?

Meanwhile, the Israelites had fled to their homes. Throughout the tribes of Israel, the people were all arguing with each other, saying, "The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he has fled the country because of Absalom; and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?"

The civil war has brought strife to Israel.  Absalom's revolt involved men of Judah, including relatives of David.  Ten of the other tribes seem to have allowed the rebellion but people within those tribes are now arguing that they should be active in restoring David to power. They cite David's past victories against the Philistines as evidence that David is their true king.

2 Samuel 19: 11-14, What about Judah?

King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: "Ask the elders of Judah, `Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters?

"You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?'

"And say to Amasa, `Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if from now on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab.'"

He won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. They sent word to the king, "Return, you and all your men."

David asks the leaders of Judah to arrange a welcome for him back to Jerusalem. David goes as far as to appoint Amasa (Absalom's general) in place of Joab.  (Absalom, Amasa and Joab are all cousins; Absalom a son of David while Amasa and Joab of sons of his sisters Abigail and Zeruiah.)

Putting Amasa in charge of the army is quite a step. We don't know what Joab thinks of this but David is certainly still angry about Absalom's death and may have an idea of Joab's part in that.

2 Samuel 19: 15-18a, Recovering Jerusalem

Then the king returned and went as far as the Jordan. Now the men of Judah had come to Gilgal to go out and meet the king and bring him across the Jordan. Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David.  With him were a thousand Benjamites, along with Ziba, the steward of Saul's household, and his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed to the Jordan, where the king was. They crossed at the ford to take the king's household over and to do whatever he wished. 

The people of Judah hurry to welcome David back.  At the front is Shimei, of the tribe of Benjamin, a supporter of Saul, who had cursed David earlier, as David fled Jerusalem. (See 2 Samuel 16: 5-8.)

2 Samuel 19: 18b-23, Shimei begs forgiveness

When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king and said to him, "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. For I your servant know that I have sinned, but today I have come here as the first of the whole house of Joseph to come down and meet my lord the king."

Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said, "Shouldn't Shimei be put to death for this? He cursed the LORD's anointed."

David replied, "What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? This day you have become my adversaries! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Do I not know that today I am king over Israel?"

So the king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." And the king promised him on oath.

The civil war has turned in David's favor and so Shimei quickly pleads for forgiveness. His earlier cursing of David surely put him on a list of David's enemies and Shimei must make this move or be killed later.  

Shimei gets forgiveness -- but it is somewhat limited, as we will see later.

Abishai, Joab's brother, is always eager to kill. David has seen enough of Joab and Abishai to object to these sons of his sister, Zeruiah. 

2 Samuel 19: 24-30, Mephibosheth and Ziba

Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely.

When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Why didn't you go with me, Mephibosheth?"
 

He said, "My lord the king, since I your servant am lame, I said, `I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.' But Ziba my servant betrayed me. And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever pleases you. All my grandfather's descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who sat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?"

The king said to him, "Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the fields."

Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has arrived home safely."

Mephibosheth, grandson of Saul, also makes amends.  There seems to have been a dispute that Mephibosheth blames on his servant Ziba. David seems uninterested and orders Mephibosheth and Ziba to split Mephibosheth's property. This is surely unjust to one of them; Mephibosheth is insulted by this apathetic reply and says the fields are not that important, that he is merely pleased to have David home safely.

2 Samuel 19: 31-40, Barzillai and his servant

Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there. Now Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years of age. He had provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man.

 The king said to Barzillai, "Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you." But Barzillai answered the king, "How many more years will I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is good and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of men and women singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king?

"Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way? Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever pleases you."

The king said, "Kimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever pleases you. And anything you desire from me I will do for you." 

So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and gave him his blessing, and Barzillai returned to his home. When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel had taken the king over.

 

David attempts to reward Barzillai of Gilead, who had helped provide for David in his stay as a refugee, at Mahanaim.  Barzillai declines, citing his extreme age, but asks David to take care of his servant Kimham. (Alter suggests that Kimham is a son of Barzillai and that Barzillai is asking that David reward Barzillai's legacy in place of direct reward to him.)

David has now crossed back west of the Jordan, headed back to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 19: 41-43, Dispute between Judah and Israel

Soon all the men of Israel were coming to the king and saying to him, "Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, steal the king away and bring him and his household across the Jordan, together with all his men?"

All the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, "We did this because the king is closely related to us. Why are you angry about it? Have we eaten any of the king's provisions? Have we taken anything for ourselves?"

Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, "We have ten shares in the king; and besides, we have a greater claim on David than you have. So why do you treat us with contempt? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?" 

But the men of Judah responded even more harshly than the men of Israel.

A dispute continues between the ten tribes of Israel and the two tribes, Benjamin and Judah, led by Judah. Each claim to have been the first to invite David back to his rightful throne.

Tribal conflict in Israel has appeared from time to time since the day of the judges. The conflict between the northern ten tribes and the souther two tribes will explore into civil war and separation within the next three or four decades. But for now, the conflict has been resolved.  Or has it? 

This story continues in the next chapter.