II Samuel
18
1
II Samuel 18
The No win war!
2
Calculating for War
• (2 Sam 18:1 NKJV) And David numbered the
people who were with him, and set captains
of thousands and captains of hundreds over
them.
3
Divided three ways
• (2 Sam 18:2 NKJV) Then David sent out one
third of the people 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. And the
king said to the people, "I also will surely go
out with you myself."
4
David will not Go!
• (2 Sam 18:3 NKJV) But the people answered,
"You shall not go out! For if we flee away,
they will not care about us; nor if half of us
die, will they care about us. But you are
worth ten thousand of us now. For you are
now more help to us in the city."
5
David lets the people say.
• (2 Sam 18:4 NKJV) Then the king said to
them, "Whatever seems best to you I will
do." So the king stood beside the gate, and
all the people went out by hundreds and by
thousands.
6
Please spare Absalom!
• (2 Sam 18:5 KJV) And the king commanded
Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently
for my sake with the young man, even with
Absalom. And all the people heard when the
king gave all the captains charge concerning
Absalom.
7
Please spare Absalom!
• This is a difficult “No win situation.”
Absalom certainly had no similar policy of
“Do not kill my father”
• Absalom is basically what the war is all
about.
8
Civil War: Israel vs. Israel
• (2 Sam 18:6 KJV) So the people went out into
the field against Israel: and the battle was in
the wood of Ephraim;
9
20,000 lost!
• (2 Sam 18:7 NKJV) The people of Israel were
overthrown there before the servants of
David, and a great slaughter of twenty
thousand took place there that day.
10
How did “the wood” kill?
• (2 Sam 18:8 KJV) For the battle was there
scattered over the face of all the country: and
the wood devoured more people that day
than the sword devoured.
11
Adam Clarke:
• 2Sa 18:8
• The wood devoured more people - It is
generally supposed that, when the army was
broken, they betook themselves to the wood,
fell into pits, swamps, etc., and, being
entangled, were hewn down by David’s men;
but the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, state that
they were devoured by wild beasts in the
wood.
12
Absalom is caught--literally!
• (2 Sam 18:9 NKJV) Then Absalom met the
servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule.
The mule went under the thick boughs of a
great terebinth tree, and his head caught in
the terebinth; so he was left hanging
between heaven and earth. And the mule
which was under him went on.
13
Joab finds out!
• (2 Sam 18:10 NKJV) Now a certain man saw
it and told Joab, and said, "I just saw
Absalom hanging in a terebinth tree!"
14
Why didn’t you kill him?
• (2 Sam 18:11 NKJV) So Joab said to the man
who told him, "You just saw him! And why
did you not strike him there to the ground? I
would have given you ten shekels of silver
and a belt."
15
Adam Clarke
• And a girdle [belt]- The military belt was the
chief ornament of a soldier, and was highly
prized in all ancient nations; it was also a rich
present from one chieftain to another.
Jonathan gave his to David, as the highest
pledge of his esteem and perpetual
friendship, 1Sa_18:4.
16
I heard the king’s command!
• (2 Sam 18:12 NKJV) 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!'
17
I heard the king’s command!
• (2 Sam 18:13 NKJV) "Otherwise I would have
dealt falsely against my own life. For there is
nothing hidden from the king, and you
yourself would have set yourself against me."
18
Adam Clarke:
• 2Sa 18:13
• Thou thyself wouldest have set thyself
against me - This is a strong appeal to Joab’s
loyalty, and respect for the orders of David;
but he was proof against every fine feeling,
and against every generous sentiment.
19
Joab will Act Now!
• (2 Sam 18:14 NKJV) 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.
20
NIV says into Absalom's heart
• (2 Sam 18:14 NIV) Joab said, "I'm not going
to wait like this for you." So he took three
javelins in his hand and plunged them into
Absalom's heart while Absalom was still alive
in the oak tree.
21
Adam Clarke’s Comments:
• Thrust them through the heart of Absalom -
He was determined to make sure work, and
therefore he pierced his heart.
• Joab should have obeyed the king’s
commandment: and yet the safety of the
state required the sacrifice of Absalom. But
independently of this, his life was quadruply
forfeited to the law: -
22
“his life was quadruply forfeited”
• 1. In having murdered his brother Amnon.
• 2. In having excited an insurrection in the
state.
• 3. In having taken up arms against his own
father, Deu_21:18, Deu_21:21.
• 4. In having lain with his father’s
concubines, Lev_18:29.
23
Justice had not been done!
• Long ago he should have died by the hand of
justice; and now all his crimes are visited on
him in his last act of rebellion. Yet, in the
present circumstances, Joab’s act was base
and disloyal, and a cowardly murder. -- Adam
Clarke
24
Who Killed Absalom?
• (2 Sam 18:15 NKJV) And ten young men who
bore Joab's armor surrounded Absalom, and
struck and killed him.
25
Who Killed Absalom?
Adam Clarke Keil-Delitzsch
• Ten young men - smote • The last clause of the
Absalom and slew him - verse belongs to what
That is, they all pierced follows: “Still living (i.e.,
the body; but there could as he was still alive) in
be no life in it after three
darts had been thrust the midst of the
through the heart: but terebinth, ten young
they added as much as men, Joab's armour-
would have killed him had bearers, surrounded him,
he been alive. and smote him to death.”
26
The Trumpet of Victory!
• (2 Sam 18:16 NKJV) So Joab blew the
trumpet, and the people returned from
pursuing Israel. For Joab held back the
people.
27
The War is Over!
• 2Sa 18:16
• Immediately afterwards Joab stopped any
further pursuit, “for Joab spared the people,”
i.e., he wanted to spare them. -- Keil-
Delitzsch
28
Absalom cast in a pit
• (2 Sam 18:17 NKJV) And they took Absalom
and cast him into a large pit in the woods,
and laid a very large heap of stones over him.
Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent.
29
Two versions of the heap of stones
Adam Clarke Keil-Delitzsch
• 2Sa 18:17 • 2Sa 18:17
• And laid a very great heap of • But Absalom they cast into a
stones - This was the method great pit in the wood, and
of burying heroes, and even threw up over him a very
traitors, the heap of stones
large heap of stones, as an
being designed to perpetuate
ignominious monument, like
the memory of the event,
whether good or bad. The those thrown up over Achan
ancient cairns or heaps of (Jos_7:26) and the king of Air
stones, in different parts of (Jos_8:29). This was the end
the world, are of this kind. of Absalom and his rebellion.
30
Erected His Own Monument
• (2 Sam 18:18 NKJV) Now Absalom in his
lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for
himself, which is in the King's Valley. For he
said, "I have no son to keep my name in
remembrance." He called the pillar after his
own name. And to this day it is called
Absalom's Monument.
31
Let’s tell what happened
• (2 Sam 18:19 NKJV) 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.“ (His own son)
32
It’s not good news for David
• (2 Sam 18:20 NKJV) And 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."
33
The Cushite may go.
• (2 Sam 18:21 NKJV) Then Joab said to the
Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have
seen." So the Cushite bowed himself to Joab
and ran.
34
I want to go regardless
• (2 Sam 18:22 NKJV) And Ahimaaz the son of
Zadok said again to Joab, "But whatever
happens, please let me also run after the
Cushite." So Joab said, "Why will you run, my
son, since you have no news ready?"
35
I’ll accept the consequences.
• (2 Sam 18:23 NKJV) "But whatever
happens," he said, "let me run." So he said to
him, "Run." Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the
plain, and outran the Cushite.
36
David was waiting
• (2 Sam 18:24 NKJV) Now 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.
37
News is coming
• (2 Sam 18:25 NKJV) 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.
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There’s a second runner.
• (2 Sam 18:26 NKJV) Then the watchman saw
another man running, and the watchman
called to the gatekeeper and said, "There is
another man, running alone!" And the king
said, "He also brings news."
39
Keil-Delitzsch
• 2Sa 18:25-26
• When he announced this to the king, he said, “If
he (is or comes) alone, there is good news in his
mouth,” namely, because several runners would
have shown themselves if it had been a flight. As
the first messenger came nearer and nearer, the
watchman saw another man running, and
shouted this into the gate . . . whereupon the
king replied, “This is also a good messenger.”
40
Known by our walk or run
• (2 Sam 18:27 NKJV) So 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."
41
• (2 Sam 18:28 NKJV) And 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!"
42
Ahimaaz avoids the question
• (2 Sam 18:29 NKJV) 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."
43
Two Accounts
• (2 Sam 18:30 NKJV) • 2Sa 18:30
And the king said, • Stand here - He
"Turn aside and intended to confront
stand here." So he two messengers,
turned aside and and compare their
stood still. accounts. -- Adam
Clarke
44
The Cushite’s News:
• (2 Sam 18:31 NKJV) Just then the Cushite
came, and the Cushite said, "There is good
news, my lord the king! For the LORD has
avenged you this day of all those who rose
against you."
45
Absalom seems his only concern
• (2 Sam 18:32 NKJV) 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!"
46
David’s Despair
• (2 Sam 18:33 NKJV) 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; my son, my
son Absalom; if only I had died in your place!
O Absalom my son, my son!"
47
•So ends chapter
18, but, of
course, the
story continues.
48
Joab steps in
• (2 Sam 19:1 NKJV) And Joab was told,
"Behold, the king is weeping and mourning
for Absalom."
49
Victory turned into mourning
• (2 Sam 19:2 NKJV) So the victory that day
was turned into mourning for all the people.
For the people heard it said that day, "The
king is grieved for his son."
50
Victors sneak away
• (2 Sam 19:3 NKJV) And the people stole back
into the city that day, as people who are
ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.
51
David Weeps
• (2 Sam 19:4 NKJV) But the king covered his
face, and the king cried out with a loud voice,
"O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my
son!"
52
David’s bitter pill
• (Prov 13:15 KJV) Good understanding giveth
favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.
53
David continues to pay
• (2 Sam 12:11 NKJV) "Thus says the LORD:
'Behold, I will raise up adversity against you
from your own house; and I will take your
wives before your eyes and give them to your
neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in
the sight of this sun.
54
The No win war!
• David continued to pay for his sins.
55
The No win war!
• David continued to pay for his sins.
• He did not correct Absalom.
56
The No win war!
• David continued to pay for his sins.
• He did not correct Absalom.
• He did not right other wrongs
57
The No win war!
• David continued to pay for his sins.
• He did not correct Absalom.
• He did not right other wrongs.
• He was weakened as a man by his own faults.
58
The No win war!
• David continued to pay for his sins.
• He did not correct Absalom.
• He did not right other wrongs.
• He was weakened as a man by his own faults.
• He almost turned victory into defeat.
59
The No win war!
• David continued to pay for his sins.
• He did not correct Absalom.
• He did not right other wrongs.
• He was weakened as a man by his own faults.
• He almost turned victory into defeat.
• As Joab tells him in the next chapter, He had
turned against his own supporters.
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II Samuel
18
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