Slices
Prepare
Enjoy quiet, if you can. In God’s story you and the Lord are at peace, together for ever. What do you want to say to him before setting off with today’s reading?
Bible passage
David returns to Jerusalem
9 Throughout the tribes of Israel, all the people were arguing among themselves, 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 to escape from Absalom; 10 and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?’
11 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? 12 You are my relatives, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?” 13 And say to Amasa, “Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you are not the commander of my army for life in place of Joab.”’
14 He won over the hearts of the men of Judah so that they were all of one mind. They sent word to the king, ‘Return, you and all your men.’ 15 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. 16 Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, hurried down with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 With him were a thousand Benjaminites, 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. 18 They crossed at the ford to take the king’s household over and to do whatever he wished.
When Shimei son of Gera crossed the Jordan, he fell prostrate before the king
2 Samuel 19:39-43
39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and bade him farewell, and Barzillai returned to his home.
40 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.
41 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?’
42 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?’
43 Then the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, ‘We have ten shares in the king; so we have a greater claim on David than you have. Why then do you treat us with contempt? Weren’t we the first to speak of bringing back our king?’
But the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men of Israel.
2 Samuel 20:1
Sheba rebels against David
20 Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjaminite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted,
‘We have no share in David,
no part in Jesse’s son!
Every man to his tent, Israel!’
2 Samuel 20:2
2 So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bikri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
Explore
This part of David’s story sees him attempting to regain people’s support after their loyalty transferred to Absalom. David must return to Jerusalem now, the people demand, and take control of things again. But with all David has been through, notice his extraordinary generosity of spirit. Rather than punishing Amasa, Absalom’s general, he makes him commander of his own army (19:13). Shimei seeks forgiveness for pelting David and his officials with rocks when they were escaping from Jerusalem earlier (16:6–8; 19:19,20). David responds to Shimei’s plea – ‘May the king put it out of his mind’ (19:19). There’s no recrimination of any sort by the king (19:23), and of Joab and his murder of the king’s son there’s not a word. Despite Israel’s and Judah’s bickering about which of them has the strongest case for the privilege of bringing David back (19:40–43), there’s no response recorded from David.
The decisive, peaceful way in which David deals with Absalom’s rebellion and its consequences is remarkable. Even if it’s tactical, to reintroduce peace and calm to troubled times, the powerful king could have chosen another way.
And what peace another King so generously and decisively brought into our lives: ‘... since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ ...’ (Romans 5:1).
Respond
Thank God that, in your own story and through Jesus, you have known his forgiveness for far more than you have ever forgiven other people.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Isaiah 59,60; Psalms 110,111
Pray for Scripture Union
Part of the IT task is to ensure that all staff members have reliable, secure laptops on which to work. Pray for Technical Analyst James Gregg as he continues to support staff in this way and works to replace our oldest laptops with the latest hardware.
