Slices
Prepare
‘God is working his purpose out as year succeeds to year.’* Reflect on this with thanks and reassurance.
Bible passage
Absalom returns to Jerusalem
14 Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart longed for Absalom. 2 So Joab sent someone to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. He said to her, ‘Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don’t use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead. 3 Then go to the king and speak these words to him.’ And Joab put the words in her mouth.
4 When the woman from Tekoa went to the king, she fell with her face to the ground to pay him honour, and she said, ‘Help me, Your Majesty!’
5 The king asked her, ‘What is troubling you?’
She said, ‘I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6 I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him. 7 Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, “Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir as well.” They would put out the only burning coal I have left, leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth.’
8 The king said to the woman, ‘Go home, and I will issue an order on your behalf.’
9 But the woman from Tekoa said to him, ‘Let my lord the king pardon me and my family, and let the king and his throne be without guilt.’
10 The king replied, ‘If anyone says anything to you, bring them to me, and they will not bother you again.’
11 She said, ‘Then let the king invoke the Lord his God to prevent the avenger of blood from adding to the destruction, so that my son shall not be destroyed.’
‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ he said, ‘not one hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.’
12 Then the woman said, ‘Let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.’
‘Speak,’ he replied.
13 The woman said, ‘Why then have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, for the king has not brought back his banished son? 14 Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.
15 ‘And now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, “I will speak to the king; perhaps he will grant his servant’s request. 16 Perhaps the king will agree to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.”
17 ‘And now your servant says, “May the word of my lord the king secure my inheritance, for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you.”’
18 Then the king said to the woman, ‘Don’t keep from me the answer to what I am going to ask you.’
‘Let my lord the king speak,’ the woman said.
19 The king asked, ‘Isn’t the hand of Joab with you in all this?’
The woman answered, ‘As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything my lord the king says. Yes, it was your servant Joab who instructed me to do this and who put all these words into the mouth of your servant. 20 Your servant Joab did this to change the present situation. My lord has wisdom like that of an angel of God – he knows everything that happens in the land.’
21 The king said to Joab, ‘Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.’
22 Joab fell with his face to the ground to pay him honour, and he blessed the king. Joab said, ‘Today your servant knows that he has found favour in your eyes, my lord the king, because the king has granted his servant’s request.’
23 Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 24 But the king said, ‘He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.’ So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.
25 In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him. 26 Whenever he cut the hair of his head – he used to cut his hair once a year because it became too heavy for him – he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels by the royal standard.
27 Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter’s name was Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman.
28 Absalom lived for two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king’s face. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come. 30 Then he said to his servants, ‘Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.’ So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.
31 Then Joab did go to Absalom’s house, and he said to him, ‘Why have your servants set my field on fire?’
32 Absalom said to Joab, ‘Look, I sent word to you and said, “Come here so that I can send you to the king to ask, ‘Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there!’” Now then, I want to see the king’s face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death.’
33 So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.
Explore
Three gifted but flawed characters move the story toward Absalom’s rebellion. Joab is David’s fixer, always a step ahead, anticipating the king’s needs and getting things done. David is a great ruler, but his decision-making powers desert him in family matters. He struggles to handle Absalom and requires another parable (see 2 Samuel 12) to push him in the direction of partial reconciliation. Thirdly, there’s Absalom, a determined, manipulative schemer who plays the long game. He burns Joab’s barley as a statement that he will not be rebuffed. But notice the concentration on outward appearance that had caused Israel problems in the past. Saul’s height and handsomeness (1 Samuel 9:2; 16:12) made him attractive, and Absalom’s film star looks and celebrity family (vs 25–27) do similarly. But behind the prettiness lies a heart that has little awareness of humility (v 32).
This is a potent mix. The story plots the rise of Absalom, facilitated by Joab’s desire to please, with David attempting to do the right thing. The conspiring to get David onside has much God-talk about it. But David’s consent seems wrung out of him (v 21) rather than glad obedience. There is no perfect solution available. That’s often the way in a messy world where God is at work even when all seems random.
*Campbell Ainger, 1841–1919.
Respond
‘Did you think we would get through this without making any mistakes?’ My realistic colleague’s comment helped me gain perspective. Does it help you?
Deeper Bible study
...speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is, Christ.’1
It is notable how often the same interests and concerns arise within the incidents recorded in these chapters. One can’t help thinking that this is deliberate and that readers are being encouraged to ponder on these things. One theme is the repeated descriptions of manipulation and deceit, something with which we are only too familiar in these days of constant scams! David and Joab manipulate Uriah, causing his death. Nathan manipulates David to condemn himself through a story. Amnon deceives David and Tamar, causing her desolation. Absalom deceives David and Amnon, causing the latter’s death and, here, Joab manipulates David, also using a story, causing Absalom’s recall from Geshur. It is clear that deceit and manipulation from negative motives is not acceptable, but the question arises as to whether manipulation is OK when the motive is apparently good. There is no hint of any reservations about Nathan’s methods, but this chapter is more ambiguous and the phrase ‘life is complicated’ comes to mind!
David gives in to Joab and sends for Absalom, but then refuses to see him for another two years. It is hard to see why David agrees to Absalom’s return and then refuses to see him. When we read on and see the ongoing encounters between Joab and David, where Joab could be seen as exercising undue influence, it might be thought that David here is trying to prove that he is not totally under Joab’s control, but this action gives time for Absalom both to develop further resentment of David and to increase his own popularity within the country. One can’t help noticing both that Absalom uses strong manipulation to force Joab to influence David again and that Joab is able to do that, apparently fairly easily.
Should deceit or manipulation ever be used to bring about what we decide is right? If so, when? How likely are we to be manipulated, by friend or foe?
1 Eph 4:15, TNIV
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Isaiah 39,40; Psalm 106
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray for Local Mission Partner, Doncaster Schools Worker Trust, for Linda and Dan as they meet with local churches to encourage more support for schools and young people. Pray too for Open the Book teams as they return to schools in person to lead assemblies.
