Introduction

We see in this passage a stark contrast between the shrewdness of Joab and the sentimentof David. Joab was not a godly man, but he was often clear-headed about the politics of the thing. David was a godly man, but he was at times muddled by his own sense of mingled love and guilt. This is one of those times. We also see a striking example of what might be called a reverse type of Jesus, the Messiah.

The Text

“And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them. . .” (2 Sam. 18:1-33).

Summary of the Text

So David set his troops in order (v. 1). He placed a third of them under Joab, a third under Abishai, Joab’s brother, and the remaining third under Ittai, the warrior from Gath who had just joined David (v. 2). When the elderly king set out to go to battle with them, he was diplomatically dissuaded (v. 3). The king reviewed the troops as they went out (v. 4). Everyone heard the order that David gave his three commanders concerning Absalom (v. 5). So they went out, and the battle was joined in the forest wilderness of Ephraim (v. 6). And Israel fell before the servants of David (v. 7). In the aftermath, the wilderness devoured more than the sword did (v. 8).

Absalom himself encountered some of David’s soldiers, and as he was fleeing from them on his mule, his head got caught in the branches of a tree (v. 9). A soldier saw this and reported it to Joab (v. 10), only to have Joab rebuke him for not killing the rebel leader (v. 11). The man replied that he wouldn’t have killed Absalom for a million bucks, not after what David had said about it (v. 12). He would have taken his own life in his hands, and Joab wouldn’t have said a word to defend him (v. 13). Then Joab said he didn’t have time to argue like this, and took three sticks and thrust them into Absalom’s heart (v. 14). His ten armor bearers followed suit, and killed him (v. 15). So Joab blew the trumpet, and the pursuit of Israel ceased (v. 16). They then buried Absalom ignominiously (v. 17), he who had erected a pillar in his own honor during his lifetime (v. 18).

Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, wanted to be the courier (v. 19). Joab said no, because the news (for the king personally) was not good (v. 20). So Joab sent an African runner, a Cushite (v. 21). Ahimaaz still wanted to run, and Joab gave permission. Ahimaaz took a better route and outran the Cushite (vv. 22-23). David was between the inner and outer gate when a lookout spotted the approach of Ahimaaz (v. 24). The king said a solitary runner would be a courier (v. 25). Then the lookout saw another courier (v. 26). The frontrunner looked like Ahimaaz to the lookout, and the king interpreted that as good news (v. 27). Ahimaaz came and reported all was well (shalom), and that the king’s troops had prevailed (v. 28). “What about Absalom?”—and Ahimaaz falsely said that he didn’t know (v. 29). The king told him to stand aside (v. 30). Then the Cushite arrived with the news of victory (v. 31). What about Absalom?” The Cushite diplomatically told him that Absalom was dead (v. 32). At this news, the king came apart, and went up to the chamber above the gate, weeping for Absalom, his son (v. 33).

Nature Conspiring

This battle in the wilderness was not one in which we find any supernatural events—butnature fights against the forces of Absalom. David had shrewdly picked good terrain for such a fight, and his three commanders pursued the troops of Absalom in the forest. They killed twenty thousand men—eight thousand more than the entire force that Ahithophel wanted to take out against David on the first night of the rebellion. And then it says that the wood of Ephraim devoured more than the sword devoured. Nature itself was fighting on David’s side. That nature also took Absalom prisoner, as he caught his head in the crook of a tree.

Incidentally, we should note from all this that the terrain there in biblical times was quite different than it is today.

True Peace

This is a place where we can see that David’s priorities have plainly gotten out of whack—which will become even more plain to us in the next chapter. We don’t know how many men died fighting for David, but he clearly cared more for Absalom than for them. For David, peace of mind (shalom) is in this instance centered on his son. Ahimaaz comes as a courier and the first thing he says is shalom. This is the last part of Absalom’s name in Hebrew—’Avshalom. And these echoes are plain in David’s plaintive question, which he asks twice. Is it shalom with ’Avshalom? David is looking for peace in the wrong place.

Between Heaven and Earth

Absalom’s death is truly a striking one, and it is pointed out in a number of ways by the writer here. The unnamed soldier wouldn’t take a thousand pieces of silver in his palm, but Joab took three sticks (not darts) in his palm, and thrust them into Absalom’s heart. Then his ten armor-bearers finished him off. When David asked “who killed Absalom?, the response could now be “hard to say.” Joab pierced Absalom’s heart (v. 14), and in the Hebrew there is an untranslatable pun, because the ram’s horn that Joab blew in v. 16 made a piercing sound (same word). He ended the fighting by “stabbing” Absalom, and by “stabbing” the air with a blast of the horn. Absalom got his head caught in the tree (v. 9), and his head had been his vainglory (2 Sam. 14:26). He was pierced to the heart and he was caught in the heart of the tree (same word). The effect here is disturbing— Absalom’s heart was like a tangle of branches. A mule was in that day a royal mount (2 Sam. 13:29), and so Absalom’s royal seat passes on away from him, leaving him dangling between sky and earth. He is rejected by heaven, and rejected by earth. He was not to be a king, because God rules from Heaven.

An Antithetical Gospel

How unlike the Lord’s death! And yet there are striking similarities in that unlikeness. The Lord also was rejected by men, and forsaken by Heaven. He also was hanged on a tree, between sky and earth. But when that happened, Absalom’s followers all scattered for good. The Lord’s followers attempted to scatter, but God had a deeper purpose in mind (John 12:32). When Jesus was hanged on a tree, it was God’s purpose to gather all His followers.

Absalom was buried in a ravine, covered with multiple stones, there to remain. Jesus was buried in a cave, covered with one stone, that was to be rolled away. Absalom had entered Jerusalem in triumph just a few days before, presumably on a mule. Jesus entered Jerusalem just a few days before, seated on a donkey. The unnamed soldier here rejects silver to avoid betraying his king. Judas accepted silver to betray his king. Absalom was pierced by a soldier while he was hanging, and Jesus was pierced by a soldier while he was hanging.

Messengers ran from the death of Absalom with a message of shalom. We are messengers who run from the death and resurrection of Jesus with a message of everlasting shalom.

Introduction

We see here in this passage that God is always sovereign, and His Word always comes to pass—regardless of who seems to be in power, and who seems to be powerless. Shrewd counsel is disregarded, and bad counsel followed, and why? Because God determines the movements of men.

The Text

“Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night . . .” (2 Sam. 17:1-29).

Summary of the Text

Ahithophel advises immediate pursuit with 12,000 men, which would represent all of Israel (v. 1). They are vulnerable, they will all scatter, and David only will be struck (v. 2). The people will become Absalom’s and there will be peace (v. 3). Absalom and all the elders were pleased with this advice (v. 4). But Absalom wanted a second opinion and called for Hushai (v. 5). When Hushai arrived, Absalom summarized Ahithophel’s counsel, and asked Hushai what he thought (v. 6).

Hushai began diplomatically—Ahithophel’s counsel is not good this time (v. 7). Hushai then begins to undermine the revolt with bad counsel (v. 8). David’s men are chafed and David is shrewd (v. 9). He will be hidden, and so our first assault will not go well (v. 10). Rumor of disaster will spread and Absalom’s brave warriors will be rocked (v. 10). So Hushai advises him to take time to assemble a huge host, and to lead it himself (v. 11). We will come upon David in “some place” and fall on him like the dew (v. 12), killing everyone. If he retreats into “some city,” we will have enough troops to level that city (v. 13). And so Absalom and all the elders were persuaded by Hushai (v. 14)—because it was the Lord’s purpose to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel.

David had left Zadok and Abiathar the priests behind, and Hushai told them what Ahithophel’s counsel had been, and what he had said (v. 15). He told them to send word to David to get across the Jordan (v. 16). Now two priests had been stationed at En-rogel, and a maidservant carried the message to them (v. 17). They were spotted, but got away to Bahurim (Shimei’s hometown), and a man there had a well in his court which they hid in (v. 18). And the housewife there spread a covering over the well, and spread grain over it (v. 19). When Absalom’s servants came, they were searching for Ahimaaz and Jonathan by name, and the woman said, “Thataway” (v. 20). When it was clear, the two men came out of the well, and went and warned David (v. 21). David heeded the warning, and everyone got over the Jordan (v. 22).

When Ahithophel saw what had happened, he went to his hometown, put his affairs in order, and hanged himself (v. 23). This is probably due as much to his foresight as to the fact that he had lost face. One of the principles of war is pursuit, and he knew that neglect of that principle here meant that the revolt would fail, and that he would be punished for his treachery. David came to Mahanaim, a walled city across the Jordan, and Absalom followed (v. 24). Amasa was made commander—he, like Joab, was David’s nephew, making him Joab’s first cousin (v. 25). This was a toxic civil war. Ahithophel was David’s grandfather-in-law, Absalom was his son, and the rival commanders were first cousins, nephews of David.

Absalom’s army pitched their camp in Gilead (v. 26). When David was holed up in Mahanaim, provisions were brought to him by the Ammonites (v. 27), and by Machir and Barzillai. You should remember Machir as the kind-hearted man who had been taking care of Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth (2 Sam. 9:4-5). These men brought all kinds of provisions (vv. 28-29), for David’s men were hungry, thirsty, and weary (v. 29).

Cloak and Dagger

This section contains a great deal of high intrigue. Secret agents at court, high priests playing politics, a handmaiden carrying a message, priests on the run, and loyalists to the king hiding in a well.

All this serves to illustrate a point we have made before, but which needs to be made again with a passage like this one. Nothing is more obvious than that deception is a lawful weapon in time of war. As killing and murder are related, so also are deception and lying related. From Hushai’s valiant and courageous behavior in the court of the enemy to the behavior of the woman of Bahurim (let us call her Thataway Jane), we see that this is part of the arsenal of warfare. Contrary to the beliefs of some pietists, this is not simply “excused” behavior. Rahab was justified by her works when she sent out the spies another way than she said she did (Jas. 2:25).

Rightly understood, this does not undermine sola fide—the only point I am concerned to make here is that Rahab’s deception was a good work that needs to rightly related to her faith, not a bad work that her faith brought about forgiveness for.

Our Sovereign God

The reason why Absalom and the elders believed Hushai can be answered on two different levels, and both of them are genuine. First, Hushai deceptively used both flattery and fear, and in addition he played to Absalom’s lust for blood. He flattered Ahithophel (“this time”) and Absalom (“you well know). He then played to Absalom’s fears, invoking David’s experience and military genius, the anger of his men, the way rumors fly through armies, and so on. And in contrast to Ahithophel, who counseled that they seek to take just David, Hushai’s strategy played up the potential for a bloodbath. So that was one reason he was believed. He knew his audience well, and played them that way.

The second reason he was believed is that the Lord had ordained or appointed evil for Absalom. Absalom would make all the decisions that would place his neck in the crook of that tree, and he would do so because God had willed it.

A New Rahab

God’s people are called to prevail by means of faith. This is what Rahab did. She acted, certainly, but her actions were resting on the foundation of faith (Jas. 2:25). The woman in this story is another Rahab, delivering two spies just as Rahab had done—hiding them, and sending them out by another way. She also was a woman of faith, and was used by God to deliver a king. Rahab did it by becoming that king’s great great-grandmother. This unnamed woman did it by delivering that king from the schemes of his own son.

Contrasted with this faith we see in this passage the impotence of worldly wisdom. Ahithophel sees the situation very clearly, but he can’t steer it contrary to what God has settled. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: He turneth it whithersoever he will” (Prov. 21:1).

A member of Christ’s council chamber was also too clever by half, and Judas went and hanged himself. And if the rulers of this age had know what all their scheming was going to result in—your salvation—they wouldn’t have done it (1 Cor. 2:8).