2 Samuel 19:1

Following such a serious rebellion as that of Absalom, David's kingdom could not avoid a significant period of strife and confusion. David himself was part of the problem, because in this chapter, it appears that he made stupid and even sinful decisions. If it had not been for the heroic action of Joab, David might indeed have lost his kingdom to some other usurper. Our first paragraph here tells of Joab's truthful, but even rude and disrespectful, rebuke of his cousin, King David.

DAVID'S CRY-BABY ACT OVER ABSALOM; JOAB'S REBUKE

"It was told Joab, "Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom." So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people; for the people heard that day, "The king is grieving for his son." And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, "O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son"! Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, "You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants,, who have this day saved your life, and the lives of your sons and your daughters, and the lives of your wives and your concubines, because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you; for today I perceive that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, then you would be pleased. Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants; for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night; and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now." Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, "Behold, the king is sitting in the gate"; and all the people came before the king."

"The victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people" (2 Samuel 19:2). Valiant solders who had risked their lives for the life and honor of their king were entitled to be appreciated and applauded for their deeds. But when they returned to Mahanaim, they found that their king was bawling out loud like a baby and with his head covered. The natural understanding of that by the returning troops was the implication that the king was sorely displeased with them. Therefore, they stole into the city as if ashamed of themselves. However, they should have been ashamed of their king.

"O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son" (2 Samuel 19:4). There can be no doubt whatever that David's grief here was sinful, contrary to the will of God and detrimental to every interest pertaining to the king. Did not God Himself warn Samuel, "How long will you grieve over Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel?" (1 Samuel 16:1); and when the sons of Aaron the High Priest were slain for their disobedience of God's law, Moses, the great Lawgiver, commanded Aaron: "Do not let the hair of your heads hang loose, and do not rend your clothes, lest you die, but your brethren may bewail them (Leviticus 10:6). David's ostentatious wailing for Absalom was a direct violation of God's law.

We could not understand this at all, "Did we not find in the Psalms composed by David at this time that he was suffering extreme and even excessive self-reproach and mental anguish over his past sins."[1] In spite of this, however, "It was clearly David's duty to master his feelings,"[2] and to get on with the business of honoring the men who, at the risk of their lives, had saved the king's life and his kingdom also.

"In this passionate and sinful sorrow on account of Absalom, David not only forgot altogether what it was his duty to do, ... but he even allowed himself to be carried away into making some very inconsiderate and unjust promises and decisions."[3]

The fact is that David's earthly life at this juncture reads almost like an anthology of evil, again revealing the infinite grace and mercy of the Lord that such an individual is justly hailed as "a man after God's own heart." And how may we understand this as a just designation? WITH ALL HIS SINS; DAVID WAS STILL THE BEST REPRESENTATIVE OF HUMANITY THAT GOD COULD HAVE CHOSEN AS A TYPE OF THE SON OF GOD. The wretched wickedness of Adam's rebellious race appears dramatically in this.

"The king covered his face" (2 Samuel 19:4). "Veils worn by mourning widows are a modernization of this old custom. The implication is that one desires to be alone when grieving. For the same reason, at funerals, members of the family are seated in a separate room."[4]

"Your servants ... this day have saved your life, the lives of your sons and your daughters ... your wives and your concubines" (2 Samuel 19:5). These words of Joab were true even in a far greater degree than is stated here. "If Absalom had won, the massacre would not have stopped with killing the people Joab mentioned here. No! The officers of David's court, the commanding officers of his army, all of the mighty men who surrounded him, including, of course, Joab and Abishai, - all would have been mercilessly and brutally murdered.[5] One may wonder if Joab's perfect knowledge of such facts did not steel his hand when he thrust the darts into the heart of Absalom.

"You love those who hate you and hate those who love you" (2 Samuel 19:6). "Joab was evidently angry and spoke harshly to the king."[6] The whole tenor of Joab's rebuke of David was totally lacking of any respect for the king, and some have called it rude. However, the situation was desperate and called for drastic action. It is no credit to David that he was apparently deeply offended by Joab's rebuke, despite the fact that he recognized the justice of it and promptly mended his behavior.

"Not a man will stay with you this night" (2 Samuel 19:7). As the supreme commander of David's military, Joab could himself easily have engineered such a desertion. Joab's duty was to warn David of his conduct which was so freighted with all kinds of evil consequences; "But he did so in such a heartless and lordly manner that the king was deeply hurt by it."[7] It is by no means impossible to suppose that Joab himself might have been tempted to lead an insurrection against David, in case David had not consented at once to change his sinful attitude.

"Behold, the king is sitting in the gate" (2 Samuel 19:8). "David recognized the wisdom of Joab's words and took his seat at the gate of Mahanaim to watch his victorious troops file by. In this manner they were assured of the king's recognition, gratitude and approval."[8]