Absalom instigates a plan to build a power base among the children of Israel.
II Samuel 15
2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!
5 And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him.
6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
(Absalom did this for 40 years.)
7 And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.
8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.
9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.
10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.
11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing.
12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices.
(Absalom even took David's own counsellor to give advise against David.)
And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.
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God had raised up evil against David because of that which David did concerning Uriah the Hittite and Uriah's wife, Bathsheba.
God delivers a message to king David by Nathan the prophet of God:
God sends a prophet to pronounce God's judgments upon David for his sins:
II Samuel 12 (God sets a penalty upon king David)
7 Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in HIS sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in HIS sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
(Penalty:)
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised ME, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.
10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised ME, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD.
And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
(But
the penalty against David will continue upon David as long as David
lives. And God said his enemies would be they of David's own
household. Absalom, David's son, later tries to take the kingdom from
David. And Absalom goes into David's concubines and all Israel knows
what he has done, thus fulfilling part of the penalty God set upon
David.)
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Then the prophet pronounces another judgment from God upon David.
14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
15 And Nathan departed unto his house.
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Absalom,
David's son, is the instrument of evil raised up by God against David
and as long as Absalom lives he will be a problem to David.
II Samuel 15
14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.
(Later
Absalom will have sex with David's concubines to shame David and also
this fulfils the prophecy against David where God said: Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun. II Samuel 12:11-12)
II Samuel 15
17And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off.
23 And
all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over:
the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people
passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
David prayed to God, making his requests to God, as he feared his own son Absalom.
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New Testament church:
Philippians 4
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
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David sent spies to Absalom's "court" and they worked behind the scenes on behalf of David.
II Samuel 15
35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the priests? therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt hear out of the king's house (from Absalom's house), thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send unto me every thing that ye can hear. (They will come and tell David that which Absalom is doing.)
37 So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.
(Hushai will be used to turn the counsel to be ineffective against David.)
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