Absalom is dead, but David is heartbroken, taking the shine off of the victory. As has happened before, Joab talks some sense into David:

But in private Joab rebuked the king: “Now you’ve done it—knocked the wind out of your loyal servants who have just saved your life, to say nothing of the lives of your sons and daughters, wives and concubines. What is this—loving those who hate you and hating those who love you?…Get hold of yourself; get out there and put some heart into your servants!…So the king came out and took his place at the city gate. (2 Samuel 19.5 – 8, MSG)

David proves himself able to both accept counsel and give orders. As they are on their way back to Jerusalem, Shimei, who cursed David when he was leaving comes to apologize. Again, Abishai wants to execute him. Again, David spares Shimei.

Shimei son of Gera bowed deeply in homage to the king as soon as he was across the Jordan and said, “Don’t think badly of me, my master! Overlook my irresponsible outburst on the day my master the king left Jerusalem—don’t hold it against me!…Abishai son of Zeruiah interrupted, “Enough of this! Shouldn’t we kill him outright? Why, he cursed GOD’s anointed!” But David said, “What is it with you sons of Zeruiah? Why do you insist on being so contentious? Nobody is going to be killed today. I am again king over Israel!” (2 Samuel 19.18 – 22, MSG)

Then Mephibosheth, lame in both feet, greets the king and said that his servant Ziba had lied to David as David was leaving Jerusalem.

The king said, “And why didn’t you come with me, Mephibosheth?” “My master the king,” he said, “my servant betrayed me. I told him to saddle my donkey so I could ride it and go with the king, for, as you know, I am lame. And then he lied to you about me…. (2 Samuel 19.25 – 27, MSG)

A good lesson:

The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him. (Proverbs 18.17, ESV)

David doesn’t even make all the way to Jerusalem before another rebellion starts:

Just then a good-for-nothing named Sheba son of Bicri the Benjaminite blew a blast on the ram’s horn trumpet, calling out, We’ve got nothing to do with David, there’s no future for us with the son of Jesse! Let’s get out of here, Israel—head for your tents! So all the men of Israel deserted David and followed Sheba son of Bicri. But the men of Judah stayed committed, sticking with their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 20.1, 2, MSG)

We see the beginnings of what will become a permanent split between the tribe of Judah, David’s tribe, and the rest of Israel. It happens after the reign of Solomon. We’ll be there soon – 1 Kings 12.

For now, David has to put an end to this rebellion:

David told Abishai, “Sheba son of Bicri is going to hurt us even worse than Absalom did. Take your master’s servants and hunt him down before he gets holed up in some fortress city where we can’t get to him.” So under Abishai’s command, all the best men—Joab’s men and the Kerethites and Pelethites—left Jerusalem to hunt down Sheba son of Bicri. (2 Samuel 20.6, 7, MSG)

Sheba holes up in the city of Abel Beth Maacah, and David’s army intends to tear down the city’s wall. But a “wise woman,” unnamed, intervenes, explaining to Joab that this is a good city:

…We’re a peaceful people here, and reliable. And here you are, trying to tear down one of Israel’s mother cities. Why would you want to mess with GOD’s legacy like that?” (2 Samuel 20.19, MSG)

Joab explains his objective, and the problem is taken care of:

Joab protested, “Believe me, you’ve got me all wrong. I’m not here to hurt anyone or destroy anything—not on your life! But a man from the hill country of Ephraim, Sheba son of Bicri by name, revolted against King David; hand him over, him only, and we’ll get out of here.” The woman told Joab, “Sounds good. His head will be tossed to you from the wall.” (2 Samuel 20.20, 21, MSG)

And they did.

More unrest and discord, fallout from chapter 12’s “consequences.” It only takes one malcontent to mess up a country (or an organization). Joab took care of things, but at the cost of time and energy. And sometimes, you can’t reconcile with an enemy. Sometimes you have to kill them, or, in our case, remove them from the organization.

I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us… (3 John 1.9, 10, ESV)

I’m passing this work on to you, my son Timothy. The prophetic word that was directed to you prepared us for this. All those prayers are coming together now so you will do this well, fearless in your struggle, keeping a firm grip on your faith and on yourself. After all, this is a fight we’re in. There are some, you know, who by relaxing their grip and thinking anything goes have made a thorough mess of their faith. Hymenaeus and Alexander are two of them. I let them wander off to Satan to be taught a lesson or two about not blaspheming. (1 Timothy 1.18 – 20, MSG)

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. (Matthew 18.15 – 17, ESV)

We left David on the run from Absalom’s coup attempt. Absalom’s counselor, Ahithophel, advises quick action to take David out:

Next Ahithophel advised Absalom, “Let me handpick twelve thousand men and go after David tonight. I’ll come on him when he’s bone tired and take him by complete surprise. The whole army will run off and I’ll kill only David. (2 Samuel 17.1 – 2, MSG)

This plan might have succeeded, but Absalom also consults with Hushai, David’s embedded spy counselor (2 Samuel 15.31 – 37). Hushai buys David some time:

The counsel that Ahithophel has given in this instance is not good. You know your father and his men, brave and bitterly angry—like a bear robbed of her cubs. And your father is an experienced fighter; you can be sure he won’t be caught napping at a time like this. Even while we’re talking, he’s probably holed up in some cave or other. If he jumps your men from ambush, word will soon get back, “A slaughter of Absalom’s army!”…Here’s what I’d advise: Muster the whole country, from Dan to Beersheba, an army like the sand of the sea, and you personally lead them. We’ll smoke him out wherever he is, fall on him like dew falls on the earth, and, believe me, there won’t be a single survivor. (2 Samuel 17.7 – 12, MSG)

Hushai’s quick-thinking works:

Absalom and all his company agreed that the counsel of Hushai the Arkite was better than the counsel of Ahithophel. (GOD had determined to discredit the counsel of Ahithophel so as to bring ruin on Absalom.) (2 Samuel 17.14, MSG)

Hushai gets the word to David via the spy network David left in place, and David crosses the Jordan. He’s met by some little known friends who “prepare him a table in the presence of his enemies” as David recounts later in Psalm 23:

When David arrived at Mahanaim, Shobi…and Makir…and Barzillai brought beds and blankets, bowls and jugs filled with wheat, barley, flour, roasted grain, beans and lentils, honey, and curds and cheese from the flocks and herds. They presented all this to David and his army to eat, “because,” they said, “the army must be starved and exhausted and thirsty out in this wilderness.” (2 Samuel 17.27 – 29, MSG)

It’s nice that the Bible often records the names of little-known actors, people who move God’s story along. On the strength of that meal, David’s army, under the command of Joab defeats Absalom’s army:

The army took the field to meet Israel. It turned out that the battle was joined in the Forest of Ephraim. The army of Israel was beaten badly there that day by David’s men, a terrific slaughter—twenty thousand men! (2 Samuel 18.6, 7, MSG)

Joab, against David’s explicit command (2 Samuel 18.5), kills Absalom:

Joab…grabbed three knives and stabbed Absalom in the heart…Joab then blew the ram’s horn trumpet, calling off the army in its pursuit of Israel. They took Absalom, dumped him into a huge pit in the forest, and piled an immense mound of rocks over him. Meanwhile the whole army of Israel was in flight, each man making his own way home. (2 Samuel 18.14 – 17, MSG)

The Absalom rebellion is over except for David’s grief, which we’ll look at tomorrow along with David’s return to Jerusalem.

A Psalm of David when he fled from Absalom his son.
¹  O LORD, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me;
²  many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God. Selah
³  But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.
⁴  I cried aloud to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah
⁵  I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.
⁶  I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.
⁷  Arise, O LORD! Save me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.
⁸  Salvation belongs to the LORD; your blessing be on your people! Selah (Psalm 3, ESV)

2 Samuel 16 records three disparate events involving David’s fleeing Jerusalem and Absalom’s occupation.

First, Ziba, Mephibosheth’s servant, meets David with food.

Shortly after David passed the crest of the hill, Mephibosheth’s steward Ziba met him with a string of pack animals, saddled and loaded with a hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin cakes, a hundred baskets of fresh fruit, and a skin of wine. The king said to Ziba, “What’s all this?” “The donkeys,” said Ziba, “are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and fruit are for the servants to eat, and the wine is for drinking, especially for those overcome by fatigue in the wilderness.” (2 Samuel 16.1, 2, MSG)

I heard a pastor say that the phrase in the second half of Psalm 23 could be referring to this incident (or a similar one a few chapters later):

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies… (Psalm 23.5, ESV)

Unfortunately, Ziba also lied to David:

The king said, “And where is your master’s grandson?” “He stayed in Jerusalem,” said Ziba. “He said, ‘This is the day Israel is going to restore my grandfather’s kingdom to me.’ ” (2 Samuel 16.3, MSG, compare 2 Samuel 19.24 – 30)

The second incident involves Shimei:

When the king got to Bahurim, a man appeared who had connections with Saul’s family. His name was Shimei son of Gera. As he followed along he shouted insults and threw rocks right and left at David and his company, servants and soldiers alike. To the accompaniment of curses he shouted, “Get lost, get lost, you butcher, you hellhound! GOD has paid you back for all your dirty work in the family of Saul and for stealing his kingdom. GOD has given the kingdom to your son Absalom. Look at you now—ruined! And good riddance, you pathetic old man!” (2 Samuel 16.5 – 8, MSG)

David’s men know what to do!

Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “This mangy dog can’t insult my master the king this way—let me go over and cut off his head!” (2 Samuel 16.9, MSG)

But David spares Shimei now when leaving Jerusalem and again when he returns as we’ll see later.

But the king said, “Why are you sons of Zeruiah always interfering and getting in the way? If he’s cursing, it’s because GOD told him, “Curse David.” So who dares raise questions? Besides, my own son, my flesh and bone, is right now trying to kill me; compared to that this Benjaminite is small potatoes. Don’t bother with him; let him curse; he’s preaching GOD’s word to me. And who knows, maybe GOD will see the trouble I’m in today and exchange the curses for something good.” (2 Samuel 16.10 – 12, MSG)

Finally, the scene switches to Jerusalem, and we see what kind of man Absalom is as well as his trusted advisor Ahithophel:

Then Absalom spoke to Ahithophel, “Are you ready to give counsel? What do we do next?” Ahithophel told Absalom, “Go and sleep with your father’s concubines, the ones he left to tend to the palace. Everyone will hear that you have openly disgraced your father, and the morale of everyone on your side will be strengthened.” So Absalom pitched a tent up on the roof in public view, and went in and slept with his father’s concubines. (2 Samuel 16.20 – 22, MSG)

God’s word to Nathan has come true:

This is GOD speaking, remember! I’ll make trouble for you out of your own family. I’ll take your wives from right out in front of you. I’ll give them to some neighbor, and he’ll go to bed with them openly. You did your deed in secret; I’m doing mine with the whole country watching! (2 Samuel 12.11 – 12, MSG)

Nasty stuff. We can read the whole story in a few minutes, and we know that David’s forces defeat Absalom, and that David returns to Jerusalem, but it wouldn’t have been easy to live through. Sin has consequences even when God forgives:

Then David confessed to Nathan, “I’ve sinned against GOD.” Nathan pronounced, “Yes, but that’s not the last word. GOD forgives your sin. You won’t die for it. (2 Samuel 12. 13, MSG)

Nathan had already pronounced God’s blessing on David’s offspring even knowing they would sin, too:

I’ll be a father to him, and he’ll be a son to me. When he does wrong, I’ll discipline him in the usual ways, the pitfalls and obstacles of this mortal life. But I’ll never remove my gracious love from him, as I removed it from Saul, who preceded you and whom I most certainly did remove. Your family and your kingdom are permanently secured. I’m keeping my eye on them! And your royal throne will always be there, rock solid.” (2 Samuel 7.14 – 16, MSG)

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1.9, ESV)

We left David finally reconciling with Absalom at the end of 2 Samuel 14. A short-lived reconciliation as Absalom moves to take over the country.

This Absalom! There wasn’t a man in all Israel talked about so much for his handsome good looks—and not a blemish on him from head to toe! When he cut his hair—he always cut it short in the spring because it had grown so heavy—the weight of the hair from his head was over two pounds! …As time went on, Absalom took to riding in a horse-drawn chariot, with fifty men running in front of him. Early each morning he would take up his post beside the road at the city gate. When anyone showed up with a case to bring to the king for a decision, Absalom would call him over and say, “Where do you hail from?” And the answer would come, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” Then Absalom would say, “Look, you’ve got a strong case; but the king isn’t going to listen to you.” Then he’d say, “Why doesn’t someone make me a judge for this country? Anybody with a case could bring it to me and I’d settle things fair and square.” Whenever someone would treat him with special honor, he’d shrug it off and treat him like an equal, making him feel important. Absalom did this to everyone who came to do business with the king and stole the hearts of everyone in Israel. (2 Samuel 14.25, 26…15.1 – 6, MSG)

Absalom goes to Hebron and declares himself king. (2 Samuel 15.7 – 10) What strikes me is how quickly David reacts:

Someone came to David with the report, “The whole country has taken up with Absalom!” “Up and out of here!” called David to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem. “We’ve got to run for our lives or none of us will escape Absalom! Hurry, he’s about to pull the city down around our ears and slaughter us all!” (2 Samuel 15.13 – 14, MSG)

He and his entourage left Jerusalem immediately, and he had the presence of mind to set up a communication system and send in a man to influence Absalom’s actions:

The king directed Zadok the priest, “Here’s the plan: Return to the city peacefully, with Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son, with you. I’ll wait at a spot in the wilderness across the river, until I get word from you telling us what’s up.” …As David approached the top of the hill where God was worshiped, Hushai the Arkite, clothes ripped to shreds and dirt on his head, was there waiting for him. David said, “If you come with me, you’ll be just one more piece of luggage. Go back to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I’m ready to be your servant, O King; I used to be your father’s servant, now I’m your servant.’ Do that and you’ll be able to confuse Ahithophel’s counsel for me. The priests Zadok and Abiathar are already there; whatever information you pick up in the palace, tell them. Their two sons—Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan—are there with them—anything you pick up can be sent to me by them.” (2 Samuel 15.27 – 28…32 – 36, MSG)

Back to the idea of quick action. Sahil Bloom recently shared a list of maxims with this syntax: Your entire life will change the moment you stop [X] and start [Y]. First on the list?

Stop gathering more information and start acting on the information you already have.

King David did this, and it saved his life. We’ll pick up the story tomorrow.

Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. (Ecclesiastes 11.6, NIV)

Nathan warns David of consequences to follow for his shameful acts of adultery and murder, among the consequences:

I’ll make trouble for you out of your own family. (2 Samuel 12.11, MSG)

And it starts:

Some time later, this happened: Absalom, David’s son, had a sister who was very attractive. Her name was Tamar. Amnon, also David’s son, was in love with her. (2 Samuel 13.1, MSG)

Another sordid story, in which Amnon, egged on by a cousin, rapes Tamar when she refuses his advances. (2 Samuel 13.1 – 20)

David’s reaction is odd:

King David heard the whole story and was enraged, but he didn’t discipline Amnon. David doted on him because he was his firstborn. (2 Samuel 13.21 – 22, MSG)

I think David had lost moral authority because of his own affair. The Message includes the phrase “he doted on him…” That phrase is in the Dead Sea Scroll:

(ESV) Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint add But he would not punish his son Amnon, because he loved him, since he was his firstborn

Without that insertion, the text just reads, “David was very angry.”

“Very angry” is not the same as “took action.”

David doesn’t act, but Tamar’s brother Absalom does…two years later. Absalom has his servants kill Amnon, and Absalom flees to Geshur. Three years pass. (2 Samuel 13.23 – 39)

2 Samuel 14 describes the process where Joab, using a woman to tell David (another) story, persuades David to allow Absalom to return to Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 14.1 – 22) But then, we have another “David-error.”

Joab got up, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. The king said, “He may return to his house, but he is not to see me face to face.” So Absalom returned home, but was not permitted to see the king. (2 Samuel 14.23, 24, MSG)

Seriously? God forgave David for adultery and murder. Absalom simply executed Amnon for raping his sister. And David can’t forgive Absalom? For something that was probably David’s fault? After all, David didn’t confront Amnon. And it’s all part of the consequences that God promised through Nathan in chapter 12.

David and Absalom reconcile by the end of the chapter (2 Samuel 14.28 – 33), but it will be short-lived. Stay tuned.

But God does not take away life. He works out ways to get the exile back. (2 Samuel 14.14, MSG)

Then his master summoned him and said to him, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?” (Matthew 18.32, 33, ESV)

May will have to go down as my month to miss stuff… First the Kentucky Derby on May 4 and now the Northern Lights. We were out Friday night and didn’t look. We tried last night, but, alas, there was cloud cover to our north. I’ll have to be content with others’ pictures.

My son Mark took this picture outside his back door in northern Colorado Springs:

Peter Schwepker posted this spectacular picture on NextDoor, taken just after midnight, Saturday morning, near Peyton, Colorado, a few miles east of here:

Finally, Fox Weather posted his picture, taken from a time lapse above Ballynafagh Church in Kildare, Ireland:

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (Psalm 19.1, ESV)

God’s glory is on tour in the skies, God-craft on exhibit across the horizon. (Psalm 19.1, MSG)

Recently, I was talking with my friend Ray, formerly on staff with The Navigators, then a pastor, now a pastor disciple-making coach. We were bemoaning the fact that pastors are busy, and when asked to think about investing relationally in people individually or in small groups, their first response is often that they don’t have time for that – their ministry is the pulpit.

Then we recalled something our Navigator mentors used to say about Jesus’ ministry:

• Jesus loved the multitudes.
• He helped many.
• He trained a few.

That’s Jesus’ model, and it should be ours. If a pastor can’t find time to invest in individuals, how will his doctors, attorneys, truck drivers, school teachers, stay-at-home moms, etc., find time?

I was privileged to teach a 2-week discipleship class in a seminary in Haiti three times: 2006 – 2008. When first invited by the seminary director, Dr. Bill Cooper, I said something like:

I’d be honored to teach your seminarians—pastors and future pastors—and here’s the message: “Men, I hope that on Sunday you preach to thousands. But on Monday, I want you to sit down with a man and train him.”

Dr. Bill confirmed, “That’s exactly what I want you to teach them!”

I don’t make this stuff up. The Apostle Paul, applying Jesus’ model of love the multitudes, help many, train a few, wrote to Timothy:

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2.2, NIV)

One of my Haitian classes balked. “Teacher, we are bi-vocational, we don’t have time to meet with people individually.” I had two responses:

• By any definition, Timothy was a pastor. What part of 2 Timothy 2.2 does not apply to you?
• Could you sit down with one guy for one hour, once a week?

“I guess we could do that.” Then start there.

Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach… (Mark 3.13, 14, NIV)

King David is now a known adulterer and murderer, and Nathan gets the unenviable task of confronting him. Nathan, in addition to being obedient, must believe that deep down David is still a man who fears God, who is redeemable. A normal king, who was given to murder, wouldn’t tolerate a challenge; he would literally “shoot the messenger.” But Nathan counts on David’s tender heart by telling him a story:

But GOD was not at all pleased with what David had done, and sent Nathan to David. Nathan said to him, “There were two men in the same city—one rich, the other poor. The rich man had huge flocks of sheep, herds of cattle. The poor man had nothing but one little female lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up with him and his children as a member of the family. It ate off his plate and drank from his cup and slept on his bed. It was like a daughter to him. One day a traveler dropped in on the rich man. He was too stingy to take an animal from his own herds or flocks to make a meal for his visitor, so he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared a meal to set before his guest.” (2 Samuel 12.1 – 4, MSG)

Nathan got the response he desired and turned the tables on David:

David exploded in anger. “As surely as GOD lives,” he said to Nathan, “the man who did this ought to be lynched! He must repay for the lamb four times over for his crime and his stinginess!” “You’re the man!” said Nathan. (2 Samuel 12.5 – 7, MSG)

“You’re the man,” and you will suffer consequences:

And now, because you treated God with such contempt and took Uriah the Hittite’s wife as your wife, killing and murder will continually plague your family. This is GOD speaking, remember! I’ll make trouble for you out of your own family. I’ll take your wives from right out in front of you. I’ll give them to some neighbor, and he’ll go to bed with them openly. You did your deed in secret; I’m doing mine with the whole country watching! (2 Samuel 12.10 – 12, MSG)

Confrontation, consequences, but thankfully, David confesses:

Then David confessed to Nathan, “I’ve sinned against GOD.” (2 Samuel 12.13, MSG)

David understands that he has sinned against God. It’s the perspective he should have thought of before he acted. Joseph did. (Genesis 39.1 – 9) Job did. (Job 31.1 – 4) Here’s part of David’s confession as recorded in Psalm 51:

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin!

For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.

And there are more consequences:

Nathan pronounced, “Yes, but that’s not the last word. GOD forgives your sin. You won’t die for it. But because of your blasphemous behavior, the son born to you will die.” (2 Samuel 12.13 – 14, MSG)

The child does die (2 Samuel 12.15 – 23), but the story has a surprise ending:

David went and comforted his wife Bathsheba. And when he slept with her, they conceived a son. When he was born they named him Solomon. GOD had a special love for him and sent word by Nathan the prophet that GOD wanted him named Jedidiah (God’s Beloved). (2 Samuel 12.24 – 25, MSG)

Surprising…the wife David stole after committing adultery with her and murdering her husband becomes his legal wife and the mother of the next king. It’s all recorded without apology in the genealogy of Jesus, the true king and ultimate “son of David:”

Jesse had David, and David became king. David had Solomon (Uriah’s wife was the mother). (Matthew 1.6, MSG)

And there’s one more paragraph: Joab gets David back into the battle (contrast 2 Samuel 11.1):

Joab, at war in Rabbah against the Ammonites, captured the royal city. He sent messengers to David saying, “I’m fighting at Rabbah, and I’ve just captured the city’s water supply. Hurry and get the rest of the troops together and set up camp here at the city and complete the capture yourself. Otherwise, I’ll capture it and get all the credit instead of you.” So David marshaled all the troops, went to Rabbah, and fought and captured it. (2 Samuel 12.26 – 29, MSG)

It’s a good ending…but it’s not an ending. Nathan promised consequences, and we’ll be reading about those beginning in chapter 13.

King David, phenomenally successful in battle decides to take a break.

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab…But David remained at Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 11.1, ESV)

In a remarkable economy of words, we have the sordid tale:

One late afternoon, David got up from taking his nap and was strolling on the roof of the palace. From his vantage point on the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was stunningly beautiful. David sent to ask about her, and was told, “Isn’t this Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah the Hittite?” David sent his agents to get her. After she arrived, he went to bed with her. (This occurred during the time of “purification” following her period.) Then she returned home. Before long she realized she was pregnant. Later she sent word to David: “I’m pregnant.” (2 Samuel 11.2 – 5, MSG)

• David got up from his nap (nothing to do!).
• He saw a woman bathing…stunningly beautiful.
• He took her even though she was married.
• She got pregnant.

What happened to “the man after God’s own heart”? How did he develop such hubris? It was secret, but it wasn’t. He involved his staff, and it’s unfortunate that no one (that we know of) tried to talk him out of this: not his staff, not Bathsheba herself (contrast Abigail).

David tries to cover his tracks by bringing her husband home: verses 6 – 13. When that fails, he has Uriah killed in battle: verses 14 – 17. Then he marries Bathsheba. You can read the whole story in 2 Samuel 11. Well, it’s not quite the whole story. In most translations, the chapter ends with:

But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD. – You think!?

We have confrontation, confession, and consequences in chapter 12, and there are lessons too important to rush through. Stay tuned.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it…Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4.23…25 – 27, NIV)

Wedged in between the 2 Samuel stories of wars is a story of “amazing grace.” It begins this way:

One day David asked, “Is there anyone left of Saul’s family? If so, I’d like to show him some kindness in honor of Jonathan.” It happened that a servant from Saul’s household named Ziba was there…The king asked, “Is there anyone left from the family of Saul to whom I can show some godly kindness?” Ziba told the king, “Yes, there is Jonathan’s son, lame in both feet.” 2 Samuel 9.1 – 3, MSG)

Lame in both feet. Here’s the backstory:

It so happened that Saul’s son, Jonathan, had a son who was maimed in both feet. When he was five years old, the report on Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and ran, but in her hurry to get away she fell, and the boy was maimed. His name was Mephibosheth. (2 Samuel 4.4, MSG)

David summons Mephibosheth who doesn’t have much of a self-image:

“Don’t be frightened,” said David. “I’d like to do something special for you in memory of your father Jonathan. To begin with, I’m returning to you all the properties of your grandfather Saul. Furthermore, from now on you’ll take all your meals at my table.” Shuffling and stammering, not looking him in the eye, Mephibosheth said, “Who am I that you pay attention to a stray dog like me?” (2 Samuel 9.7, 8, MSG)

“A stray dog” (the more literal translations say, “dead dog”) who can make no contribution to David, and the chapter ends affirming that fact:

Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, taking all his meals at the king’s table. He was lame in both feet. (2 Samuel 9.13, MSG)

“Lame in both feet” – 2 Samuel 9.3 and 13. God doesn’t want us to miss it. We, too, are invited to the King’s Table. Some call it the Lord’s Supper; others, the Eucharist. No matter what we call it, we get to participate not based on our merit because, like Mephibosheth, we’re all “lame in both feet.”

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins… (Ephesians 2.1, ESV)

Then he said to his servants, “The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.” So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests. (Matthew 22.8 – 10, NIV)

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone… (Ephesians 2.19, 20, ESV)