David's Response to His Enemies

After Absalom begins his take over of his father’s kingdom – David would have said it was God’s kingdom – David and his people flee.

2 Samuel 15:23…toward the way of the WILDERNESS.

Can you imagine David’s heart on this journey? It wasn’t a journey he chose nor one that he was glad to embark on. It was a situation totally beyond his control. And to top it off, his pilgrimage is not a smooth one – on this “way of the wilderness” David encounters lots of issues.

Remember David’s response to Saul? Well here in 2 Samuel 16:5-14 we are given another glimpse at David’s response to another one of his enemies.

v. 5 - …came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shemei…he came forth, and cursed still as he came.

v. 6 – And he cast stones at David…

v. 7 – And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:

v. 8 – The LORD hath returned…the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son:…thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.

Shimei was sort of saying, “Everything that is happening to you, David, is your fault. God is judging you”. If this were me, I’d be a basket case by this point. Just let me crawl under a rock and never come out.

v. 9 – (read the response of those with David? Yeah, this would probably be me. “Off with his head!”)

David’s response:

vv. 10-12 – And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? Let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him. It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will require me good for his cursing this day.

v. 13 – And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hillside over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.

How is that for additional turmoil on this already difficult journey – someone right along with you cursing you and throwing stones and dust at you?

v. 14 – And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.

Then later in 2 Samuel 18:5 we read, …Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom…(This was David’s concern for his son, Absalom, regardless of all that Absalom had brought him through).

Then when David finds out about Absalom’s death we read in 2 Samuel 18:33, David response, And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

Breaks your heart, doesn’t it? David’s treatment of his enemies gives us much to ponder and meditate, and also brings us to a place of searching our hearts to say, “Change my heart, O God, make it ever new. Change my heart, O God, may I be like YOU.”