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2 Samuel 19-21 Deep Diving Bible Study

 

Good Morning, Siblings! 

Today’s readings are 2 Samuel 19-21

Read today’s Bible readings at BibleGateway by clicking here.

I’m going to try to keep my notes on the brief side today because I’m hoping to carve out some time to chase a Bible rabbit trail I’ve had on the backburner for many weeks. We’ll see how that goes!

We are heading into Kings soon, which I just love. They are more historical books and there are some fascinating details as well as fast paced stories. Also, I won’t be harping on obedience quite as much – but we will be seeing firsthand how YHWH views obedience vs disobedience throughout those books. Keep in mind, though, that the source of the call to obedience is not mine, but the Father’s. His voice repeats that call throughout our reading and once we get into the Gospel, our Messiah  takes up the call as well. Messiah only reinforced and upheld the Father’s wise words and instruction – He never contradicted, diminished, or annulled.

Joab rebukes David

Joab, who also happens to be David’s nephew in addition to his military commander, sees him falling apart and recognizes this behavior for the insult that it is to Israel. The example David is presenting is undermining his kingdom and Joab is bold enough to call him on it. While Joab is certainly not a model citizen, in this moment, he proves himself to be the kind of friend we would all be blessed to have. It’s the Southern equivalent of “You’re gonna mop up your face, fix your hair, put on some clean clothes, and go out there and be who you are called to be.”

In the middle of chapter nineteen we see David letting the tribes know that they need to formally welcome him back as the rightful king. This, no doubt, will help squelch any remaining thoughts of rebellion and direct the herd in where to settle their allegiance. It is a sad but true state of affairs that humans tend to look around us to discern the direction of the crowd as an affirmation that we are headed in the right direction. This is a reminder that, as followers of YHWH, we need to be training ourselves to ago against this fleshly instinct and look to Him for direction instead.

Let the crowd go where the crowd goes, we aren’t following crowds. We’re following our Father.

Chapter 21 depicts a famine in which David discerned was due to the bloodguilt of Saul for a crime we are reading about for the first time. We aren’t told many details other than that it was an unjust killing of many residents of Gibeon. Recall that Israel had sworn not to harm the Gibeonites in Joshua 9. Further, they had become water bearers and servants to Israel.

But this is key, Saul was not alive to pay the bloodguilt price for his crime – AND YHWH did not instruct David to do what he decided to do. These actions are not ordered nor were they sanctioned by YHWH. In fact, many of them area against His law. For all we know, He was about to draw the famine to a close.

Also, famine does not mean they had no food or water. It merely means that they didn’t have it being produced within their land. This famine is a drought in which their own crops were unable to grow but it does not mention starvation. More likely, food was being imported from neighboring lands.

This is a time in which Israel had began drifting further and further away from YHWH’s law. And so, rather than consult YHWH, David gives Saul’s descendants over to the Gibeonites and even after their murder, they treated them with disrespect, Deut 21:23 states that they should have been buried before nightfall but they were allowed to stay for a very long time.

Amorites or Gibeonites? Most texts go back and forth, calling this group by both names. The Gibeonites were actually descendants of the Amorites, so that is easily reconciled. Just as I can say that I am a Jordan because I am married into my husband’s family, but as a descendant of my maternal grandfather, I can also say that I am a Reed.

I’m going to leave my notes at this and look forward to your insights and additions in the comments on today’s post in our Facebook group.

We live in a time in which the Father is calling to us. Take a moment to consider the gravity of this.

Our Shepherd is standing at the gate, calling out to His sheep in the fields. Many are too busy, too distracted, or too comfortable on their patch of grass to even look up.

But we hear Him. We know that voice. In answer to His call, let us RUN with joy! 


Test everything, hold tight to what is good.~ 1 Thess 5:21

We are saved by Grace alone: Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit!

May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!