8/30/2006

Shimei

1 Kings 2:36-46 - Then the king sent for Shimei and said to him, "Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head."

Shimei answered the king, "What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said." And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.

But three years later, two of Shimei's slaves ran off to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath, and Shimei was told, "Your slaves are in Gath." At this, he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves. So Shimei went away and brought the slaves back from Gath.

When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned, the king summoned Shimei and said to him, "Did I not make you swear by the LORD and warn you, 'On the day you leave to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die'? At that time you said to me, 'What you say is good. I will obey.' Why then did you not keep your oath to the LORD and obey the command I gave you?"

The king also said to Shimei, "You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the LORD will repay you for your wrongdoing. But King Solomon will be blessed, and David's throne will remain secure before the LORD forever."

Then the king gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down and killed him.

I wonder why Shimei went after the slaves himself. Was there no one else he could have sent? Did he think no one would notice he had gone?

I wonder who reported Shimei's absence to Solomon. Did Solomon have someone watching (guarding? spying?) on Shimei 24/7? Was there someone who was looking to get Shimei into trouble? Out of the way?

I wonder if Shimei got the slaves back.

Adonijah's request

1 Kings 2:19-22 - When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king's mother, and she sat down at his right hand.

"I have one small request to make of you," she said. "Do not refuse me."

The king replied, "Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you."

So she said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah."

King Solomon answered his mother, "Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him -- after all, he is my older brother -- yes, for him and for Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!"

Abishag had served King David shortly before his death. She waited on him and lay next to him to help keep him warm. I wonder if they were considered a married couple (even though the relationship was never consummated).

I wonder why Solomon equates Adonijah's request for Abishag with asking for the entire kingdom. Was his request the ultimate insult? Or the ultimate challenge and an act of rebellion? (It wouldn't have been his first.) Was it something simply unheard of -- to ask for a deceased king's aide? Near-concubine? Wife?

I wonder why Bathsheba carried Adonijah's request to Solomon. Surely she must have known how Solomon would react. Was this her way of getting rid of Adonijah, who had earlier tried to take the throne before Solomon was appointed by David?

For that matter, I wonder why Adonijah made the request in the first place. Surely he too knew all of the above! Did he really think Solomon would act any differently?

8/28/2006

Araunah's threshing floor

2 Samuel 24:15-16 - So the LORD sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, "Enough! Withdraw your hand." The angel of the LORD was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

I wonder if David was the only one who could see the angel. Araunah doesn't seem to have noticed the angel because he is puzzled as to why David is paying him a visit. You'd think that, if Araunah had seen and recognized the angel, he could have put two and two together.

I wonder how David knew it was the angel of destruction that he saw at the threshing floor. Was it from Gad's message and the being's location? Was it the general appearance of the being? Did David see the angel strike anyone dead before God stopped him? Did the angel look capable of doing so?

I wonder what plague the angel used to strike people dead. Or was the angel himself the plague? Was some natural occurance, like a heart attack, used? Was it some less common disease? Or even a common yet deadly, untreatable disease? It seems to have been something that took effect quickly as it sounds like the 70,000 all died that one day.

8/27/2006

Joab vs Amasa

2 Samuel 19:13 + 20:9-10 - And say to Amasa, 'Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if from now on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab.' "

Joab said to Amasa, "How are you, my brother?" Then Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. Amasa was not on his guard against the dagger in Joab's hand, and Joab plunged it into his belly, and his intestines spilled out on the ground. Without being stabbed again, Amasa died. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bicri.

I wonder why David so suddenly replaced Joab with Amasa. Was it because Joab had killed Absalom? Had Joab done something else to displease David? Had Amasa shown himself to be a better leader than Joab?

In any case, I wonder if David realized how upset this would make Joab. Or did David expect Joab to react violently in order to get rid of Amasa?!

8/26/2006

The return of the king

2 Samuel 19:9-12 - Throughout the tribes of Israel, the people were all arguing with each other, saying, "The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies; he is the one who rescued us from the hand of the Philistines. But now he has fled the country because of Absalom; and Absalom, whom we anointed to rule over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?"

King David sent this message to Zadok and Abiathar, the priests: "Ask the elders of Judah, 'Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his palace, since what is being said throughout Israel has reached the king at his quarters? You are my brothers, my own flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to bring back the king?'

Absalom was dead. The rebel army he had led had fled back to their homes. I wonder why David and his army did not simply move back into Jerusalem without waiting to be invited. Was there a tradition or custom about bringing the king back to his throne that isn't spelled out here? If not, why did David ask the elders of Judah to assist in bringing him back to the palace? Did the phrase "bring the king back" have some idiomatic meaning that is lost on us today?

8/25/2006

Run from the forest, Ahimaaz! Run!

2 Samuel 18:19-33 - Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, "Let me run and take the news to the king that the LORD has delivered him from the hand of his enemies."

"You are not the one to take the news today," Joab told him. "You may take the news another time, but you must not do so today, because the king's son is dead."

Then Joab said to a Cushite, "Go, tell the king what you have seen." The Cushite bowed down before Joab and ran off.

Ahimaaz son of Zadok again said to Joab, "Come what may, please let me run behind the Cushite."

But Joab replied, "My son, why do you want to go? You don't have any news that will bring you a reward."

He said, "Come what may, I want to run."

So Joab said, "Run!" Then Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone. The watchman called out to the king and reported it.

The king said, "If he is alone, he must have good news." And the man came closer and closer.

Then the watchman saw another man running, and he called down to the gatekeeper, "Look, another man running alone!"

The king said, "He must be bringing good news, too."

The watchman said, "It seems to me that the first one runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok."

"He's a good man," the king said. "He comes with good news."

Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, "All is well!" He bowed down before the king with his face to the ground and said, "Praise be to the LORD your God! He has delivered up the men who lifted their hands against my lord the king."

The king asked, "Is the young man Absalom safe?"

Ahimaaz answered, "I saw great confusion just as Joab was about to send the king's servant and me, your servant, but I don't know what it was."

The king said, "Stand aside and wait here." So he stepped aside and stood there.

Then the Cushite arrived and said, "My lord the king, hear the good news! The LORD has delivered you today from all who rose up against you."

The king asked the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom safe?"

The Cushite replied, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man."

The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: "O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you -- O Absalom, my son, my son!"

Like Joab, I wonder why Ahimaaz, who was known for his running, wanted so badly to run to King David with the news of Absalom's death. I wonder even more why he didn't tell David about it when he got there first! Maybe he changed his mind along the way. But then why did he keep running?

I wonder why the approach of a single running messenger was presumed to mean good news.

I wonder what it was about Ahimaaz's running style that made him recognizable from a distance. I wonder how many times before and in what circumstances the watchman had seen Ahimaaz run. Remember, no TV.

I wonder what the Cushite thought when he realized Ahimaaz got to David first. I wonder if he was surprised that Ahimaaz hadn't stolen his thunder.

8/24/2006

Battle of the forest

2 Samuel 18:6-8 - The army marched into the field to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. There the army of Israel was defeated by David's men, and the casualties that day were great—twenty thousand men. The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest claimed more lives that day than the sword.

I wonder if the 20,000 were all on Absalom's side or if that number included both sides. In either case, that's a lot of men for one battle in just one day.

Again, I wonder why David didn't stay to defend Jerusalem. He had thousands of men with him -- perhaps tens of thousands. Why did he tire them out by fleeing into the countryside first? (Not that it mattered in the end.)

I wonder what creatures and features of the forest killed so many men. Lions? Bears? Quicksand? Pits? Trees?? Or does the writer mean that being in the forest aided David's men in killing Absalom's men? That seems to be a stretch though. Were David's men better trained to fight in the terrain?

Hushai warns David

2 Samuel 17:15-22 - Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, "Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so. Now send a message immediately and tell David, 'Do not spend the night at the fords in the desert; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.' "

Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. A servant girl was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city. But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them left quickly and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it.

When Absalom's men came to the woman at the house, they asked, "Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?"

The woman answered them, "They crossed over the brook." The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem.

After the men had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, "Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you." So David and all the people with him set out and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.

If Jonathan and Ahimaaz had moved from En Rogel, where they had been spotted by someone sympathetic to Absalom, to Bahurim, where they were hidden in a covered well known only to those immediately involved, I wonder how Absalom's men knew to search the property of that particular well-owner. Even if they were searching the whole city, how did they know to pick Bahurim in the first place? Maybe it was one of only a few possible or likely places for Jonathan and Ahimaaz to have fled.

As long as Absalom's men were there, I wonder why they didn't do a more thorough search. The woman must have been quite persuasive in lying to them.

8/20/2006

Ahithophel

2 Samuel 16:23 - Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel's advice.

So when one of Ahithophel's recommendations to Absalom is having sex with David's concubines, of course that must be the right and best thing to do! Not!

I wonder why Hushai was consulted regarding whether Absalom should chase David immediately or not. Everyone did like Ahithophel's advice, so why ask anyone else?

Apparently it wasn't only David, Absalom, and the leaders of Israel who thought Ahithophel was top-notch. Ahithophel thought rather highly of himself too. So much so that when his advice is shunned just once (as far as we know) he goes off the deep end and commits suicide! I wonder if he thought his advice would never be followed again. Did he think he couldn't get another job in either Absalom's or David's administration?

Absalom vs David

2 Samuel 15:13-14 - A messenger came and told David, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom."

Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, "Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin upon us and put the city to the sword."

I wonder why David didn't stay at least to defend the city. Didn't he have an army? Wasn't this the same man who killed Goliath?

That said, David's actions fit the pattern of tolerance regarding the actions of his son Absalom. I wonder if this was why David hesitated to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem in the first place.

If David was concerned about Absalom putting Jerusalem to the sword, shouldn't he have stayed to defend it? I don't think every single person left the city. There were at least several hundred who did leave, but he did send a few of them back as spies.

Point to remember: David's journey here will be paralleled by Jesus during his last visit to Jerusalem before his death.

8/17/2006

Absalom, Joab, and David

2 Samuel 14:21-24, 28-33 - The king said to Joab, "Very well, I will do it. Go bring back the young man Absalom."

Joab fell with his face to the ground to pay him honor, and he blessed the king. Joab said, "Today your servant knows that he has found favor in your eyes, my lord the king, because the king has granted his servant's request."

Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. But the king said, "He must go to his own house; he must not see my face." So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.

Absalom lived 2 years in Jerusalem without seeing the king's face. Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come. Then he said to his servants, "Look, Joab's field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire." So Absalom's servants set the field on fire.

Then Joab did go to Absalom's house and said to him, "Why have your servants set my field on fire?"

Absalom said to Joab, "Look, I sent word to you and said, 'Come here so I can send you to the king to ask, "Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there." ' Now then, I want to see the king's face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death."

So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.

I must be missing something here. This whole scene seems pointless. Maybe there's some political aspect of the times that doesn't get told in this account that really has impact on how these men treat each other.
  • David misses Absalom after the murder of Amnon.
  • Absalom is apparently banished from Jerusalem.
  • Joab seeks to bring Absalom to Jerusalem.
  • David agrees but won't meet his son (the murderer).
  • Absalom wants to see David with the further aide of Joab.
  • Joab won't help until Absalom burns his barley field.
  • Absalom meets David.
That's it? All is well? Welcome home? Good to see you? It's as if nothing bad ever happened between them in the past few years. So why all the shenanigans listed above?

I wonder why Absalom is never punished for Amnon's murder.

I wonder why Joab is first so eager to help Absalom -- going so far as to hire an out-of-town actress to fool David -- but later won't even give him the time of day.

I wonder why Absalom considered it such a big deal to be able to see David again. He should have been afraid. "If I am guilty...." What do you mean "if"?

Then there's David...waffle, waffle, waffle. He wants to see him. He's banished. He brings him home. But not to see David. Years later he's persuaded to see Absalom. They meet, greet, hug and kiss. Make up your mind already!

Amnon and Absalom

2 Samuel 13:23-38 - Two years later, when Absalom's sheepshearers were at Baal Hazor near the border of Ephraim, he invited all the king's sons to come there. Absalom went to the king and said, "Your servant has had shearers come. Will the king and his officials please join me?"

"No, my son," the king replied. "All of us should not go; we would only be a burden to you." Although Absalom urged him, he still refused to go, but gave him his blessing.

Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon come with us."

The king asked him, "Why should he go with you?" But Absalom urged him, so he sent with him Amnon and the rest of the king's sons.

Absalom ordered his men, "Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, 'Strike Amnon down,' then kill him. Don't be afraid. Have not I given you this order? Be strong and brave." So Absalom's men did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king's sons got up, mounted their mules and fled.

While they were on their way, the report came to David: "Absalom has struck down all the king's sons; not one of them is left." The king stood up, tore his clothes and lay down on the ground; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

But Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother, said, "My lord should not think that they killed all the princes; only Amnon is dead. This has been Absalom's expressed intention ever since the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar. My lord the king should not be concerned about the report that all the king's sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead."

Meanwhile, Absalom had fled.

Now the man standing watch looked up and saw many people on the road west of him, coming down the side of the hill. The watchman went and told the king, "I see men in the direction of Horonaim, on the side of the hill."

Jonadab said to the king, "See, the king's sons are here; it has happened just as your servant said."

As he finished speaking, the king's sons came in, wailing loudly. The king, too, and all his servants wept very bitterly.

Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But King David mourned for his son every day.

After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he stayed there three years. 39 And the spirit of the king longed to go to Absalom, for he was consoled concerning Amnon's death.

I wonder if Absalom knew that David would refuse the invitation. I wonder if he asked just often enough to be polite and then gave up and asked for Amnon to attend instead.

If Absalom had already invited "all the king's sons," I wonder why Amnon needed a special invitation.

I wonder why Absalom had Amnon killed in the midst of a party and not quietly out in the countryside. I wonder why he waited 2 years.

I wonder why the rest of the king's sons ran away. Was there no one who could face Absalom?

I wonder who got the message of the killing to David sooner than any of the king's sons who had been in attendance. I wonder how Jonadab knew that only Amnon was dead. Was he in on the plot?

I wonder why no one went after Absalom, the murderer...for 3 years!

I don't understand why David...
  1. doesn't look to punish Absalom
  2. doesn't go to Absalom for such a long time
  3. almost seems to feel sorry for Absalom.

8/15/2006

Amnon and Tamar

2 Samuel 13:1-22 - In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David.

Amnon became frustrated to the point of illness on account of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her.

Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man. He asked Amnon, "Why do you, the king's son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won't you tell me?"

Amnon said to him, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."

"Go to bed and pretend to be ill," Jonadab said. "When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.' "

So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, "I would like my sister Tamar to come and make some special bread in my sight, so I may eat from her hand."

David sent word to Tamar at the palace: "Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare some food for him." So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made the bread in his sight and baked it. Then she took the pan and served him the bread, but he refused to eat.

"Send everyone out of here," Amnon said. So everyone left him. Then Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food here into my bedroom so I may eat from your hand." And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me, my sister."

"Don't, my brother!" she said to him. "Don't force me. Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don't do this wicked thing. What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you." But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.

Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, "Get up and get out!"

"No!" she said to him. "Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me."

But he refused to listen to her. He called his personal servant and said, "Get this woman out of here and bolt the door after her." So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. She was wearing a richly ornamented robe, for this was the kind of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore. Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornamented robe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went.

Her brother Absalom said to her, "Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet now, my sister; he is your brother. Don't take this thing to heart." And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom's house, a desolate woman.

When King David heard all this, he was furious. Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar.

I wonder why Amnon didn't consider marrying Tamar. When push came to shove, it was the first thing Tamar thought of. Perhaps special permission was needed from King David since Tamar was his half-sister, but she didn't think that would be a problem.

I wonder if Amnon always hid his feelings when in Tamar's presence and if his bread-baking request seemed at all suspicious or out-of-place to Tamar.

I am not accusing Tamar of doing wrong, but I wonder if she tried to scream or shout for help. I wonder if there would have been anyone around to hear her. The servants(?) who had just left the room couldn't have been too far away. I wonder if they suspected anything.

David was furious, but I wonder why he didn't do anything about it. Was it just because they were both his children? I wonder what he would have done if Amnon hadn't been his son.

Amnon and Tamar

2 Samuel 13:1-22 - In the course of time, Amnon son of David fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David.

Amnon became frustrated to the point of illness on account of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her.

Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man. He asked Amnon, "Why do you, the king's son, look so haggard morning after morning? Won't you tell me?"

Amnon said to him, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."

"Go to bed and pretend to be ill," Jonadab said. "When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.' "

So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, "I would like my sister Tamar to come and make some special bread in my sight, so I may eat from her hand."

David sent word to Tamar at the palace: "Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare some food for him." So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made the bread in his sight and baked it. Then she took the pan and served him the bread, but he refused to eat.

"Send everyone out of here," Amnon said. So everyone left him. Then Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food here into my bedroom so I may eat from your hand." And Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom. But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me, my sister."

"Don't, my brother!" she said to him. "Don't force me. Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don't do this wicked thing. What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you." But he refused to listen to her, and since he was stronger than she, he raped her.

Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, "Get up and get out!"

"No!" she said to him. "Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me."

But he refused to listen to her. He called his personal servant and said, "Get this woman out of here and bolt the door after her." So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. She was wearing a richly ornamented robe, for this was the kind of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore. Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornamented robe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went.

Her brother Absalom said to her, "Has that Amnon, your brother, been with you? Be quiet now, my sister; he is your brother. Don't take this thing to heart." And Tamar lived in her brother Absalom's house, a desolate woman.

When King David heard all this, he was furious. Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar.

I wonder why Amnon didn't consider marrying Tamar. When push came to shove, it was the first thing Tamar thought of. Perhaps special permission was needed from King David since Tamar was his half-sister, but she didn't think that would be a problem.

I wonder if Amnon always hid his feelings when in Tamar's presence and if his bread-baking request seemed at all suspicious or out-of-place to Tamar.

I am not accusing Tamar of doing wrong, but I wonder if she tried to scream or shout for help. I wonder if there would have been anyone around to hear her. The servants(?) who had just left the room couldn't have been too far away. I wonder if they suspected anything.

David was furious, but I wonder why he didn't do anything about it. Was it just because they were both his children? I wonder what he would have done if Amnon hadn't been his son.

8/14/2006

That's one big crown

2 Samuel 12:29-30 - So David mustered the entire army and went to Rabbah, and attacked and captured it. He took the crown from the head of their king -- its weight was a talent of gold, and it was set with precious stones -- and it was placed on David's head.

The footnote in my Bible says that a talent is about 75 pounds (34kg). I wonder how a crown that size could be worn on anyone's head (unless it was some large man like Goliath). Think of other things that weigh 75 pounds.

  • A bag and a half of solar salt that goes into the water softener
  • A small teenager
  • A large dog
Perhaps the crown was constructed so that some of the weight was distributed on the king's shoulders and not just on his head and neck. But still....

8/12/2006

Six steps

2 Samuel 6:12-13 - Now King David was told, "The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God." So David went down and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he sacrified a bull and a fattened calf.

I wonder in what ways Obed-Edom was blessed by the LORD. I wonder if he had been doing poorly business-wise before and now suddenly business was booming. I wonder if his health had been poor and now he was fit as a fiddle. I wonder if the women in his household had fertility problems and now all of them were pregnant. Did he win the local lottery?

I wonder if Obed-Edom was sad to see the ark leave. He probably didn't object to it outright, but I wonder if he thought about it. I wonder if God continued to bless his household after the ark was gone.

I wonder if David had told the ark-bearers what he was going to do after their 6th step. I wonder if they waited to take the 7th step until after the sacrifices had been made.

I wonder why 6 steps. The only other significant "6" I can think of is the 6 days of creation. But I can only stretch a loose connection at best between the two events.

Marching in the balsam trees

2 Samuel 5:22-25 - Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; so David inquired of the LORD, and he answered, "Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them in front of the balsam trees. As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because that will mean the LORD has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army." So David did as the LORD commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer.

I wonder if the LORD used some natural sound that can be made by balsam trees to sound like marching troops or if it was something more miraculous.

I wonder why he used the marching sound as a sign to attack. Did that mean something else was happening at the same time (other than the LORD himself preparing the way somehow)?

8/10/2006

Abner and Joab stop fighting

2 Samuel 2:26-28 - Abner called out to Joab, "Must the sword devour forever? Don't you realize that this will end in bitterness? How long before you order your men to stop pursuing their brothers?"

Joab answered, "As surely as God lives, if you had not spoken, the men would have continued the pursuit of their brothers until morning."

So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the men came to a halt; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight any more.

I wonder if Abner was always known for understatement. "...this will end in bitterness." Ya think?

I wonder what the turning point was for General Abner to want a truce. He had lost more men than General Joab (360 to 19), but why hadn't he stopped earlier at, say, 213 to 6? I wonder why Joab was so agreeable. Why didn't he just finish them off? The battle seems to have been turned on and off like a faucet. "Okay, guys, we're done for the day. Time to go home."

I wonder if Joab personally blew the trumpet or if he had a designated trumpet-blower. Yes, it says, "Joab blew the trumpet," but that could be the equivalent of "Solomon built the Temple."

8/09/2006

Abner vs Joab

2 Samuel 2:12-17 - Abner son of Ner, together with the men of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, left Mahanaim and went to Gibeon. Joab son of Zeruiah and David's men went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat down on one side of the pool and one group on the other side.

Then Abner said to Joab, "Let's have some of the young men get up and fight hand to hand in front of us."

"All right, let them do it," Joab said.

So they stood up and were counted off -- 12 men for Benjamin and Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, and 12 for David. Then each man grabbed his opponent by the head and thrust his dagger into his opponent's side, and they fell down together. So that place in Gibeon was called Hellkath Hazzurim.

The battle that day was very fierce, and Abner and the men of Israel were defeated by David's men.

I wonder why the two generals, Abner and Joab, made the pretense of meeting for a nice little chat in Gibeon -- almost as if gathering for peace talks -- when what they apparently wanted was an all-out battle. Why did they lead up to it a step at a time...meet, greet, and chat by the pool, a little entertainment that seems almost like a choreographed, synchronized dance, 24 soldiers dead in the mini-battle, and finally full-scale war.

I wonder if they counted off the first 12 guys in the ranks. Or did they pick and choose their best at hand-to-hand combat?

If the two groups were on each side of the pool, and the 24 young men fought in front of them...?

I wonder if they had all been trained exactly the same way. I wonder if the results were what the generals expected.

I wonder what the citizens of Gibeon thought when they heard two armies were coming to town.

"Hey, Shekariah, did you know General Abner's in town over by the pool?"

"Duh! And did you hear who's supposed to get here this afternoon? General Joab!"

"Uh-oh."

"Yeah."

"Wanna take the wife and kids fishing? I hear they're biting in the Jordan."

"I'm with you. Let's go."

8/08/2006

David moves to Hebron

2 Samuel 2:1-3 - In the course of time, David inquired of the LORD. "Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?" he asked.

The LORD said, "Go up."

David asked, "Where shall I go?"

"To Hebron," the LORD answered.

So David went up with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns.

I wonder if David and his men had still been living in Ziklag which had been given to him by Achish, the Philistine king of Gath. I wonder if Achish gave David permission to go. Achish had considered David a servant. I wonder if David had become too strong for Achish to make any demands of him.

If they were all leaving Ziklag and moving to Hebron, I wonder what became of Ziklag. Did the Philistines repopulate it? Did some other tribe or nation move in?

I wonder what it was like to have the LORD give specific answers to specific questions -- perhaps even aloud in one's hearing or in the hearing of many. He still answers our inquiries today, of course, but not usually in quite the same explicit and physical way. I wonder if we too often don't ask enough questions, or don't ask specific enough questions, or don't even ask the right questions.

8/07/2006

The witch of Endor

1 Samuel 28:3-19 - Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.

The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all the Israelites and set up camp at Gilboa. When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart. He inquired of the LORD, but the LORD did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. Saul then said to his attendants, "Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her."

"There is one in Endor," they said.

So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. "Consult a spirit for me," he said, "and bring up for me the one I name."

But the woman said to him, "Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?"

Saul swore to her by the LORD, "As surely as the LORD lives, you will not be punished for this."

Then the woman asked, "Whom shall I bring up for you?"

"Bring up Samuel," he said.

When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!"

The king said to her, "Don't be afraid. What do you see?"

The woman said, "I see a spirit coming up out of the ground."

"What does he look like?" he asked.

"An old man wearing a robe is coming up," she said.

Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.

Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?"

"I am in great distress," Saul said. "The Philistines are fighting against me, and God has turned away from me. He no longer answers me, either by prophets or by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what to do."

Samuel said, "Why do you consult me, now that the LORD has turned away from you and become your enemy? The LORD has done what he predicted through me. The LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors—to David. Because you did not obey the LORD or carry out his fierce wrath against the Amalekites, the LORD has done this to you today. The LORD will hand over both Israel and you to the Philistines, and tomorrow you and your sons will be with me. The LORD will also hand over the army of Israel to the Philistines."

This is one of the most mysterious accounts in the entire Bible. I think even in scholarly circles the jury is still out on exactly what happened here.

Was this really Samuel? If so, where did he come from and who allowed him to appear? If he came from heaven, then God sent him. If God sent him, why hadn't God answered Saul in one of the more traditional ways -- by dreams, Urim, or prophets? If Samuel came from hell, then was Satan sending him, or was it God allowing Satan to send him? If he came from hell, why would he give Saul a true prophecy? Why not something deceptive?

Part of Samuel's message was "you will be with me." Did that mean in hell? In heaven? Or simply dead?

If this wasn't really Samuel, then who or what was it?

What I personally really wonder about here though is how the witch knew it was Saul in disguise after seeing Samuel. Did Samuel tell her?

I wonder how Saul knew it was Samuel based solely on the description "an old man wearing a robe." Couldn't that have been just about any male who had died?

I wonder why Saul wasn't surprised that a witch could so easily be found. Supposedly they had all been expelled from Israel by his own command. How did his servants know where one was? It seems Saul knew his orders weren't exactly being followed to the letter anymore.

8/06/2006

Achish, Part Deux

1 Samuel 27:1-2, 9-12 - But David thought to himself, "One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand."

So David and the 600 men with him left and went to Achish son of Maoch king of Gath.

Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish.

When Achish asked, "Where did you go raiding today?" David would say, "Against the Negev of Judah" or "Against the Negev of Jerahmeel" or "Against the Negev of the Kenites." He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, "They might inform on us and say, 'This is what David did.' " And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. Achish trusted David and said to himself, "He will become so odious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant forever."

I wonder if Achish ever asked David about his previous visit when he feigned madness. Didn't he wonder why David was so different now? It's true that he had a small army with him this time, but I don't think that would have altered Achish's curiosity.

I wonder what exactly David feared that a captive might tell Achish. Did David sometimes go on raids that the king wouldn't have approved of? Did David attack Achish's friends or allies once in a while? Even if no immediate survivors were left, I wonder that someone else didn't find out what David was really doing and spread the word until Achish finally heard too. If David was always doing what he said he was, then why was he afraid of a tattle-tale? What would such a person have to gain by lying about David, one of Achish's most trusted warlords?

8/04/2006

Abigail helps David

1 Samuel 25:18 - Abigail lost no time. She took 200 loaves of bread, 2 skins of wine, 5 dressed sheep, 2 seahs of roasted grain, 100 cakes of raisins and 200 cakes of pressed figs, and loaded them on donkeys.

Abigail and her husband Nabal sound like wealthy people. They had servants. They had 1000 goats and 3000 sheep. They may have had much more that isn't even mentioned. But even so, I wonder that they had so much prepared food sitting around. We don't know how large these items were, but just imagine 200 loaves of bread, as many cakes of figs, and 100 cakes of raisins and how much space they would take even if they were fairly small. I wonder if they needed that much bread daily to feed all the servants. Or maybe they were also nomadic shopkeepers who sold this stuff. The cakes of raisins and figs probably kept pretty well in that climate. I wonder about the bread though -- unless it was prepared some special way so that it too didn't easily spoil.

After she gave all this to David and his men, I wonder if it needed to be replaced quickly back home for the family and servants or for the shop.

8/02/2006

Spies?

1 Samuel 22 + 23 (various pieces)...

22:1 - When his [David's] brothers and his father's household heard about it...

22:6 - Now Saul heard that David and his men had been discovered.

23:! - When David was told, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah..."

23:7 - Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah...

23:9 - When David learned that Saul was plotting against him...

23:13 - When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah...

23:15 - While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life.

23:19 - The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding among us..."

23:25 - Saul and his men began to search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.

I wonder how each side always heard about where the other was located or what they were up to. In one case it was due to the Ziphite snitches. I wonder if each side had that many spies tracking enemy movement. Or was it just casual observers who relayed information to their leader of choice? There were obviously no fast communication links -- telephones, cell phones, telegraph, spy satellites, emails, U-2 planes, etc. Yet the news did seem to travel rather quickly. I wonder if it was simply the use of fast horses and donkeys that got the job done.

8/01/2006

One wild and crazy guy

1 Samuel 21:12-15 - David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. So he feigned insanity in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

Achish said to his servants, "Look at the man! Why bring him to me? Am I so short of madmen that you have to bring this fellow here to carry on like this in front of me? Must this man come into my house?"

I wonder if David appeared normal to Achish and company at first but then suddenly "snapped" and foamed at the mouth. I wonder how good his acting really was, or if his audience was just easily fooled. (I love Achish's comment about needing more madmen. Zing!)

It seems David was alone; that is, none of his followers were with him when he went to Achish. I wonder why he went to a city that was really controlled by Israel's enemy. Surely he could have found some place more friendly. Then again, perhaps he thought, "Any enemy of Saul is a friend of mine," and was surprised by the Gathites reaction to his visit.

I wonder what David used to make the marks on the doors. Did he scratch with his fingernails? Carve with Goliath's sword? (Would they have let him keep it?) Add graffiti with the Old Testament Canaanite equivalent of a can of spray paint?