Absalom Leads an Insurrection against David
15:1 Some time later Absalom managed to acquire a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard.
Ownership of chariots, fifty men, and a royal guard were symbols of royalty. When people saw Absalom with this entourage, then they concluded that either David was too old to rule or he was dead. They would think that there was a transfer of royal power from David to Absalom.
15:2 Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him, “What city are you from?” The person would answer, “I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel.”
The city gate was the location of the court. Absalom was tall, dark, handsome, and very friendly. As people arrived at the city gate to get their cases judged, Absalom would arise early and meet the people before they went into court. Absalom was a famous prince, so he had celebrity status. He was meeting everyone at the gate, talking, laughing, and sympathizing with the people.
15:3 Absalom would then say to him, “Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.”
Since King David could not meet with all of the people in a timely manner, Absalom arrived early in the morning at the gate and offered to decide their cases. This made the people very angry at David, but Absalom became very popular.
15:4 Absalom would then say, “If only they would make me a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”
Absalom criticized his father’s judicial administration.
15:5 When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him.
Absalom was very personable with the people, because he had time to spend with them. David was too busy fighting wars, administrating the nation, and judging cases to compete with his son. This caused the people to grow resentment towards David. David was also aging, so Absalom took advantage of this situation.
15:6 Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice. In this way Absalom won the loyalty of the citizens of Israel.
Absalom was a backslapper and a politician who won the hearts of the people. Most citizens do not care about the politics or the moral character of their leaders, pastors, or elders. If a leader has a good appearance and is friendly, then people will support them. This is a sin, because people should be judged internally by their amount and application of bible doctrine. Satan is an angel of light on the outside, but morally corrupted on the inside. However, the majority of the world will reject Christ and accept the Antichrist.
15:7 After four years Absalom said to the king, “Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron.
Hebron was a city in Judah which always gave David strong support. David was first anointed king at Hebron. Absalom was born in Hebron.
15:8 For I made this vow when I was living in Geshur in Aram: ‘If the Lord really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, I will serve the Lord.’”
Absalom’s motive was not to fulfill a vow, but to usurp the throne and be anointed king in the same city as his father.
15:9 The king replied to him, “Go in peace.” So Absalom got up and went to Hebron.
David appreciated religious devotion, so he allowed Absalom a traveling visa.
15:10 Then Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel who said, “When you hear the sound of the horn, you may assume that Absalom rules in Hebron.”
Absalom was a very clever usurper. He sent spies throughout the land. When the shofar was echoed across Israel, then it would signal to all of Israel that Absalom was to share the kingdom with his aged father.
15:11 Now two hundred men had gone with Absalom from Jerusalem. Since they were invited, they went naively and were unaware of what Absalom was planning.
Absalom took two hundred influential man with him to Hebron. They had no idea of Absalom’s plan to usurp the throne.
15:12 While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s adviser, to come from his city, Giloh. The conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom.
Ahithophel was one of David’s wisest counselors. His advice was so accurate that it was often regarded as if it were the very “oracle of God.” Ahithophel was the grandfather of Bathsheba, so he was most likely not very happy about the adultery and murder decisions of David. He may have been waiting cautiously for an opportunity to betray David.
David Flees from Jerusalem
15:13 Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!”
The rebellion caught David completely by surprise. David was aging and was growing more lax in his responsibilities.
15:14 So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come on! Let’s escape! Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom! Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring disaster on us and kill the city’s residents with the sword.”
David had to leave the city in order to protect the citizens from the sword.
15:15 The king’s servants replied to the king, “We will do whatever our lord the king decides.”
The servants of David were always very loyal to him, even during his most difficult and desperate times. Psalm 3 recorded some of the details of David’s flight from Jerusalem.
15:16 So the king and all the members of his royal court set out on foot, though the king left behind ten concubines to attend to the palace.
David knew he would return, so he left ten of his concubines to attend the palace.
15:17 The king and all the people set out on foot, pausing at a spot some distance away.
The royal court and royal guard had to leave Jerusalem by foot.
15:18 All his servants were leaving with him, along with all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites – some six hundred men who had come on foot from Gath. They were leaving with the king.
The Kerethites and Pelethites were foreign mercenary soldiers who were hired by King David. The Gittites were Philistine mercenary soldiers from the city of Gath.
15:19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come with us? Go back and stay with the new king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country.
The Gittites has just left the Philistines and joined David.
15:20 It seems like you arrived just yesterday. Today should I make you wander around by going with us? I go where I must go. But as for you, go back and take your men with you. May genuine loyal love protect you!”
David offered the Gittites a chance to join Absalom.
15:21 But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether dead or alive, there I will be as well!”
The Philistine commander of the Gittites decided to join with David against the conspiracy.
15:22 So David said to Ittai, “Come along then.” So Ittai the Gittite went along, accompanied by all his men and all the dependents who were with him.
Later, David would reward Ittai and make him commander of one-third of his army. He would make this offer to Ittai, even though he was a Philistine.
15:23 All the land was weeping loudly as all these people were leaving. As the king was crossing over the Kidron Valley, all the people were leaving on the road that leads to the desert.
Psalm 63 described this exodus from the city.
15:24 Zadok and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. When they positioned the ark of God, Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.
The Levites carried the ark of the covenant on the journey. Abiathar offered sacrifices for the people who were leaving the city.
15:25 Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again.
David would not allow the ark of the covenant to leave the city. If God desired to bring David back into the city, then it was God’s sovereignty, and not the ark, which would accomplish this task.
15:26 However, if he should say, ‘I do not take pleasure in you,’ then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate.”
David left his life in the hands of God.
15:27 The king said to Zadok the priest, “Are you a seer? Go back to the city in peace! Your son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan may go with you and Abiathar.
David sent the priests back into the city.
15:28 Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you reaches me.”
David would wait at the fords of the desert until he knew that the priest was safely in the city. Absalom might want to imprison or kill the priests, because he knew of their loyalty to David.
15:29 So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.
The two priests took the ark of the covenant back to the city. David did not need the ark as a good luck charm. He trusted completely in God.
15:30 As David was going up the Mount of Olives, he was weeping as he went; his head was covered and his feet were bare. All the people who were with him also had their heads covered and were weeping as they went up.
The Mount of Olives would be the future location of the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus would also ascend to heaven from this location. He will also return to this location. He will first return to Petra to exterminate the armies of the Antichrist. He will then travel to the Mount of Olives and establish His Millennial Kingdom.
15:31 Now David had been told, “Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom. So David prayed, “Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord!”
Ahithophel as the grandfather of Bathsheba. He was also David’s best advisor. David prayed that his advice to Absalom would be foolish.
15:32 When David reached the summit, where he used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite met him with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.
Hushai was from the tribe of Manasseh. He was one of David’s top advisors. David went to the top of the summit so he could watch the armies of Absalom.
15:33 David said to him, “If you leave with me you will be a burden to me.
Hushai’s elder age may have caused him to be a liability to David.
15:34 But you will be able to counter the advice of Ahithophel if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king! Previously I was your father’s servant, and now I will be your servant.’
Hushai was sent back to Jerusalem to become a counter spy.
15:35 Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you. Everything you hear in the king’s palace you must tell Zadok and Abiathar the priests.
Hushai was to relay internal espionage messages to the two priests.
15:36 Furthermore, their two sons are there with them, Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. You must send them to me with any information you hear.”
The priests would then send Jonathan to relay the messages to David.
15:37 So David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.
Hushai arrived in the city at the same time as Absalom. David possessed intelligence on Absalom, but Absalom had no intelligence on David.