David Receives Gifts from Ziba
16:1 When David had gone a short way beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth was there to meet him. He had a couple of donkeys that were saddled, and on them were two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred raisin cakes, a hundred baskets of summer fruit, and a container of wine.
David was traveling into the wilderness to escape the coup d'etat that was initiated by his son Absalom. As he was traveling into the wilderness, David met Ziba. Ziba was a servant of Mephibosheth. Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of Saul. David promised his friend Jonathan that once he became king, he would not exterminate all of his family members. Mephibosheth was given the property of Saul and invited to eat at the king’s table. Ziba brought food and supplies to David.
16:2 The king asked Ziba, “Why did you bring these things?” Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the king’s family to ride on, the loaves of bread and the summer fruit are for the attendants to eat, and the wine is for those who get exhausted in the desert.”
King David asked Ziba why he brought these supplies. Ziba brought these supplies for personal ambition, but God used this human sin to supply David and his army with supplies that they would need for the wilderness.
16:3 The king asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?” Ziba replied to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give back to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’”
The servant Ziba lied. Mephibosheth was still loyal to David. Mephibosheth did not defect to Saul or Absalom. Ziba betrayed his master, hoping that David might give Mephibosheth’s property to him.
16:4 The king said to Ziba, “Everything that was Mephibosheth’s now belongs to you.” Ziba replied, “I bow before you. May I find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”
David should have checked out the facts. He made this rash decision upon a lie.
Shimei Curses David and His Men
16:5 Then King David reached Bahurim. There a man from Saul’s extended family named Shimei son of Gera came out, yelling curses as he approached.
Shimei was from the household of Saul. He was yelling curses at David. This was not profanity, but curses upon the house of David.
16:6 He threw stones at David and all of King David’s servants, as well as all the people and the soldiers who were on his right and on his left.
Shimei threw stones at King David and all of his servants. David had at his command an entire army who could cut down Shimei with a sword.
16:7 As he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Leave! Leave! You man of bloodshed, you wicked man!
It was true that David was a “man of bloodshed.” Some believe that David was a “wicked man,” because he committed adultery with Bathsheba and killed Uriah. Skeptics have been giving a black eye to both God and David on this issue for centuries. However, God called David “a man after God’s own heart.” God does not give up on His children when they sin. He disciplines them and brings them back into His fold. This is called sanctification. God uses experiences in the believers lives as training opportunities. God is giving private lessons to each one of His individual children.
16:8 The Lord has punished you for all the spilled blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you rule. Now the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. Disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of bloodshed!”
It was not true that David had spilt the blood of the house of Saul. David would never slay Saul, although he had at least two opportunities to do so. David promised Jonathan that he would protect his seed. Mephibosheth was eating at the royal table.
It was not true that God had given the kingdom to Absalom. Absalom was never anointed by a prophet of God. Those in Israel who claim to be king without being anointed by God’s prophet end up being assassinated.
Disaster did not come upon David because of spilling the blood of Saul’s family. Disaster came upon David because he committed adultery with Bathsheba and he killed her husband Uriah.
Whenever a believer falls in sin and receives discipline from the Lord, Satan will attempt to attack the believer with different insults and mockings.
16:9 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”
Abishai was the nephew of David and the brother of General Joab. He wanted to stop the insults directed at David by cutting off the head of Shimei.
16:10 But the king said, “What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he curses because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David!’, who can say to him, ‘Why have you done this?’”
Earlier in David’s career, David was insulted by Nabal. His immediate reaction was to kill Nabal and all of his men. David’s spiritual maturity in his advanced age would not allow him to respond again in this matter.
16:11 Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son, my very own flesh and blood, is trying to take my life. So also now this Benjaminite! Leave him alone so that he can curse, for the Lord has spoken to him.
David was more concerned about his son. David recognized that God allowed Shimei to insult him.
16:12 Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction and this day grant me good in place of his curse.”
David possessed tremendous spiritual insight. He saw this cursing by Shimei as a possible curse that God could turn into a blessing. God is a master of using men’s evil intentions for good.
16:13 So David and his men went on their way. But Shimei kept going along the side of the hill opposite him, yelling curses as he threw stones and dirt at them.
David ignored the insults, although he had 600 men who could have easily struck Shimei down. Most pagan kings would not have hesitated in slaying Shimei.
16:14 The king and all the people who were with him arrived exhausted at their destination, where David refreshed himself.
This long march into the wilderness was physically and emotionally exhausting. However, David was safe in a wilderness area which he knew very well. God prepared David for this ordeal by giving him experience in this desert region as a shepherd boy and as a fugitive running away from Saul. David was a veteran warrior and a very dangerous man, especially in the wilderness. Absalom was not God’s anointed king, so Absalom was doomed to failure.
The Advice of Ahithophel
16:15 Now when Absalom and all the men of Israel arrived in Jerusalem, Ahithophel was with him.
After successfully making himself king in Hebron, Absalom arrived in Jerusalem. David’s royal house was gone. Ahithophel was the grandfather of Bathsheba. He was also David’s wisest counselor.
16:16 When David’s friend Hushai the Arkite came to Absalom, Hushai said to him, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
Hushai was another trusted advisor of David. He began hailing Absalom as the new king of Israel.
16:17 Absalom said to Hushai, “Do you call this loyalty to your friend? Why didn’t you go with your friend?”
Absalom questioned Hushai’s loyalty to David. Why would a trusted advisor and friend betray David and hail Absalom as the new king?
16:18 Hushai replied to Absalom, “No, I will be loyal to the one whom the Lord, these people, and all the men of Israel have chosen.
HushaI claimed that his loyalty was not to David. Instead, his loyalty was to Jehovah, the people of Israel, and the king which Jehovah chose. This was a lie, as Hushai was establishing himself as a spy.
16:19 Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”
Hushai promised to serve Absalom just as well as he had served David.
16:20 Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice. What should we do?”
Absalom asked for counsel from Ahithophel.
16:21 Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Have sex with your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace. All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father. Then your followers will be motivated to support you.”
Ahithophel was the grandfather of Bathsheba and wanted revenge. In the Near East, possession of the harem came with the throne. Just as David performed a secret sexual sin with Bathsheba, Ahithophel advised Absalom to perform an open sexual sin against his father in front of all of the eyes of all of Israel.This would be a statement to Israel that David’s rule was over and Absalom’s rule was to begin. This act would make David and Absalom enemies.
16:22 So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom had sex with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.
This was the same roof in which David first lusted after Bathsheba. Now, this roof was used for an open sexual sin against David. Nathan predicted that just as David performed his sexual sins in secret, his sons would perform sexual sins openly.
16:23 In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation. Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel.
Ahithophel’s advice was greatly respected throughout Israel.