April 7, 2010 2Samuel 20-22:34

As the men were arguing about who loved David more a young upstart named Sheba sounded the trumpet and shouted his denial of David to the men of Israel. So the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba, while the men of Judah remained with David and escorted him home to Jerusalem. When he got there he took the 10 concubines he had left to take care of the palace (the same women who had been defiled by Absalom) and put them in a house under guard. There they were confined until the day of their death.

David sent his army to go fight against Sheba and the Israelites. A man named Amasa was sent by David to summon the men. He took too long and David believed that Sheba would do more harm before they could get there. When Joab and his men caught up to Amasa, Joab stabbed him killing him and left him in the road with his guts hanging out. Finally someone moved his body off the road becaue everyone kept stopping to look at the body and slowed everyone down. (Rubberneckers) They surrounded Sheba and the men of Israel who were inside a town. As they were preparing to enter the city by force a wise woman came forward and asked to speak to Joab. He went to listen to her. She told him the history of her town, that it was an ancient place to find a solution to problems. She asked Joab why he wanted to destroy it. He told her he didn't want to, but he wanted Sheba because he was making trouble. So the woman told him that Sheba's head would be thrown from a wall. The wise woman went to tell her people what had been agreed to, they cut off Sheba's head, threw it to Joab, he sounded the trumpet and they left. Joab brought the head to David in Jerusalem.

There was a famine for three years in a row. During that time, David would try to ask what the Lord would have them do. He would not answer. Eventually the Lord told David that it was because of the Gibeonites and the way Saul had brutalized them. So David sent for the Gibeonites to talk with them about how to make amends. The Gibeonites asked for 7 of Saul's male descendants to die for the sins of Saul. David agreed. He did not give them Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan because of his oath to protect him, but he gave them 2 sons of Saul's and 5 of his grandsons. Their father was the son of Barzillai who had brought the provisions to David. They killed them and hung them where they could be seen by everyone on a hillside. Rizpah, the widow of Saul guarded the bodies for months to keep the birds from feeding on them. When David heard what she had done, he took the bones of Saul, Jonathan as well as the 7 and had them buried in the tomb of Saul's father.

The Philistines were at it again and almost succeeded in killing David. He was rescued by Abishai and all the men told David not to come to the battles anymore. They weren't willing to risk his life. There were more wars with the Philistines and no matter how intimidating the foes were, David's men defeated them.

Chapter 22 is a beautiful poem of praise by David to the Lord. I especially like verses 26-29:

You are always loyal to your loyal people, and you are faithful to the faithful.
With all who are sincere you are sincere,
but you treat the unfaithful as their deeds deserve.
You rescue the humble, but you look for ways to put down the proud.
Our Lord and God, you are my lamp.
You turn darkness to light. CEV

Tomorrow read 2Samuel 22:35-24:17