Daily reading

Today’s reading is: 2 Sam. 19:31-21:22; 1 Chr. 20:4-8; Psa. 7

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2nd Samuel Chapter Nineteen

(Outline continues from yesterday)

  1. David expressed thankfulness to Barzillai the Gileadite for the gracious provision he had offered to David (2nd Sam. 19:31-40).
  2. All Israel became argumentative about who was most supportive of the King’s return (2nd Sam. 19:41-43).

2nd Samuel Chapter Twenty

  1. Although Judah favored a return of David to the national throne, the other tribes of Israel favored a return to Benjamite rule (2nd Sam. 20:1-2).
    1. Sheba, the son of Bichri, led a revolt against the return of David.
    2. שֶׁבַע sheba‘ #7652: Sheba, from שֶׁבַע sheba‘ #7651: seven.
    3. בִּכְרִי bikriy #1075: youthful.
  2. Sheba’s rallying cry (2nd Sam. 20:1b) was not greatly successful in his own rebellion, but it will become successful in Jeroboam’s rebellion (1st Kgs. 12:16).
  3. Judah safeguarded David’s return to Jerusalem, where he faced further consequences for his earlier evil (2nd Sam. 20:3).
  4. David deals with the rebellion of Sheba (2nd Sam. 20:4-22).
    1. He orders Amasa to assemble the armies of Judah (2nd Sam. 20:4-5).  It was David’s intention to replace Joab with Amasa (2nd Sam. 19:13).
      1. Amasa had been Absalom’s General (2nd Sam. 17:25a).
      2. Amasa was David’s nephew (2nd Sam. 17:25b).
    2. When Amasa was too slow in his work-assignment, David commissioned Abishai to lead Joab’s men in pursuit of Sheba (2nd Sam. 20:6-7).
    3. Joab didn’t appreciate being replaced, so he assassinated his replacement (2nd Sam. 20:8-13).
    4. Sheba gathered his forces, and made his stand in Abel Beth-maacah (2nd Sam. 20:14-15).
    5. A wise woman of Abel understood that Joab would level the entire city in order to get Sheba, and she arranged for Joab’s satisfaction and the sparing of her city (2nd Sam. 20:14-22).
  5. With Sheba’s revolt put down, David’s kingdom was once again secured (2nd Sam. 20:23-26).
  6. David allows Joab to retain his position, but regrets it to his dying day (1st Kgs. 2:5-6).

2nd Samuel Chapter Twenty-One

  1. David faced the national test of famine during the later years of his reign (2nd Sam. 21:1a).
    1. David is now in a position to understand long-term national consequences for a king’s personal evil.
    2. David learns that this famine is a long-term consequence for King Saul’s personal evil (2nd Sam. 21:1b,2).
  2. David satisfied the Gibeonites temporal-life grievance, and the Lord’s spiritual-life grievance (2nd Sam. 21:3-14).
    1. David surrendered seven of Saul’s descendants to Gibeonite judicial jurisdiction.
    2. David led a national prayer-effort to cleanse the land from all unresolved defilements (2nd Sam. 21:14b).
  3. David faced tests in his old age that were much easier when he was younger (2nd Sam. 21:15-17).  The Adversary will bide his time, and wait until his tactics have a better advantage (Luke 4:13).
  4. It is vital for the older generation to teach the younger generation the Word of God, so that the younger generation can effectively fight the battles of the angelic conflict (2nd Sam. 21:18-22).

1st Chronicles Chapter Twenty

  1. Chapter 20 describes Joab’s campaign in Rabbah, but does not detail David’s adultery with Bathsheba (1st Chr. 20:1-3; 2nd Sam. 11:1; 12:26-31).
  2. The chapter closes with the final Davidic Philistine wars, and omits the incident of David’s weariness on the battlefield (1st Chr. 20:48; 2nd Sam. 21:18-22(15-22)).

Psalm Seven

  1. The prescript is not entirely clear.  Cush(i) the Benjamite may be the messenger Joab dispatched to David in 2nd Sam. 18.
  2. David offers a prayer for deliverance, leaving himself in God’s hand for discipline (Ps. 7:3-5).  If he is indeed guilty, then he welcomes the discipline of the Lord.
  3. David expects that the Lord will vindicate him, and will bring the wicked to an end (Ps. 7:6-11).
  4. David warns his soldiers/students that failure to repent and confess only leads to further judgment (Ps. 7:12-16).
  5. David concludes with an expression of thanksgiving and praise—the sacrifices with which God is truly pleased (Heb. 13:15).