It's Complicated (S2): WK 6 - TUE
2 Samuel 18:13-15
13 And if I had betrayed the king by killing his son—and the king would certainly find out
who did it—you yourself would be the first to abandon me.”
14 “Enough of this nonsense,” Joab said. Then he took three daggers and plunged them
into Absalom’s heart as he dangled, still alive, in the great tree.
15 Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.
We don’t know the name of the soldier who obeyed the king’s wishes and chose not to harm his son, Absalom. Whenever he comes up, he’s just a man. But he is loyal to David.
Meanwhile, Absalom is stuck in a tree. It might seem strange that he got caught up by his hair, but in 2 Samuel 14, we’re told that not only was Absalom handsome, his hair was so thick that he’d cut it every month and the cut hair would weigh five pounds (as a bald man, that’s just bragging!). So his hair was thick, and as he was trying to escape, he got tangled up in a tree.
Now the man who found him knew all the trouble Absalom had caused David and the people, but he also knew that David had lost so much and he wasn’t sure how David would handle the loss of another son. Of course, he’s also thinking about how he’d look at the end of the day. He highly doubts that any man who took the life of the king’s son, for whatever reason, would have great longevity.
But Joab is the king’s faithful servant, and he will be loyal to David in his own way. He knows the pain Absalom has caused, and as a man of action he doesn’t think twice. He puts an end to Absalom, an end to the civil war, and an end to the threat upon David’s throne.
I wonder what Joab would have done if he had followed David’s example after the death of Saul and Jonathan. David prayed before he acted. I have rarely regretted slowing down and taking more time with the big decisions in life. Maybe it would have changed the outcome in this story, maybe not, but I sure wish we could have found out.
1. What is an area in your life that you know you need to seek God’s guidance
on right now?
2. In looking back over your life, is there a decision you wish you would have waited
longer to make, maybe sought more guidance?
13 And if I had betrayed the king by killing his son—and the king would certainly find out
who did it—you yourself would be the first to abandon me.”
14 “Enough of this nonsense,” Joab said. Then he took three daggers and plunged them
into Absalom’s heart as he dangled, still alive, in the great tree.
15 Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.
We don’t know the name of the soldier who obeyed the king’s wishes and chose not to harm his son, Absalom. Whenever he comes up, he’s just a man. But he is loyal to David.
Meanwhile, Absalom is stuck in a tree. It might seem strange that he got caught up by his hair, but in 2 Samuel 14, we’re told that not only was Absalom handsome, his hair was so thick that he’d cut it every month and the cut hair would weigh five pounds (as a bald man, that’s just bragging!). So his hair was thick, and as he was trying to escape, he got tangled up in a tree.
Now the man who found him knew all the trouble Absalom had caused David and the people, but he also knew that David had lost so much and he wasn’t sure how David would handle the loss of another son. Of course, he’s also thinking about how he’d look at the end of the day. He highly doubts that any man who took the life of the king’s son, for whatever reason, would have great longevity.
But Joab is the king’s faithful servant, and he will be loyal to David in his own way. He knows the pain Absalom has caused, and as a man of action he doesn’t think twice. He puts an end to Absalom, an end to the civil war, and an end to the threat upon David’s throne.
I wonder what Joab would have done if he had followed David’s example after the death of Saul and Jonathan. David prayed before he acted. I have rarely regretted slowing down and taking more time with the big decisions in life. Maybe it would have changed the outcome in this story, maybe not, but I sure wish we could have found out.
1. What is an area in your life that you know you need to seek God’s guidance
on right now?
2. In looking back over your life, is there a decision you wish you would have waited
longer to make, maybe sought more guidance?
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