Verses 9-43

David"s return to Jerusalem19:9-43

The only thing the people could do after Absalom had fallen was to return to their former king ( 2 Samuel 19:11-12). Absalom had found his strongest support among the people of Judah. David did not want the Judahites to conclude that by supporting Absalom they had become his enemies. David extended pardon to them and informed them that he still regarded them as his closest kin. This wise political move helped unite the nation again.

". . . David"s reference here [ 2 Samuel 19:12] is not to blood ties, though they may be present, but rather that mutual covenant commitments must be honored because the vows assume fidelity through thick and thin." [Note: Walter Brueggemann, "Of the Same Flesh and Bone ( Genesis 2, 23 a)," Catholic Biblical Quarterly32:4 (September1970):536.]

David also forgave the Benjamites who had hoped for his downfall and had seen it as punishment for taking Saul"s place on the throne ( 2 Samuel 19:16-30). Shimei had actively opposed David, Ziba had misled him (apparently), and Mephibosheth had not supported him. Mephibosheth"s failure to trim his toenails and his beard and to wash his clothes, were an expression of his grief, and resulted in his remaining ceremonially unclean while David was in exile (cf. Exodus 19:10; Exodus 19:14). [Note: Cf. McCarter, II Samuel, pp417, 421.] By forgiving all of these Benjamites David again secured the support of this difficult tribe. Later, David urged Solomon to execute Shimei ( 1 Kings 2:8-9; cf. Genesis 12:3). A generation later, when the kingdom split in two, the tribe of Benjamin remained attached to Judah. Abishai had become an "adversary" (Heb. satan) to David in the sense that he opposed David"s purpose to pardon Shimei. [Note: See Peggy Day, "Abishai and satan in2Samuel19:17-24," Catholic Biblical Quarterly49:4 (October1987):543-47.]

David may have divided the fields between Mephibosheth and Ziba to determine which of them was telling the truth or because he could not tell ( 2 Samuel 19:29). Solomon followed a similar procedure and threatened to divide a living baby to determine which of two mothers was telling the truth ( 1 Kings 3:24-25). Mephibosheth offered the entire estate to Ziba ( 2 Samuel 19:30). His action argued his innocence. [Note: David Damrosch, The Narrative Covenant: Transformations of Genre in the Growth of Biblical Literature, p247.]

Barzillai"s support ( 2 Samuel 19:31-39) undoubtedly represented that of others in Transjordan. By honoring him and his representative, Chimham, David cemented good relations with the tribes across the Jordan. Chimham may have been Barzillai"s son (cf. 1 Kings 2:7), a tradition that some manuscripts of the Septuagint preserved.

The other Israelites ( 2 Samuel 19:40-43) also rallied behind David again. The little "who loves the king most" contest they held with the Judahites illustrates their support. Thus almost the whole nation again united behind the Lord"s anointed. This was a blessing from God. The chiastic literary structure of chapters15-20 identifies an undercurrent of deterioration in the general relations that David enjoyed with his subjects at this time. [Note: David M. Gunn, "From Jerusalem to the Jordan and Back: Symmetry in2Samuel XV-XX," Vetus Testamentum30:1 (January1980):109-13.]

This section is a remarkable testimony to the power of forgiveness (cf. Matthew 6:12; Matthew 6:14-15; Matthew 18:21-22; Luke 7:47; Luke 17:3). David had not really forgiven Absalom, and perhaps the consequences of his lack of forgiveness encouraged him to take a different approach with his subjects after Absalom"s death. We see in David"s dealings with Amasa ( 2 Samuel 19:11-15) that forgiveness wins over former enemies. We see in his dealings with Shimei ( 2 Samuel 19:16-23) that forgiveness gives time for people to change. We see in his treatment of Mephibosheth and Ziba ( 2 Samuel 19:24-30) that forgiveness placates irreconcilable adversaries. We see in his relations with Barzillai and Chimham ( 2 Samuel 19:31-39) that forgiveness causes blessing to overflow on others. We see in the section revealing the final reactions of the Israelites and the Judahites ( 2 Samuel 19:40-43) that forgiveness lays a strong foundation for the future.

"The recent victory may have been seen as indicative of Yahweh"s favor, but David still needed the people"s "acclamation" or invitation to be king once more." [Note: Anderson, p242.]