David Experiences More Traitors

Click here to read II Samuel 16.

Chapter 16 records a story with 5 characters:

1. Ziba, manager of all the inheritance of Saul that had been given to Mephi-bosheth.
2. Mephi-bosheth, the lame grandson of Saul whose father was Jonathan.
3. David, who now was running for his life into the wilderness because of the insurrection of Absalom.
4. Shime-i, the son of Gera of the household of Saul, who had constantly cursed David for what he mistakenly thought David had done to Saul.
5. Absalom, David's third son who had proclaimed himself king of all Israel.

We find David a little east of the Mt. of Olives where we see some treachery going on. Ziba, manager of Mephibosheth's estate, had brought food and wine to David and those who were with him. He tells David that sense he left Jerusalem, Mephibosheth has had his eyes on the Kingship of Israel. David should have known from past experience, that Mephibosheth was not an ambitious man, that he was very content with the position that David had given him and was physically to weak to even consider anything else. But, it appears that David did not see through Ziba's false accusations of Mephibosheth and he gives Ziba all of Methibosheth's inheritance.

Then David proceeded east toward the Jordan and as he passed the Village of Bah-u-rim, a man by the name Shime-i came out and cursed him. He also threw stones at David and his officers. He declared that the Lord had brought this judgment upon David for killing Saul and his family. He accused David of stealing the throne of Israel from the family of Saul. Abishai, one of David's great warriors, son of David's sister, a close companion to David who had been with him through all his military campaigns, wanted to kill Shime-i for cursing David but David restrained him saying, "My own son is trying to kill me, at least this man is only throwing words and stones." "Perhaps the Lord has told him to do this." "Perhaps the Lord will see that I am being falsely accused and turn these cursings into blessings." When they reached the Village of Bah-u-rim, they stayed for a while and rested.

Meanwhile, Absalom and his men arrived in Jerusalem and Husha-i, David's secret friend and spy, went immediately to see him. He pretended allegiance to Absalom and when he was questioned as to why he was not with David, he declared that he always worked for the man chosen by the Lord to rule Israel. "I helped your father, now I will help you."

Absalom was apparently loss as to what to do next so he asked his councilor, Ahithophel. Notice the bad council that this man gave Absalom, "Go sleep with your father's wives, he left 10 of them here in Jerusalem." "Sleep with them and all Israel will know that you have insulted David beyond reconciliation and will stand behind you." So a tent was erected on the Palace roof where everybody could see and Absalom went into the tent with his father's wives.

Absalom did whatever Ahithophel told him. His words were considered wise, as though they came directly from the mouth of the Lord.

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