I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

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Today, I am reading and commenting on 2 Samuel 20-22.

At the end of yesterday’s passage there was an account of the argument between the men of the northern tribes and the men of Judah over the honor of escorting David back to be king.  We see here the geographic divide which was present when Joshua first led the Children of Israel into the land.  Also, during the time of the judges several men from the northern tribes tried to set themselves up as king over Israel but were unable to do so.  Even here, it is Sheba from the tribe of Benjamin who leads the revolt against King David.  King David notes that this revolt is actually a greater threat than Absalom’s was.  Sheba’s revolt is a greater threat because it divides the nation of Israel along family and tribal lines.  King David recognized that Israel would come apart and the Israelites would be overrun by other peoples if they started to identify more according to tribe than according to being Israelites.

Now we have more about the complex relationship between David and Joab.  Amasa was the commander of Absalom’s army, yet, as part of the agreement to get back the full support of the leaders of Judah, King David made him commander of his army in place of Joab.  King David orders Amasa to assemble the entire fighting force of Judah to go after Sheba and gives him a deadline of three days.  When Amasa fails to meet that deadline, King David tells Abishai, Joab’s brother, to take the troops David already had assembled and go after Sheba.  Notice that King David did not give this mission to Joab, but Abishai took him along anyway.  In fact, it appears that Joab was in command.  Then, when they meet up with Amasa finally returning Joab greets him as a family member and kills him.  We do not really know what Joab’s motivations were for killing Amasa.  Perhaps he did it to keep his position as commander of David’s army.  Or, something which occurred to me in light of David’s responses to Abishai’s repeated wish to kill Shimei (a response which was directed at both Abishai and Joab), perhaps Joab killed Amasa because he had betrayed King David by siding with Absalom. 

Today’s passage ends with te song of praise to the Lord which David sang when he was delivered from his enemies.  It is unclear if he sang this song shortly after King Saul’s death, or not until after the victory over Sheba.  Or, perhaps he composed it early on and sang it repeatedly throughout his life.  In any case, it is a song which contains powerful imagery.  David expresses how he was completely overwhelmed by the events of his life.  How things had gotten so bad that he could not go on living like that and there was nothing in his power to change them.  At that point, David cried out to the Lord for rescue.  He sings that God heard his cries and answered them.  God burst forth in a manner which made it clear that no obstacle would stand in His way and rescued David from his distress. 

I love all of the imagery, but I want to focus on what our behavior and characteristics will reveal about God.  If we are faithful, we will see God’s faithfulness.  If we act with integrity, we will witness God’s integrity.  But, if we are deceitful, we will learn that God is shrewd and that He will not be deceived.  No matter how clever you think that you are, you will not outsmart God.