Then a messenger came to David and reported, "The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom." Then a messenger came to DavidThe word "messenger" in Hebrew is "מַלְאָךְ" (mal'akh), which can mean an angel or a human messenger. In this context, it refers to a human who brings news. The role of messengers was crucial in ancient times, as they were the primary means of communication over long distances. This phrase sets the stage for the unfolding drama, highlighting the urgency and gravity of the situation. David, the king, is about to receive news that will challenge his leadership and test his faith in God. and reported
The act of reporting here is significant. The Hebrew root "נָגַד" (nagad) implies making something known or declaring it. This is not just casual information; it is a formal announcement that carries weight and consequence. The messenger's report is pivotal, as it conveys the shift in loyalty among the people of Israel, which is a direct threat to David's reign. The hearts of the men of Israel
In Hebrew, "hearts" is "לֵבָב" (levav), which often denotes the inner self, including emotions, will, and intellect. The "hearts" of the people signify their loyalty and allegiance. The phrase underscores a collective shift in the people's support, which is not just political but deeply personal and emotional. This shift in loyalty is a profound betrayal for David, who has been anointed by God as king. are with Absalom
Absalom, David's son, whose name in Hebrew "אַבְשָׁלוֹם" (Avshalom) means "father of peace," ironically becomes a source of division and conflict. The phrase indicates that Absalom has successfully won the people's favor, a testament to his charisma and political maneuvering. Historically, this moment marks the beginning of Absalom's rebellion against his father, a tragic narrative of familial strife and ambition. The loyalty of the people to Absalom reflects a broader theme of the Bible: the struggle between God's chosen leaders and human desires for power and control. Persons / Places / Events 1. DavidThe King of Israel, chosen by God, who is facing a rebellion led by his son Absalom. David's leadership and faith are tested during this crisis. 2. AbsalomDavid's son, who has won the favor of the people of Israel and is leading a rebellion against his father to seize the throne. 3. MessengerAn unnamed individual who brings the critical news to David about the shift in loyalty among the Israelites towards Absalom. 4. Men of IsraelThe people whose allegiance has shifted from King David to Absalom, indicating a significant political and social upheaval. 5. JerusalemThe city where David is residing as king, which becomes a focal point of the unfolding events as David decides his next steps. Teaching Points The Fragility of Human LoyaltyHuman loyalty can be fickle and is often swayed by charisma and personal gain, as seen in the Israelites' shift from David to Absalom. Believers should place their ultimate trust in God, whose faithfulness is unwavering. The Pain of BetrayalDavid's experience with Absalom highlights the deep pain of betrayal, especially from loved ones. This serves as a reminder of the importance of forgiveness and seeking God's strength in times of personal hurt. Leadership Under TrialDavid's response to the crisis is a lesson in leadership under pressure. He seeks God's guidance and remains calm, demonstrating the importance of relying on divine wisdom rather than human understanding in times of trial. The Consequences of SinAbsalom's rebellion can be traced back to David's own sins and family dysfunctions, reminding us that our actions have consequences that can affect future generations. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the shift in loyalty from David to Absalom reflect the nature of human allegiance, and what can we learn about placing our trust in God rather than people? 2. In what ways does David's response to the news of Absalom's rebellion demonstrate his faith and reliance on God? How can we apply this to our own leadership roles? 3. How does the theme of betrayal in 2 Samuel 15:13 connect with other biblical accounts of betrayal, such as Judas' betrayal of Jesus, and what lessons can we draw from these accounts? 4. What role do past sins and family dynamics play in the unfolding events of Absalom's rebellion, and how can we address similar issues in our own lives to prevent future conflicts? 5. How can Psalm 3, written during David's flight from Absalom, provide comfort and guidance to us when we face our own trials and feelings of betrayal? Connections to Other Scriptures 1 Samuel 8The Israelites' desire for a king "like all the other nations" sets the stage for the monarchy and the eventual challenges faced by David, including Absalom's rebellion. Psalm 3A psalm attributed to David during his flight from Absalom, expressing his trust in God despite the betrayal and danger he faces. Matthew 10:36Jesus speaks of familial betrayal, which echoes the personal betrayal David experiences from his son Absalom. People Abiathar, Absalom, Ahimaaz, Ahithophel, Aram, Arkite, Cherethites, David, Gittites, Hushai, Israelites, Ittai, Jonathan, Kerethites, Levites, Pelethites, ZadokPlaces Aram, Gath, Geshur, Giloh, Hebron, Jerusalem, Kidron, Mount of OlivesTopics Absalom, Ab'salom, David, Declaring, Heart, Hearts, Messenger, Reported, Saying, TidingsDictionary of Bible Themes 2 Samuel 15:13 5408 messenger
5426 news 2 Samuel 15:1-13 5937 rivalry 2 Samuel 15:13-14 7240 Jerusalem, history 2 Samuel 15:13-15 5319 fugitives 2 Samuel 15:13-18 5087 David, reign of Library A Loyal Vow
'And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.'--2 SAMUEL xv. 15. We stand here at the darkest hour of King David's life. Bowed down by the consciousness of his past sin, and recognising in the rebellion of his favourite son the divine chastisement, his early courage and buoyant daring seem to have ebbed from him wholly. He is forsaken by the mass of his subjects, he is preparing to abandon Jerusalem, and to flee as an …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureIttai of Gath
'And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be.'--2 SAMUEL xv. 21. It was the darkest hour in David's life. No more pathetic page is found in the Old Testament than that which tells the story of his flight before Absalom. He is crushed by the consciousness that his punishment is deserved--the bitter fruit of the sin that filled all his later life …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Pardoned Sin Punished
'And It came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2. And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. 3. And Absalom said unto him. See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Loyal to the Core
On the other hand, look at Ittai, perfectly free to go, but in order to end the controversy once for all, and to make David know that he does not mean to leave him, he takes a solemn oath before Jehovah his God, and he doubles it by swearing by the life of David that he will never leave him; in life, in death, he will be with him. He has cast in his lot with him for better and for worse, and he means to be faithful to the end. Old Master Trapp says, "All faithful friends went on a pilgrimage years …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 26: 1880 Following Christ
"And Ittai answered the king, and said, as the Lord liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be."--2 Samuel 15:21. SOME men have a very remarkable power of creating and sustaining friendship in others. David was a man brimming over with affection--a man, notwithstanding all his rough soldier-life, of an exceedingly tender heart--a man, I was about to say--the word was on my tongue--a man of vast …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 62: 1916 The Will of God
"Here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him."--2 Sam. xv. 26. G. Ter Steegen. tr., Emma Frances Bevan, 1899 Thou sweet beloved Will of God, My anchor ground, my fortress hill, The Spirit's silent fair abode, In Thee I hide me and am still. O Will, that willest good alone, Lead Thou the way, Thou guidest best; A silent child, I follow on, And trusting, lean upon Thy Breast. God's Will doth make the bitter sweet, And all is well when it is done; Unless His Will doth hallow it, The glory …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen and Others (Second Series) A Light to Lighten the Gentiles
P. G. 2 Sam. xv. 19-22; John xii. 26 "Wherefore goest thou with me?" Said the king disowned-- Said the king despised, rejected, Disenthroned. "Go, return unto thy place, To thy king of yore-- Here a pilgrim and a stranger, Nothing more. "Not for thee the cities fair, Hills of corn and wine-- All was portioned ere thou camest, Nought is thine. "Wandering forth where'er I may, Exiled from mine own, Shame, rejection I can grant thee; That alone. "Turn and take thy brethren back, With thy people …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others The Daily Walk with Others (iii. ).
Thrice happy they who at Thy side, Thou Child of Nazareth, Have learnt to give their struggling pride Into Thy hands to death: If thus indeed we lay us low, Thou wilt exalt us o'er the foe; And let the exaltation be That we are lost in Thee. Let me say a little on a subject which, like the last, is one of some delicacy and difficulty, though its problems are of a very different kind. It is, the relation between the Curate and his Incumbent; or more particularly, the Curate's position and conduct …
Handley C. G. Moule—To My Younger Brethren And V the Kingdom Undivided and the Kingdom Divided
THE HISTORICAL BOOKS: I and II Samuel. I and II Kings. I and II Chronicles. NOTE.--As these three pairs of books are so closely related in their historical contents, it is deemed best to study them together, though they overlap the two divisions of IV and V. I. CHARTS Chart A. General Contents +--+ " I AND II SAMUEL " +-------------+-----+------+ "Samuel "Saul "David " +-------------+-----+------+----------+ " " " " I AND II KINGS "NOTE.--Biblical …
Frank Nelson Palmer—A Bird's-Eye View of the Bible That Whereas the City of Jerusalem had Been Five Times Taken Formerly, this was the Second Time of Its Desolation. A Brief Account of Its History.
1. And thus was Jerusalem taken, in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, on the eighth day of the month Gorpeius [Elul]. It had been taken five [34] times before, though this was the second time of its desolation; for Shishak, the king of Egypt, and after him Antiochus, and after him Pompey, and after them Sosius and Herod, took the city, but still preserved it; but before all these, the king of Babylon conquered it, and made it desolate, one thousand four hundred and sixty-eight years and …
Flavius Josephus—The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem King of Kings and Lord of Lords
And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, K ING OF K INGS AND L ORD OF L ORDS T he description of the administration and glory of the Redeemer's Kingdom, in defiance of all opposition, concludes the second part of Messiah Oratorio. Three different passages from the book of Revelation are selected to form a grand chorus, of which Handel's title in this verse is the close --a title which has been sometimes vainly usurped by proud worms of this earth. Eastern monarchs, in particular, …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 Samuel
Alike from the literary and the historical point of view, the book[1] of Samuel stands midway between the book of Judges and the book of Kings. As we have already seen, the Deuteronomic book of Judges in all probability ran into Samuel and ended in ch. xii.; while the story of David, begun in Samuel, embraces the first two chapters of the first book of Kings. The book of Samuel is not very happily named, as much of it is devoted to Saul and the greater part to David; yet it is not altogether inappropriate, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 2 Samuel 15:13 NIV2 Samuel 15:13 NLT2 Samuel 15:13 ESV2 Samuel 15:13 NASB2 Samuel 15:13 KJV
2 Samuel 15:13 Commentaries
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