See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me." SeeThis word serves as an imperative, drawing attention to the speaker's intention and plan. In Hebrew, the word is "הִנֵּה" (hinneh), often used to emphasize the importance of what follows. It is a call to focus, suggesting that what is about to be said is of great significance. In the context of David's life, this is a moment of strategic planning and trust in divine guidance. I will wait
The Hebrew root here is "יָשַׁב" (yashav), meaning to sit, dwell, or remain. This conveys a sense of patience and expectation. David, despite the turmoil and threat to his kingship, chooses to wait. This reflects a deep trust in God's timing and provision, a theme recurrent in David's life. It is a reminder of the virtue of patience and the strength found in waiting on the Lord. at the fords of the wilderness
The "fords" refer to shallow places in a river where it can be crossed. In Hebrew, "מַעֲבָר" (ma'abar) indicates a crossing point, often used strategically in military contexts. The "wilderness" or "מִדְבָּר" (midbar) is a place of desolation but also of divine encounter and testing, as seen in the Israelites' journey and Jesus' temptation. David's choice to wait here symbolizes a place of transition and reliance on God amidst uncertainty. until word comes from you
This phrase underscores the importance of communication and the reliance on trusted messengers. The Hebrew "דָּבָר" (dabar) for "word" signifies not just a message but a matter or thing of importance. David's leadership is marked by his ability to listen and respond to counsel, reflecting the biblical principle of seeking wisdom and guidance from God and others. to inform me
The Hebrew root "נָגַד" (nagad) means to make known or declare. This highlights the necessity of being informed and aware, especially in times of crisis. David's openness to receiving information is a testament to his humility and wisdom, recognizing that leadership requires being well-informed and responsive to changing circumstances. Persons / Places / Events 1. DavidThe King of Israel, who is fleeing from his son Absalom's rebellion. David's trust in God and his strategic planning are evident in this passage. 2. AbsalomDavid's son, who has initiated a rebellion against his father, seeking to take over the throne of Israel. 3. The Fords of the WildernessA strategic location where David plans to wait for news. This place represents a point of transition and decision-making. 4. Zadok and AbiatharThe priests who are loyal to David and are tasked with sending him information about Absalom's movements. 5. The MessengersThe individuals who will bring news to David, highlighting the importance of communication and loyalty in times of crisis. Teaching Points Trust in God's TimingDavid's decision to wait at the fords demonstrates his trust in God's timing and provision. In our lives, we should also learn to wait patiently for God's direction. Strategic Planning and FaithWhile David trusted God, he also made strategic plans. Faith does not negate the need for wise planning and action. The Importance of CommunicationDavid's reliance on messengers underscores the importance of clear and reliable communication, especially in times of crisis. Loyalty and SupportThe loyalty of Zadok and Abiathar to David highlights the value of faithful friends and allies who support us in difficult times. God's Sovereignty in AdversityDespite the rebellion, David's faith in God's sovereignty is evident. We can trust that God is in control, even when circumstances seem dire. Bible Study Questions 1. How does David's decision to wait at the fords reflect his trust in God, and how can we apply this trust in our own lives during uncertain times? 2. In what ways does David's strategic planning complement his faith, and how can we balance faith and planning in our daily decisions? 3. What role does communication play in this passage, and how can we ensure effective communication in our relationships and communities? 4. How do the actions of Zadok and Abiathar demonstrate loyalty, and why is loyalty important in our relationships with others and with God? 5. Reflect on a time when you faced adversity. How did you see God's sovereignty at work, and how can this passage encourage you to trust in God's control over your current circumstances? Connections to Other Scriptures Psalm 3This psalm, attributed to David during his flight from Absalom, reflects his trust in God amidst adversity. Proverbs 3:5-6Encourages trust in the Lord and not leaning on one's own understanding, which parallels David's reliance on God during his flight. 1 Samuel 23:9-13David's previous experiences of seeking God's guidance in times of danger, showing a pattern of reliance on divine direction. 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 Across, Announce, Behold, Certify, Declare, Desert, Fords, Inform, News, Plain, Plains, River, Stay, Stop, Tarry, Tarrying, Till, Wait, Waiting, Waste, WildernessDictionary of Bible Themes 2 Samuel 15:28 5977 waiting 2 Samuel 15:25-29 5088 David, character 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 15:28 NIV2 Samuel 15:28 NLT2 Samuel 15:28 ESV2 Samuel 15:28 NASB2 Samuel 15:28 KJV
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