“David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “‘My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.”
~ 2 Samuel 16:11
Hi James and Ellen,
Would you act nice to a kid so that the kid will give you something that is not yours to have? Would you say bad things about a kid hoping that something bad will happen to the kid because you do not like the kid? Would you let a kid tell you to do something that you know is wrong to do but have him or her coerce you into doing it? Would you disdain your dad so much that you would come to think that you could do a better job of doing what he is doing as a dad? Do you think that is okay to be nice to a kid when your motive to do so is to get something from the kid? Do you think it is okay to say bad things about a kid so that something bad will happen to the kid? Do you think that it is okay to tell a kid to do something that he or she is not to do so that the kid will get what he or she wants – which will have the kid owe you? Do you think that it is okay to despise a kid so much that you will do anything to prove that you are better than what he or she is? Your grandpaa hopes that you have said no to each one of these questions. Your grandpaa knows from experience that you are going to encounter guys and gals who say yes to these questions.
David is one of the best known real life Biblical characters. David is known as a man after God’s own heart. David wrote psalm songs. David was the second king to rule over the Israelite people group’s guys, gals and kids. David had bad guys all the time try to do bad things to him. Bad guys, gals and kids do bad things. Good guys, gals and kids do what is right to do. Bad guys, gals and kids think only of themselves. Good guys, gals and kids look out for other guys, gals and kids. Bad guys, gals and kids take advantage of other guys, gals and kids. Bad guys and gals hate and curse other guys and gals. Bad guys, gals and kids tell other guys, gals and kids to do bad things. Bad guys and gals do things that are wicked to do. Good guys, gals and kids share with other guys, gals and kids what they have. Good guys and gals seek God’s will. Good guys, gals and kids do not tell other guys, gals and kids to do what is unethical to do. Good guys, gals and kids do not want to do anything that would be sinful to do. 2 Samuel 16 tells of four bad guys – Ziba, Shimei, Ahithophel and Absalom, who were involved in different ways in David’s life. Mephibosheth was Saul’s grandkid. Mephibosheth was the only grandkid left alive from Saul’s extended family. Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s kid. Jonathan became one of David’s closest friends. David had let Mephibosheth live. Mephibosheth’s granddad – Saul, had been the Israelite people group’s guys, gals and kids first king. Ziba was Mephibosheth’s steward. Ziba took advantage of an unsettled situation that was taking place in the land where God’s specially chosen guys, gals and kdis were living – which was the land that God had promised the Israelite people group’s guys, gals and kids that He would always have them have to live in as their very own land if . . . to ask David for something that was not his. David at this time did not know whether or not he was going to be able to stay on as the king over the Israelite people group’s guys, gals and kids. Ziba waited at a spot where David and a troop of guys who supported David would have to pass – to give to David and his guys donkeys to ride and bread, fruit and wine for David and the guys with him to eat and to drink. Ziba did these nice things not to help David but as a bribe to get David to give back the land that David had taken from Mephibosheth. David would give the land that he had taken from Mephibosheth back to Mephibosheth through Ziba. Ziba would use this land as if it was his own land. Shimei was from the same tribal clan that Saul was from – which was the Benjamin tribal clan. Shimei was so convinced that David was to blame for Saul no longer being king over the Israelite people group’s guys, gals and kids that when David walked by him with a troop of guys, Shimei insanely yelled at and cursed David. Shimei even threw rocks at David. The guys with David were ready to beat up Shimei but David stopped the guys. What David said to the guys is recorded in verse 11 “David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “‘My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.” Even though Shimei was trying to injure or kill David by throwing rocks at him, David knew that it was God’s will that Shimei was doing what he was doing. Ahithophel was a guy who David listened to thinking that the guy talked with God. Ahithophel was a guy who David would go to for advice. David considered Ahithophel as being a guy of integrity. David’s kid Absalom also went to Ahithophel for advice. Absalom – because he arrogantly wanted to be the king over the Israelite people group’s guys, gals and kids, was looking for a way to remove his dad from being the king over the Israelite people group’s guy, gals and kids. Ahithophel chose to be on Absalom’s side instead of on David’s side. Ahithophel suggested to Absalom that he do something with David’s concubines that would be perversely immoral to do. Absalom did exactly what Ahithophel told him to do – which made his dad – King David, really look weak in front of the Israelite people group’s guys, gals and kids. Ahithophel thought if Absalom became king that he would be one of Absalom’s favorite guys. Absalom just wanted to be the king because he did not like his dad plus he wanted to feel the power and prestige of being a really important guy.
Your grandpaa hopes that you will always be like David and not like guys like Ziba – who was an opportunist and a conniver, not like Shimei – who was a guy filled with anger and hate, not like Ahithophel – who said that he listened to God but who in reality only used God’s name to pass on what he really wanted to happen and not like Absalom – who was so full of himself that he would even to do something that would make his dad look impotent.
2 Samuel 16 (224)