The two kingdoms emerge The country was in a mess even under Saul its first king. We are about 1060bc. Surrounding nations like the Philistines kept attacking. David, the youngest of a big family and in common with others who may feel they have been overlooked or isolated, naturally took chances when they showed up when a little caution may have been wise. You will remember him as a teenager hearing about Goliath and immediately offering to challenge him against advice. David ridicules Goliath who laughs so much that he lifts his helmet in mirth. That proved fatal. The sling stone cracked the skull. In honour David is brought into society where he meets a very wise lad called Ahithophel. They grow up together and become so close that we read that David never set out on any enterprises without talking it over with his friend. Indeed in “those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who enquires of God”. Saul thinks David wants to kill him and be king himself, but David saves Saul’s life several times. Saul dies and David was now king and finally lived in Jerusalem. Apart from some local skirmishes, there was reasonable peace among the population but not among the royal family. Do not forget that in those times it was not unusual for a man to have several wives.
Reputations It is recorded that “in all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom”, one of David’s sons.. And so he was very popular and people loved him and he thinks he ought to be king. But he went wrong and had to live in another country until David forgave him. Absalom is now very clever and gets David’s chief adviser Ahithophel to become his chief of staff. David is no fool and realises that with this man Ahithophel advising Absalom, he is on a loser and so runs away to prevent civil war. He prays that God will turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness now he has sided with Absalom. David had relied on Ahithophel’s advice for years. They had grown up together. He trusted him. It is said that their relationship is reflected in some of the Psalms. And yet, in this moment of crisis, Ahithophel changes sides. We may well ask why. But David loved his sons and, in the process of time, allowed Absolom to come back to the city but not to the palace. Now Absalom who was very good looking, married and had a daughter who also was quite pretty. One of David’s younger sons fell badly for this daughter and raped her which made Absalom a bit cross and two years later he gave a party and when the wine flowed, had this younger brother murdered. David is not pleased with Absalom who runs away, gets a following by flattery and even persuades Ahithophel to join him and give more advice. Meanwhile Ahithophel has had a niece called Bathsheba who had married one of David’s army generals but had a habit of bathing on a roof overlooked by David. David effectively murders her husband and marries her himself. So Ahithophel has a grievance against David. Absalom is not pleased with David. And he plots to take over the kingship using that professional advice. David prays that Ahithophel should now give bad advice to Absalom
Obvious outcomes Now we have some complications. A popular uprising in favour of Absalom prompts David to run away from Jerusalem before a battle occurs. Then Absalom is caught in an oak tree by his hair and is killed. David is devastated by Absalom’s death. We can read his thoughts said to be recorded in Psalms 55 and 56. David is perhaps the most clever king the Hebrews ever had. Solomon of course the wisest, as he prayed for wisdom. David was clever in that he withdrew rather than face a battle with his own people. He had at last learned to be cautious. But Absalom thinks he has a grievance which festered for several years before he had his brother murdered for seducing his daughter. Ahithophel had a grievance because David seduced his niece before marrying her. Absalom was murdered while leading an insurrection. Ahithophel we read put his house in order before hanging himself because his advice had not been taken. The difference was perhaps that David had remorse and pleads for forgiveness. The other two seek to exact their own retribution. Solomon’s son Rehoboam became king . But he proposed higher taxes and forced labour, and so the northern kingdom revolted and became independent based on Samaria.. They became known as Samaritans. Jeroboam became king in Samaria, and the two kingdoms never respected each other. Rehoboam was king of the small area round Jerusalem called Israel. They are now known as Palestinians and Israelis.
Questions? Piecing together all the relationships in these histories is complex and I am indebted to several learned commentators for some details. Even then they do not always seem to agree with each other on details and time scales but the lessons put over are clear for our learning. What grievances may people have now which define their attitudes and actions? Should there have been more forgiveness taking account of their experiences? What would a modern judge say? Or even the papers? Do attitudes derange logical thought? What do these rather sordid histories teach us? What might be the results of our actions?
Bob
Reputations It is recorded that “in all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom”, one of David’s sons.. And so he was very popular and people loved him and he thinks he ought to be king. But he went wrong and had to live in another country until David forgave him. Absalom is now very clever and gets David’s chief adviser Ahithophel to become his chief of staff. David is no fool and realises that with this man Ahithophel advising Absalom, he is on a loser and so runs away to prevent civil war. He prays that God will turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness now he has sided with Absalom. David had relied on Ahithophel’s advice for years. They had grown up together. He trusted him. It is said that their relationship is reflected in some of the Psalms. And yet, in this moment of crisis, Ahithophel changes sides. We may well ask why. But David loved his sons and, in the process of time, allowed Absolom to come back to the city but not to the palace. Now Absalom who was very good looking, married and had a daughter who also was quite pretty. One of David’s younger sons fell badly for this daughter and raped her which made Absalom a bit cross and two years later he gave a party and when the wine flowed, had this younger brother murdered. David is not pleased with Absalom who runs away, gets a following by flattery and even persuades Ahithophel to join him and give more advice. Meanwhile Ahithophel has had a niece called Bathsheba who had married one of David’s army generals but had a habit of bathing on a roof overlooked by David. David effectively murders her husband and marries her himself. So Ahithophel has a grievance against David. Absalom is not pleased with David. And he plots to take over the kingship using that professional advice. David prays that Ahithophel should now give bad advice to Absalom
Obvious outcomes Now we have some complications. A popular uprising in favour of Absalom prompts David to run away from Jerusalem before a battle occurs. Then Absalom is caught in an oak tree by his hair and is killed. David is devastated by Absalom’s death. We can read his thoughts said to be recorded in Psalms 55 and 56. David is perhaps the most clever king the Hebrews ever had. Solomon of course the wisest, as he prayed for wisdom. David was clever in that he withdrew rather than face a battle with his own people. He had at last learned to be cautious. But Absalom thinks he has a grievance which festered for several years before he had his brother murdered for seducing his daughter. Ahithophel had a grievance because David seduced his niece before marrying her. Absalom was murdered while leading an insurrection. Ahithophel we read put his house in order before hanging himself because his advice had not been taken. The difference was perhaps that David had remorse and pleads for forgiveness. The other two seek to exact their own retribution. Solomon’s son Rehoboam became king . But he proposed higher taxes and forced labour, and so the northern kingdom revolted and became independent based on Samaria.. They became known as Samaritans. Jeroboam became king in Samaria, and the two kingdoms never respected each other. Rehoboam was king of the small area round Jerusalem called Israel. They are now known as Palestinians and Israelis.
Questions? Piecing together all the relationships in these histories is complex and I am indebted to several learned commentators for some details. Even then they do not always seem to agree with each other on details and time scales but the lessons put over are clear for our learning. What grievances may people have now which define their attitudes and actions? Should there have been more forgiveness taking account of their experiences? What would a modern judge say? Or even the papers? Do attitudes derange logical thought? What do these rather sordid histories teach us? What might be the results of our actions?
Bob