The Kings Ht List

                                                                      1 Kings 2:5-12

 

April 9, 2021

 

 “Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.   Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.

^“But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

“And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’   But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”

Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David.   He had reigned forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.   So, Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.

King David was a great king, a warrior, and a leader, and when he was confronted about his sins, he always was broken before God.  But when it came to being a dad, like many a man he often drops the ball.  Here he is telling a young boy he is a wise man, yet by Jewish law, he was not a man but a boy.  He also told his son to make sure certain men do not live out their lives.  Joab, a great general who looked after David but also got even with Abner in a time of peace for killing his younger brother.  And Amasa was picked by David to replace Joab after the King learned that Joab kills his son Absalom. Put Joab also killed him as he had done to Abner. 

 

Now Shimei also was on the King’s hit list, even after telling his mighty men who want to kill him when he cursed David and threw rocks at him when he was fleeing from Absalom.  The king told them not to harm him for it was God who was telling him to do so.  But David like so many of us had not forgotten and was going to put getting even on to his young son.

 

David had led Israel for 40 years and left his young son firmly established.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice