2Sa 18:24-27 | KingComments | STEP | From follows a detailed account of the way in which David must be informed and receives a report about the death of his son Absalom and how he reacts to it. We can divide this section into four sections: 1. In the messengers are sent to David to tell him about the death of Absalom. 2. In we see how David waits anxiously for news about Absalom. 3. In David receives the messengers and their message. 4. In we read how David reacts to the news of the death of his son. Ahimaaz would like to go to David to tell him that the rebellious son is dead and that he has been delivered from that danger. Joab, however, does not allow it. It seems that Ahimaaz is a man connected to bringing good news. Joab knows how David will react to the news of his son’s death. It will not be good news for David. Joab lets a Cushite go instead of Ahimaaz. Ahimaaz does not accept the refusal and insisted that Joab sends him also. Finally, Joab allows him. In the meantime David waits anxiously for news about the course or outcome of the battle. His heart is only busy with one thing and that is Absalom. Although Ahimaaz left later, he is with the king earlier than the Cushite. He seems to have made a name for himself as a fast runner, with a style that makes him recognizable from a great distance. When David hears that Ahimaaz is coming, he concludes for himself that this man is bringing good news ( ). David knows him as a good man, so his message will also be good (cf. ). He wants to believe that too. We could call it ‘wishful thinking’. He doesn’t want to think of other tidings. Ahimaaz calls and says to David that it is “peace” and prostrates himself before the king with his face to the ground. Without waiting for a sign from David to speak, he immediately tells that the rebels are in the hand of David, an announcement he ushers in with blessing “the LORD your God”. Instead of being happy about the victory, David asks only one question, the question after Absalom. Ahimaaz gives an evasive answer to this ( ). David doesn’t ask any further. Ahimaaz must make room for the second messenger, the Cushite. The Cushite brings the message that the LORD has done justice to David and delivered him from the hand of all who revolted against him. It is as if David does not hear it. The only question he wants an answer to is, how things are with Absalom. Without detour the Cushite tells what has happened to Absalom. On hearing the news of his son’s death, David collapses completely ( ). As soon as he hears that Absalom is dead, he is no longer a king of his people, but only a father. He asks nothing more, but falls into a passionate weeping. He withdraws from the company and surrenders to his grief. Do we have to be hard at David about that? How would we react if we had such a son and received such a message? Nevertheless, we should note a few things to learn from. His love for Absalom may be understandable, but is not acceptable. How can anyone have such a great love for such a wicked son? Absalom, however beautiful and clever he may have been, turned against God and God-given authority. No parent should be deceived in this. It is important that parents always take the side of God when it comes to the sin of children. Spurgeon told in a sermon about a mother who said to her son when he was still living a profligate life: “If God judges you for your sins, I will say ‘amen’ to His judgment.” God does not want us to treat our children softly when He deals with them hard because of their sins. Nobody more then He Himself wants them to return to Him. But if they do not want to, He lets them go and we must do so too: “If your sons sinned against Him, then He delivered them into the power of their transgression” ( ; cf. ). We may pray that the Lord will show us the reality of things, that is to say that we will see things, including the deeds of our children, as He sees them. We may also pray that we deal with Him about whatever tidings we have to deal with, especially about our children. We do not have to show we are the strong man or woman, but we may give room to the genuineness of our feelings. But let us pray that this will happen without losing sight of Him. David has lost sight of the LORD here. It’s not the first time he’s weeping about someone’s death. He has wept about the death of an opponent, Abner ( ). He has wept about the loss of an intimate friend and about the death of his son Amnon ( ). At the death of Absalom, however, his grief knows no bounds. The language he speaks is also unique. The poet-king, who in other cases express themselves in an eloquent lament, can only sob and stammer here: “My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! ... , Absalom, my son, my son!” Eight times the words “my son” come up from the depths of his soul ( ; ). He doesn’t have other words to express the size of his grief. With this he says all. It is as if life no longer makes sense to him.

‏ 2 Samuel 18:24-27

David Hears About Absalom’s Death

From 2Sam 18:19 follows a detailed account of the way in which David must be informed and receives a report about the death of his son Absalom and how he reacts to it. We can divide this section into four sections:

1. In 2Sam 18:19-23 the messengers are sent to David to tell him about the death of Absalom.

2. In 2Sam 18:24-27 we see how David waits anxiously for news about Absalom.

3. In 2Sam 18:28-32 David receives the messengers and their message.

4. In 2Sam 18:33 we read how David reacts to the news of the death of his son.

Ahimaaz would like to go to David to tell him that the rebellious son is dead and that he has been delivered from that danger. Joab, however, does not allow it. It seems that Ahimaaz is a man connected to bringing good news. Joab knows how David will react to the news of his son’s death. It will not be good news for David. Joab lets a Cushite go instead of Ahimaaz. Ahimaaz does not accept the refusal and insisted that Joab sends him also. Finally, Joab allows him.

In the meantime David waits anxiously for news about the course or outcome of the battle. His heart is only busy with one thing and that is Absalom. Although Ahimaaz left later, he is with the king earlier than the Cushite. He seems to have made a name for himself as a fast runner, with a style that makes him recognizable from a great distance. When David hears that Ahimaaz is coming, he concludes for himself that this man is bringing good news (2Sam 18:27). David knows him as a good man, so his message will also be good (cf. 1Kgs 1:42). He wants to believe that too. We could call it ‘wishful thinking’. He doesn’t want to think of other tidings.

Ahimaaz calls and says to David that it is “peace” and prostrates himself before the king with his face to the ground. Without waiting for a sign from David to speak, he immediately tells that the rebels are in the hand of David, an announcement he ushers in with blessing “the LORD your God”. Instead of being happy about the victory, David asks only one question, the question after Absalom. Ahimaaz gives an evasive answer to this (2Sam 18:29). David doesn’t ask any further. Ahimaaz must make room for the second messenger, the Cushite.

The Cushite brings the message that the LORD has done justice to David and delivered him from the hand of all who revolted against him. It is as if David does not hear it. The only question he wants an answer to is, how things are with Absalom. Without detour the Cushite tells what has happened to Absalom.

On hearing the news of his son’s death, David collapses completely (2Sam 18:33). As soon as he hears that Absalom is dead, he is no longer a king of his people, but only a father. He asks nothing more, but falls into a passionate weeping. He withdraws from the company and surrenders to his grief. Do we have to be hard at David about that? How would we react if we had such a son and received such a message?

Nevertheless, we should note a few things to learn from. His love for Absalom may be understandable, but is not acceptable. How can anyone have such a great love for such a wicked son? Absalom, however beautiful and clever he may have been, turned against God and God-given authority. No parent should be deceived in this. It is important that parents always take the side of God when it comes to the sin of children.

Spurgeon told in a sermon about a mother who said to her son when he was still living a profligate life: “If God judges you for your sins, I will say ‘amen’ to His judgment.” God does not want us to treat our children softly when He deals with them hard because of their sins. Nobody more then He Himself wants them to return to Him. But if they do not want to, He lets them go and we must do so too: “If your sons sinned against Him, then He delivered them into the power of their transgression” (Job 8:4; cf. Lk 10:1-7).

We may pray that the Lord will show us the reality of things, that is to say that we will see things, including the deeds of our children, as He sees them. We may also pray that we deal with Him about whatever tidings we have to deal with, especially about our children. We do not have to show we are the strong man or woman, but we may give room to the genuineness of our feelings. But let us pray that this will happen without losing sight of Him.

David has lost sight of the LORD here. It’s not the first time he’s weeping about someone’s death. He has wept about the death of an opponent, Abner (2Sam 3:32). He has wept about the loss of an intimate friend and about the death of his son Amnon (2Sam 1:11-12 ; 2Sam 13:33 ; 35-36). At the death of Absalom, however, his grief knows no bounds.

The language he speaks is also unique. The poet-king, who in other cases express themselves in an eloquent lament, can only sob and stammer here: “My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! ... , Absalom, my son, my son!” Eight times the words “my son” come up from the depths of his soul (2Sam 18:33; 2Sam 19:4). He doesn’t have other words to express the size of his grief. With this he says all. It is as if life no longer makes sense to him.