October 17, 2025 • 36 mins
Chapter 27 of Heroes in the Bible: David with Dr. Tony Evans is inspired by 2 Samuel 17-19.
Hanging on a Tree - Absalom rages against his father. However, he underestimates the faithfulness of his father’s men, and the strength of their loyalty.
Today's opening prayer is inspired by Psalm 71:21, Increase my honor and comfort me again.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, I'm doctor Tony Evans and I'm excited for you
to join me on Heroes in the Bible. Please be
sure to follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify so
you get the newest episodes right as they come out.
Welcome to the Epic Adventure of David. A story of honor, battle, jealousy, darkness, friendship, love, scandal,
(00:20):
and murder. While most people know of David the myth,
few know about David the man. In this episode, father
and son are pitted against each other. Absolom's hostile takeover
of Israel cannot be complete until David is dead. Absolom
has more resources than mercenaries at his disposal, but David
has his mighty men. This episode is about many things,
(00:44):
but more than anything, it is a tribute to the
warriors who have stuck by his side for so long.
The Bible has given us many insight into these warriors,
and we have done our best to give them the
honor they deserve. This episode focuses on them, especially since
David is unable to go into battle himself. David has
many allies on his side, and that is ultimately what
(01:06):
will turn the tide of the battle. Absalom as intelligent
as he is, will find himself sorely lacking in wisdom.
Before the story continues, we will listen to a prelude.
We are once again brought into a moment during Jesus's life. Judas,
one of Christ's closest friends, gives him up for thirty
(01:26):
pieces of silver, a cheap price for the god of
all creation. The guilt from his act drives Judas mad,
and he meets an undignified demise. His death is a
foreshadowing of another death in this episode. Who it is
you might have already guessed, but David may have other plans.
Join us for episode twenty seven. Hanging on a tree.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Prelude to chapter twenty seven. Standing at a distance was
Judas he looked down at his thirty pieces of silver.
They didn't feel right in his hands. They trembled, and
he put the pouch back in his cloak. A tinge
of regrets sparked in Judas as he watched Jesus tumble
down the temples steps. He watched them bind Jesus, strike him,
(02:17):
and throw him around.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Like a dollop.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
His stomach churned as he listened to the painful grunts
of his master. Memories of Jesus healing the sick and
restoring sight to the blind flooded Judas's mind. It was
unbearable to think of Jesus being put to death because
of him. He banged on his head and began to
cry in anxious red. He yelled and ran towards the
(02:40):
temple courtroom. He burst through the doors and threw the
money bag back at Caiaphas.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Please, he yelled, take your money, take it.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
I do not want Jesus to suffer. Caiaphas chuckled. What
am I to do with this?
Speaker 4 (02:54):
He asked, what's done is done.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Judas frantically shook his head. Nervous tears filled his eyes.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
No, no, no, no, he yelled.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
I did not know he would be put to death.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
I have sinned and betrayed innocent blood.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Judas fell to his knees, begging Caiaphas to reconsider. The
high priest scoffed.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Get up, you're an embarrassment, Take your money and be
in peace. A worker is worth his wages.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
With that, Judas was escorted out of the temple walls.
Judas was thrown onto the floor. He lay there for
a long while. His eyes were blanketed with regret, he
rose to his feet. Sweat, tears, and blood dripped down
his cheeks. Judas hombled his way towards an olive tree.
He looked up. The clouds above were thrashing, ready to burst.
(03:50):
Judas shook his head. His eyes were glazed over as
he threw a nearby rope up onto the tree. He
climbed it, tied a noose around his neck, and jumped
off the branch. The rope tightened and Judas's body flailed
for a long moment. The sound of tightening rope and
rustling leaves cut through the silence of the early morning. Then,
(04:12):
as the sun rose, Judas breathed his last breath. Chapter
twenty seven. Hanging on a tree, Chariots of bronze burst
through the palace gates, trampling the well tended garden underfoot.
The chanting of Absalom's name grew louder and louder. As
(04:33):
he dismounted his horse, he turned to the people who
had followed behind him and waved King Absol, He whispered
to himself. He shook his head and.
Speaker 6 (04:43):
Laughed, what a great king I will be.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
He walked into the palace, with a Hithafel close behind him.
Speaker 6 (04:50):
Gather any of the remaining advisers of the king. He ordered,
I would like to begin my reign as soon as possible.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
A Hithafel gathered the men who were close to David
but refrained from following him into the wilderness. Among them
was Hashai, fresh from the Mount of Olives, where he
was commissioned by David to sow discord. Hashai entered into
the throne room of the king, ready to do the
dirty work of politics. He never thought he had a
knack for lying in deception. It was one of the
(05:20):
qualities that made David trust him so much. However, in
this moment, deception was required. He would do his best
to undermine Absalom and a Hithafal in their attempt to
overthrow the kingdom. David's reign in Israel hung in the balance.
Hashai entered and raised his arms to Absalom.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Long live the King, Long live the King, Long live
the King.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
He shouted and clapped. Absalom cocked his head to the
side and peered at Hashai.
Speaker 6 (05:51):
Hushai, is this the type of loyalty you give your
friend David? I know how close you two were. Why
did you not ret treat with him into the wilderness.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Hushai paused for a moment, remembering that he was not
very good at lying. He smiled and opened his palms.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Good, Absalom, My loyalty is to the king that the
lord and people choose. It is clear to me they
have chosen you. So here I am at your service,
just as I was for your father.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Hushai's lies seemed to satisfy Absalom, He was too prideful
to inquire further.
Speaker 6 (06:26):
Very well, then, he said, we shall now discuss how
to establish me as king over the people. Perhaps a
show of force. What will make the people know I
am king?
Speaker 2 (06:37):
He gestured to a hithefel.
Speaker 6 (06:39):
What say you, counselor a.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Hithefel, bowed his head and furrowed his brow.
Speaker 7 (06:44):
You must make your dominance over your father known to
all the people, he said. Showcase your power by going
into your father's concubines, ravage them, and make it known
to all the people that David is a stench and
you alone own the city.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Absalom, being the egotistical psychopath that he was, loved the idea.
They pitched a tent on the roof of the palace,
and one by one Absalom went into all ten of
his father's concubines. The entire nation of Israel heard about
what he was doing and immediately began to question the
validity of what was happening. Only minutes into being king,
(07:21):
Absalom made his first mistake, and Hushai planned how he
might continue those mistakes. Meanwhile, deep in the forests, resting
on the mount of Olives, David rose from his place
of prayer. He had sang a hymn of desperation and
trust in God. He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt,
that he would be taken care of all he had
(07:42):
to do. Was remained righteous and willing to act when
called upon. The king led his people down the other
side of the mountain. As they were leaving the summit,
he heard a rustling in the bushes. Shama Abhshi and David,
all unsheathed their swords and prepared for a fight. From
the bush, A stone came flying out and hit Abershid
(08:02):
directly in the stomach. He keeled back and gasped. A
man came out shouting at them. It was Shimi I,
a member of Saul's family.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Get out of here, you man of blood. You are worthless.
You never measured up to King Saul. The Lord is
punishing you for the blood of Saul. This is what
you deserve, you man of blood. Shame on you.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Abishi rose to his feet and grabbed his sword.
Speaker 7 (08:29):
You shall not speak to my king like that.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
He shouted, and he darted towards Shimii. However, David ran
after him and held him back. Abashi turned around.
Speaker 7 (08:39):
What are you doing? Let me go over there and
take off his head. Why should this dead dog curse
you like this?
Speaker 8 (08:45):
Let it go, Abishai, David side, he is not worth
the trouble. Besides, perhaps his words are from the Lord.
Speaker 7 (08:53):
What are you talking about, David?
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Of course they aren't, Abishi exclaimed, he.
Speaker 7 (08:58):
Is a bitter, old fool and be punished.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
As Abeshi was saying this, shimi I continued to throw
stones and mud at them. David covered his head from
the stones and said, my own son wants me dead.
What could this man possibly say to make me feel
worse than I do?
Speaker 8 (09:15):
Now leave him alone. If his words are from God,
then I deserved him. If he is sinning, then God
will punish either way, God would not be happy if
I lash out at him. Why would I return evil
for evil?
Speaker 2 (09:33):
David began to walk away, but Shimmy, I was persisting.
He threw stones, mud and sticks at David. His men
did their best to shield him, but were unable to
block the pile of cow dung he threw at David's head.
It hit him in the side of the face, and
David stumbled to his knees. It was truly a low
point for the king. He was mocked, cursed, and had
(09:55):
dung on his face. The king stood to his feet
in dignity and pressed on. They camped beside the Jordan
River and refreshed themselves. David sang songs of hope to
encourage the people. Absalom tapped his fingers on the throne
and stared deeply into the fire. His gaze was intense,
and he was lost in deep thought. Absalom was a
(10:17):
patient man, consumed with every detail of his coup. The
final obstacle of his reign as king was David himself.
He needed him dead. A Hithefel and a Shy were
both standing at attention behind the throne. Hashin noticed a
Hithethel's eyes. They were intensely fixed on Absalom, like a
dog waiting for a bone. There was something strange about
(10:40):
a Hithefel. He was not well and clearly obsessed with
pleasing the new king. Ashan knew there was room to
cause chaos among the two of them. He just needed
to use his words very carefully. Hithephel Absalom said. The
councilor was quick to move in front of the throne
and bow his head.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
What are your thoughts of about what we should do next?
Shall we hunt for David or send assassins?
Speaker 7 (11:05):
A showing of strength is best, my lord, a Hithafel said,
let me choose twelve thousand men to pursue David. He
is less than a thousand with him, and less of
them are warriors. We will overwhelm them with few casualties
and focus on killing David alone. Once he is slain,
then the people are bound to follow us.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
A Hithefel knelt down to the king and said.
Speaker 7 (11:26):
Allow me to bring the people back to you like
a bride comes to her husband.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Absalom seemed to like his idea. A showing of strength
would establish him over David. It would be satisfying to
march against him with twelve thousand men behind him. He
wanted to prove to his father that he could lead
such an army. Absalom turned to Hashai and beckoned him forward.
Speaker 6 (11:49):
What say you, Hashai, do you agree with the Hithophel?
Shall we march up against David?
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Hashai looked at a Hithethel, and then back at Absalom.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
A Hithafel is a wise man, but I believe this
time he is wrong, blatantly and clearly wrong.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
A Hithefel's upper lip twitched into a brief snarl.
Speaker 7 (12:08):
Do you not find the king strong enough to defeat
David with twelve thousand men behind him?
Speaker 2 (12:13):
A Hithefhal scoffed. Hushai shook his head.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
It's not that, my king, I swear. However, you should
know very well your father is surrounded by his mighty men.
Six hundred of them have toppled over forty thousand easily.
They are strong, good tacticians experience, and now you have
provoked them like a mother bear robbed of her cubs.
(12:37):
It does not seem to me a wise decision to
simply march against them and expect to win.
Speaker 7 (12:43):
What if we surprise them, a Hithefel said, they will
need to rest. What if we attacked them in the
middle of the night.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Hushai shook his head again.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
You clearly have not met King David. Do you really
think he would sleep among the people. No, he will
camp elsewhere to protect the people from harm. All you
will accomplish is attacking innocent people and being called a
murderer of fellow Israelites.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Absalom was annoyed, but knew Hashai was correct. Hahshai could
sense the tension between him, Absalom, and a Hithefel. He
breathed in deeply and thought for a moment. Perhaps, he began.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
We should meet them at a neutral battlefield, one in
which we can get a clear vantage point of David.
We increase our efforts if we can target David specifically.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Hushai could tell that his answers were not satisfying Absalom,
so he appealed to his ego, saying.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
I have no doubt that you will be able to
rally the men of Israel behind you. March up against
David and face him yourself. If for some reason he
gets past you and into the city, all Israel will
bring ropes, and we shall drag him into the valley
until not even a pebble is to be found there.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
That final word stirred Absalom, and he was pleased with
Hashai very well. Absalom said, we shall march.
Speaker 6 (14:03):
We will gather men and meet David and his band
of old dogs, and the entire world shall know that
I am the great King of Israel.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
So Absalom rose from his throne to go and prepare,
leaving Hashai and a Hithefel alone. The two of them
stood there, staring at one another for a long time.
A Hithephel knew who Shai was up to something, but
could not prove it. Hashai could see the unbalanced psyche
of a Hithefel begin to teeter away. He was shaking
(14:33):
and nervous. Finally, Hashai spoke, saying, it is.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Time to prepare the man. A Hithephel, you should be
following the king.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
A Hithephel said nothing. He left, and Hashai rushed to
go send word to David. He went to Abbiethar and Zaduk,
telling them all that was happening.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
You must warn David not to rest in the warpath
of Absalom. If he is anywhere near the Jorda River,
he must escape now if his people want to live.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Jonathan and Ahimaas left to send the message to David
on behalf of their fathers. They ran into the night
like cats, scurrying through the streets without making a noise. However,
there were some who were aware of their mission. A
young man had seen them leaving the city and sent
word to Absalom's guards. They left on horseback in pursuit
of the young priests. Jonathan and Ahemaas ran for their lives,
(15:26):
cutting corners and hopping over barrels of wine and gray.
The chase was frantic, and the two men felt like
they were moments away from being captured. They turned the
corner to their rendezvous point with another woman messenger. She
was standing by the well waiting for them. Instead of
greeting her, the two young men leaped forward and jumped
(15:46):
into the well. When the woman saw the guard's riding,
she quickly lifted the large tarp covering and draped it
over the mouth of the well. The guards slid to
a stop and gallop. Where did they go? Where are
Jonathan Najimaas the woman didn't flinch. She pointed south and said, they.
Speaker 8 (16:05):
Jumped into the brook and followed it downstream.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
I think they were heading outside of the city.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
She said. The guards wasted no time. They followed the
brook down for miles, searching desperately for the young men.
When they found nothing, they rode back into the city
and searched for them. There the woman uncovered the well.
The two young priests burst out of the water and
gasped for them.
Speaker 5 (16:27):
You must leave now, the.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Woman said, they may be back. So the two men
ran into the night, sopping wet and filled with purpose.
The silvery moon hung over David's camp like a watchman.
Its silvery light shone down on them. Bouncing off the
water of the Jordan River, David washed his face in
the cool water, wiping off the last of the dung.
(16:51):
He sighed and looked up at the moon. It seemed
closer than usual, as if the eye of God was
bending down closer to keep a close watch. David showed
his head and chuckled. He wished Jonathan was here. He
longed to hear his wisdom on what he should do next.
He could not run forever. Eventually, he knew they would
have to fight. As the thought of fighting crossed his mind,
(17:14):
he wondered where Joab was.
Speaker 8 (17:15):
Perhaps he too has abandoned me. David thought to himself,
I am no longer a man worth following the king
had a sinking feeling that he was being punished for
his sins. Nathan had prophesied that bloodshed would never leave
his house. This seemed like a reasonable fulfillment of that prophecy.
He looked back at the camp. Most of the people
(17:38):
had retreated into their tents for the night. He still
could not believe all his mighty men and hundreds of
his servants had followed him into the wilderness. He did
not find himself worthy of their loyalty, but he would
do his very best to protect them. They were his sheep,
and he was their shepherd. David caught a glimpse of
his son, Solomon, being carried into the tent with his muther.
(18:01):
He jogged over to them and gave his son a
kiss on the forehead. He tucked both of the men
and sang a hymn as they drifted asleep. He stroked
Solomon's hair and wondered what would become of him. You
are special, little one, David whispered, I wonder what would
become of you. The king left the tent and sat
(18:23):
down beside the fire. Abeshi, Shamah, Eliezar, and Attai were
already gathered around The fIF of them spoke for a
long while about the next steps. They bickered, laughed and cried.
It was just like old times in the wilderness. God
was still their leader, and they trusted the Lord for
his intervention. As the night was growing cold and the
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men were ready to retreat into their tents, a stirring
was caused among the camp. The two young priests had
finally arrived with word from Hashai.
Speaker 5 (18:53):
Absalom is marching.
Speaker 4 (18:55):
They shouted, you must arise and go quickly over the
water for abb Salomon. The others will be here within
the next few days.
Speaker 8 (19:03):
Where do they expect us to battle, David.
Speaker 5 (19:06):
Asked Gilead David, they are sending many men to fight
against you. Absalom will not relent until he has you
in his grasp.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
David nodded and dismissed the men to return home. He
slept that night, and first thing in the morning he
gathered all the people to cross the Jordan once again.
David found himself wading through the river unsure above the
next steps, A Hithafel watched Absalom leave with his army
(19:36):
to Gilead. Instead of appointing him as commander or joe
Ab as commander, he appointed Amasa, a boy and a brute.
A Hithafel had finally come to a breaking point. He
had stewed in anger against David for so long that
he was too quick to jump to Absalom's side. Now
he was a man without a king. He betrayed David,
(19:56):
and Absalom preferred the Council of Hashai over him. His
hands trembled and his cheeks were red with rage. He
took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and left to
return home. He set his house in order, tied a
noose to the top of his home, and hung himself.
His body hung there, lifeless, as a symbol of the
sad and sorry state of Israel, a nation without a king.
(20:22):
A storm was approaching. The wind howled from the east,
and David wrapped his cloak around him tightly as he
and his men marched forward. Absalom had crossed the Jordan River,
encamped at the forest of a freeham beside a large valley. David,
Etai and Abeshi climbed a small hill to get a
better view of the battlefield. It was rough and wide ground.
(20:45):
If they were to fight there, it would not be easy.
Absalom's men outnumbered David's five to one. An open field
would give the advantage to the army. With more men, we.
Speaker 8 (20:55):
Can take the fight straight to the forest, David said.
If we take to day to march around on the valley,
we can meet them on the other side of the
forest of Evrihem.
Speaker 7 (21:04):
It would certainly narrow the battle to a more manageable size.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Itai agreed, However, I.
Speaker 7 (21:09):
Would still feel more comfortable if we had more men.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
Then more men you shall get.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
A voice called up from behind them. David and Abshi
looked over and behind them was Joab leading hundreds of soldiers.
He opened his arms up and smiled.
Speaker 5 (21:26):
You did not think I joined the ranks of Absalom,
did you?
Speaker 2 (21:28):
He burnt my fields. David laughed and embraced his friend.
The four of them discussed the situation and all arrived
at the same conclusion they had the best chance attacking
in the forest. David gathered the men together and began
to map out the battle.
Speaker 8 (21:45):
Abashi, you will take a third of the men and
attack first. Itai will take a third of the attack
from the flank. Joe, ab you will take the last
third and ambush them. Once the battle has been initiated,
I will march with Abishai at the front. I desire
to face Absalom myself and bring him back with me.
(22:05):
Any questions, The three others looked at each other with
concerned looks on their faces. What is wrong, David asked.
Joab answered and said.
Speaker 5 (22:14):
My king, this is a battle. You should not march
into what no.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
I must go with you.
Speaker 8 (22:21):
It is my duteous king, and I will not abandon
you like I did in Amon.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
This is different, it I protested.
Speaker 7 (22:29):
If you are there, they will not relent until you
are captured. However, if you are absent, it gives us
the option to retreat. They do not care about us.
They only care about you.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Joe have placed a hand on David's shoulder.
Speaker 5 (22:43):
I would not want to fight against my own son.
If the moment came when I had to slay him
for the good of the nation, I am not sure
I would have the strength. So I will spare you
from that decision, you should defend the city near by
with a group of mighty men. If we need to retreat,
we will flee into the nearby city, and you can
help us escape.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
David paused for a long while. He sighed and looked
out over the horizon again. His son was camped near
the forest, probably strategizing with his own men on how
to slay him. It hurt him deeply that he had
to march against his own son. He understood the point
his men made and did not argue. He lifted his
hand in surrender and said, whatever seems best to you,
(23:27):
I will do so. The king took reinforcements to the
border of Gilead. Near the gate. He ordered and placed
Joe ab abshi in Ittai in the proper formations and
sent them off. However, before they left, David stopped them
and said, please deal gently with Absolom for my sake.
(23:47):
Bring him home alive if possible. They nodded and departed
for the forest. The storm above continued to pick up speed,
and the blustering wind howled through the woods like a
pass of ravenous wolves. The clouds blocked out the sun
and the woods remained in darkness. Scouts from the camp
of Israel sent word to Absalom that David's men were
(24:09):
marching from behind them, so he rallied his men to
absorb the attack. They pressed forward into the forest, listening
for David's men. Absalom had marched with Joab before when
doing raids of smaller nations. However, he was not aware
of the full strength of David's mighty men. Legends of
their power were more of a fantasy to him than reality.
(24:31):
He was gravely mistaken. The first attack was from Abishire.
Behind him were Eliezar, Shama and Joshubin. They attacked with
the same speed as the wind above them. Absalom furrowed
his brow and lifted his sword. He commanded the combined
remnants of Israel's army with Absalom's mercenaries ran forward and
(24:54):
clashed with Abashink. Shama ran ahead with his sword, and
he dodged the initial attacks, slashing men at the ankles
as he went. His sword was an extension of his
own body, and was with it He once killed an
entire army of Philistines on his own for protecting a
hundred field. Joshubine was not far behind. He rang gracefully
(25:15):
with his spear, as yet every man who came up
against him was met with the tip of the spear,
blast of their thrill to chest. His speed was unmatched,
and the grace with which he yielded his weapon was uncared.
It is what earned him the place of captain, and
how he once killed eight hundred men all by himself.
Elizar held out over his ground until more enemies stepped forward.
(25:39):
Dozens launched themselves at him, only to perish immediately. Elizar's
sturdiness and strength earned him the trust of King David.
He once fought with David for so long that his
sword stuck to his hand. That's a long panicked as
he watched David's mighty men fight. They were more ferocious
than lions and quicker than honest. It was beginning to
(26:00):
feel the full weight of just how strong they were.
He turned back to retreat back in the forest, but
hit time was already attacking at the flag. They gave
Absalom no choice but to fight. If he wanted the throne,
he would have to spill blood on the battlefield, just
as David did. So. Absalom rode forward on his horse,
(26:20):
slashing through opponents and leaning on his training, Joe Ab
was not far behind with his men when he finally entered.
That was Absalom's signal to flee. He whipped his horse
and rode as fast as he could. The tree covering
became shorter and shorter as the horse rode under the
thick branches. Absalom slashed through the branches with his sword,
(26:41):
frantically trying to escape. He could hear the clamoring of
soldiers in pursuit behind him. He yelled in fear and
whipped his horse even more to pick ump speed. The
great oaks covered the skies and the branches intertwined with
one another above him, The covering became lower and lower,
until finally Absalom rode fast as a Turkish, getting his
(27:03):
head caught between them. The force crushed his throat and
the horse continued to ride forward, leaving the prince hanging
by his neck in the air. He gasped and struggled
to free himself, but his neck was lodged deep into
the oak. One of the soldiers saw Absalom struggling to
get free and ran to tell Joe Ab.
Speaker 7 (27:22):
Whi Joe Abb Absalom is hanging from a tree.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Joe Ab took the man by the collar and yelled.
Speaker 5 (27:28):
You saw him hanging there, and you did not strike
him down to the ground. I would have given you
ten pieces of silver if you killed him.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
The soldier panicked and said.
Speaker 8 (27:37):
But King David, said Doctor Havin, even if you offered
me a thousand pieces of silver, I would not dare
kill the cat's son.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Joe Ab scoffed and grabbed three spears and marched into
the forest. The wind mettled through the forest, nearly knocking
the young soldier off his feet. However, Joeab marched forward unhindered.
Hanging in the oak ring above was Absalom. He was
gasping for air and trying to break himself free. Joe
Ab stood below him and called out to him.
Speaker 5 (28:08):
Your majesty.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Absalom looked below, unable to say anything. Joab took his
first spear and gripped at him. He swung it around
a few times, then threw it upwards, going through Absalom's shoulder.
The tip of the spear went straight through him, breaking
off the branch that held him. He fell to the
ground hard. Absalom took a deep breath. Finally able to breathe,
(28:31):
but in pain from the spear in his shoulder, he
stood and tried to run, but Joeab through the other spear.
It was a direct hit through his back and out
through the left side of his stomach. Absalom cried out
in intense pain, shaking on the floor. Joab rolled his
neck back and drew a deep breath. You wantn't know something,
(28:52):
he said to the screaming man on the ground.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
After all this, your father still wanted me to spare you.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Absalom held out his arm and crawled backwards away from
joe Ab.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Please, he coughed, have mercy.
Speaker 5 (29:07):
You received your mercy, Absalom. Your father gave it twice.
I will not let him give it a third time.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Joab took his third spear and drove it through absalom stack.
He looked at the life slowly fading away from Absalom's eyes.
He let go of his spear and allowed the other
men to take turns stabbing him. The tyrant prince was dead,
and along with him the coup. Joab had finished him off,
despite David's orders to spare him. A rebellion was ended
(29:41):
by another act of rebellion. The irony did not escape
joe AaB. He took Absalom's body and threw him into
a great pit in the forest. A heap of stones
were thrown over his body as a memorial to him.
Joab looked at the entire army of Israel that had
fought with Absalom. The men he once led stood before
him in shame. Back to your homes, he shouted, every
(30:05):
man left to return to Jerusalem. Joe Ab stood over
the pile of stones. The clouds above were thrashing, ready
to burst. A rain was coming soon. Joe Ab spat
at the stones. Long live the king, he said. He
and his men returned to the king, ready to restore
peace back to God's people.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
King Absalom's reign was quick. His rise was dramatic and fierce,
and his fall was disgraceful and gory. If we were
to just look at Saul and absolute lives, it would
send a clear message that kings are doomed to fall.
When you read first and second Kings, you get a
similar message. Many of the kings after David Rose quickly
(30:53):
forgot their purpose and fell dramatically. Just a few episodes ago,
we thought David might s Yah the same fate, but
he didn't. What sets David apart from these other kings.
What set David apart from the kings of the ancient
world who conquered and then were conquered. We can go
back to the beginning for that answer. In episode three,
(31:14):
Samuel tells Saul about his chosen king. The Lord has
sought out another to replace you. He has sought out
a man who is after his own heart. He has
sought out a man who cares more about pleasing the
heart of God than looking for the approval of man.
This king shall be prince over the Lord's people. He
shall steward God's people well, and it will be his
(31:36):
kingdom that continues into eternity. Even in his failures, wanderings,
and missteps, David comes back to the Lord every time
he seeks after his heart, and faithfulness of God is
his safety net. He is a refuge and strength for him.
No matter how far David falls, God lifts him back up.
(31:56):
God's relationship to David is a symbol of his relationship
with Israel. Time after time, Israel fails, but when they
cry out to him, he is faithful to respond. He
keeps his promises to them. God is faithful even when
David isn't. Absolute naturally is doing everything without God. The
pride of the throne that corrupted Saul's heart may quick
(32:18):
work of Absolom. Not even minutes into being king does
he have a horrendous failure. He ravages his father's harem,
subjugates the people, and marches to go fight the mighty men. Absolom,
a man of wit, lost all of his sensibilities when
he became king. Pride tends to cancel out whatever our
gifts are. Absolom was a smart man, but that was
(32:42):
no room for so but thinking when pride occupied his mind.
Think about some of the gifts you have. Think about
how much more useful they would be without any pride
or arrogance. Herbers stains our ambitions, but humility makes them clean.
David proved once again to be a humble man. And
angry man came out of the forest and threw stones
(33:02):
and dung at him, but David remain calm. David and
Absalom are contrasted in this episode. While Absalom demanded respect,
David allowed dung to be thrown at him. David needs
to show even more humility. When it is time to
march in a battle. He wants to ride with his men,
but they all agree it's best for him to stay back.
(33:23):
Think about how hard this must have been for David.
Not only does he need to sit on his hands
while his brothers fight, he will not be able to
protect Absalom from being killed. Even though David is the king,
he submits to the advice of his men. This is
a growing moment for David, who in the last episodes
refused to take counsel. Joe ab and the Mighty Men
(33:44):
marched against Absolom, and the tide of the battle quickly
shifts in their favor. What did Absolom expect? Pride clouded
his better judgment. He should have known he was no
match for his father's finest warriors. The episode ends with
Absolum for his life then getting his neck caught between
two intersecting branches. It's a horrific image that gets even
(34:07):
worse when joeb arrives, the commander of David's army, doesn't
spare Absolom, and we are left wondering if he made
the right call. David had a tendency to show mercy
when judgment may have been more appropriate, especially when it
came to his sons, But is rebellion away to squash
a rebellion? Joeb recognized the irony himself. This leads us
(34:29):
to consider a few questions. Do too wrong, sometimes make
a right? Do the end sometimes justify the means. We
are told exactly what the answers to those questions are,
but we are invited to wrestle with them. Joeab robed
Absolom the chance to change his ways, and Joe ABS's words,
you received your mercy, Absolom. Your father gave it twice.
(34:52):
I will not let him give it a third time.
Odds are Absolum wouldn't have truly changed. But was that
Joe AaB's call to make. We will leave the question
open for now and see how Joe Ab in David's
relationship evolved in our next episode. Absalom hung from a tree,
disgraced as a traitor, but David still loved him till
the end. This brings us back to the prelude. Judas
(35:16):
is the one who sold Jesus out, also hung from
a tree. He betrayed him and gave him up to
be killed, but Jesus loved him till the end. And
John thirteen, we're told that Jesus washed all his disciples feet.
He serves every single one of them, including Judas, who
hours later sold him for thirty pieces of silver. Judas's
actions did not change Jesus's love for him, just like
(35:39):
Absalom's actions did not change David's love for him. Know this,
brothers and sisters, no matter what you have done, on
how far you strayed, God still loves you. Jesus's love
is greater than your sin. Even in our rebellion, God
still begs for us to come back to him. In
our next episode, David continues to mourn the loss of
his son. His tender heart is put on this same play,
(36:00):
But it may be time for David to seize his
tears and steady his grip. What Abslom started is not over.
Join us for episode twenty eight, The Rebellion of Sheba.
Thanks again for listening. For more inspiring stories, daily prayers
and wisdom to last a lifetime, go to pray dot com,
and to expand your heroes in the Bible Journey, download
(36:23):
the Heroes of the Faith devotional at Tonyevans dot org.
Forward slash Heroes. Follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify
to get the newest episodes right as they come out,
and always be inspired by the Bible. God bless
Hi, I'm doctor Tony Evans and I'm excited for you
to join me on Heroes in the Bible. Please be
sure to follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify so
you get the newest episodes right as they come out.
Welcome to the Epic Adventure of David. A story of honor, battle, jealousy, darkness, friendship, love, scandal,
(00:20):
and murder. While most people know of David the myth,
few know about David the man. In this episode, father
and son are pitted against each other. Absolom's hostile takeover
of Israel cannot be complete until David is dead. Absolom
has more resources than mercenaries at his disposal, but David
has his mighty men. This episode is about many things,
(00:44):
but more than anything, it is a tribute to the
warriors who have stuck by his side for so long.
The Bible has given us many insight into these warriors,
and we have done our best to give them the
honor they deserve. This episode focuses on them, especially since
David is unable to go into battle himself. David has
many allies on his side, and that is ultimately what
(01:06):
will turn the tide of the battle. Absalom as intelligent
as he is, will find himself sorely lacking in wisdom.
Before the story continues, we will listen to a prelude.
We are once again brought into a moment during Jesus's life. Judas,
one of Christ's closest friends, gives him up for thirty
(01:26):
pieces of silver, a cheap price for the god of
all creation. The guilt from his act drives Judas mad,
and he meets an undignified demise. His death is a
foreshadowing of another death in this episode. Who it is
you might have already guessed, but David may have other plans.
Join us for episode twenty seven. Hanging on a tree.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Prelude to chapter twenty seven. Standing at a distance was
Judas he looked down at his thirty pieces of silver.
They didn't feel right in his hands. They trembled, and
he put the pouch back in his cloak. A tinge
of regrets sparked in Judas as he watched Jesus tumble
down the temples steps. He watched them bind Jesus, strike him,
(02:17):
and throw him around.
Speaker 3 (02:18):
Like a dollop.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
His stomach churned as he listened to the painful grunts
of his master. Memories of Jesus healing the sick and
restoring sight to the blind flooded Judas's mind. It was
unbearable to think of Jesus being put to death because
of him. He banged on his head and began to
cry in anxious red. He yelled and ran towards the
(02:40):
temple courtroom. He burst through the doors and threw the
money bag back at Caiaphas.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
Please, he yelled, take your money, take it.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
I do not want Jesus to suffer. Caiaphas chuckled. What
am I to do with this?
Speaker 4 (02:54):
He asked, what's done is done.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Judas frantically shook his head. Nervous tears filled his eyes.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
No, no, no, no, he yelled.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
I did not know he would be put to death.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
I have sinned and betrayed innocent blood.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Judas fell to his knees, begging Caiaphas to reconsider. The
high priest scoffed.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
Get up, you're an embarrassment, Take your money and be
in peace. A worker is worth his wages.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
With that, Judas was escorted out of the temple walls.
Judas was thrown onto the floor. He lay there for
a long while. His eyes were blanketed with regret, he
rose to his feet. Sweat, tears, and blood dripped down
his cheeks. Judas hombled his way towards an olive tree.
He looked up. The clouds above were thrashing, ready to burst.
(03:50):
Judas shook his head. His eyes were glazed over as
he threw a nearby rope up onto the tree. He
climbed it, tied a noose around his neck, and jumped
off the branch. The rope tightened and Judas's body flailed
for a long moment. The sound of tightening rope and
rustling leaves cut through the silence of the early morning. Then,
(04:12):
as the sun rose, Judas breathed his last breath. Chapter
twenty seven. Hanging on a tree, Chariots of bronze burst
through the palace gates, trampling the well tended garden underfoot.
The chanting of Absalom's name grew louder and louder. As
(04:33):
he dismounted his horse, he turned to the people who
had followed behind him and waved King Absol, He whispered
to himself. He shook his head and.
Speaker 6 (04:43):
Laughed, what a great king I will be.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
He walked into the palace, with a Hithafel close behind him.
Speaker 6 (04:50):
Gather any of the remaining advisers of the king. He ordered,
I would like to begin my reign as soon as possible.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
A Hithafel gathered the men who were close to David
but refrained from following him into the wilderness. Among them
was Hashai, fresh from the Mount of Olives, where he
was commissioned by David to sow discord. Hashai entered into
the throne room of the king, ready to do the
dirty work of politics. He never thought he had a
knack for lying in deception. It was one of the
(05:20):
qualities that made David trust him so much. However, in
this moment, deception was required. He would do his best
to undermine Absalom and a Hithafal in their attempt to
overthrow the kingdom. David's reign in Israel hung in the balance.
Hashai entered and raised his arms to Absalom.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
Long live the King, Long live the King, Long live
the King.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
He shouted and clapped. Absalom cocked his head to the
side and peered at Hashai.
Speaker 6 (05:51):
Hushai, is this the type of loyalty you give your
friend David? I know how close you two were. Why
did you not ret treat with him into the wilderness.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
Hushai paused for a moment, remembering that he was not
very good at lying. He smiled and opened his palms.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Good, Absalom, My loyalty is to the king that the
lord and people choose. It is clear to me they
have chosen you. So here I am at your service,
just as I was for your father.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Hushai's lies seemed to satisfy Absalom, He was too prideful
to inquire further.
Speaker 6 (06:26):
Very well, then, he said, we shall now discuss how
to establish me as king over the people. Perhaps a
show of force. What will make the people know I
am king?
Speaker 2 (06:37):
He gestured to a hithefel.
Speaker 6 (06:39):
What say you, counselor a.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Hithefel, bowed his head and furrowed his brow.
Speaker 7 (06:44):
You must make your dominance over your father known to
all the people, he said. Showcase your power by going
into your father's concubines, ravage them, and make it known
to all the people that David is a stench and
you alone own the city.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
Absalom, being the egotistical psychopath that he was, loved the idea.
They pitched a tent on the roof of the palace,
and one by one Absalom went into all ten of
his father's concubines. The entire nation of Israel heard about
what he was doing and immediately began to question the
validity of what was happening. Only minutes into being king,
(07:21):
Absalom made his first mistake, and Hushai planned how he
might continue those mistakes. Meanwhile, deep in the forests, resting
on the mount of Olives, David rose from his place
of prayer. He had sang a hymn of desperation and
trust in God. He knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt,
that he would be taken care of all he had
(07:42):
to do. Was remained righteous and willing to act when
called upon. The king led his people down the other
side of the mountain. As they were leaving the summit,
he heard a rustling in the bushes. Shama Abhshi and David,
all unsheathed their swords and prepared for a fight. From
the bush, A stone came flying out and hit Abershid
(08:02):
directly in the stomach. He keeled back and gasped. A
man came out shouting at them. It was Shimi I,
a member of Saul's family.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Get out of here, you man of blood. You are worthless.
You never measured up to King Saul. The Lord is
punishing you for the blood of Saul. This is what
you deserve, you man of blood. Shame on you.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Abishi rose to his feet and grabbed his sword.
Speaker 7 (08:29):
You shall not speak to my king like that.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
He shouted, and he darted towards Shimii. However, David ran
after him and held him back. Abashi turned around.
Speaker 7 (08:39):
What are you doing? Let me go over there and
take off his head. Why should this dead dog curse
you like this?
Speaker 8 (08:45):
Let it go, Abishai, David side, he is not worth
the trouble. Besides, perhaps his words are from the Lord.
Speaker 7 (08:53):
What are you talking about, David?
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Of course they aren't, Abishi exclaimed, he.
Speaker 7 (08:58):
Is a bitter, old fool and be punished.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
As Abeshi was saying this, shimi I continued to throw
stones and mud at them. David covered his head from
the stones and said, my own son wants me dead.
What could this man possibly say to make me feel
worse than I do?
Speaker 8 (09:15):
Now leave him alone. If his words are from God,
then I deserved him. If he is sinning, then God
will punish either way, God would not be happy if
I lash out at him. Why would I return evil
for evil?
Speaker 2 (09:33):
David began to walk away, but Shimmy, I was persisting.
He threw stones, mud and sticks at David. His men
did their best to shield him, but were unable to
block the pile of cow dung he threw at David's head.
It hit him in the side of the face, and
David stumbled to his knees. It was truly a low
point for the king. He was mocked, cursed, and had
(09:55):
dung on his face. The king stood to his feet
in dignity and pressed on. They camped beside the Jordan
River and refreshed themselves. David sang songs of hope to
encourage the people. Absalom tapped his fingers on the throne
and stared deeply into the fire. His gaze was intense,
and he was lost in deep thought. Absalom was a
(10:17):
patient man, consumed with every detail of his coup. The
final obstacle of his reign as king was David himself.
He needed him dead. A Hithefel and a Shy were
both standing at attention behind the throne. Hashin noticed a
Hithethel's eyes. They were intensely fixed on Absalom, like a
dog waiting for a bone. There was something strange about
(10:40):
a Hithefel. He was not well and clearly obsessed with
pleasing the new king. Ashan knew there was room to
cause chaos among the two of them. He just needed
to use his words very carefully. Hithephel Absalom said. The
councilor was quick to move in front of the throne
and bow his head.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
What are your thoughts of about what we should do next?
Shall we hunt for David or send assassins?
Speaker 7 (11:05):
A showing of strength is best, my lord, a Hithafel said,
let me choose twelve thousand men to pursue David. He
is less than a thousand with him, and less of
them are warriors. We will overwhelm them with few casualties
and focus on killing David alone. Once he is slain,
then the people are bound to follow us.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
A Hithefel knelt down to the king and said.
Speaker 7 (11:26):
Allow me to bring the people back to you like
a bride comes to her husband.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Absalom seemed to like his idea. A showing of strength
would establish him over David. It would be satisfying to
march against him with twelve thousand men behind him. He
wanted to prove to his father that he could lead
such an army. Absalom turned to Hashai and beckoned him forward.
Speaker 6 (11:49):
What say you, Hashai, do you agree with the Hithophel?
Shall we march up against David?
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Hashai looked at a Hithethel, and then back at Absalom.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
A Hithafel is a wise man, but I believe this
time he is wrong, blatantly and clearly wrong.
Speaker 2 (12:04):
A Hithefel's upper lip twitched into a brief snarl.
Speaker 7 (12:08):
Do you not find the king strong enough to defeat
David with twelve thousand men behind him?
Speaker 2 (12:13):
A Hithefhal scoffed. Hushai shook his head.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
It's not that, my king, I swear. However, you should
know very well your father is surrounded by his mighty men.
Six hundred of them have toppled over forty thousand easily.
They are strong, good tacticians experience, and now you have
provoked them like a mother bear robbed of her cubs.
(12:37):
It does not seem to me a wise decision to
simply march against them and expect to win.
Speaker 7 (12:43):
What if we surprise them, a Hithefel said, they will
need to rest. What if we attacked them in the
middle of the night.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Hushai shook his head again.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
You clearly have not met King David. Do you really
think he would sleep among the people. No, he will
camp elsewhere to protect the people from harm. All you
will accomplish is attacking innocent people and being called a
murderer of fellow Israelites.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
Absalom was annoyed, but knew Hashai was correct. Hahshai could
sense the tension between him, Absalom, and a Hithefel. He
breathed in deeply and thought for a moment. Perhaps, he began.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
We should meet them at a neutral battlefield, one in
which we can get a clear vantage point of David.
We increase our efforts if we can target David specifically.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Hushai could tell that his answers were not satisfying Absalom,
so he appealed to his ego, saying.
Speaker 3 (13:37):
I have no doubt that you will be able to
rally the men of Israel behind you. March up against
David and face him yourself. If for some reason he
gets past you and into the city, all Israel will
bring ropes, and we shall drag him into the valley
until not even a pebble is to be found there.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
That final word stirred Absalom, and he was pleased with
Hashai very well. Absalom said, we shall march.
Speaker 6 (14:03):
We will gather men and meet David and his band
of old dogs, and the entire world shall know that
I am the great King of Israel.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
So Absalom rose from his throne to go and prepare,
leaving Hashai and a Hithefel alone. The two of them
stood there, staring at one another for a long time.
A Hithephel knew who Shai was up to something, but
could not prove it. Hashai could see the unbalanced psyche
of a Hithefel begin to teeter away. He was shaking
(14:33):
and nervous. Finally, Hashai spoke, saying, it is.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
Time to prepare the man. A Hithephel, you should be
following the king.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
A Hithephel said nothing. He left, and Hashai rushed to
go send word to David. He went to Abbiethar and Zaduk,
telling them all that was happening.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
You must warn David not to rest in the warpath
of Absalom. If he is anywhere near the Jorda River,
he must escape now if his people want to live.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Jonathan and Ahimaas left to send the message to David
on behalf of their fathers. They ran into the night
like cats, scurrying through the streets without making a noise. However,
there were some who were aware of their mission. A
young man had seen them leaving the city and sent
word to Absalom's guards. They left on horseback in pursuit
of the young priests. Jonathan and Ahemaas ran for their lives,
(15:26):
cutting corners and hopping over barrels of wine and gray.
The chase was frantic, and the two men felt like
they were moments away from being captured. They turned the
corner to their rendezvous point with another woman messenger. She
was standing by the well waiting for them. Instead of
greeting her, the two young men leaped forward and jumped
(15:46):
into the well. When the woman saw the guard's riding,
she quickly lifted the large tarp covering and draped it
over the mouth of the well. The guards slid to
a stop and gallop. Where did they go? Where are
Jonathan Najimaas the woman didn't flinch. She pointed south and said, they.
Speaker 8 (16:05):
Jumped into the brook and followed it downstream.
Speaker 4 (16:07):
I think they were heading outside of the city.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
She said. The guards wasted no time. They followed the
brook down for miles, searching desperately for the young men.
When they found nothing, they rode back into the city
and searched for them. There the woman uncovered the well.
The two young priests burst out of the water and
gasped for them.
Speaker 5 (16:27):
You must leave now, the.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Woman said, they may be back. So the two men
ran into the night, sopping wet and filled with purpose.
The silvery moon hung over David's camp like a watchman.
Its silvery light shone down on them. Bouncing off the
water of the Jordan River, David washed his face in
the cool water, wiping off the last of the dung.
(16:51):
He sighed and looked up at the moon. It seemed
closer than usual, as if the eye of God was
bending down closer to keep a close watch. David showed
his head and chuckled. He wished Jonathan was here. He
longed to hear his wisdom on what he should do next.
He could not run forever. Eventually, he knew they would
have to fight. As the thought of fighting crossed his mind,
(17:14):
he wondered where Joab was.
Speaker 8 (17:15):
Perhaps he too has abandoned me. David thought to himself,
I am no longer a man worth following the king
had a sinking feeling that he was being punished for
his sins. Nathan had prophesied that bloodshed would never leave
his house. This seemed like a reasonable fulfillment of that prophecy.
He looked back at the camp. Most of the people
(17:38):
had retreated into their tents for the night. He still
could not believe all his mighty men and hundreds of
his servants had followed him into the wilderness. He did
not find himself worthy of their loyalty, but he would
do his very best to protect them. They were his sheep,
and he was their shepherd. David caught a glimpse of
his son, Solomon, being carried into the tent with his muther.
(18:01):
He jogged over to them and gave his son a
kiss on the forehead. He tucked both of the men
and sang a hymn as they drifted asleep. He stroked
Solomon's hair and wondered what would become of him. You
are special, little one, David whispered, I wonder what would
become of you. The king left the tent and sat
(18:23):
down beside the fire. Abeshi, Shamah, Eliezar, and Attai were
already gathered around The fIF of them spoke for a
long while about the next steps. They bickered, laughed and cried.
It was just like old times in the wilderness. God
was still their leader, and they trusted the Lord for
his intervention. As the night was growing cold and the
(18:44):
men were ready to retreat into their tents, a stirring
was caused among the camp. The two young priests had
finally arrived with word from Hashai.
Speaker 5 (18:53):
Absalom is marching.
Speaker 4 (18:55):
They shouted, you must arise and go quickly over the
water for abb Salomon. The others will be here within
the next few days.
Speaker 8 (19:03):
Where do they expect us to battle, David.
Speaker 5 (19:06):
Asked Gilead David, they are sending many men to fight
against you. Absalom will not relent until he has you
in his grasp.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
David nodded and dismissed the men to return home. He
slept that night, and first thing in the morning he
gathered all the people to cross the Jordan once again.
David found himself wading through the river unsure above the
next steps, A Hithafel watched Absalom leave with his army
(19:36):
to Gilead. Instead of appointing him as commander or joe
Ab as commander, he appointed Amasa, a boy and a brute.
A Hithafel had finally come to a breaking point. He
had stewed in anger against David for so long that
he was too quick to jump to Absalom's side. Now
he was a man without a king. He betrayed David,
(19:56):
and Absalom preferred the Council of Hashai over him. His
hands trembled and his cheeks were red with rage. He
took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and left to
return home. He set his house in order, tied a
noose to the top of his home, and hung himself.
His body hung there, lifeless, as a symbol of the
sad and sorry state of Israel, a nation without a king.
(20:22):
A storm was approaching. The wind howled from the east,
and David wrapped his cloak around him tightly as he
and his men marched forward. Absalom had crossed the Jordan River,
encamped at the forest of a freeham beside a large valley. David,
Etai and Abeshi climbed a small hill to get a
better view of the battlefield. It was rough and wide ground.
(20:45):
If they were to fight there, it would not be easy.
Absalom's men outnumbered David's five to one. An open field
would give the advantage to the army. With more men, we.
Speaker 8 (20:55):
Can take the fight straight to the forest, David said.
If we take to day to march around on the valley,
we can meet them on the other side of the
forest of Evrihem.
Speaker 7 (21:04):
It would certainly narrow the battle to a more manageable size.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Itai agreed, However, I.
Speaker 7 (21:09):
Would still feel more comfortable if we had more men.
Speaker 5 (21:13):
Then more men you shall get.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
A voice called up from behind them. David and Abshi
looked over and behind them was Joab leading hundreds of soldiers.
He opened his arms up and smiled.
Speaker 5 (21:26):
You did not think I joined the ranks of Absalom,
did you?
Speaker 2 (21:28):
He burnt my fields. David laughed and embraced his friend.
The four of them discussed the situation and all arrived
at the same conclusion they had the best chance attacking
in the forest. David gathered the men together and began
to map out the battle.
Speaker 8 (21:45):
Abashi, you will take a third of the men and
attack first. Itai will take a third of the attack
from the flank. Joe, ab you will take the last
third and ambush them. Once the battle has been initiated,
I will march with Abishai at the front. I desire
to face Absalom myself and bring him back with me.
(22:05):
Any questions, The three others looked at each other with
concerned looks on their faces. What is wrong, David asked.
Joab answered and said.
Speaker 5 (22:14):
My king, this is a battle. You should not march
into what no.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
I must go with you.
Speaker 8 (22:21):
It is my duteous king, and I will not abandon
you like I did in Amon.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
This is different, it I protested.
Speaker 7 (22:29):
If you are there, they will not relent until you
are captured. However, if you are absent, it gives us
the option to retreat. They do not care about us.
They only care about you.
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Joe have placed a hand on David's shoulder.
Speaker 5 (22:43):
I would not want to fight against my own son.
If the moment came when I had to slay him
for the good of the nation, I am not sure
I would have the strength. So I will spare you
from that decision, you should defend the city near by
with a group of mighty men. If we need to retreat,
we will flee into the nearby city, and you can
help us escape.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
David paused for a long while. He sighed and looked
out over the horizon again. His son was camped near
the forest, probably strategizing with his own men on how
to slay him. It hurt him deeply that he had
to march against his own son. He understood the point
his men made and did not argue. He lifted his
hand in surrender and said, whatever seems best to you,
(23:27):
I will do so. The king took reinforcements to the
border of Gilead. Near the gate. He ordered and placed
Joe ab abshi in Ittai in the proper formations and
sent them off. However, before they left, David stopped them
and said, please deal gently with Absolom for my sake.
(23:47):
Bring him home alive if possible. They nodded and departed
for the forest. The storm above continued to pick up speed,
and the blustering wind howled through the woods like a
pass of ravenous wolves. The clouds blocked out the sun
and the woods remained in darkness. Scouts from the camp
of Israel sent word to Absalom that David's men were
(24:09):
marching from behind them, so he rallied his men to
absorb the attack. They pressed forward into the forest, listening
for David's men. Absalom had marched with Joab before when
doing raids of smaller nations. However, he was not aware
of the full strength of David's mighty men. Legends of
their power were more of a fantasy to him than reality.
(24:31):
He was gravely mistaken. The first attack was from Abishire.
Behind him were Eliezar, Shama and Joshubin. They attacked with
the same speed as the wind above them. Absalom furrowed
his brow and lifted his sword. He commanded the combined
remnants of Israel's army with Absalom's mercenaries ran forward and
(24:54):
clashed with Abashink. Shama ran ahead with his sword, and
he dodged the initial attacks, slashing men at the ankles
as he went. His sword was an extension of his
own body, and was with it He once killed an
entire army of Philistines on his own for protecting a
hundred field. Joshubine was not far behind. He rang gracefully
(25:15):
with his spear, as yet every man who came up
against him was met with the tip of the spear,
blast of their thrill to chest. His speed was unmatched,
and the grace with which he yielded his weapon was uncared.
It is what earned him the place of captain, and
how he once killed eight hundred men all by himself.
Elizar held out over his ground until more enemies stepped forward.
(25:39):
Dozens launched themselves at him, only to perish immediately. Elizar's
sturdiness and strength earned him the trust of King David.
He once fought with David for so long that his
sword stuck to his hand. That's a long panicked as
he watched David's mighty men fight. They were more ferocious
than lions and quicker than honest. It was beginning to
(26:00):
feel the full weight of just how strong they were.
He turned back to retreat back in the forest, but
hit time was already attacking at the flag. They gave
Absalom no choice but to fight. If he wanted the throne,
he would have to spill blood on the battlefield, just
as David did. So. Absalom rode forward on his horse,
(26:20):
slashing through opponents and leaning on his training, Joe Ab
was not far behind with his men when he finally entered.
That was Absalom's signal to flee. He whipped his horse
and rode as fast as he could. The tree covering
became shorter and shorter as the horse rode under the
thick branches. Absalom slashed through the branches with his sword,
(26:41):
frantically trying to escape. He could hear the clamoring of
soldiers in pursuit behind him. He yelled in fear and
whipped his horse even more to pick ump speed. The
great oaks covered the skies and the branches intertwined with
one another above him, The covering became lower and lower,
until finally Absalom rode fast as a Turkish, getting his
(27:03):
head caught between them. The force crushed his throat and
the horse continued to ride forward, leaving the prince hanging
by his neck in the air. He gasped and struggled
to free himself, but his neck was lodged deep into
the oak. One of the soldiers saw Absalom struggling to
get free and ran to tell Joe Ab.
Speaker 7 (27:22):
Whi Joe Abb Absalom is hanging from a tree.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Joe Ab took the man by the collar and yelled.
Speaker 5 (27:28):
You saw him hanging there, and you did not strike
him down to the ground. I would have given you
ten pieces of silver if you killed him.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
The soldier panicked and said.
Speaker 8 (27:37):
But King David, said Doctor Havin, even if you offered
me a thousand pieces of silver, I would not dare
kill the cat's son.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Joe Ab scoffed and grabbed three spears and marched into
the forest. The wind mettled through the forest, nearly knocking
the young soldier off his feet. However, Joeab marched forward unhindered.
Hanging in the oak ring above was Absalom. He was
gasping for air and trying to break himself free. Joe
Ab stood below him and called out to him.
Speaker 5 (28:08):
Your majesty.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Absalom looked below, unable to say anything. Joab took his
first spear and gripped at him. He swung it around
a few times, then threw it upwards, going through Absalom's shoulder.
The tip of the spear went straight through him, breaking
off the branch that held him. He fell to the
ground hard. Absalom took a deep breath. Finally able to breathe,
(28:31):
but in pain from the spear in his shoulder, he
stood and tried to run, but Joeab through the other spear.
It was a direct hit through his back and out
through the left side of his stomach. Absalom cried out
in intense pain, shaking on the floor. Joab rolled his
neck back and drew a deep breath. You wantn't know something,
(28:52):
he said to the screaming man on the ground.
Speaker 5 (28:54):
After all this, your father still wanted me to spare you.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Absalom held out his arm and crawled backwards away from
joe Ab.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Please, he coughed, have mercy.
Speaker 5 (29:07):
You received your mercy, Absalom. Your father gave it twice.
I will not let him give it a third time.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Joab took his third spear and drove it through absalom stack.
He looked at the life slowly fading away from Absalom's eyes.
He let go of his spear and allowed the other
men to take turns stabbing him. The tyrant prince was dead,
and along with him the coup. Joab had finished him off,
despite David's orders to spare him. A rebellion was ended
(29:41):
by another act of rebellion. The irony did not escape
joe AaB. He took Absalom's body and threw him into
a great pit in the forest. A heap of stones
were thrown over his body as a memorial to him.
Joab looked at the entire army of Israel that had
fought with Absalom. The men he once led stood before
him in shame. Back to your homes, he shouted, every
(30:05):
man left to return to Jerusalem. Joe Ab stood over
the pile of stones. The clouds above were thrashing, ready
to burst. A rain was coming soon. Joe Ab spat
at the stones. Long live the king, he said. He
and his men returned to the king, ready to restore
peace back to God's people.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
King Absalom's reign was quick. His rise was dramatic and fierce,
and his fall was disgraceful and gory. If we were
to just look at Saul and absolute lives, it would
send a clear message that kings are doomed to fall.
When you read first and second Kings, you get a
similar message. Many of the kings after David Rose quickly
(30:53):
forgot their purpose and fell dramatically. Just a few episodes ago,
we thought David might s Yah the same fate, but
he didn't. What sets David apart from these other kings.
What set David apart from the kings of the ancient
world who conquered and then were conquered. We can go
back to the beginning for that answer. In episode three,
(31:14):
Samuel tells Saul about his chosen king. The Lord has
sought out another to replace you. He has sought out
a man who is after his own heart. He has
sought out a man who cares more about pleasing the
heart of God than looking for the approval of man.
This king shall be prince over the Lord's people. He
shall steward God's people well, and it will be his
(31:36):
kingdom that continues into eternity. Even in his failures, wanderings,
and missteps, David comes back to the Lord every time
he seeks after his heart, and faithfulness of God is
his safety net. He is a refuge and strength for him.
No matter how far David falls, God lifts him back up.
(31:56):
God's relationship to David is a symbol of his relationship
with Israel. Time after time, Israel fails, but when they
cry out to him, he is faithful to respond. He
keeps his promises to them. God is faithful even when
David isn't. Absolute naturally is doing everything without God. The
pride of the throne that corrupted Saul's heart may quick
(32:18):
work of Absolom. Not even minutes into being king does
he have a horrendous failure. He ravages his father's harem,
subjugates the people, and marches to go fight the mighty men. Absolom,
a man of wit, lost all of his sensibilities when
he became king. Pride tends to cancel out whatever our
gifts are. Absolom was a smart man, but that was
(32:42):
no room for so but thinking when pride occupied his mind.
Think about some of the gifts you have. Think about
how much more useful they would be without any pride
or arrogance. Herbers stains our ambitions, but humility makes them clean.
David proved once again to be a humble man. And
angry man came out of the forest and threw stones
(33:02):
and dung at him, but David remain calm. David and
Absalom are contrasted in this episode. While Absalom demanded respect,
David allowed dung to be thrown at him. David needs
to show even more humility. When it is time to
march in a battle. He wants to ride with his men,
but they all agree it's best for him to stay back.
(33:23):
Think about how hard this must have been for David.
Not only does he need to sit on his hands
while his brothers fight, he will not be able to
protect Absalom from being killed. Even though David is the king,
he submits to the advice of his men. This is
a growing moment for David, who in the last episodes
refused to take counsel. Joe ab and the Mighty Men
(33:44):
marched against Absolom, and the tide of the battle quickly
shifts in their favor. What did Absolom expect? Pride clouded
his better judgment. He should have known he was no
match for his father's finest warriors. The episode ends with
Absolum for his life then getting his neck caught between
two intersecting branches. It's a horrific image that gets even
(34:07):
worse when joeb arrives, the commander of David's army, doesn't
spare Absolom, and we are left wondering if he made
the right call. David had a tendency to show mercy
when judgment may have been more appropriate, especially when it
came to his sons, But is rebellion away to squash
a rebellion? Joeb recognized the irony himself. This leads us
(34:29):
to consider a few questions. Do too wrong, sometimes make
a right? Do the end sometimes justify the means. We
are told exactly what the answers to those questions are,
but we are invited to wrestle with them. Joeab robed
Absolom the chance to change his ways, and Joe ABS's words,
you received your mercy, Absolom. Your father gave it twice.
(34:52):
I will not let him give it a third time.
Odds are Absolum wouldn't have truly changed. But was that
Joe AaB's call to make. We will leave the question
open for now and see how Joe Ab in David's
relationship evolved in our next episode. Absalom hung from a tree,
disgraced as a traitor, but David still loved him till
the end. This brings us back to the prelude. Judas
(35:16):
is the one who sold Jesus out, also hung from
a tree. He betrayed him and gave him up to
be killed, but Jesus loved him till the end. And
John thirteen, we're told that Jesus washed all his disciples feet.
He serves every single one of them, including Judas, who
hours later sold him for thirty pieces of silver. Judas's
actions did not change Jesus's love for him, just like
(35:39):
Absalom's actions did not change David's love for him. Know this,
brothers and sisters, no matter what you have done, on
how far you strayed, God still loves you. Jesus's love
is greater than your sin. Even in our rebellion, God
still begs for us to come back to him. In
our next episode, David continues to mourn the loss of
his son. His tender heart is put on this same play,
(36:00):
But it may be time for David to seize his
tears and steady his grip. What Abslom started is not over.
Join us for episode twenty eight, The Rebellion of Sheba.
Thanks again for listening. For more inspiring stories, daily prayers
and wisdom to last a lifetime, go to pray dot com,
and to expand your heroes in the Bible Journey, download
(36:23):
the Heroes of the Faith devotional at Tonyevans dot org.
Forward slash Heroes. Follow the podcast on Apple or Spotify
to get the newest episodes right as they come out,
and always be inspired by the Bible. God bless
Host
Dr. Tony Evans
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