Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
Our journey through the Bible looking at the word 'heart/ hearts' has brought us to Absalom's revolt; last week we saw that David had heard of the conspiracy and had fled Jerusalem just in the nick of time. There's a ton of narrative that happens between verses that mention 'heart/hearts', so I'm trying to do a synopsis of the events so that the verses have some context to make sense.
One of David's trusted advisors, Ahithophel, had joined Absalom's faction, and David knew he was a shrewd tactician, so when another friend, Hushai, met David and asked to go with him, David hatched a counterespionage plan. Hushai was sent back, to feign allegiance to Absalom, in order to send word to David about Absalom's plans and, if he could, thwart advice given by Ahithophel (2 Sam. 15:32-37).
So David, with some other small drama, headed to the ford to wait for news while Hushai headed into town to meet up with Absalom and Ahithophel. Hushai convinced Absalom that he was really and truly on his side, and in the first strategy meeting, Ahithophel advised Absalom to violate all ten of the concubines David left behind to care for the palace....publicly. Now, this is nonsense to us, but in that day it was a way of demonstrating dominance over a leader...to lay with his women (remember the accusations Ish-Bosheth made about Abner and one of his dad's concubines? Same logic. It also comes into play later between Solomon and one of his brothers). So Absalom did this thing in order to cement his place as his father's successor while his dad was still living.
Next, Ahithophel advises Absalom to take a quick tactical force and pursue David's entourage immediately and hit them while they were still tired, kill only David, and bring the rest back safe. The elders agreed to this, but Absalom wanted to hear Hushai's advice. Hushai reminded Absalom of his dad's incredible Mighty Men, and his experience of hiding from Saul, so the chances of the smaller band being successful in finding and killing David at all, let alone without suffering a great loss, were not good:
"Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt in fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave." -- 2 Sam 17:10 (both instances of 'heart' is Strong's H3820).
Hushai advised Absalom to muster a large army and then go after David's troops with an invincible force. Absalom and the other leaders liked that idea better and put that plan into place. Meanwhile, Hushai sent word to David...again, with some drama...to cross over the river immediately and get to a defensible position. David's entire party crossed the river before dawn the next day. Ahithophel, when he saw that his advice was not taken, went back to his village, put his house in order, and hung himself....which I have always thought was a very sad end to the life of a king's advisor.
David was met by allies on the east side of the Jordan, at Mahanaim, and his party was given provisions. Once they had rested and eaten, David drew up his battle plans, dividing his force into three parts. He fully intended to ride to battle himself, but he was overruled by the men, who pointed out that the enemy was coming for him. David's last words to the men commanding the three companies was 'Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake" (2 Sam 18:5)
The battleground was the forest of Ephraim (2 Sam 18:6), and David's forces soundly defeated Absalom's army, It must have been very rough terrain, because we are told 'the forest claimed more lives that day than the sword.' (2 Sam 18:8).
In the course of the battle, Absalom came upon David's forces, but his luxurious, thick hair got caught up in the branches of an oak tree and his mule ran right out from under him, leaving him hanging helpless in the branches. I suppose it's possible that he might have started hacking at his hair with a knife or dagger, to free himself, but one of David's men saw what happened and quickly reported it to Joab, who chided him for not striking Absalom dead on the spot. The soldier protested, reminding Joab of David's specific instructions regarding Absalom.
Joab said, "I am not going to wait like this for you." So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom's heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree. And ten of Joab's armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him. -- 2 Sam18:14-15 ('Heart' - Strong's H3820 again; this time, clearly referring to the heart as an organ or physical center of the body).
Once more, Joab acts on his own authority, this time going directly against specific words of the king. And he has some very strong words for David, who, instead of rejoicing over the military victory, went into deep mourning over the death of his son. Joab chewed him out for mourning the death of an enemy and demanded that David to go out and encourage the men who had fought for him.
So David went out to the city gate and sat with the rulers of the city, and the men came to him. He went so far as to extend mercy to the troops who had fought for Absalom, even telling Amasa, his nephew, who had been Absalom's military commander, that he would replace Joab as David's captain.
He [David] won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. They sent word to the king, "Return, you and all your men." (2 Sam 19:14)
There was more drama over bringing David back to Jerusalem, and another rebellion headed by Sheba, son of Bicri, because of the tensions between the tribes. Joab murdered Amasa, his cousin, much the same way he had killed Abner years before--bringing Joab's 'I know better than the king' death count to three.
The last mention of 'heart' in 2 Samuel is in David's song of deliverance, praising God for giving him victory over his enemies:
You have delivered me from the attacks of my people; you have preserved me as the head of nations. People I did not know are subject to me, and foreigners come cringing to me; as soon as they hear me, they obey me. They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds. -- 2 Sam. 22:44-46 ('lose heart' is actually translated from a verb, Strong's H5034 nâbêl, a primitive root; to wilt; generally, to fall away, fail, faint)
That's just one point in a long list of things for which David praised God; that whole chapter is a psalm of thanksgiving and praise.
I think it is rather remarkable that David, having lost so much and been through so much grief, still praised God for the good God had done for him. It would have been so easy for him to have become bitter and angry and disillusioned...but he did not. He was still a man after God's heart.
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