Today we see 4 consequences as a result of yesterday’s 4 adversities.

1) Ahithophel, David’s former counselor gone traitor, kills himself when he finds out that Absalom did not take his advice.

2) Absalom pursues David and David sends his men out against him with a clear command to everyone, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom”. Well, I’m not sure what Joab’s definition of gently is but when he sees Absalom hanging in a tree by his head he drives 3 spears through his heart. 😳 Then Joab’s men finish him off. David mourns the death of his son so much that it puts a major damper on the victory David’s men are celebrating for defeating the enemy who was trying to kill David and take the kingdom. Joab rebukes David for making his servants feel ashamed for saving his life and the life of his family. David then takes a public seat among the people.

3) On David’s return to Jerusalem he runs into the insult slinging Shimei again. Now that David is restored as king, Shimei bows down before him and begs for forgiveness. David spares his life but this isn’t the last we hear of Shimei.

4) When David returns, loyal Mephibosheth is there waiting on David. David finds out that Ziba deceived Mephibosheth and left him behind. Therefore, David tells Mephibosheth to split the land with Ziba but Mephibosheth does not care about the land. He is just glad the king is home! 🙌

Tomorrow the Gibeonites show up again. Remember when they pretended to be from a far away country and Joshua made a treaty with them? Keep reading to find out why the Gibeonites are so upset. 

(2 SAmuel 17:15-29, Psalm 3, Psalm 63, 2 Samuel 18:1-19:30)

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Today we see King David face 4 major adversities:

1) His son Absalom positions himself as judge in Jerusalem, wins the favor of the people, and proclaims himself as king of Hebron. When David hears of this he flees with his men and all of their households in fear that Absalom would kill them and destroy Jerusalem. “But the king left 10 women, concubines, to keep the house.” David sends Zadok, the priest, and Abiathar back to Jerusalem with the ark of God. He also sends his friend Hushai back as his spy and to defeat the counsel of Ahithophel, David’s former counselor who joined ranks with Absalom.

2) Ziba runs out to David with supplies and tells David that Mephibosheth abandoned David and stayed back to have the kingdom restored to him. 😏 This is a total lie. David believes the lie and tells Ziba he can have all that was Mephibosheth’s.

3) While on the run, Shimei comes out cursing David and throwing rocks at him. David’s men want to kill Shimei but David will not allow it. David says, “It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction, and the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day”.

4) Ahithophel, David’s former counselor and Bathsheba’s grandfather who could still be holding a grudge, advises Absalom to show his position over David by sleeping with his concubines. “So they pitched a tent for Absalom on top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all of Israel.” 🙈 This is just as the Lord told David would happen after his affair with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah (2 Samuel 12:11-12).

The reading ends with Hushai overthrowing Ahithophel’s advice to Absalom regarding attacking David and his men. Wow! 🤯 That’s a lot of deception, betrayal, and animosity toward King David. There is bound to be some major fallout. Keep reading to find out what happens.

(2 Samuel 15:1-17:14)

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So today we start to see some of the chaos in David’s house begin to unfold as Nathan prophesied. David’s son Amnon lusts after his half sister Tamar. So Amnon’s cousin, Jonadab, comes up with an idea for Amnon. He tells Amnon to pretend he is sick and ask his dad, King David, to send Tamar to bring him some food. When Tamar is in his room, Amnon forces himself on her. Tamar says, “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel…And I, where could I take my shame?” Tamar tells Amnon to ask their dad, David, to take her properly in marriage but Amnon does not control his lust and he rapes her and then kicks her out. She leaves crying in shame and goes to live with her brother Absalom.

When King David hears about it he is angry but does nothing. “So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.” You know, David could have done something. He could have told Tamar where to take her shame. David himself knew where. He even wrote in Psalm 25:1-3, “In you, Lord my God, I put my trust. I trust in you. Don’t let me be put to shame. Don’t let my enemies win the battle over me. Those who put their hope in you will never be put to shame.” We all have shame and we all have a place we can take our shame for healing and that is to the Lord!

Well, David’s son Absalom lets his anger toward his brother Amnon fester for 2 years and then he has Amnon killed. Absalom then flees to Geshur and lives there for 3 years. What a family mess! 😱 Amnon is dead, Tamar is desolate and Absalom is deserted. Joab eventually convinces David to bring Absalom home but it will be 2 years after Absalom’s arrival back home that David will agree to see him. Tomorrow Absalom wins the hearts of the men of Israel and King David is on the run again. This time from his own son. Keep reading.

(2 Samuel 12:26-31, 1 Chronicles 20:2-3, 2 Samuel 13:1-14:33)

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During a time when kings go out to battle with their men, David, now comfortable in his mighty position as king, stays back chillin on his rooftop while Joab leads the men in battle. David’s eye catches the sight of beautiful bathing Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah, 2 of David’s mighty men. He has her brought to him, sleeps with her, and she becomes pregnant. Now David is making plans to cover up his adultery which ultimately ends in David having Uriah killed in battle. Then David tells Joab not to be sad bc you know…these things happen. 😠

Well the Lord isn’t going to let King David get away with this. He sends Nathan to David with a story about a rich man taking a poor man’s only lamb. Since David doesn’t think this story is about him, David gets mad, says kill the rich man, and now is interested in following the book of the law by saying the lamb should be restored fourfold (Exodus 22:1). Nathan points out that the rich man is David and says as a punishment there will never be peace in David’s household which we will see.

Nathan also says the Lord will “…raise up adversity against you from your own house, and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun”. This is exactly what will happen and that neighbor will be David’s own son, Absalom. 😳

A third punishment is that David’s and Bathsheba’s child dies. Out of love for the Lord, David repents and says “Against You, You only, have I sinned…Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow…create in me a new heart…You do not delight in burnt offering…The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart – These, O God, You will not despise”. This is what makes David a man after the Lord’s heart. His repentance is out of true love of God and desire to be in right relationship with Him.

The Lord hears David’s repentant heart and He restores him. David and Bathsheba give birth to another son, Solomon, who will grow up and become the wisest man to ever live. Keep reading to see how beautiful women can be a stumbling block for even Solomon, the wisest man. 😬

(1 Chronicles 20:1, 2 Samuel 11:1-12:14, Psalm 51, 2 Samuel 12:15-25, 2 Samuel 5:14-16, 1 Chronicles 14:3-7, 1 Chronicles 3:5-9)

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Today we see 2 different responses to acts of kindness.

1) David remembers the promise he made to Jonathan regarding their descendants. (1 Samuel 20) David asks if anyone is alive from the house of Saul “…that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” Ziba tells David about Mephibosheth who was lame in his feet and hiding out in Lo Debar. So they bring Mephibosheth to David and David says, “Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually”. Mephibosheth responds, “What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?” Jesus will later teach of the Great Banquet. “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:13-14) David’s kindness is a picture of what is to come one day! “…Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the Kingdom of God!” (Luke 14:15)

2) David goes on to show kindness to Hanum, the new king of Ammon, bc of the kindness his father showed David. Hanum is suspicious of David’s kindness and humiliates his men which leads to war.

This just proves that you have no control over how someone will respond to your kindness. Be kind anyway. “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” (Colossians 3:12)
Ok. Well we got to read all about kind David today but tomorrow David totally blows it. 😧 Keep reading to see how a man after God’s own heart recovers after a major failure.

(2 Samuel 8:15-18, 1 Chronicles 18:14-17, 1 Chronicles 6:16-30, 50-53, 31-48, 2 Samuel 9:1-10:19, 1 Chronicles 19:1-19)

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David starts feeling bad that he lives in this nice big palace and the Lord doesn’t have a home so he tells the prophet Nathan that he would like to build a house for the Lord. God says to Nathan, tell David that he isn’t going to build a house for the Lord BUT the Lord is going to build David’s house. He says that the kingdom will not leave the Davidic line which ultimately points to our Savior who is coming through this lineage. “And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.”

The Lord also tells David that his son will be the one to build him a house. 1 Chronicles 22:8-9 explains further why David is not the one to build His house. “But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days.”

In response David says a prayer of thanks to the Lord. “And now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant.” David gets it! He knows God’s Word is TRUE and that God NEVER breaks a promise even in-spite of our failures which is good news bc David is about to have a major one. But first, David has HUGE battle success! “So the Lord preserved David wherever he went.” Will all that battle success go to David’s head?! 🤷‍♀️ Keep reading to find out.

(2 Samuel 7:1-17, 1 Chronicles 17:1-15, 2 Samuel 7:18-29, 1 Chronicles 17:16-27, 2 Samuel 8:1-14, 1 Chronicles 18:1-13, Psalm 60)

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David saw that Obed-Edom’s house was blessed because of the ark of God so David decides to go and get the ark. This time David handles the ark per the Lord’s instruction in the Book of the Law. He says “No one may carry the ark of God but the Levites, for the Lord has chosen them to carry the ark of God and to minister before Him forever”. The Levites carry the ark to Jerusalem and all of Israel celebrates with shouting and music. “Then David danced before the Lord with all his might…” The Levites set the ark in the tabernacle that David built and made offerings to the Lord.

Then David sings a song of worship and praise“…Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. And say ‘Save us, O God of our salvation’…” Joyful David then goes home …to an angry wife. 😳 Michal rebukes David for dancing unashamedly in the streets in front of the maids of his servants. See, Michal is so focused on status and prestige that she misses the whole point of worshipping the Lord. The punishment for her outburst against David is that they will now live apart and she will not have any children.

David’s son Solomon will go on to write in Proverbs 21:9 “It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife”. Maybe Solomon learned that from his dad or from the 1,000 women Solomon will have. 😱

We will get to Solomon soon but first, in tomorrow’s reading, David will ask to build a house for the Lord. Keep reading to see God’s response to King David’s request.

(2 Samuel 6:12a, 1 Chronicles 15:1-28, 2 Samuel 6:12b-16, 1 Chronicles 15:29, 2 Samuel 6:17-19a, 1 Chronicles 16:1-43, 2 Samuel 6:19b-23)

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Today David is anointed as king over all of Israel. When the Philistines hear of David’s new position they set out to attack him but the Lord gives David victory over them. Then David conquers the city of Jerusalem from the Jebusites and there he takes more wives and concubines and has more children. Jerusalem will become the capital of Israel’s Kingdom and the location where the Lord’s temple will be built.

Hiriam, king of Tyre, befriends David and sends him resources to build his palace in Jerusalem. David’s son Solomon will also become friends with Hiriam. Hiriam will send Solomon supplies for the first temple of the Lord.

David’s next move as king is to bring the ark of God to Jerusalem from Kirjath Jearim, the place it has been since the Philistines took it which we read about on April 10th. So David and all of the house of Israel celebrate the arrival of the ark but they are not careful in handling it as the Lord instructed in Numbers 4:15 “…but they shall not touch any holy things, lest they die”. And that is what happens. Uzzah goes to steady an oxen on the ark of God and “…God struck him there for his error…” David becomes angry and afraid of the Lord so he leaves the ark with Obed-Edom for 3 months.

Tomorrow David will handle the ark of God properly, in accordance with God’s law, and it will be brought to Jerusalem. 🎉 But Michal, David’s first wife and Saul’s daughter, isn’t celebrating like her husband David. Keep reading to find out why.

(2 Samuel 5:1-3, 1 Chronicles 11:1-3, 1 Chronicles 12:23-40, 2 Samuel 5:17-25, 1 Chronicles 14:8-17, 2 Samuel 5:6-10, 1 Chronicles 11:4-9, 2 Samuel 5:13, 4-5, 11-12, 1 Chronicles 14:1-2, 1 Chronicles 13:1-5, 2 Samuel 6:1-11, 1 Chronicles 13:6-14)

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Today Ishbosheth, king of Israel, falsely accuses Abner of sleeping with his concubine. Well this infuriates Abner so he switches teams to King David of Judah. David says I’ll take you on my team but you gotta bring my first wife Michal, Saul’s daughter, with you. So Abner strips Michal from her new husband and brings her to David. Then Abner tells David he will gather all of Israel to make a covenant with them for David to be their king.

Well Joab, still mourning the murder of his brother, isn’t as happy as David is about Abner’s allegiance change. So Joab and his brother Abishai kill Abner “…for the blood of Asahel his brother”. David greatly mourns the death of Abner. “Now all the people took note of it, and it please them…For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it had not been the king’s intent to kill Abner the son of Ner.” David says the Lord shall repay Joab and Abishai for their wickedness. Later in the Story, before David dies, he will tell his son Solomon to deal with Joab.

Lastly we read that 2 servants kill King Ishbosheth while he is napping and bring his head to David. I guess they didn’t hear what David did to the other guy who claimed to kill King Saul? 🤷‍♀️ So David explains to them how he killed that dude, “…the one who thought I would give him a reward for his news”. These 2 men were also executed for the shameful way they killed Isbosheth. Tomorrow David becomes king over all of Israel 🎉 so keep reading!

(2 Samuel 3:6-4:12)

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Ishbosheth, Saul’s son, becomes king over all of Israel and David becomes king over Judah. David reigns in Hebron 7 years.
Today Abner, Isbosheth’s servant, picks a fight with Joab, David’s servant. David’s men win the fight and afterwards Joab’s younger brother, Asahel, relentlessly pursues Abner. Abner ends up killing Asahel. Joab will avenge his brother’s murder in tomorrow’s reading.

Next we meet David’s 37 mighty men. His 3 mightiest are Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah. We see their love and loyalty for each other as the 3 risk their lives entering the Philistine camp to bring David water. David refuses to drink the water bc they put their lives in jeopardy for him.
Also included in the group of 37 mighty men are Joab’s 2 brothers; Asahel, who was killed by Abner in today’s reading, and Abishu. The list also includes Uriah the Hittie, who is married to Bathsheba, and Bathsheba’s dad, Eliam. Now David didn’t want to take the water from his 3 mightiest of men but he sure doesn’t mind taking something or shall I say someone from Uriah and Eliam in a few days reading. 😬 Keep reading to find out what David takes.

(2 Samuel 2:1-3:5, 1 Chronicles 3:1-4, 2 Samuel 23:8-17, 1 Chronicles 11:10-19, 2 Samuel 23:18-39, 1 Chronicles 11:20-47)

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