DAVID, A FUGITIVE AGAIN David’s soul, this time was more bitter, as he was not fleeing before the face of Saul, the king, who feared that David was after his throne, but before his rebellious own son, who took away his throne and aroused the people against him. What made him bitterer was that some found it an opportunity to insult and curse him; besides his feeling that what befell him was a fruit of what he committed against God, and against Uriah the Hittlte. Anyway, the psalms he wrote and sang during his flight reveal that he did not lose his hope in God, realizing that what befell him, was a fatherly chastisement from God, his Savior. 1- David’s encounter with ‘Ziba,’ Mephibosheth’s servant 1-4 2- ‘Shimei’ curses David 5-14 3- Absalom proclaimed a king 15-19 4- Absalom and his father’s concubines 20-23 1- David’s encounter with Ziba, Mephibosheth’s servant: Ziba, coveting to take over the possessions of his master, Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, instead of just managing it together with his sons, found it an opportunity to arouse David against Mephibosheth, to issue an order to transfer those possessions to him. Ziba, realizing how David was both wise and strong and that the affliction he was going through was but a temporary thing, to be followed by a sure victory, made haste to encounter him amid that affliction, while he was on the top of the Mount of Olives, taking with him a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them 200 loaves of bread, 100 clusters of raisins, 100 summer fruits, and a skin of wine. He told David that the donkeys were for the king’s household, and the food and drink for those who would get faint in the wilderness. When David inquired about Mephbosheth, Ziba answered craftily: “Indeed he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me’” (2 Samuel 16: 3). So Ziba distorted his master’s image before David, who gave Mephibosheth every goodness. Ziba’s words were unacceptable, as how could such a lame man, have the throne from Absalom with all his good looking appearance , strength, and might, who managed to take it away from David himself! Because David had much on his mind, and did not see in Mephibosheth any danger on him or on his son, he, in a hurry, hastened to count Mephibosheth as a traitor, and issued an order for Ziba to get all what belonged to Mephibosheth (2 Samuel 16: 4). Ziba said to him: “I humbly bow before you, that I may find favor in your sight, my Lord, O king” (2 Samuel 16: 4). God allowed it for David to go through that difficult temptation, namely, feeling that Mephibisheth betrayed him, something he never expected, for his own good and edification from several aspects, of which: a- It was imperative for David to drink from the same cup that he himself filled; as he betrayed his faithful man Uriah the Hittite, after which his conscience relaxed for a 110 while. That is why God wished for David to taste the bitterness of treason, through that of his own son; of Ahithophel; of Mephibosheth, and of many others; those for whom he had done good, were doing him more harm than the enemies. b- God turned this temptation to David’s own good; as he, and all those with him, were in bad need of that gift, brought by Ziba. God sustains us by all means: the way He sustained Elijah by a raven, and sustained David and his men through the craftiness of Ziba. C- David discovered later on, Ziba’s’s deception, and learned that he should not have issued his judgments in haste. He unjustly condemned Mephibosheth, and deprived him of his grandfather’s possessions. 2- Shimei curses David: From Behurim, came Shimei the son of Gera, from the family of the house of Saul; He came out cursing and throwing stones at David and his men. As there was a valley between him and David and his men, his stones could not reach them, but his curses did. He was cursing David saying: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, You rogue! The Lord has brought upon you all of the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!” (2 Samuel 16: 7, 8). Shimei was throwing stones at David as though at a dog, but his words were like fatal arrows, carrying hatred together with lies. David had never fought the house of Saul to take away his throne. But, on the contrary he countered Saul’s pursuit with forgiveness. He never stretched his hand to Saul, his children, or his grandchildren; but sought to do them favor. Zealously, Abishai, wanted to go over to kill that man, counting him as a dead dog; but David stopped him, counting that insult as a chastisement from the Lord because of his old sin saying to Abishai: “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? So let him curse, because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so? ... See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life, How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him. It may be that the Lord will look at my affliction, and that the Lord will repay me for his cursing this day” (2 Samuel 16: 10-12). Saying, “Because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David’,” does not mean that literally, but God allowed it for the wicked will of Shemei to realize it, to consummate the divine justice, as St. Augustine1 says: [God uses the wicked; and even the devil himself, for the sake of testing the faith, and piety of His good servants.] Those curses could never harm David, but for him they were like medicine he took readily and with thanks, to gain the divine mercies. While the flattering words of Ziba, harmed David, who hastened to issue a wrong and unjust decision against Mephibosheth, the insulting curses of Shemei, gave him the opportunity to truthfully 1On Grace & Free-will ch. 41. 111 condemn himself. Indeed the words of flattering, are more dangerous on the life of a believer-especially a leader-than those of insults. And as one of the fathers of the wilderness says: He who is not capable of bearing the words of cursing, how can he bear those of flattering?! David received the words of cursing with joy, as some healing medication for his inner depths; But he got angry, and spoke firmly to Abishai, as he intended to avenge him. David moved with piteous anger against the suggestion of Abishai; and so firmly kept the fitting measure of humility and patience. St. John Cassian1 Just listen to David, who became particularly famous for his soul contrition; how, after doing all those good things; while he was a fugitive from his land, his home, and even from life itself; in his time of affliction, he had to listen to the curses of a silly man, and not only refrained from insulting him back, but stopped one of his commanders from killing him saying: “Let him curse, because the Lord said to him, ‘Curse David’”. St. John Chrysostom2 How amazing was the heart David, so spacious with love toward his afflicters; we never see him seeking revenge. His inner feelings were probably aroused at first; but God filled his heart with exalted comforts, based on: a- He felt that those curses were allowed by God to chastise him, because he was bloodthirsty; not through killing Saul or one of his men, as Shemei claimed, but through killing Uriah the Hittite.... Thus it was fitting for him to receive the insults with joy, as though from God Himself. And as St. John Chrysostom says: [If someone insulted you saying, ‘You adulterer!,’ Why should you become angry? Haven’t you ever had a thought of adultery or of a wicked lust in your youth? Count that as a chastisement for the thoughts of your youth. b- If Absalom, David’s own son, rebelled against him, and took away his throne, and yet he did not harbor any wish to avenge himself So how could he avenge himself against a Benjamite, who cursed him, but did not take away anything from him?! c- David counted those curses as an opportunity for humiliation, as a way to gain the mercies of God. 3- Absalom proclaimed a king: Absalom came, together with his men-especially of the tribe of Judah-to reign, without shedding any blood; as David and his men fled, to spare anyone getting killed on his account. Absalom was astonished to see ‘Hushai the Archite,’ David’s friend coming to him, saying, “Long live the king! Long live the king!” And when Hushai noticed Absalom’s reaction he said to him: “Whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel choose, his I will be, and with him I will remain. Furthermore, whom shall I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence?” (2 Samuel 16: 18, 19). 1 Institutes 8: 8. 2 In Matt. hom. 3. 112 Such were the excuses Hushai gave for not fleeing from Jerusalem, to gain the confidence of Absalom, in order to be David’s eye in the royal palace. 4- Absalom goes in to his father’s concubines: Ahithophel acted as a counselor to Absalom; his counsel, which he gave in those days, was as if one had inquired at the oracle of God (2 Samuel 16: 23); though it was wicked as though from the devil, bearing earthly sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 5: 1). Ahithophel’s first counsel to Absalom, was to go in to his father’s concubines, whom he left to keep the house. Absalom did that on the roof, for everyone to see, and to make sure that his hatred against David has reached its climax, and that there would be no chance for reconciliation with him. Ahithophel probably gave that counsel to Absalom, out of fear that one day both father and son would reconcile; to make Ahithophel’s position embarrassing before his old friend David; He was a traitor who could not confront David! All that took place on the same roof where David walked, to sneak a wicked look at a foreign woman; and now, here, on the same spot, was his own son going in with his concubines.
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