SERIES K --- ISRAEL’S GOLDEN AGE --- LESSON 14

DAVID RETURNS

KING DAVID RETURNS TO JERUSALEM

From 2 Samuel 19:8-43

Throughout the land, people began to argue and quarrel about the king. ‘King David saved us from our enemies, the Philistines,’ many of them said. ‘But now he has left his palace because of Absalom’s rebellion. We anointed Absalom king, but he is dead. What are we waiting for? Let’s bring David back as king.’ Then David sent word to the two priests, Zadok and Abiathar, to talk with the elders of Israel. This is what he instructed them to say, ‘what are you waiting for? All over Israel people are urging the king to return to his palace. But you are the king’s relatives, from his tribe and yet you are the last ones to invite the king to return.’ David also told the priests to say to Amasa, the man who had led Absalom’s warriors against David, ‘You are one of my own relatives, just as Joab is. I vow to YHVH that I will make you commander of my army instead of Joab.’ When Amasa heard that, he persuaded the elders of Judah to welcome back David as king. They sent this word to David, ‘You and your followers must all return.’ David gathered his followers together and they all headed back toward Jerusalem. When he reached the Jordan River, great crowds of people from Judah met him to escort him across the river. Shimei, the man from Bahurim who had cursed David and threw stones at him when he left Jerusalem, was there, with a thousand of his fellow tribesmen from Benjamin. Ziba, Saul’s steward and Mephibosheth’s servant, was there with his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They rushed into the Jordan River and went back and forth, bringing the king’s household and warriors across, helping David do everything he needed done. Shimei bowed to the king just before David crossed the Jordan River, begging his forgiveness. ‘O my master, please forgive me and erase from your memory my wickedness when you left Jerusalem,’ he pleaded. ‘I have come today as the first of the house of Joseph to meet my master the king.’ Abishai interrupted. ‘Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for cursing you, Adonai’s anointed king?’ he demanded. ‘You must not say that!’ said David to Abishai. ‘Why are you trying to work against me? Today we celebrate, not kill, for I am king of Israel once more.’ Then David vowed to Shimei, ‘You will not die.’ Before long Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, arrived from Jerusalem to meet King David. He had not cared for his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes since the day King David had fled. ‘Why did you stay in Jerusalem instead of going with me?’ David asked Mephibosheth. ‘O my king, my steward Ziba deceived me,’ Mephibosheth replied. ‘I told him to saddle a donkey for me so that I could go with you, for as you know, I am lame. Instead, he ran to you and lied, saying that I did not want to go with you. But I realize that your wisdom is like that of an angel of YHVH, so please do whatever you think is best. My family and I were condemned to death when you became king, but you spared me and let me eat at your table. What more can I ask of you now?’ ‘Well, let’s not talk about this any longer,’ King David answered. ‘I have already decided what I will do. You and Ziba will divide the land into two equal shares.’ ‘That’s fine with me!’ Mephibosheth answered. ‘I’m so happy to have you back that I would gladly give all my land to Ziba.’ Barzillai had come down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan River with King David. It was he who fed and cared for David and his followers while they were hiding in Mahanaim. He was about eighty years old and was a wealthy man. ‘Come back to live with me in the palace in Jerusalem,’ King David offered. ‘I’m much too old to do that,’ Barzillai answered. ‘I’m too old to appreciate the king’s rich food or to enjoy your singing men and women. So why should I burden you? I want to cross the Jordan River with you, but then let me go home to die in my own city and be buried where my mother and father are buried. Here is my son Chimham, why not take him and do what you think is best for him?’ ‘I will take Chimham with me,’ David answered. ‘I will do all the things for him that you would have enjoyed letting me do for you.’ After all the people had crossed the Jordan River, including the king, David kissed Barzillai, blessed him and sent him home. Then the king moved on to Gilgal with Chimham, the people of Judah and many of the other people of Israel. The leaders of Israel however, were angry because the people of Judah had brought the king and his followers across the Jordan River. ‘Why have they done this by themselves, instead of sharing the honour with all Israel?’ they demanded. ‘Because we are the king’s relatives,’ the leaders of Judah answered. ‘Why be so upset? We have not received anything for doing it.’ ‘But Israel is ten tribes and you are only one,’ the leaders of Israel answered. ‘We have ten times as much right to the king as you have. Weren’t we the first to say that we should bring the king back?’ Israel and Judah quarrelled for some time, with the people of Judah saying violent things to the people of Israel.

COMMENTARY

GIFTS FOR KING DAVID

The most important gifts David received were given to him during two critical periods of his life; while he was fleeing from Saul, and while he was fleeing from Absalom. The gifts were particularly important because he had no government to provide him with income and day-to-day necessities. Before he became king, he lived on what sympathizers gave him and what he could get by plundering. Although he was wealthy when he fled from Absalom, David’s brief period of exile took him away from Jerusalem where all his wealth was concentrated. Barzillai’s gift of food was therefore particularly welcome. The gifts reveal things about life in Bible times. The diet of David and his warriors was made up largely of bread, grain and fruit. The five dressed sheep sent by Abigail would have made little difference; they were hardly enough for six hundred men. The gifts also show how far loyal people would go for their heroes and leaders. The high priest Abimelech offered David holy bread, which only priests were allowed to eat. And three of David’s warriors risked their lives to break through the Philistine lines just to get David a drink of water from the Bethlehem well.

THIS WEEK
TZAV צַו
Command
TORAH : LEVITICUS 6:1-8:36
PROPHETS : MALACHI 3:4-24
GOSPEL : MATTHEW 9:13-25

Portion Outline
TORAH
Leviticus 6:8 Instructions concerning Sacrifices
Leviticus 7:11 Further Instructions
Leviticus 8:1 The Rites of Ordination

PROPHETS
Jer 7:16 The People's Disobedience

What did Yeshua mean when he said "do and observe whatever the Pharisees tell you"? What did he mean about heavy burdens too hard for people's shoulders? Or not being called teacher and father? Keep in mind that Yeshua used a lot of hyperbole in his sermons in order to make rhetorical points and that he never contradicted the Law of Moses or else he couldn't have been the Messiah.
Matthew 23:1-12

https://rumble.com/v2eydce-did....-jesus-say-to-obey-e

The grain offering is to be deep fried according to Leviticus 6:21. Tradition says boiled, baked, and then fried. I can't decide if that's interesting or just...weird.

This is interesting, though: the grain offering makes anyone who touches it holy, and it is restricted to holy people by statute and nature. It may only be eaten by a priest, unless the one bringing the offering is, himself, a priest, in which case the whole thing must be burned, as if a grain offering can only be consumed by someone holier than the one who brings it. (Leviticus 6:23)

"Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies."

Ps 119

In the Bible, yeast symbolizes sin and, like sin, it's impossible to rid your house of all of it. It's in the air. You do what you can and you trust God to cover the rest. #tzav #passover

SERIES K --- ISRAEL’S GOLDEN AGE --- LESSON 13

DAVID GRIEVES

DAVID MOURNS FOR ABSALOM

From 2 Samuel 18:19-19:8

Absalom was dead, but King David did not yet know about it. ‘Let me run to the king with the good news that Adonai has brought judgment on his enemies,’ said Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son. ‘No,’ said Joab. ‘Some other time. This is not good news for the king.’ Joab turned to a man from Cush. ‘You may take the news to the king,’ he said. The man from Cush bowed and ran off to tell the king about Absalom’s death. Ahimaaz kept pleading with Joab. ‘Please let me run to the king,’ he begged. ‘Why? This is not good news for the king and you will certainly not be rewarded for it!’ Joab replied. ‘Let me run anyway,’ Ahimaaz argued. ‘All right then! Run!’ said Joab. Ahimaaz ran off as fast as he could go. He took a road by the Jordan Valley which was shorter than the way the man from Cush was running, so he soon got ahead of him. Back at Mahanaim, David was sitting between the outer and inner gates, waiting for news. The watchman was on the wall, looking for a messenger. Suddenly he saw a man running alone toward the city and shouted this bit of news to David. ‘If he is alone, he must have news for us,’ said David. ‘He runs like Ahimaaz!’ the watchman called back to the king. ‘But there is another runner behind him. He too must be bringing news.’ ‘Ahimaaz is a good man,’ said David. ‘He must have good news.’ When Ahimaaz was close enough, he called to the king. ‘All is well!’ he shouted. Then he reached the king and bowed before him. ‘Blessed be Adonai your YHVH, who has brought the defeat of the men who rebelled against you,’ he said. ‘But is my son Absalom safe?’ David asked. ‘When Joab sent me, there was a lot of confusion, but I’m not sure what it was all about,’ Ahimaaz answered. ‘Then move aside and let’s hear the next report,’ said the king. So Ahimaaz stood to one side. By this time the man from Cush had arrived. ‘Good news!’ he shouted. ‘O king, Adonai has brought judgment on those who rebelled against you.’ ‘But is Absalom safe?’ King David asked him. ‘May all your enemies that rebel against you become as he is,’ replied the man. Then David knew that Absalom had died. He was so stirred that he retired to an open roof on top of the gate, weeping as he went. ‘O my son Absalom!’ he cried. ‘My son! My son Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! O Absalom! My son, my son!’ Word soon came to Joab that David was weeping and mourning for his son Absalom. When the warriors heard this, they slipped quietly back into the city as though they had been defeated, for the joy of victory was suddenly turned into sadness. King David covered his face and kept weeping for Absalom. ‘O my son Absalom! O Absalom! My son, my son!’ he kept saying. As this kept on for some time, Joab went to the king in his room. ‘You have brought shame today to all of us who saved your life and the lives of your daughters, wives and concubines,’ he exclaimed angrily. ‘Why are you showing love to those who turned against you and hate for those who helped you? If Absalom were still alive and all the rest of us were dead, you would be happy! Now get out there and speak well to your warriors. I vow before Adonai that if you do not, every man will turn against you and you will be in worse trouble than you have ever been before.’ The king listened to Joab. He arose and went out and sat in the royal seat in the gateway of the city. When news reached the warriors that ‘the king is sitting in the gate of the city,’ they rushed out to be with him.

COMMENTARY

WALLS, GATES AND TOWERS

From ancient times until about three hundred years ago, cities were surrounded by walls and their gates. Usually there was only one main gate, though there might be a few smaller ones as well. The walls and gates served as protection from attacking enemies and from wild animals. In Bible times, there were many walled cities with gates, The Old Testament mentions several: Babylon, Beersheba, Bethlehem, Damascus and Jerusalem and others. Solomon built three gates at the cities of Gezer, Hazor and Megiddo for triple protection; an outer, inner and middle one. The city gate was equipped with single or double doors that were opened at dawn and closed at dark. The doors were suspended on hinges attached to gate posts that turned in stone sockets. The doors were made either of iron, or of wood covered in bronze or other metal. On the inside they were locked with heavy bars of metal or wood that swung across them. Roofs were built over the gate and reached by a stairway. These roofs were usually the highest points in the city, and guards could see for miles in every direction. Normally, city gates were built with towers on each side. Projecting from the walls, they were made of stone or baked mud bricks. Timbers were used inside as reinforcement. Often towers were constructed at several places around the city walls to provide a defensive structure on all sides. Watchmen and guards were posted there during times of peace to watch for enemies and unexpected visitors, and warriors used them during times of war. The gates were obviously very high and wide. They were large enough to hold rooms and chambers within that could be used for storage or for official functions. Sometimes such chambers were built separately, directly above the gates. As important for defence as it was, the city gate was like the centre of a town square. Law courts were held there, friends met and talked, and the merchants brought their wares to sell.