2 Samuel  16:1-14   (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is 2 Samuel 16:1-14.  As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first.  See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

2 Samuel 16:1-8 (NIV)
 When David had gone a short distance beyond the summit, there was Ziba, the steward of Mephibosheth, waiting to meet him. He had a string of donkeys saddled and loaded with two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred cakes of raisins, a hundred cakes of figs and a skin of wine.
 The king asked Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on, the bread and fruit are for the men to eat, and the wine is to refresh those who become exhausted in the desert.”
 The king then asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?” Ziba said to him, “He is staying in Jerusalem, because he thinks, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back my grandfather’s kingdom.'”
 Then the king said to Ziba, “All that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” “I humbly bow,” Ziba said. “May I find favor in your eyes, my lord the king.”
 As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the same clan as Saul’s family came out from there. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he cursed as he came out.
 He pelted David and all the king’s officials with stones, though all the troops and the special guard were on David’s right and left.
 As he cursed, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, you scoundrel!
The LORD has repaid you for all the blood you shed in the household of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has handed the kingdom over to your son Absalom. You have come to ruin because you are a man of blood!”

On verses 1-8:  As David continues his journey into exile, David meets Ziba, the servant of Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth.  Ziba brings a surprisingly large supply of donkeys, bread, cakes and wine to help David and his men on their journey.  When David asks Ziba where his crippled master Mephibosheth is, Ziba replies that Mephibosheth didn’t join David because Mephibosheth sees David’s exile as his opportunity to have David’s kingdom transferred back to him and his family (v3).  Mephibosheth would later dispute this claim in 19:24-25, alleging that Ziba betrayed Mephibosheth.  In response to Ziba’s claim and before hearing out Mephibosheth, David declares that everything Mephibosheth owned now belongs to Ziba (v4).

Later a man called Shimei audaciously curses David and his men, pelting them with stones and throwing insult after insult.  Shimei calls David a murderer and a scoundrel (v7-8).   Shimei alleges that God is punishing David for all the blood he shed in Saul’s family (a false claim because David never killed anyone in Saul’s family).

What can we learn from this?  When you’re facing adversity you will encounter two types of people.

The first type are those who stand by your side.  That includes the people who are loyal to you to the very end (like Ittai the Gittite in 15:19-22), people who will pray for you and look out for you (like Zadok in 15:24-29) and people who go out of their way to give you the help you need (like Hushai in 15:32-37).

The second type are those who cut you down.  That includes people whom you have given much to but who don’t seem to care when you’re the one who is in need (like Mephibosheth who didn’t go with David, in 16:3; 19:24-25), people who see your plight as an opportunity for their own advancement (like Ziba in 16:1-4) and people who only want to criticize and attack you, speaking all sorts of unwarranted judgment and false accusations against you (like Shimei in 16:5-8).

Adversity has this way of showing you what you are made of and what those around you are made of.  Thank God for those who stand by your side and help you in your times of adversity, and don’t let those who attack you when you’re down get the best of you.  Believe that even if everyone else around you abandons you, God will never leave you or forsake you.  As long as you have the Lord, you have the advantage.

2 Samuel 16:9-14 (NIV)
 Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.”
10  But the king said, “What do you and I have in common, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?'”
11  David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the LORD has told him to.
12  It may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today.”
13  So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt.
14  The king and all the people with him arrived at their destination exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.

On verses 9-14:  One of David’s military leaders Abishai son of Zeruiah hears Shimei’s curses and offers to cut off Shimei’s head.  David rebukes Abishai and Abishai’s brother Joab for the way they so quickly resort to violence to deal with their problems.  (Jesus would do something similar with his disciples James and John – Luke 9:53-54).  David had been disrespected many times before, and at different points had wanted to resort to violence too (for example: 1 Samuel 25:10-13).  But David had come to believe that killing out of anger only leads to guilt and regret.  So David takes a self-controlled and humble approach to Shimei’s cursing.  He says, “Let him curse for the Lord has told him to.” (v11)  I don’t believe God actually, proactively told Shimei to curse David.  Rather, this was David meekly submitting to whatever suffering was a part of this current season, trusting that God had a purpose in allowing him to go through it.

What can we learn from this?  When others curse you or disrespect you, do not retaliate or seek revenge.  Getting even will only make things worse.  Instead trust God that He has a greater purpose and that He Himself will defend and avenge you (Romans 12:19-21).

Even more, the fact that David here meekly accepts the cursing, the false accusations and the humiliation that others would inflict on him should remind us of someone in the future – a Son of David – who would accept unjust suffering on our behalf.

Lord Jesus, thank You for the people You use in my life in times of adversity.  Thank You that You have a greater plan and purpose for my life.  Through happy times and tough times may I trust You above anyone or anything else.  When others in my life are going through tough times, may I be a source of encouragement, and not frustration, for them.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!

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