The first piece of advice Ahithophel gives is at the end of chapter 16. Absalom asks him what he should do and Ahithophel replies: ‘Go in to your father’s concubines’. These are the secondary wives that David had left behind. Chapter 15 tells us that he’d left 10 of them. When a new king came to power one of the […]

Last week we saw the call to be committed to God’s king when his cause seems weak. God’s king in 2nd Samuel is David – who points us forward to Jesus. The cause of God’s king – and his kingdom – really does seem weak. David has been driven from Jerusalem. His son Absalom has claimed the throne. Most people, […]

Why doesn’t David stop Shimei? He says at the end of verse 11: ‘The LORD has told him to do it’. By that David recognises that it’s part of the consequences of his sin in committing adultery with Bathsheba and murdering Uriah. David knows that God is a God of justice who is fulfilling his word. But he also knows […]