2 Samuel 19:1-8a--Joab Rebukes David

2 Samuel 19:1-8a
English Standard Version
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Joab Rebukes David
19 It was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” 2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.” 3 And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. 4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!” 5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines, 6 because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. 7 Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.” 8 Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, “Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.” And all the people came before the king.

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As we mentioned last time, Joab's decision to kill Absalom against David's direct orders turned what should have been a day of rejoicing for the victory in battle to day of weeping and mourning for King David as he mourned the loss of yet another one of his sons.  Joab doesn't think the king should be mourning like this because it is taking away from the celebration that the army and the people should be having--everyone would mourn if the king was mourning.  Joab told David that he was sending the wrong message to all of his other children and his wives and concubines that it was if he wished all of them had died and Absalom had lived.  It appeared as if the commanders and soldiers who gave their lives to fight for him meant nothing to him and that he wished they were dead.

This probably wasn't how David meant it, and I'm sure that David's men understood why he was sad and mourning, but David took Joab's words to heart and he went out and David went out and sat down on his seat at the gate where he could talk to his men and the people.  So they all came before the king to hear what he had to say.

We'll pick up here next time when David returns to Jerusalem.