A friend loves at all times,
and kinsfolk are born to share adversity. (Proverbs 17:17)
People may appear to be friendly, but when trouble comes we learn how serious is their commitment. David spared the life of Mephibosheth, out of friendship to his father, Jonathan.
Mephibosheth, in return, did not share a similar commitment to David.
When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him with a couple of donkeys saddled, carrying two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred bunches of raisins, one hundred of summer fruits, and one skin of wine.
The king said to Ziba, “Why have you brought these?” Ziba answered, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who faint in the wilderness.”
The king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘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.” Ziba said, “I do obeisance; let me find favor in your sight, my lord the king” (2 Samuel 16:1-4).
Ziba, Mephibosheth’s servant, brought provisions for David and the people with him. Mephibosheth believed wrongly that he would assume the throne of his grandfather, Saul.
For a time, David decided to believe Ziba without hearing the other side of the story. He punished Mephibosheth in absentia by giving Ziba everything that once belonged to his master.
Shimei Curses David
Shimei’s reaction to David is the opposite of Ziba. After what happened with Bathsheba and Uriah, Nathan the prophet told David that he would face consequences for his sins. As David went into hiding, he experienced the curses of an enemy.
When King David came to Bahurim, a man of the family of the house of Saul came out whose name was Shimei son of Gera; he came out cursing.
He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; now all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left. Shimei shouted while he cursed, “Out! Out! Murderer! Scoundrel!
The Lord has avenged on all of you the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned, and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of blood” (2 Samuel 16:5-8).
Shemei failed to remember God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants.
I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3).
Later in the story, Shemei receives forgiveness for his curses. Still later, in 1 Kings 2 he received the punishment he deserved.
At Peace While Under Attack
A dog is one of the lowest animals in the Israel of David’s era. A dead dog is even lower. This is how those who walked with the king saw Shemei.
Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head” (2 Samuel 16:9).
One of my good friends has memorized the AA acceptance prayer. I was reminded of it when I read David’s response to Abishai’s desire to kill Shemei.
“And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today.
When I am disturbed,
It is because I find some person, place, thing, situation —
Some fact of my life — unacceptable to me,
And I can find no serenity until I accept
That person, place, thing, or situation
As being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.
Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God’s world by mistake.
Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober;
Unless I accept life completely on life’s terms,
I cannot be happy.
I need to concentrate not so much
On what needs to be changed in the world
As on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.”
But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”
David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Let him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has bidden him.
It may be that the Lord will look on my distress, and the Lord will repay me with good for this cursing of me today” (2 Samuel 16:10-12).
Reflections
David is an excellent example of how not to handle situations. He failed miserably when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed. Again, he failed when Amnon raped his half-sister, Tamar, and Absalom killed him.
In this instance, David’s example is one to emulate. No doubt, he was deeply grieved over Absalom’s coup. With a word he could have ended the curses of Shemei. Instead, he accepted the curses that he believed were from God.
We can learn from David’s response.
- We can accept responsibility for our failures.
- We can use the AA prayer of acceptance.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 