2 Samuel 19

Joab was not content to let King David spend time in deep mourning for Absalom. David's affections had always perplexed Joab. David did not treat others in the way that he expected him to. In the words of Joab, “you love those who hate you and hate those who love you.”

David put off his mourning for a time and took his seat again in the gate, and the people came to him. The gate mentioned here was not in Jerusalem. David had not yet returned home. He and his fighting men were still on the other side of the Jordan. But now the people of the various tribes of Israel were speaking of David's return.

David sent word to the elders of his own tribe, the tribe of Judah. Would they not also encourage the king to return to his house? He also sent a word of peace to Amasa who had been the commander over the forces of Absalom. David's intention was to replace Joab with Amasa!

While the king had responded to Joab's entreaties to love those who loved him by recovering his public presence at the city gate, he would not endorse Joab, who had ignored the king's word in the matter of Absalom. David had explicitly asked that Absalom's life be spared, and Joab had killed the king's son.

To Joab, David's love of those who had been his enemies made no sense. Joab would not love the people that David had chosen to love. Because of this refusal Joab set himself up as an enemy of the king, even though he saw himself as defending the king's interests better than David himself.

David's mercy to those who had abused him extended even to Shimei, the Benjaminite who had cursed David on his way out of Jerusalem. This time Joab's brother, Abishai, insisted on the death of Shimei. David again expressed his displeasure with those among his own leaders who would not follow his lead in forgiving others. Men like Joab and Abishai had made themselves David's adversaries by seeking immediate vengeance against the king's enemies.

On his way back home David also made peace between the servant Ziba and his master Mephibosheth, the grandson of Saul. Which one of these men had told the truth about their loyalty to David? That concern was not of chief importance to David as he journeyed that day. By the king's example, it was a day for forgiveness and peace.

Was Joab's charge against David true? David did show love to those who had hated him. In doing this, David further prepared the way for the Messiah who would command us to love our enemies.

The second part of Joab's rebuke of David was not true. David did not hate those who loved him. Barzillai the Gileadite had shown his love for David by providing for the king and his men on the other side of the Jordan. David honored this elderly man in accord with his wishes.

What was the difference between Joab and Barzillai? Joab opposed David's determination to forgive those who had wronged him. Joab thought his own judgment better than David's on the question of mercy. Isn't it also the case that Jesus, when he taught His disciples to pray, insisted that they must forgive others if they desired to be forgiven by God?

Mercy is very powerful. It can change the hearts of people in ways that judgment never will.

The people saw David's mercy as he made his way home. They heard about his indictment of those who opposed him in forgiving others. They knew that a day of peace had arrived. They sought to outdo one another in showing honor to the king.

We need to forgive others if we want to follow Jesus. He has forgiven us all our trespasses.