David Faced Opposition

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from 2 Samuel 20:1-15. There was a wicked man, named Sheba. He was the son of Bichri. He was a Benjamite. He was the rebellious kind. He blew a trumpet and declared that they would have no part of David or the son of Jesse. He commanded the people of Israel to return to their tents. Once again David faced opposition.

The men of Israel chose to stop following David as their king and followed Sheba instead. But the men of Judah from Jordan to Jerusalem continued to honor David as their king.

King David returned to his house in Jerusalem. The king took the ten women concubines that he left to take care of the house and put them in ward. He still provided for them, but no longer had relationships with them. They lived as widows until their death.

The king told Amasa to gather the men of Judah in three days and requested that Amasa be there with them. For some reason Amasa took longer than the king asked.

David told Abishai that Sheba, the son of Bikri, would do them more harm than Absalom did. David instructed him to take his master’s men and pursue Sheba. David was concerned that Sheba would find fenced cities and escape from them.

So Joab’s men, the Cherethites, Pelethites, and all the mighty warriors went out under the command of Abishai. They marched out of Jerusalem to pursue Sheba, the son of Bikri.

While they were at the great rock in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Joab was wearing his military garment, and strapped over it at his waist was a belt with a dagger in its sheath. As he stepped forward, the dagger dropped out of its sheath.

Joab approached Amasa asking, “How are you, my brother?” Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand like he was going to kiss him. Joab caught Amasa off guard. He didn’t realize that Joab had a dagger in his hand. Joab plunged the dagger into Amasa’s belly, and his intestines fell to the ground. Amasa died immediately. Why do you suppose Joab killed Amasa?

Joab and his brother Abishai went on to pursue Sheba. One of Joab’s men stood beside Amasa and told the men that whoever favored Joab, and was for David, to follow Joab. Amasa was laying in the middle of the road in a pool of his own blood. When the troops saw him they all came to a halt. When Joab’s man realized that everyone who saw Amasa stopped, he dragged him out of the road into a nearby field and covered him with a cloth.

After Amasa was removed from the road, everyone went on with Joab to pursue Sheba. Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel, Bethmaachah, and through the entire region of the Bikrites, they gathered together and followed him.

All the troops with Joab came and besieged Sheba in Abel, Bethmaachah. They had built a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench. Joab and his men battered the wall and brought it down.

It seems that King David always faced opposition one way or another. In life things are not always easy. It seems there are always battles to face. Some of the battles may be physical and some may be spiritual. But, if we have God on our side we can be victorious.

Daily Bible Reading:

2 Samuel 20:1-15

1 And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.
2 So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king, from Jordan even to Jerusalem.
3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.
4 Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be thou here present.
5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.
6 And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord’s servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.
7 And there went out after him Joab’s men, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went before them. And Joab’s garment that he had put on was girded unto him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.
9 And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.
10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab’s hand: so he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.
11 And one of Joab’s men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.
12 And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw that every one that came by him stood still.
13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.
14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and went also after him.
15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

Things to think about:

• Who was the man who rose up against David?
• What tribe of Israel remained loyal to King David?
• Who was killed in this Scripture? Why? By whom?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we read this Scripture in 2 Samuel we see that King David had opposition, but he still had faithful followers. Give us people in our lives that will support us no matter the opposition that we face. Help us to be loyal followers of Christ. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

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The Book of Malachi: A Message from the LORD is a Daily Bible Reading Study by Deborah H. Bateman. Malachi was considered to be a “Messenger of the LORD.” God delivered His message to the people of Israel through Malachi. Malachi was one of the twelve prophets from the Old Testament. The book of Malachi is the last book in the Old Testament of the Bible.

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