20:1-22. Sheba's Revolt.

(Introversion [Chiasmo]).

Y³  w  1,2-. Sheba. Revolt made.
     x  -2. Judah's loyalty.
      y  3. David's concubines.
     x  4-13. Judah's loyalty.
    w  14-22. Sheba. Revolt quelled.

933 B.C.

20)

but the men of Judah clove to 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 to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

x  z¹  4,5. Amasa. Disloyalty.
    a¹  6,7. Joab and Abishai. Pursuit.
   z²  8-10-. Amasa. Murder.
    a²  -10,11. Joab and Abishai. Proclomation.
   z³  12,13-. Amasa. Dead.
    a³  -13. Joab. Pursuit.

 4: Then said the king to Amasa, “Assemble me the men of Judah within three days, and be you 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. (This is an example of a undisciplned person.)

 6: And David said to Abishai, “Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom (he was spreading lies and rumors): take you (some codices read, "now therefore") your 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 (Heb. = came to meet them). And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded to him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the sheath thereof; and the sword dropped out and fell. (Joab was setting him up.)
 9: And Joab said to Amasa, “Are you in health, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him. (playing buddy-buddy)
 10: But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand (he let his guard down because he was on an ego trip): 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. (Got rid of another traitor)

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 favours Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.” (when you are pursuing Satan never let a traitor get in the way)

 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 (or, thrust) out of the highway,

all the People went on after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

w  b  14. Abel. Flight to.
    c  15. Siege laid.
   b  16-22-. Abel. Parley at.
    c  -22. Siege raised.

 14: And Joab went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel (= a meadow), and to Beth-maachah (house of oppression), and all the Bichrites (see v.1): and they were gathered together, and went also after Sheba.

 15: And they came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maachah, and they cast up a mound against the city, and it stood in the rampart: and all the People that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

 16: Then cried a wise woman out of the city, “Hear, hear; say, I pray you, to Joab, ‘Come near to this place, that I may speak with you.’ ” (She was a woman of God. Said with authority. She didn't say please)
 17: And when he was come near to her, the woman said, “Are you Joab?” And he answered, “I am he.” Then she said to him, “Hear the words of your handmaid.” And he answered, “I do hear.”
 18: Then she spoke, saying, “They were accustomed to speak in old time, saying, ‘They shall surely ask counsel at Abel:’ and so they ended the matter. (See Deut.20:10,11. This woman knows the word of God. She going to save an entire city. This is why God has many servants.)
 19: I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: you seek to destroy a city, a mother city in Israel (Fig., i.e. a metropolitan city): why will you swallow up the inheritance of the Lord (Yehovah)?” (Anytime you have a Christian nation fighting a Christian nation, you have a civil war)
 20: And Joab answered and said, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy. (Joab reckognized wisdom)
 21: The matter is not so: but a man of the hill countryy of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has lifted up his hand against the king, even against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee over the wall.”
 22: Then the woman went to all the People in her wisdom (cp. Ecc.9:14,15). And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. (You give a deadly wound to a man of Satan, When it is legally called for in God's Word)

And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent (cp. 19:8). And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

K  d  23. Military.
    e  24. Civil.
   d  25. Ecclesiastical.
    e  26. Civil.

 23: Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah (= made by the Lord. cp. 8:18; 23:20. 1 Kings 1:8; 2:34) the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites: (God lets you know Joab is restored)

 24: And Adoniram (= lord of heights. See 1 Kings 4:6) was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat (= whom Yehovah judges) the son of Ahilud was recorder:

 25: And Sheva (= Yehovah contends) was scribe (or secretary): and Zadok (= just) and Abiathar were the priests:

 26: And Ira (= watchful of a city) also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David (Cp. 8:18; 23:38. David did want to follow God's way. It is the only way you can be successful).

L  f  1. The land. God's judgment on it.
    g  2-9. Saul's sons. Reparation.
     h  10,11. Rizpah. Mourning.
    g  12-14-. Saul's sons. Recovery of bones.
   f  -14. The land. God intreated for it.

932 to 930 B.C.

21)

 2: And the king called the Gibeonites (cp. Josh.9:3,16,17), and said to them; {now the Gibeonites they were not of the sons of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn to them: and Saul sought to slay them in his zeal to the sons of Israel and Judah.} ( covenant made by Joshu)
 3: Wherefore David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that you all may bless the inheritance of the Lord (Yehovah)?”
 4: And the Gibeonites said to him, “We will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us shall you kill any man in Israel.” And he said, “What you all shall say, that will I do for you.”
 5: And they answered the king, “The man that consumed us, and that devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the borers of Israel,
 6: Let seven men of his sons be delivered to us, and we will hang them up to the Lord (Yehovah) in Gibeah of Saul, whom the Lord (Yehovah) did choose.” And the king said, “I will give them.” (This was man that makes this arrangement, not God!)
 7: But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of Saul, because of the Lord's (Yehovah's) oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul.
 8: But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bare to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth (Saul's son not Jonathan's son by the same name); and the five sons of Michal the daughter of Saul (Saul's oldest daughter. Some codices read "Merab", as in 1 Sam.18:19), whom she brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite:
 9: And he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the Lord (Yehovah): and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest (poor man's bread. They were killed, then hanged around mid-april).

 10: And Rizpah (= a hot stone) the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night. (one of the most degrading thing to do to a dead body. It was customary to bury the dead the same day)
 11: And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. (relaying the love of a mother)

 12: And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son (there was a total of 9 bones of family. #9 = finality of Judgment) from the lords of Jabesh-gilead (cp. 1 Sam.31:10,13), which had stolen them from the street of Beth-shan (the open space by the gate [2 Chron.32:6. Neh.8:1,3,16]), where the Philistines had hanged them, when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa:
 13: And he brought up from that place the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.
 14: And the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son buried they in the country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and they performed accordig to all that the king commanded. (Keep your word. It is your reputation. If you ever make a vow, keep it. If you want to break it, you had better go to God and pray heavily. God does not like peace to be broken)

And after that God (Elohim) was intreated for the land. (Drought was ended)

M  j¹  15. War with Philistines.
    k¹  16,17. Giant (Ishi-benob). Slain by Abishai.
   j²  18-. Battle at Gob.
    k²  -18. Giant (Saph). Slain by Sibbechai.
   j³  19-. Battle at Gob.
    k³  -19. Giant (brother of Goliath). Slain by Elhanan.
   j4  20-. Battle at Gath.
    j4  -20,21. Giant. Slain by Jonathan.
   j5  22. End of war.

930 to 923 B.C.

 15: Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the Philistines: and David waxed faint (David was now 60).

 16: And Ishbi-benob (= he that dwells at a high place), which was of the sons of the giant (= Rapha. See Gen.6:2,4), the weight of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight (about 9 lbs.), he being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain (or, said he would slay) David.
 17: But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “You shall go no more out with us to battle, that you quench not the lamp of Israel. (Cp. Gen.15:17. 1 Kings 15:4. Prov. 13:9; 20:20, though not the same word as Gen.15:17. They wouldn't let him because of his age)

 18: And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob (some codices read "Nob"):

then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph (= tall), which was of the sons of the giant. (To a true servant of God there are no giants)

 19: And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines,

where Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite (omit "the brother of", and understand another giant of the same name as the Goliath of 1 Sam.17. Goliath = splendor.), the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's beam.

 20: And there was yet a battle in Gath,

where was a man of great stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant. (He was a hybrid. Not as God planned. Anything unatural is a perversion to God. Note the #6)
 21: And when he reproached Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea the brother of David slew him.

 22: These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David, and by the hand of his servants. (When [don't read over "when", it's conditional] God is with you, He and you make a majority. Giant killers! Do not be afraid!)

H  T¹  22:1-51. Song of David.
   T²  23:1-7. Last words of David.

T¹  U  2,3. Praise.
     V  l  4-7. Prayer made.
         m  8-16. Overthrow of enemies. Tempest.
     V  l  17-28. Prayer answered.
         m  29-49. Overthrow of enemies.
    U  50,51. Praise.

22)

 2: And he said, “The Lord (Yehovah) is my rock (Heb. sel’a = a shadow, or shelter. First occ.), and my fortress (protection), and my deliverer;
 3: The God (Elohim) of my rock (= cliff, in situ. See Ps.18:2; 31:3; 42:9; 71:3. Sept. and Sry. read "My God was my rock"); in Him will I trust (prove Him by following Him): He is my shield, and the horn (= strength) of my salvation, my high tower (Watchman. Apply this to last days), and my refuge, my saviour; You save me from violence.

l  A  4. Call for deliverance.
    B  5. Compassed by pangs.
    B  6. Compassed by sorrows.
   A  7. Call for deliverance.

 4: I will call on the Lord (Yehovah), Who is worthy to be praised (He is the only one to praise): so shall I be saved from my enemies. (Our enemies outnumber us. So What!)

 5: When (or For) the waves of death compassed me, the floods of Beliel (= worthlessness, lawlessness) made me afraid;

 6: The meshes of Sheol compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; (If you become entangled in the ways of the world, the web tightens)

 7: In my distress I called upon the Lord (Yehovah), and cried to my God (Elohim) (exercise your trust in Him): and He did hear my voice out of His temple, and my cry did enter into His ears.

m  C  8-. On earth. Wonders.
    D  -8-10-. In heaven. Fire.
     E  -10. Darkness.
      F  11. Speedy succour.
     E  12. Darkness.
    D  13-15. In heaven. Fire.
   C  16. On earth. Wonders.

 8: Then the earth shook and trembled;

and the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because He was wroth. (This happened in the 1st earth age. See Jer.4:23-26. He will do it again. Cp. Heb.12:26-29.)
 9: There went up a smoke out of His nostrils, and fire out of His mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
 10: He bowed the heavens also, and came down;

and darkness was under His feet. (= Satan. Cp. Ezek.32. Ps.104:3-5, &c.)

 11: And He rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and He was seen (some codices read "and darted") upon the wings of the wind.

 12: And He made darkness pavilions round about Him, gathering of waters, and thick clouds of the skies. (He hid Himself from certain eyes)

 13: Through the brightness before Him were coals of fire kindled. (His Spirit does this. Spiritual fire from His altar warms the hearts of His children that do have eyes to see, and burns those that are our enemies.)
 14: The Lord (Yehovah) thundered (He spoke) from heaven, and the Most High (= Elyon. It is El and Elohim, not as he powerful Creator, but as "the Possessor of heaven and earth". Hence the name is associated with Christ as the Son of "the Highest". It is Elyon, as Possessor of the earth, Who divides the nations "their inheritance". He is "over all the earth". Elyon is he Dispener of God's blessings on the earth; the blessing proceeding from a Priest Who is a King upon His throne) uttered His voice.
 15: And He sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them. (Cp. Ezek.39)

 16: And the channels of the sea appeared (Heb. ’aphîhîm, a watercourse, constrained by rocks or pipes or rocky channels. First occ. See Job 6:15; 12:21; 40:18; 41:15. Ps.18:15; 42:1; 126:4. Song. 5:12. Isa. 8:7. Ezek.6:3; 31:12; 32:6; 34:13; 35:8; 36:4,6. Joel 1:20; 3:18), the foundations of the world were laid bare, at the rebuking of Yehovah, at the blast of the breath (= Ruach = Spirit) of His nostrils. (His wrath has come to a boiling point and shakes the earth again)

l  G  17,18-. Deliverance.
    H  -18. Enemies.
    H  19-. Enemies.
   G  -19-28. Deliverance.

 17: He sent from above (see John 3:3,5), He took me; He drew me out of many waters (= peoples. See Rev.17:15);
 18: He delivered me from my strong enemy (Satan himself), and from them that hated me: (Cp. Ps.18:17)

for they were too strong for me. (It doesn't matter. You and God make a majority)

 19: They got before me (i.e. got in my face) in the day of my calamity:

but the Lord (Yehovah) was my stay. (God will always stay your course)
 20: He brought me forth also into a large place (a safe place): He delivered me, because He delighted in me (that is why He created your soul. Rev.4:11. God takes care of those that delight Him. Why? because of your love).
 21: The Lord (Yehovah) rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands (= work) has He recompensed me. (I follow Him because I love Him, trust Him. We all fall short)
 22: For I have kept the ways of the Lord (Yehovah), and have not wickedly departed from my God (Elohim).
 23: For all His judgments were before me (cp. Deut.4:1): and as for His statutes, I did not depart from them. (You must stay in God's Word the best you can)
 24: I was also blameless before Him, and have kept myself from my iniquity.
 25: Therefore the Lord (Yehovah) has recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in His eye sight. (Because of Christ paying the price and cleansing us)
 26: With the gracious You will show Yourself gracious, and with the blameess man You will show Yourself blameless.
 27: With the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the froward You will shew Yourself ready to contend (= a wrestler. Cp. Ps.18:26). (You arange your own treatment)
 28: And the afflicted people You will save: but Your eyes are upon the haughty, that You may bring them down. (Those who set themselves up)

m  J  29. Yehovah my light.
    K  30-32. God my avenger.
     L  33-40. God my strength.
      M  41-46. Deliverance.
   J  47. Yehovah my life.
    K  48. God my avenger.
     L  49-. God my exalter.
      M  -49. Deliverance.

 29: For You are my light, O Lord (Yehovah): and the Lord (Yehovah) will lighten my darkness. (1 Thess. 5)

 30: For by You I have run through a troop: and by my Elohim have I leaped over a wall.
 31: As for GOD (El) (is essentially the Almighty. El is Elohim in all His strength and power. It is rendered "God" as Elohim is, but El is God the Omnipotent. Elohim is God the Creator putting His omnipotence into operation. Eloah is God Who wills and orders all, and Who is the one object of the worship of His people. El is the God Who knows all and sees all and that performs all things for His people; and Whom all the Divine attributes are concentrated), His way is perfect; the word (= statements, what is said) of Yehovah has been proved: He is a buckler (small shield) to all them that trust in Him. (See Luke 10:17-19)
 32: For who is GOD (El), save the Lord (Yehovah)? and who is a rock (you can stand, build upon), save our God (Elohim)?

 33: GOD (El) is my fortress and strength: and He makes my way perfect (or, shows to the blameless His way. Perfect path. Some codices read "my way", as in Ps.18:32).
 34: He makes my feet like hinds' feet: and makes me to stand firm upon my high places (Spiritually speaking. Contrast the "high places" so fatal to Jonathan and Saul [1:25]).
 35: He teaches my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by my arms. (It broke the back of communism. God is not angry at those who love him)
 36: You have also given me the shield of Your salvation: and Your gentleness has made me great.
 37: You have enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip. (He teaches you how to get it done)
 38: I have pursued my enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.
 39: And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yes, they are fallen under my feet.
 40: For You have girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me have you subdued under me. (Don't get on an ego trip because of this. You did not do it. God did it!)

 41: You have also given me the necks (i.e. the jugular. He gives you their weak spot) of my enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.
 42: They looked about (but some codices read "cried out". Cp. Ps.18:41. See Mark 13), but there was none to save; even to the Lord (Yehovah), but He answered them not.
 43: Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad.
 44: You also have delivered me from the contentions of my People, You have kept me to be head of the nations: a people which I knew not shall serve me. (Every knee shall bow to Christ on the 1st day of the millennium [i.e. the Day of the LORD]. See Rev.3:9,10)
 45: Foreiners shall submit themselves to me (or give a feigned and unwilling obedience): as soon as they hear, they shall be obedient to me.
 46: Strangers shall fade away, and they shall come forth tremblng from their hiding places.

 47: The Lord (Yehovah) lives; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God (Elohim) of the rock of my salvation.

 48: It is GOD (El) that avenges me, and that brings down the Peoples under me,

 49: And that brings me forth from my enemies: You also have lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me:

You have delivered me from the violent man (i.e. Saul).

 50: Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord (Yehovah), among the heathen, and I will sing praises to Your name.
 51: He is the tower of salvation for His king: and shows mercy to His anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore. (Even through the eternity)