I was surprised when I woke up this morning and looked at my hands in the daylight!! We dyed Easter eggs last night with JJ and Kyra over at Nana's house. My fingers are blue and green!! Fingernail polish remover doesn't even get it off! Won't quite match my Easter dress! Oh well....
Chapter 16 Absalom starts sleep with David's concubine women.Absalom is trying to take over David's harem and is trying to convince them to be his followers. Once he does this there is no chance, no hope of ever having reconciliation. No king could ever forgive such a public insult! And....if you remember this happened just as Nathan predicted that it would! So trying to take over the concubine/harem indicates that Absalom is now king of Israel AND this says that he has no way of making nice with his father....this is irreversible.
Chapter 17 So there are two advisers.....Absalom seeks the advice of Ahithophel and Hushai. Ahithophel is helping Absalom, the prince, take over his father's throne. Hushai, on the other hand, is a spy for David. Hushai of course has David's best interest at heart. So Hushai baits the prince by flattering his pride and ambition! This plan of Hushai gives David enough time to escape....even enjoys a warm meal! Ahithophel has the foresight to realize the probable consequences and commits suicide (v. 23).
Chapter 18 Absalom gets stuck in a tree when his head catches some air on the branches and he is left hanging from the tree while his donkey goes on! Joab has orders to spare the son of king David but he is shrewd enough to see that only the death of the pretender -- or the king -- is going to settle the issue at hand! David didn't forgive Joab for Absalom's death. I hate to say it, but I love the irony that Absalom's beautiful hair is what tangled him in the tree.....leaving him hanging. Remember....he was supposedly a beautiful man. :) Irony!!! And even more victory, David as king has achieved victory (he is still king) but he has a great personal loss of his son.
Lesson's learned: God is to be the only one to give advice.......seek HIM as your counsel.
Tomorrow: chapters 19-21
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