The hardship of someone can bring out the worst in others. Whether it comes through manipulation and lying, or curses and “you deserve this” attitudes, the road of difficulty is sadly sometimes one we walk with unhelpful companions.
David’s exodus from Jerusalem brought him encouragement from faithful servants, but also encounters with manipulators and a man who took delight in David’s apparent downfall. While these examples certainly point us away from behaving like that to those we know in hard times, they also remind us of the true king who suffered curses and lies to reverse the curse of our sins.
As David fled from Jerusalem, he was encouraged by support from a Gittite, the priests, and his counsellor Hushai. In the midst of a trialling time, when David recognised he was receiving discipline from God for his prior sins, this must have been like a cup of cool water on a hot day.
So not surprisingly, David’s guard was down when Ziba approached him. Ziba was the servant of Mephibosheth, and was responsible (at David’s command) to take care of the lands of Saul for Mephibosheth’s benefit (v.1, cf. ch.9).
Ziba came bearing gifts on donkeys of food and drink (v.1). No doubt welcome in the rush to leave. No doubt David appreciated Ziba’s apparent thoughtfulness (v.2).
Ziba’s presence led naturally to Mephibosheth, and where he was. Ziba responded that “he remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give me back the kingdom of my father’” (v.3).
Let’s be blunt. It was a lie. Mephibosheth would hardly have expected Absalom to hand the kingdom to him, when the desires of Israel were for Absalom as king! But Ziba was the gift-giver present, and Mephibosheth was not there to defend himself.
So naturally, David sided with Ziba, and handed Mephibosheth’s lands to the servant (v.4). Ziba benefited for himself by manipulating David in a time of weakness, like a loan shark preying upon the poor.
Down the road at Bahurim, a relative of Saul’s named Shimei took the opportunity to curse David (v.5). He threw stones and abuse at David (vv.6-7), suggesting that David was reaping the consequences of his seizing the throne from Saul’s line many years ago (v.8). He probably never believed that David had nothing to do with Abner or Ish-bosheth’s death (chs. 3 and 4).
All the abuse got a little much for David’s followers, and Abishai suggested that Shimei’s abuse called for capital punishment (v.9). After all, headless bodies do not cry out curses.
David’s response indicates his belief in God’s greater purposes. He told Abishai to stay his hand, because God had caused Shimei to come out to curse (vv.10-11). It was not for David or Abishai to question God’s purposes in Shimei’s harsh words.
Instead, David’s focus was directed elsewhere. “It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today” (v.12). Interestingly, “the wrong done to me” is traditionally in Hebrew “upon my iniquity”.
Either way, David is focused heavenward to God, not cross-valley to the abuser. He trusts that God will repay him good for the (unfounded) abuse hurled at him. Or, alternatively, he trusts that God will repay him good despite the cursing he deserves – not based on the false claims of Shimei, but the real sins of previous chapters.
Either way, God gives his people mercy and grace, even when they deserve the curse.
So onward David and his band trudged, as Shimei followed along, flinging more stones, more curses, and dust at them (v.13), to arrive weary and tired at the Jordan river (v.14).
It should come as no surprise that I do not see either of these men as “positive role models”. One manipulated for his own gain, the other cursed and abused a man in his hour of need. Neither of these are appropriate ways to treat someone going through difficult times.
Sadly, that is all too often a temptation for us. While we may not use someone’s desperate times to make ourselves richer, some certainly do, even while claiming to be part of Christ’s Body. May that never be said of us!
Nor should we argue that someone’s hard times are the result of past events! We do not know God’s providence, and whether these events are discipline, judgement, or the refiner’s fire.
But we need to remember that this is a story of King David, God’s Anointed. King David points us forward to the true Great King, Jesus, the better and greater king after God’s own heart.
Just as David took Shimei’s curses instead of lashing out, Jesus took the curses and lies of his people when he was arrested, tried, and convicted by lies. He did so to bear a greater curse, the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us when he was nailed to the Cross (Galatians 3:13), so we might be free.
