Useful Bible Studies > 2 Samuel Commentary > chapter 15
David and the people with him escaped from Jerusalem towards the east. They were going in the direction of Jericho and the Jordan river.
They first went across the valley of the Kidron stream, on the east side of Jerusalem. Then they went over the long, low hill that is called the Mount of Olives. At the top of this hill, there was a place of prayer. There, they also had a clear view towards Jerusalem, which they had so recently left. It was not far away - just the other side of the deep, narrow valley of the Kidron.
As David went up the hill, he covered his head. By that action, he expressed how deeply sad he was (compare Ezekiel 24:17). He also uncovered his feet, to express his humble attitudes on this occasion (see Exodus 3:5). He had so recently been a truly great king; now he had nothing (compare Job 1:21). Instead of his beautiful home in the palace, he must now wander across the desert in constant danger of death (Hebrews 11:38).
While David wept, he prayed. Especially, God guided him to pray about Ahithophel, the grandfather of his wife Bathsheba, who had joined David’s enemies. Formerly he had advised David, and David considered him the wisest of his advisers (16:23). Now he was plotting evil schemes against David on behalf of Absalom, David’s son who had made himself king. David’s prayer was that, by some means, God would bring about the complete failure of those evil schemes. David did not know how that could happen. However, when David reached the top of the hill, God showed him the answer to his prayer.
Next part: Hushai the Arkite (2 Samuel 15:32-34)
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