Useful Bible Studies > 2 Samuel Commentary > chapter 19
Joab was trying to deal with David’s bitterly sad attitudes after the death of Absalom, David’s son. We might think that Joab had already spoken strongly enough to him. However, Joab continued to argue with him. Joab seemed very angry.
David was crying because he loved his son Absalom. However, this was the same Absalom who had sent a great army to kill David that day. Absalom had also done many other wrong and evil things against David. Clearly, Absalom hated David. It was a strange kind of love that David felt towards that wicked son, Joab said.
Absalom did not love David – but many people truly loved David. They were the soldiers who, that day, had freely chosen to put their own lives in danger, in order to rescue David (John 15:13). However, David had refused even to thank them. He would not even go out to see them.
In this matter, Joab accused David of great cruelty. He told David to think about the men who loyally risked their lives for David, and about their commanders. Once David had considered their lives precious (23:13-17). Now David was acting as if their lives had no value. Even recently, their great love for David had impressed David very much (15:19-22). Now David would have preferred to see the deaths of them all, if only Absalom had remained alive. That was how it seemed to David’s soldiers, Joab said.
With these strong words, Joab insisted that David must change his attitudes. David must now go out to thank his soldiers and to encourage them.
Next part: Joab tells David to encourage his soldiers (2 Samuel 19:7)
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