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Observations from today’s readings and today’s S-WOD, Wednesday, 3 September 2025:
2 Samuel 20:1 — Now there happened to be there a worthless man, whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjaminite. And he blew the trumpet and said, “We have no portion in David, and we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel!”
Another rebellion quickly arises in Israel, this time led by Sheba, a Benjaminite. His words echo those of past dissenters who rejected David’s kingship. Like Absalom, Sheba seeks to fracture the kingdom by stirring discontent and appealing to tribal divisions. The human heart often falls into the same traps — rejecting God’s appointed authority and seeking its own way. Just as rebellion against David mirrored rebellion against God’s rule, so too does our disobedience reflect the same spirit of rejecting the King of kings (Luke 19:14).
2 Samuel 20:2 — So all the men of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri. But the men of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem.
Once again, we see division between Judah and the rest of Israel. Division is a destructive fruit of rebellion, yet Judah remained loyal to David. The loyalty of Judah foreshadows the loyalty God preserves in a remnant of His people, who cling to Him even when others fall away. Christ Himself is the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), and His true followers remain steadfast, even when the world rebels. Judah gives us an example to follow concerning loyalty to the King. We must remain faithfully loyal to Jesus, our King and Savior, in spite of the mocking of the world around us. We must be loyal to Jesus in spite of the rebellion of the flesh. We must be loyal to Jesus in spite of the times when He seems distant.
2 Samuel 20:3 — And David came to his house at Jerusalem. And the king took the ten concubines whom he had left to care for the house and put them in a house under guard and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as if in widowhood.
David’s concubines, who were defiled by Absalom in his rebellion (2 Samuel 16:21–22), are now secluded. David cared for them materially but did not restore them fully to their former place. This tragic outcome highlights the deep and lasting consequences of sin. What Absalom did could not be undone, and David’s household bore the scars. It is a reminder that sin leaves wounds, even when forgiven, which only Christ’s ultimate redemption will heal (Revelation 21:4–5).
“He could not well divorce them; he could not punish them, as they were not in transgression; and he could no more be familiar with them, because they had been defiled by his son. To have married them to other men might have been dangerous to the state….” (Clarke)
2 Samuel 20:4-7 — Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.” So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him. And David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba the son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom. Take your lord’s servants and pursue him, lest he get himself to fortified cities and escape from us.” And there went out after him Joab’s men and the Cherethites and the Pelethites and all the mighty men. They went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
David gave Amasa the responsibility of gathering Judah, but he failed to complete the task promptly. David knew time was of the essence, and Amasa failed in his essential mission, a trend for Amasa – previously, as Absalom’s general, he failed to quick crush David when he had the chance. Delay in carrying out responsibility put the kingdom at risk, and David had to assign Abishai to take charge. Faithfulness in God’s service requires diligence and timeliness (Romans 12:11). Procrastination and negligence can open doors for greater harm. God will regularly give you windows of opportunity which are very fleeting. Don’t hesitate or respond half-heartedly. Remember, delayed obedience is disobedience. Don’t lose sight of who has called you!
2 Samuel 20:8-10 — When they were at the great stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier’s garment, and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened on his thigh, and as he went forward it fell out. And Joab said to Amasa, “Is it well with you, my brother?” And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. But Amasa did not observe the sword that was in Joab’s hand. So Joab struck him with it in the stomach and spilled his entrails to the ground without striking a second blow, and he died.
“Amasa didn’t assemble the army of Judah quickly enough, but he didn’t want to be left out of the battle. He joined the troops loyal to David at Gibeon.” (David Guzik) Joab, though not officially in command, takes matters into his own hands. His treachery against Amasa mirrors his earlier killing of Abner (2 Samuel 3:27). Joab cloaked violence with false friendliness, pretending to greet Amasa while plotting murder. This is a chilling picture of hypocrisy and betrayal, which foreshadows Judas’ kiss to Jesus (Luke 22:48). It is a warning against manipulative deception, one of the enemy’s chief tactics. You may not recognize your enemies when you meet them. However, God knows the hearts of everyone around you. How important is it for you to be guided by the Holy Spirit in relationships? “…your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.” (Isaiah 58:8)
Competence vs character — Joab was an incredibly competent warrior (perhaps the very best) with serious character flaws that proved devastating to the king. David relied on Joab due to his competence and loyalty (on Joab’s terms), but David should have removed him early on due to his lack of character which made him ultimately untrustworthy and dangerous. Perhaps David was a bit fearful of attempting to challenge Joab’s power and considered his relationship with him a necessary evil. Nonetheless, the longer David stayed with Joab, the more dependent he become on him and the more entangled he became with the consequences of Joab’s behavior. As we saw in the story of Bathsheba and Uriah, David had completely abrogated his military commandership over to Joab, likely because, in part, Joab was very forceful, competent, and uncooperative in execution. David likely felt it best to avoid conflict with Joab and to let Joab run the army. In so doing, David surrendered one of his most important roles as king, strengthened Joab’s hand, and contributed to Joab’s demand for power. Today, David seeks to reconcile with Amasa by giving Amasa Joab’s position as Commander of the Army, and Joab responds by murdering Amasa. One can only speculate about what David was thinking here, but Joab’s actions should come as no surprise. Joab demonstrated this sort of violent expediency against David’s wishes previously (E.G., Abner: 2 Samuel 3:27, and Absalom: 2 Samuel 18:14). David handled Joab poorly and it cost him dearly.
We all have a tendency to admire competency and overlook character flaws in others – big mistake. Between character and competence, character must be supreme. A leader or employee MUST be good at what they do, but it is MUCH, MUCH more important that a leader or employee be a good person who can be trusted to do the right things in the right way at the right time for the right reasons, especially when no one is watching. From BOTH character and competence, trust and confidence are earned. In many places, the Bible warns us not to enter into, whenever possible, relationships of dependency with ungodly people who lack character. Of course, our personal ambition is to increasingly mature into Christlike character, which can always be trusted by others.
2 Samuel 20:11-13 — Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri. And one of Joab’s young men took his stand by Amasa and said, “Whoever favors Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.” And Amasa lay wallowing in his blood in the highway. And anyone who came by, seeing him, stopped. And when the man saw that all the people stopped, he carried Amasa out of the highway into the field and threw a garment over him. When he was taken out of the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.
Joab assumes authority once again through violence, and the people follow him. Leadership by force may achieve temporary results, but it lacks the blessing of God. True leadership flows from faithfulness, integrity, and the anointing of the Spirit. Unlike Joab, Christ rules not by manipulation or violence but by laying down His life for the sheep (John 10:11). We must follow Jesus’ example of humble, fully competent, servant leadership, never using the tactics of this world to seek ungodly control of people or situations, even if we think it is for a good cause.
2 Samuel 20:14-15 — And Sheba passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah, and all the Bichrites assembled and followed him in. And all the men who were with Joab came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah. They cast up a mound against the city, and it stood against the rampart, and they were battering the wall to throw it down.
Sheba fortified himself in Abel, seeking safety in numbers and strong walls. Yet no rebellion can ultimately stand against God’s appointed king. The futility of rebellion against God is clear throughout Scripture: “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?” (Psalm 2:1).
2 Samuel 20:16-22 — Then a wise woman called from the city, “Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, ‘Come here, that I may speak to you.’” And he came near her, and the woman said, “Are you Joab?” He answered, “I am.” Then she said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” And he answered, “I am listening.” Then she said, “They used to say in former times, ‘Let them but ask counsel at Abel,’ and so they settled a matter. I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel. You seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel. Why will you swallow up the heritage of the Lord?” Joab answered, “Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy! That is not true. But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba the son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David. Give up him alone, and I will withdraw from the city.” And the woman said to Joab, “Behold, his head shall be thrown to you over the wall.” Then the woman went to all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, every man to his home. And Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.
This wise woman intervenes, using diplomacy to spare the city. Her appeal emphasizes peace and faithfulness, contrasting with Sheba’s rebellion. Her wisdom and courage save lives, reminding us that God often works through unlikely people to bring deliverance. As Proverbs 16:14 says, “A wise man will appease” the wrath of rulers. Ultimately, her actions highlight the importance of speaking truth with courage in the midst of crisis.
Within the walls of your heart might hide a rebellious traitor, a sin which lurks within. Be wise and behead that traitor and spare the city of your soul.
2 Samuel 20:23-26 — Now Joab was in command of all the army of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and Adoram was in charge of the forced labor; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was the recorder; and Sheva was secretary; and Zadok and Abiathar were priests; and Ira the Jairite was also David’s priest.
The chapter concludes with a listing of David’s officials, demonstrating the restoration of order after rebellion. Though Joab’s methods were treacherous, he remains in power. This reminds us that God’s purposes often unfold through imperfect and even sinful human instruments, yet His sovereignty ensures that His kingdom will prevail.
“Cross” Fit S-WOD (Spiritual Workout of the Day) – 3 September 2025: Watch your heart for subtle seeds of rebellion — whether through procrastination, manipulation, deceit, or division. Instead, pursue the wisdom of the woman of Abel: seek peace, speak truth, and act faithfully in loyalty to Christ the King. Put to death and throw out the hidden sin in your heart.
Pray: “Lord, guard my heart against rebellion, deception, and manipulation. Give me courage to speak truth and pursue peace, even when others stir division. Help me remain steadfast in loyalty to You, my true King. May I be an instrument of wisdom and faithfulness, not of treachery and rebellion. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Defenders Bible Reading Plan 