II Kings 2:1-11
“Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man; And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.” (I Kings 2:1-4)
Death is something that happens to all of us, despite many people’s efforts to prevent it through medical procedures or cryogenics. David recognized that as Hebrews 9:27 tells us, “…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment,” and accepted it as part of life.
His instructions to Solomon were to stand as a man, obeying God in every area of his life. He ought to have an attitude of obedience in all things. He was to keep all God’s statutes or basic laws we know as the ten commandments He was to obey God’s commandments as to how to fulfill those laws, and to enforce the penalties or judgments prescribed. All the memorial feasts and sacrifices were to be kept as testimonies or memorials of what God had done for them. All were to be kept as dictated by God and written by Moses.
By keeping those things which had been written, Solomon could be assured of success in everything he did, and that God would keep his promises, including the ones to David, that if his children would obey God, there would never be a time when one of David’s descendants was not king of Israel.
“Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.
Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.” (I Kings 2:5-6)
David then reminded Solomon that while Joab had been a great general and powerful ally, he had also murdered Abner when he was trying to help them, had disobeyed orders about Absalom and had murdered Amasa just so he could retain control of the army.
Numbers 35:30-33 commanded, “Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.”
Only by executing Joab could the land of Israel be relieved of guilt for allowing him to get by with the murders of Amasa and Abner. David told Solomon to see to it that he was executed so the land could be released from their guilt, and free to receive God’s blessings.
Many today insist that we do away with the death penalty, convinced that we should give people the opportunity to repent. Jesus said until heave and earth pass away one jot or tittle would not be taken from the law, implying that that standard still applies today.
“But show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.” (I Kings 2:7)
David reminded Solomon how Barzillai had brought food and camping gear when he fled from Absalom, and instructed him to show his appreciation by doing the same for them.
“And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword. Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.” (I Kings 2:8-9)
The final instruction David gave was regarding Shimei. Shimei’s apology was based on fear of David, not real sorrow or repentance for what he had done. While David had not had him executed, the guilt was still there. If the opportunity arose, Shimei would do it again. David warned Solomon not to ignore it but to see that he paid for his sin. Once again we are reminded that an apology is not necessarily the same as repentance.
“So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.” (I Kings 2:10-11)
From II Samuel 5:4 we learn that David was seventy when he turned th kingdom over to Solomon. “ David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.” Apparently, he lived only a short time after relinquishing the reins.
“Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man; And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.” (I Kings 2:1-4)
Death is something that happens to all of us, despite many people’s efforts to prevent it through medical procedures or cryogenics. David recognized that as Hebrews 9:27 tells us, “…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment,” and accepted it as part of life.
His instructions to Solomon were to stand as a man, obeying God in every area of his life. He ought to have an attitude of obedience in all things. He was to keep all God’s statutes or basic laws we know as the ten commandments He was to obey God’s commandments as to how to fulfill those laws, and to enforce the penalties or judgments prescribed. All the memorial feasts and sacrifices were to be kept as testimonies or memorials of what God had done for them. All were to be kept as dictated by God and written by Moses.
By keeping those things which had been written, Solomon could be assured of success in everything he did, and that God would keep his promises, including the ones to David, that if his children would obey God, there would never be a time when one of David’s descendants was not king of Israel.
“Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.
Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.” (I Kings 2:5-6)
David then reminded Solomon that while Joab had been a great general and powerful ally, he had also murdered Abner when he was trying to help them, had disobeyed orders about Absalom and had murdered Amasa just so he could retain control of the army.
Numbers 35:30-33 commanded, “Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest. So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.”
Only by executing Joab could the land of Israel be relieved of guilt for allowing him to get by with the murders of Amasa and Abner. David told Solomon to see to it that he was executed so the land could be released from their guilt, and free to receive God’s blessings.
Many today insist that we do away with the death penalty, convinced that we should give people the opportunity to repent. Jesus said until heave and earth pass away one jot or tittle would not be taken from the law, implying that that standard still applies today.
“But show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.” (I Kings 2:7)
David reminded Solomon how Barzillai had brought food and camping gear when he fled from Absalom, and instructed him to show his appreciation by doing the same for them.
“And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword. Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.” (I Kings 2:8-9)
The final instruction David gave was regarding Shimei. Shimei’s apology was based on fear of David, not real sorrow or repentance for what he had done. While David had not had him executed, the guilt was still there. If the opportunity arose, Shimei would do it again. David warned Solomon not to ignore it but to see that he paid for his sin. Once again we are reminded that an apology is not necessarily the same as repentance.
“So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.” (I Kings 2:10-11)
From II Samuel 5:4 we learn that David was seventy when he turned th kingdom over to Solomon. “ David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.” Apparently, he lived only a short time after relinquishing the reins.
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