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The Beginning of the End
by a divine enlightenment, David saw that this man was the one
needed to serve the interests of the king in the capital’s councils. At
David’s request, Hushai returned to Jerusalem to offer his services
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to Absalom and defeat the crafty counsel of Ahithophel.
With this gleam of light in the darkness, the king and his fol-
lowers continued down the eastern slope of Olivet, through a rocky
and desolate wasteland toward the Jordan River. “Now when King
David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the
house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera. ... And
he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David. ...
And Shimei said thus when he cursed: ‘Come out! Come out! You
bloodthirsty man, you rogue! The Lord has brought upon you all
the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned;
and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom
your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are
a bloodthirsty man!’” When David was prosperous, Shimei had not
shown that he was disloyal. He had honored David on his throne,
but now he cursed him in his humiliation. Inspired by Satan, he gave
vent to his wrath on the man whom God had punished.
David had not been guilty of wrong toward Saul or on any of
his family. He had spent much of his life amid scenes of violence;
but of all who have gone through such an ordeal, few indeed have
been so little affected by its hardening, demoralizing influence as
was David.
David’s nephew, Abishai, could not listen patiently to Shimei’s
insulting words. He exclaimed, “Why should this dead dog curse my
lord the king? Please, let me go over and take off his head.” But the
king did not agree. “My son ... seeks my life. How much more now
may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord
has ordered him. It may be that the Lord will look on my affliction,
and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing this day.”
David Knows This Trouble Is the Consequence of His Sin
While King David’s faithful subjects were amazed at his sudden
reverse of fortune, it was no mystery to him. He had often had
forebodings of an hour like this. He had marveled that God had
tolerated his sins for so long. And now in his hurried and sorrowful