David's Hope

Prompt: Reflect on and discuss the characterization of David, Bathsheba, Nathan, Joab, and Absalom you find in 2 Samuel 9-20. What adjectives come to mind in describing them? Are any “sympathetic” characters? What, if any, “timeless” qualities do you find in these stories? 

In this assignment, we visit David only as an adult and King- there is no room for David the boy wonder or David the underdog. Instead, we see David painted as the ideal King of the Israelites- a people for whom no king but God should have been necessary, but who demanded one all the same.[1] David’s recurring theme is one of justice and loyalty marred by personal desire. David seeks out the son of Jonathan to show loyalty to his best friend, despite the fact this son was lame and otherwise considered useless.[2] David expresses a desire to treat the Ammonites fairly because he had so been treated.[3]  He shows himself capable of determining right from wrong, but his own loyalty to himself and his desires interferes, as shown in his conversation with Nathan regarding Uriah and Bathsheba[4] and again later regarding the quarrel between Amnon and Absalom.[5]  The work clearly regards David as a great and fearsome leader- the enemies of Israel only ever are 'obnoxious', rather[6] than any real threat.  He loves his sons, to a fault. He begs for the life of his infant son, he sends his daughter to care for Amnon when he is ill, and though he is angry when Amnon rapes Tamar, David does not punish him. He weeps for both Amnon[7] and Absalom[8], despite the literary fact that both needed very much to die. He seems indifferent to his daughters, but that is not unusual within the Scriptures in general.  David demonstrates an enormous capacity to forgive and ignore wrongs done to him, as well- he overlooks Amnon’s rape of Tamar, brings Absalom back to the city after Amnon’s murder, honors the servant Ziba after Mephibosheth’s supposed betrayal (and subsequently forgives both Mephibosheth and Ziba) and rebukes his troops when they are all stoned by Shimei.

In many ways, David is an allegory for the relationship between Yaweh and his people. David loves his children, no matter what. He rewards faithfulness. He forgives those who ask for it.  He defends the Israelites and his family from all who threaten them. When read from the viewpoint of the New Testament, David is the early, flawed prototype for Jesus.[9] David demonstrates not only how Yaweh loves the Israelites with infinite patience and compassion, but also the flaws of attempting to humanize or replace Yaweh’s place in their lives. David cannot replace Yaweh because David is also a human, is also flawed- but he can help people understand how the relationship between humans and Yaweh should be, and why humans should not wish to place a King between themselves and Yaweh.

Like many other Hebrew Scripture wives, Bathsheba is a marginalized and tragic figure. She has an affair with David- was it forced? No one knows, but the fact that she was ritually cleansing herself after menstruation is a neat bit of symbolism as to the severity of David’s transgression. She clearly has compassion, for she mourns both Uriah and the dead son, but once Solomon is born, she vanishes from the narrative. As with other treatments of women in the Hebrew Scriptures, Bathsheba’s role is to provide David with an heir- and once that function is accomplished she no longer matters to the narrative.   Nathan, too, is marginalized in this later part of David’s life. He serves only as the literary device to explain all of the horrible things that will befall David because of his transgression with Bathsheba and subsequent murder of Uriah.  These two characters exist as plot progression narratives, not as robust or interesting characters on their own.

Joab serves the literary function of David’s conscience and temperament. He is also clearly a skilled warrior, and much trusted by David, who sends Joab out at the head of the entire Israelite army numerous times.  Joab is extremely loyal to David, never seeking to overstep his relationship with David (such as when he calls David to finish the fight against Rabbah and so assume the glory in Chapter 12) or complaining about his complicity in arranging Uriah’s death, despite any personal objections or judgements. Joab also assists David even when David cannot see what is best, such as when he works to bring back Absalom when David’s grief is so great, and later, when Joab kills Absalom despite David’s plea. Joab knows Absalom must die to keep David safe- and that David cannot bring himself to harm his son.  Joab also criticizes David and reminds David of his deeper responsibility and duty to his people- that David cannot wallow and linger in his own grief and sorrow, but must lead his people, as he has been charged.[10]  It is difficult to understand Joab’s role when one views David as an allegory for Yaweh, but from a literary standpoint, Joab is the necessary muscle that allows the hero to remain untarnished and vulnerable. We would not like David much if he murdered Absalom- no matter how much we come to dislike Absalom by the end of the tale.  We admire Joab for his devotion, we are wary of his ruthlessness, and we are thankful Joab is on David’s side.

Absalom is such an interesting character. He beings so sympathetically- he is righteously outraged by the treatment of his sister, the abuse of his elder brother, and the seeming indifference of his father. The rest of the story, though, causes one to wonder: is this an act? It seems out of place for the Scriptures to place such a huge attachment of a male on a sister or daughter.  Indeed, avenging the stolen virtue of women is more of an excuse for other grievances of Israelite men, rather than justice for a woman abused. Assuredly, Simon and Levi slaughtered those at Sechem on pretense for Dinah’s rape- but since the rape had already been atoned and the marriage legalized, it was really about pride and wealth. Absalom is no different. He uses Tamar as his excuse to plot against Amnon, who stands between him and the throne.  He plots shamelessly against David while in exile and when brought back.  He is depicted as vain and spoiled- his countenance is beautiful, with long thick hair[11] and he feels entitled to treatment like a king. Burning Joab’s fields because Joab, who serves David- not Abaslom- is an ultimate mark of petty and cruel self-centeredness. It marks Absalom’s true nature, which is further revealed as Absalom plots against his father through the rest of the story. Like those who are unfaithful to Yaweh, Absalom initially seems reasonable and appealing to the Israelites, but ultimately he is utterly and completely destroyed.  Just as Yaweh forgives those who turn from him, David forgives Absalom- but just as Absalom died for his transgressions, so too are the unfaithful to Yaweh punished.

The story of David is one of my favorites, and one with which I am very familiar through another literary venue.  The novel, God Knows by Joseph Heller, is one of my favorite works, and the coloration of the characters that Heller paints is difficult for me to discard when I turn to scripture.  The timelessness of the story itself is evident in many literary works. King Lear, with his undying love of spiteful daughters, comes to mind- or any story where a father mourns for the unruly behavior of his children. In some ways, I believe the earlier stories of David- which are much more about a shining hero, endure with a mythic sense of grandiosity. Older David, though, endures in the secret hopes of every parent, who would forgive anything of their children, and in the secret fear we all have about God: why would he punish an innocent for our mistakes? What hope would we not hold that maybe God will yield and spare one we love so much.  As David says, there is always hope.

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[1] 1 Samuel 8

[2] 2 Samuel 9

[3] 2 Samuel 10

[4] 2 Samuel 12

[5] 2 Samuel 14: 1-21

[6] 2 Samuel 10: 6

[7] 2 Samuel 13:37-39

[8] 2 Samuel 19: 1-4

[9] This is not the place for such a discussion, but I wonder if the depictions of Jesus by the Gospel writers deliberately left out depictions of family attachments as they sought to draw a comparison to David and Jesus, all the better emphasize the perfect Love of God (and Christ and the Holy Spirit.)  This idea comes to me from the suggestion in the Bradly Embry article, when he points out that major figures of the Scriptures are often contrasted against one another to better draw out the lessons from one or the other.

[10] 2 Samuel 19:5-7

[11] It is ironic that the same thick hair he prides himself on becomes his doom, as it ensnares him in the brambles. This is also interesting symbolism, since long and beautiful hair appears on those who are devout and sworn to God. We know Absalmon is not, because he cuts his hair twice a year, but the parallels to Sampson and to Absalom, weakened and ultimately killed because of their hair, is unmistakable.