September 20 & 21, 2025
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in 2 Samuel and Acts? Here’s today’s reading:
2 Samuel 20 (NIV)
Sheba Rebels Against David
1 Now a troublemaker named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjamite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and shouted,
“We have no share in David,
no part in Jesse’s son!
Every man to his tent, Israel!”……Continue Reading
So sad to see the 10 concubine’s lives end up the way they did for the sins of Absalom. We must never forget how our own sin can effect others! We so often hear people say “nobody gets hurt” in the case of their sin and I would argue that is never the case. All sin has ripple effect, from small to great.
As sad as the fate of those 10 women was, one wise woman ends up saving the day in the city of Abel. She reaches out to Joab to prevent so much potential innocent death and provides him the head of Bichri which was all they wanted.
Joab was a strong leader for sure, ruthless at times, but definitely knew how to get a job done. I have mixed feelings about his quickness to just kill and some of the ways he went about it, but certainly a man others would follow for his strength and leadership and you can understand why David would keep him in such a significant role.
Like Spock said in the movie, the wrath of Karn. the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few . referring to the wise woman who threw Sheba‘s head out of the city to Joab.
2 Samuel 20
How sad to see a divisive element amongst the people of Israel. God certainly hates division! And how double minded the people who were fighting over David and then following this rabble-rouser. And one wonders if Joab kills Amasa because of jealousy, but it is unjustified that he did it. As much as Joab has been a help to David, much bloodshed has come through him. Yet with all that is negative that happens in the passage, we have a positive example of this woman that speaks wisdom into the situation. Since they were willing to hand Sheba over so readily, it is clear that his rebellion did not get traction. So God protects David, so always nice to have a problem solved, but maybe not with so many jagged edges….
2 Samuel 20
A troublemaker rouses up Israel to resist the Lord’s anointed, but again God does not allow it to happen. He uses Joab, the men of Judah and a wise woman to defeat him. And the woman says some interesting words to support her position not to destroy the city. Joab’s reply seals the fate of Sheba. So noone perishes while achieving the goal to kill the man who rises up against David. Again, God is faithful to his word.
David wisely puts down this rebellion. Amasa had joined Absalom as the leader of his army, so it seems reasonable that Joab wouldn’t trust him. Joab is brutal.