Today, I am reading and commenting on  2 Samuel 14-15.

Joab’s role in getting King David to revoke Absalom’s banishment always baffles me.  This is one of several times when Joab confronts David to get him to do what Joab believes to be in David’s, and the country’s, best interest.  Yet, there are also numerous stories where David expressed anger that he lacked the ability to get rid of Joab and his brother.  The best I can figure is that Joab and his brother did things which they believed needed to be done which David felt should not be done. In any case, every time I read this story it strikes me that King David was a poor father.  He only brought Absalom back from exile when Joab pushed him on it.  Then once Absalom had returned, David basically ignored him until Joab once more pushed him on the issue.  The best sense I can make of this story is that King David and Joab both at this point viewed Absalom as the heir apparent, intending that he would become king when David died.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.