{"id":59752,"date":"2019-07-18T19:15:56","date_gmt":"2019-07-18T16:15:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=59752"},"modified":"2023-02-12T17:38:41","modified_gmt":"2023-02-12T15:38:41","slug":"doth-the-king-protest-too-much","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/doth-the-king-protest-too-much\/","title":{"rendered":"Doth The King Protest Too Much?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[684,834,402,885],"acf":{"old_id":"59752","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":34250,"related_cahpter":"266","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"He knew that his reaction would set the tone for the entire people","content":"

Previously a beloved member of Saul\u2019s household, David found himself running from Saul through much of the time they overlapped. It is hard to imagine that he didn\u2019t feel any relief when it was over \u2013 yet he did not hesitate to express mourning and exact justice from Saul\u2019s killer (1:11 and on).<\/span><\/p>\n

Similarly, it is hard not to wonder whether he might have been just a little bit relieved when Abner, who represented the last real threat to David\u2019s reign from Saul\u2019s supporters (at least before switching to David\u2019s side, if his move was to be trusted), was killed (3:27). True, it was against David\u2019s orders, but didn\u2019t Abner\u2019s death leave David sleeping just a little bit more easily, just a little more confident in his own path towards the throne?<\/span><\/p>\n

And yet here too, his outward reactions are swift and extreme:\u00a0 He immediately distances himself and his government from Abner\u2019s killing and condemns Joab for the personally- motivated action; he instructs Joab himself, along with the rest of the people, to tear their garments and mourn the fallen warrior; \u201cand King David himself walked behind the bier\u201d (v. 31). He cries at the burial and offers a poetic lament, moving others to further tears, and he fasts the rest of the day.<\/span><\/p>\n

All this for a man who had only recently joined David\u2019s side: Doth the king protest too much?<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps the key to understanding David\u2019s reaction is not in what he did, but in how it influenced the people.<\/span><\/p>\n

Verse 36 tells us that David\u2019s people \u201capproved everything the king did\u201d; Malbim infers that they would not have criticized him even if he <\/span>had<\/span><\/i> given the order to kill Abner. Yet, David went to almost exaggerated lengths of mourning, making it abundantly clear he had not \u2013 perhaps because he knew that his reaction would set the tone for the entire people.<\/span><\/p>\n

He cried, and so they all cried (v. 32).<\/span><\/p>\n

A leader \u2013 especially one who enjoys a high approval rating \u2013 has tremendous power, and responsibility, to direct the character of the nation. Even if David would have found support no matter what he did, he knew these killings were wrong and he wanted to show his people that they were wrong. He could not allow any subjective positive reaction to color the model he provided for the people, even if he did feel any.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps especially <\/span>because<\/span><\/em> he would have found support no matter what he did, the king who would be known for righteousness and justice (8:15) had to be abundantly careful with what he chose to do.<\/span><\/p>\n","image":{"ID":59753,"id":59753,"title":"2sam3-memorial","filename":"2sam3-memorial.jpg","filesize":0,"url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/2sam3-memorial.jpg","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/doth-the-king-protest-too-much\/2sam3-memorial\/","alt":"","author":"7","description":"","caption":"","name":"2sam3-memorial","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":59752,"date":"2019-07-18 16:15:42","modified":"2021-04-25 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