THEOSISTheodoret of Cyrus
The monarch sought to dissuade him from returning to his former ways and engaging in immoral conduct, as he had recently begun to reside with them. He addressed Ephraim, asking, “Why do you wish to join us? Stay and live with the king, for you are an outsider to everyone here, having left your home. If you arrived only yesterday, why should I now request your company today? It is essential for me to relocate, and it seems unjust to ask you, who have only just come, to share in our hardships. Yet what is truly remarkable about David is his humility. Even while facing persecution and the threat of conflict from a treacherous son, he refrains from calling him a murderer, instead referring to him as king. Acknowledging his need for substantial assistance, he still shows concern for the well-being of the foreigner, saying, ‘Return, and return thy brethren with thee, and the Lord will do mercy and truth to thee’ (2 Kings 15:20).