And the king said: Where is thy master's son? And Siba answered the king: He remained in Jerusalem, saying: To day, will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאַיֵּ֖ה בֶּן־אֲדֹנֶ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר צִיבָ֜א אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הִנֵּה֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֔ם כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר הַיּ֗וֹם יָשִׁ֤יבוּ לִי֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת מַמְלְכ֥וּת אָבִֽי׃
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
At the same time, Siba encountered David in a state of deep sorrow and trepidation, which only intensified David's anger as he maliciously accused his master of scheming to seize the throne. In his writings, Stagirius the ascetic reflects on the nature of flattery, humility, and servility. Siba, inappropriately flattering David, dishonored his own lord, while Ahithophel offered empty praise to Absalom (2 Sam. 16). However, David exemplified true humility.
Some criticize David for ignoring the counsel of Sheba (2 Sam. 16:3-4). I have often noted that prophets do not possess complete knowledge; however, Sheba's words seemed plausible. He approached David and spoke about his lord's aspirations for a kingdom. Additionally, Sheba brought gifts, thereby showing his loyalty. Later on, after listening to the words of Mephibosheth, David distributed the estate between the two (2 Sam. 19:29) and treated Mephibosheth with the same regard as before: during a famine, when the Gibeonites asked for seven of Saul's descendants, David did not turn over Mephibosheth but honored the covenant he had made with Jonathan (2 Sam. 21:7).
What is particularly remarkable is what David conveyed to Absalom regarding Shimei. During the moment Shimei hurled stones and insults at David, calling him ‘a man of blood and lawless,’ Absalom, who was positioned to take over, could not tolerate such affronts and declared, ‘Why should this cursed dog revile my lord the king? Allow me to go and sever his head’ (2 Sam. 16:9). Yet, David, responding with extraordinary humility, replied: ‘What is it to me and to you, son of Zeruiah? Let him be; for he curses me, as the Lord has commanded him to do; who then shall question why he does this?’ (2 Sam. 16:10) - in other words, this is God's punishment and discipline. I cannot see the affliction as merely an external chastisement; rather, I recognize the deeper significance of these troubles as stemming from my own transgressions. I will not provoke the one who punishes me by retaliating against the source of my suffering.
Furthermore, David addressed Absalom and all his young men, saying, ‘Behold, my son, who came from my own body, seeks my life; and as for Shimei, a son of Gera, let him alone to curse me, for the Lord has commanded him to do so; perhaps the Lord will look upon my affliction, and in return will bless me instead of the curse he puts upon me this day’ (2 Sam. 16:11-12) - meaning that Shimei, a descendant of Saul, has long harbored animosity towards me, perhaps believing he has found the right moment to express his hostility. However, my own son, whom I raised and who has attained such honor, has turned against me. Clearly, this is the judgment from above, and God is fulfilling what He has foretold. Despite the insults and threats against my life, I choose to endure them to mollify divine wrath. This profound man spoke thus. It is important to recognize that neither Amnon's unlawful actions with his sister nor Absalom's murder of his brother and rebellion against his father had divine support; rather, David's household, devoid of God's protection, resembled a ship without a navigator, tormented by malevolent spirits.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS