Gospel Reflections #1153: Waiting Still on God

2 Samuel 20:23 ‘Joab was commander of the whole army of Israel. Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in charge of the Cherethites and the Pelethites.’

This is the first account of King David restructuring the kingdom’s system of government after quelling repeated civil unrest (the rebellion of his son and confidant Absalom, followed by Sheba’s rebellion).

Verses 23–26 list the names of the senior officials who could be described as the ‘new cabinet’ of King David’s later reign.

During Absalom’s rebellion, Joab, the commander of the army, ignored King David’s orders and killed Absalom; David was furious and dismissed him from his post.

Instead, he appointed Amasa as the new commander.

Shortly afterwards, a man named Sheba instigated a new rebellion.

David ordered Amasa to quell the uprising, but Amasa fell behind schedule as he struggled to muster his troops.

Sensing a crisis, Joab ambushed and brutally murdered the new commander, Amasa, whilst he was in pursuit, effectively seizing command of the army by force.

Joab brilliantly quelled Sheba’s rebellion with his exceptional military prowess and returned to the king in Jerusalem.

The key point here is the fact that ‘Joab had once again assumed the position of commander-in-chief of the entire army’.

King David would naturally have wished either to punish Joab for betraying him and killing Amasa, or to ensure he never held a position of authority again.

However, Joab enjoyed great popularity amongst the soldiers and the people, and without him, the nation could not have overcome the crisis (Sheba’s rebellion).

This passage reveals the king’s political weakness and his willingness to compromise: in order to protect his fragile political foundation in the immediate aftermath of the civil war, David had no choice but to overlook Joab’s transgressions and recognise him as commander.

Another key figure is Benaiah.

The ‘Cretans and Pelethites’ he commanded were a royal bodyguard unit directly under the king’s command, composed of foreigners (mainly of Philistine descent).

Whilst Joab, who commanded the entire army, was not necessarily motivated solely by loyalty to David (but rather by his own interests and pride), the bodyguard led by Benaiah was an extremely loyal unit dedicated to protecting David personally. The juxtaposition of these two military leaders symbolises the balance of power within the kingdom.

At first glance, 2 Samuel 20:23 appears to be merely a list of names; however, beneath the surface, it is a passage marking a crucial turning point in the history of the Kingdom of Israel, vividly depicting ‘David’s political limitations—having overcome a rebellion within his own household yet failing to completely remove Joab, who held military power’ and ‘the kingdom’s system growing ever more robust as it weathered crises’.

There are times when we, too, sense that things cannot continue as they are, yet find ourselves powerless to act and unable to fully resist the currents around us.

I believe that David, whilst feeling the same, did not prioritise resolving matters through his own strength, but instead maintained his silence, entrusting the matter to God and waiting for Him to act.

We hope that visible circumstances will turn out well, but ‘God’s will’ is not merely that situations go smoothly. Rather, it means acknowledging that God remains in control even in the midst of suffering, and—as those created in His image—accepting His thoughts, His actions and His ways of thinking. We should continue to seek God so that we may choose His will.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.