Read: 2 Samuel 19:5-43 and chapter 20

The Daily Bible doesn’t give commentary on today’s reading.  What I find interesting, yet not surprising, is how fickle people can be.  Most of Israel was following the rebel leader Absalom, until God thwarted that plan and sent Absalom to his death resulting in the crowds quickly spinning on their heels, wanting David back as their leader.

Isn’t it interesting how easily swayed we can be by the ebb and flow of a crowd…to fit in… to be part of a majority?  As Christ followers, we are not to follow the majority.  Like the Israelites, ‘God’s chosen people’, we are to be set apart, to obey and live for Him…but also like ‘God’s chosen’, we can be so fickle.

“…We must obey God rather than men.”   Acts 5:29

But not the “wise woman” of Abel at the time of Sheba’s rebellion.  One unnamed woman speaks out apart from the crowd cowering inside the city of Abel where Sheba found refuge.  Awaiting the onslaught and ruin of their city from the forces of Joab just outside, this woman braved the warriors and bargained with Joab to save the city.

Because of her bravery and her willingness to obey God by speaking out, she singlehandedly saved the innocent inhabitants and ruin of her city…throwing Sheba’s head over the wall instead.

Joab_and_the_wise_woman