1. David's plea for Absalom (1-8)

We see in this passage a great tension between justice and love. David organized his army and stood by the gate as they marched out to battle. Everyone in the whole army heard his passionate pleas to be gentle with Absalom. One wonders how the troops felt when they heard this. They had left their homes and ventured into the wilderness to support David and now they were about to risk their lives in battle. Surely Absalom deserved justice, didn't he? Look at what he had done! But David's love went beyond all these considerations. His fatherly love reminds us of God's love. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. David longed for his son Absalom to experience God's grace.

2. Second, justice prevailed (9-18)

The men of Israel were no match for David's army and twenty thousand men lost their lives that day. This was the cost of Absalom's rebellion. Sin always demands a terrible cost. Joab did not share David's compassion for Absalom. He killed Absalom when he had the chance and brought the battle to an end. Absalom's monument to himself stood in the King's Valley, but the shameful burial he received represented his true legacy.