“At the end of forty years,
Avshalom said to the king,
‘Please let me go to Hevron
and fulfill the vow I made to Adonai.'”
-2 Samuel 15:7
Alrighty, lemme kick things off today by asking you a question.
Verse 7 says that after 40 years, Avishalom decided to go to Hebron, where he would declare himself king.
Those 40 years…
Do you think that number is right?
Seriously.
If we’re being honest with ourselves…
There’s no way in hell Absalom was chilling at the city gates for 40 years.
Other scholars have recognized this.
That’s why they’ll let their imaginations run wild and say things like 40 years refers to the length of David’s reign.
Or they’ll say that Absalom was 40 years old.
None of these marijuana-induced guesses fit.
So what do you think?
Fortunately, there exist other ancient versions of the Hebrew Bible, such as the Aramaic and Syriac texts.
And they say the number was “4”, and not 40.
Now, just between you and me, homies, doesn’t that make a lot more sense?
This also aligns with what the ancient rabbis say.
They assert that exactly 4 years had elapsed since Absalom returned from Geshur.
If that’s the case, that means exactly 7 years had passed from when Absalom fled to Geshur after having his brother (Amnon) murdered, and then proclaiming himself the King of Israel in Hebron.
Ah, now we’re getting somewhere!
What do we know about the number 7?
This number means divine completeness, right?
My point is that the 7-year timeframe indicates the Lord’s direct hand of judgment against David via his son Absalom’s betrayal.
So divine retribution was playing itself out here.
And that’s your takeaway for today.
God wasn’t just letting things happen.
He was orchestrating the consequences down to the number of years.
Absalom’s betrayal arrived on a divine timetable.
Seven years was not just a number.
It was God’s signature.
A sign that no sin goes unnoticed…
And no judgment comes too early or too late.
So if you’ve ever wondered whether God’s justice is delayed…
Think again, folks.
His timing may feel quiet or confusing to us.
But in the end, it’s flawless and complete.
That’s what the number seven symbolizes.
See ya next time.
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