2 samuel 20:5 - So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together; but he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

Generated Verse: 2 samuel 20:5

What does "2 samuel 20:5" mean?


This verse from 2 Samuel 20:5 describes Amasa's failure to promptly gather the army of Judah for David. Here's a breakdown:

"So Amasa went to call the men of Judah together;" - David, after quelling the rebellion of Absalom, now faces a new revolt led by Sheba. He commissions Amasa, his former commander of Absalom's army (a move made to win back support), to assemble the Judean army to deal with Sheba.

"but he stayed longer than the set time which he had appointed him." - David gave Amasa a specific deadline to gather the troops. Amasa failed to meet this deadline. The delay is significant because it endangered David's ability to quickly suppress Sheba's rebellion.

In essence, the verse highlights:

Amasa's Incompetence or Lack of Loyalty: The delay could be due to Amasa's inefficiency, lack of commitment to David, or perhaps lingering sympathies for Absalom's cause. The Bible doesn't give a specific reason.
David's Impatience and Concern: The fact that the delay is recorded emphasizes David's anxiety to quickly deal with the new threat. Every moment lost to the rebellion strengthened Sheba's position.
Foreshadowing of Further Problems: Amasa's failure is not just a minor issue. It creates a sense of unease and hints at further complications and dangers ahead. In fact, the next verses show how Joab (who Amasa had previously replaced as David's commander) uses the delay as a window of opportunity.

Therefore, this verse is a crucial detail in the narrative, setting the stage for future events and raising questions about Amasa's reliability and the stability of David's kingdom.

What categories does "2 samuel 20:5" have?