Popularity

The umbrella collects three Old Testament instances of public favor: David's broad acceptance after Abner's burial, Absalom's calculated theft of the hearts of Israel at the city gate, and Job's recollection of the deference he commanded before his calamity. Each shows the same shape — visible standing before the watching public — but in three different keys: granted, manipulated, and lost.

David Pleasing the People

After Abner's death, David refused to eat until evening and gave Abner an honorable burial. The narrative reports the public reaction as an unbroken line: the people noticed, the people approved, and what the king did kept on pleasing the people:

"And all the people took note of it, and it pleased them; as whatever the king did pleased all the people." (2Sa 3:36).

The verse pictures popularity not as something David sought but as the steady response that came when the king's acts were watched.

Absalom Stealing the Hearts of Israel

Where David's standing comes by reputation, Absalom's is engineered. He posts himself at the gate, intercepts every plaintiff before the king's court can hear him, sympathizes, refuses obeisance, and over time wins the affection of those who came on legal business:

"And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that, when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, Of what city are you? And he said, Your slave is of one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom said to him, See, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear you. Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice! And it was so, that, when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him. And on this manner Absalom did to all Israel who came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel." (2Sa 15:2-6).

The result of the long campaign is reported back to David in a single line:

"And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom." (2Sa 15:13).

Job Remembering Deference at the Gate

Job's parable in chapter 29 is the longest portrait. Looking back to his prosperity, he remembers the public posture men gave him at the gate of the city — young men hid, the aged stood, princes stopped speaking, leaders fell silent, ear and eye both gave witness:

"When I went forth to the gate to the city, When I prepared my seat in the street, The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged rose up and stood; The princes refrained from talking, And laid their hand on their mouth; The voice of the leaders was hushed, And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth. For when the ear heard [me], then it blessed me; And when the eye saw [me], it gave witness to me:" (Job 29:7-11).

He recalls being received as a counselor whose word landed like rain, and as one whose company was sought:

"To me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silent for my counsel. After my words they did not speak again; And my speech distilled on them. And they waited for me as for the rain; And they opened their mouth wide [as] for the latter rain." (Job 29:21-23).

The recollection ends with the image of a man chosen by the crowd to lead them — chief among them, as a king in the army:

"I chose out their way, and sat [as] chief, And stayed as a king in the army, As one who comforts the mourners." (Job 29:25).

The portrait stands in deliberate contrast to chapter 30's report of how that same crowd has since turned: where chapter 29 describes what the public used to grant, the surrounding speech describes what is left when popular standing is removed.