Day 149 – David, Amnon, Tamar & Absalom

Please note: today’s passages, like yesterday’s deal with sexual sin, but this passage includes details of incest and rape. Please do pray for God’s help before you read, and talk to me if you have any concerns or questions.

• Time has passed from the events of Bathsheba, and today we see a story about some of David’s children, with a focus on one of his sons, Absalom. The passages can be a little tricky to follow, especially the conversations depicted in chapter 14, but we’ll be thinking about Absalom over the next three days of reading, so be sure to get the events well set in your mind.
• Spend a moment making sure you know who is who. Amnom was David’s oldest son (his mother was called Ahinoam), Absalom was David’s third oldest son (his mother was Maachah) and Tamar was David’s daughter (her mother was also Maachah). Therefore Absalom and Tamar were brother and sister, and Amnom was half brother to both of them.
• What was Amnom’s “problem”? This feeling he had towards his half sister should, of course, have been repressed and not acted upon.
• Who gave Amnom bad advice in 2 Samuel 13? Do you think Amnom might have gone ahead with what he did if he had had better advice from his friend? Do you spend time with friends who give you wise and supportive help in your Christian life?
• 2 Samuel 13:78-22 records the build up, the act, and the immediate aftermath regarding the rape of Tamar by Amnom. Think about all the moments in the story where Amnom could have chosen a different path, but refused to do so.
• Your study bible, if you have one, may help explain the events of 2 Samuel 13 after the sordid event has concluded. Pay careful attention to fact that after Amnom raped Tamar, he was obliged to provide for her by marrying her, which he refuses to do. The law about this is in today’s third passage. After ruining her life, the law was there to ensure that she remained looked after and provided for, even if it might sound a strange concept nowadays.
• Look at 2 Samuel 13:21-23. David was angry at Amnom but he didn’t do anything to deal with the sin. Think back to David’s poor choices regarding sexual sin in yesterday’s passage. With that in mind, why do you think he didn’t confront Amnom about his sinful behaviour? What should David have done?
• Two years later, in the final ten verses of 2 Samuel 13, what does Absalom do? Do you think Absalom spent many days planning the revenge attack on his half brother? Do you think Absalom took matters into his own hands because David didn’t?
• What was David’s reaction to the death of his son?
• Where did Absalom flee to, and how long did he stay there?
• 2 Samuel 14 is a complex passage as the story the woman brings to David is rather complicated. The passage recounts the way that Absalom and his father were eventually reunited after several years apart. Can you see who concocted the plan for them to be reunited? What did the woman do, and how did she convince David to bring his son back to Jerusalem?
• How long did it take for Absalom and David to finally see each other?

Well, there were plenty of events today! Today’s story covers around seven years of history, starting with an awful story of sexual sin, a murder two years later, and finally ends with Absalom returning home… but all is not well. Even Joab was probably regretting bringing Absalom home as he sat and watched his fields burn!

David didn’t decisively deal with Amnom’s sin, which led to a very messy few years and a rift between him and Absalom. All this happened, possibly, because David didn’t have the moral ability to confront Amnom’s sin because of his own. We’ll find out over the next two days what happens to Absalom, so make sure you’re happy with the story that has happened so far. This will mean it won’t get too confusing as the story continues tomorrow.