The Sins of David's Sons

INTRO

Second Samuel has felt like an ongoing drama series of David’s life—drama, adventure, and a whole lot of sin. That’s basically the gist of 2 Samuel. We see David in 1 Samuel as a representative of the Anointed One and his calling in 2 Samuel is with the Eternal Throne. But, in the middle of all that, David showed he was not perfect. The amazing part of all this is that the Eternal Throne was not dependent upon David’s perfection. That’s the same for us—nothing in our relationship with the Lord is based on our works.

We’ve studied the Davidic Covenant with God’s promise that David’s line would reign forever, and we’ve studied David’s covenant with Jonathan, that he would look after Jonathan’s descendants. We saw that lived out in David’s grace to, and adoption of, Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth. Yesterday, we looked at David’s adulterous relationship with Bathsheba and his sin of murder.

2 Timothy 2:22 says, “Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” This verse is the framework for our study of 2 Samuel 13.

TEACHING

2 Samuel 13:1–9: David had a lustful eye where Bathsheba was concerned, and his son Amnon had a lustful eye for his half-brother Absalom’s sister, Tamar (v. 1). Absalom’s mother (and Tamar’s) was Maacah, the daughter of the king of Geshur, and Amnon’s mother was Ahinoam.¹The word “infatuated” indicates Amnon was obsessed and lustful toward Tamar. Amnon was David’s firstborn, and Absolom was the third-born son.

Amnon was physically sick over his sister Tamar because she was a virgin (v. 2) (Leviticus 18:11). Amnon’s friend and cousin Jonadab was shrewd and experienced²and questioned why Amnon was miserable. Amnon explained he was in love with his brother’s sister (vv. 3-4). Jonadab offered a plan—Amnon was to pretend to be sick and ask David to send his sister Tamar to him to prepare food for him (v. 5). Amnon did as Jonadab suggested, and David did as Amnon asked (vv. 6-7). It feels as though David was also guilty in this scenario by handing his daughter over to Amnon. Tamar prepared food in Amnon’s presence. When it was ready, Amnon sent everyone else away and went into his bedroom to be fed (vv. 8-9). We have to learn to run from youthful passions (Romans 6:12; 1 Corinthians 6:18–19; Colossians 3:5; 1 Peter 2:11).

2 Samuel 13:10–20: Tamar brought food to Amnon, he grabbed her and told her to come sleep with him (vv. 10-11). She begged him not to humiliate her, “for such a thing should never be done in Israel” (v. 12). Tamar even suggested that Amnon talk to David about marrying her (v. 13). Recognize that what Amnon wanted was incest, and he got what he wanted by raping his half-sister (v. 14). Amnon forced her and humiliated her. He cared nothing for what Tamar felt or wanted.

Afterward, Scripture says Amnon hated Tamar and threw her out (v. 15). Tamar begged him not to throw her out, but he had the door bolted behind her (vv. 16-18a). Tamar was wearing the dress of the king’s virgin daughters—a long-sleeved garment. She tore the garment, put ashes on her head, and walked away with her hand on her head as signs of mourning (vv. 18b-19) (Job 1:20; 2:12; Jeremiah 2:37). Absalom found out what happened and took Tamar into his house to avoid public shame (v. 20).

2 Samuel 13:20–29: the king found out what Amnon had done to Tamar, he was furious but doesn’t seem to do anything about it (v. 21). Absalom remained silent (v. 22). Both David and Absalom knew Tamar had been raped and took no immediate action. Two years later, Absalom invited David, his sons, and his servants to come see the new sheepshearers he hired (vv. 23-24). When David declined to bring them all, Absalom asked that Amnon be allowed to go (vv. 25-26a). David asked why Amnon should go, and Absalom begged, and David allowed it (vv. 26b-27). David seems to have been a passive father who chose not to deal with the problems within his family. David sent Amnon and all of his sons. Absalom took on the role of his father to take revenge on his brother and told his men to be ready to strike Amnon down when he told them to (v. 28). The young men did as Absalom commanded, and the rest of David’s sons fled the scene (v. 29).

2 Samuel 13:30–39: When word got to King David, he was told that all of his sons had been struck down, and he was overcome with grief (vv. 30-31). But Jonadab told David what really happened and explained Absalom had planned this since the day Tamar was raped (vv. 32-33). Jonadab, the former friend of Amnon, was doing a good job of working the system. Absalom fled, while his surviving brothers returned to David, just as Jonadab had said (vv. 34-35). David, his sons, and his servants wept over the loss of Amnon (v. 36). Absalom fled to the king of Geshur, while David continued to mourn for Amnon every day (v. 37). Absalom stayed in Geshur three years until David began to long for his son Absalom (vv. 38–39).

CLOSING

Because Amnon did not run from youthful passions, chaos consumed the family. When people fall into sin, they tend to forget the impact their sin will have on their families. Things get messy! We must run from these youthful passions. Instead, we must run to and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace. Because none of this happened, chaos followed. And we must make sure we choose to runalong with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.