2 Samuel 13-14
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
I have said Chapters 5-10 were the highpoint of David’s reign and tragically it was downhill after that.
You saw the beginning of that last week in Chapters 11-12. There we saw the sins of David in the lust of the flesh and the murder of Uriah to cover up his adultery.
God promises to judge David’s sins when he sends Nathan the prophet to him:
2 Samuel 12:7–12 “7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul; 8 And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things. 9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon. 10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife. 11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.…”
We see the beginning of that judgement this week.
Breaking up: 2 Sam 13:1-22 and 2 Sam 13:23-39
This is one of those OT stories that some in the church today act like is too sensitive or graphic to teach or preach through.
I can prove how much we’ve been influenced by modern culture. It’s in the thoughts of that part of your gut that shrank back even as I read straight out of the Bible. But God thought the story important enough to put in the bible, so it’s important enough for us to learn through
The lust of Amnon
The lust of Amnon
1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. 2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.
Amnon is the firstborn son of David. He was to be heir of the throne and the first thing we see about him is a sinful, incestuous desire for his half sister Tamar.
His desire burnt so bad that to not be able to satisfy it made him not even want to get out of bed and even eat.
Jonadab’s evil plan
Jonadab’s evil plan
3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man. 4 And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king’s son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister. 5 And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.
Amnon’s cousin was a “subtil” man, same word in Genesis 3:1 “1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” and the plan Jonadab hatches into the ear of Amnon clearly comes from the same place.
Amnon deceives the king
Amnon deceives the king
6 So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand. 7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him meat. 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes. 9 And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.
Amnon is deceiving David the same way
Tamar obeys her father and I wonder if she even had any idea or reservation. Until Amnon orders everyone out.
Now she’s in trouble. Culturally, as a woman, she’s powerless but especially considering this was the heir to the crown, but I think it impossible to imagine at this point, she’s not growing more terrified by the moment
The plan fulfilled
The plan fulfilled
10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11 And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister. 12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. 13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.
folly isn’t as innocent as we think it. Hebrew it’s “wicked thing”
Tamar’s use of the phrase “should not be done” and of the term “wicked thing” (Hb. nĕbālâ; cf. 1 Sam 25:25, “folly”) points back unmistakenly to the Torah’s account of Shechem’s rape of Dinah (cf. Genesis 34:7 “7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob’s daughter; which thing ought not to be done.” ).
Tamar pointing out this history not only forced Amnon to put his mind—at least momentarily—back into the sacred Scriptures he should know, but also to consider the end result of Shechem’s—and therefore, his own—actions.
Shechem, like Amnon, was the firstborn son of a ruler who also raped the daughter of an Israelite leader and ended up dead (cf. Gen 34:2–3, 26).
Amnon is portrayed as one who chose the way of the Canaanite; thus, readers are prepared to accept the fact that he will suffer the fate of the Canaanite.
She tells him if he rapes her it’s a shame she’ll never overcome. She’s so scared and even offers that if he goes to David, the king
Amnon rapes Tamar
Amnon rapes Tamar
14 Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. 15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. 16 And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her. 17 Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her. 18 And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her. 19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.
Not just incest but rape
Amnon is disgusted with Tamar. I hate to say i understand this but I’ll be more transparent than I’m comfortable being and say that any time a person, guy or girl commits these acts of lust outside of God’s good design for sex only in a marriage between one man and one woman, this is the outcome.
The lie young people hear and tell brings up “love” and the truth is, outside of God’s plan it becomes hard if not impossible to truly love the other person
The Torah dictated that a man who had sexual intercourse with a virgin not pledged to be married to another was obligated to marry her and pay a financial penalty (cf. Exod 22:16–17; Deut 22:28–29) He tells her to get up and get out showing no regard for the Law
Tamar, knowing that this kind of disregard for the Law only made the situation worse, pointed out that “sending” her “away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me” (v. 16). However, the morally reckless Amnon once again “refused to listen to her.”
The anger of Absalom
The anger of Absalom
20 And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house. 21 But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth. 22 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
Read: 2 Sam. 13:23-39
It came to pass
It came to pass
23 And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.
transition
Absalom plans revenge
Absalom plans revenge
24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant. 25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him. 26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee? 27 But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.
Absalom murders Amnon
Absalom murders Amnon
28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant. 29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.
News for the king
News for the king
30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left. 31 Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent. 32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.
The sons are back
The sons are back
34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him. 35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king’s sons come: as thy servant said, so it is. 36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.
David mourns
David mourns
37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. 38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39 And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
The writer has brought us to the point of making us sick with this story and that was his intent. Ideally
2 Samuel 14 Joab
Joab, sees how much the king missed his exiled son Absalom.
Joab gets a woman to tell David she’s mourning the murder of her son to make him feel sympathy for his own son.
The king realized Joab was behind the story but agreed with the woman's point about forgiveness.
As a result, David decided to allow Absalom to return to Jerusalem after he had been banished for three years.
However, even though Absalom was back in the city, the king refused to see him face-to-face for two more years.
Conclusion
Conclusion
David’s judgment has begun. Maybe one of the saddest things is it’s not just David that suffers.
The pattern points the same way: God’s providence in blessings and curses through the will and actions of men
The parallels between the king’s sin and that of his son Amnon are numerous:
both committed immoral acts outside of marriage with beautiful women (v. 1; 11:2)
in the privacy of their own residences (v. 7; 11:4).
Both women experienced great grief (v. 19; 11:26) because of the men’s actions.
Ultimately, both transgressions brought about death for sons of David (v. 29; 12:18).
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s epigram “Retribution,” which he included in his Poetic Aphorisms (first published 1846). The full lines read:
Though the mills of God grind slowly,
Yet they grind exceeding small;
Though with patience He stands waiting,
With exactness grinds He all. (x.com, en.wikiquote.org)
Hebrews 4:13 “13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”
Romans 2:6–8 “6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,”
THE GOOD NEWS:
Romans 5:8 “8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
2 Corinthians 5:10 “10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
1 John 5:11–12 “11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
