Ep. 90. 2 Samuel 13-14 | Amnon, Tamar, and Absalom

EPISODE 90

AMNON, TAMAR, AND ABSALOM: 2 SAMUEL 13-14

You have to wonder if David's sons behave so poorly because of their father's behavior. David certainly didn't restrain his sons in their foolishness. We cannot add much to today's narrative except for a general sense of disappointment in David, Amnon, Absalom, and Joab.

I have always found it interesting that Amnon hates his sister Tamar with greater hatred after the rape than he claims to have loved her prior to the rape. This was not the love of God for Tamar but sinful lust.

That Absalom plotted his brother's demise for two years also shows us his character and gives us a little insight into his later attempt at taking the throne from his father.

I do think my favorite part of this entire narrative is the line we read in 2 Samuel 14:14, "We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means to that the banished one will not remain an outcast." It is wonderful that we do not have to stay banished from God. It is gracious and beautiful that God has devised a means (In Christ) to bring the banished one near to him so that we don't remain outcasts.

We are left to wonder what David felt for Absalom since he goes five years without seeing him or speaking a word to him. We can only speculate why David may have avoided his son. Perhaps it was sorrow over the loss of Amnon (but where was the sadness for Tamar). Perhaps he felt guilt about his own shameful sexual behavior. Perhaps he didn't love his sons as deeply as he should have. I am left feeling sorrow over how this entire thing was handled, for Tamar especially, and also for the father's lack of discipline for his sons.

ADDITIONAL READING: Genesis 37:3