Bible 101 - 2 Samuel Chapters 12-17

Presented December 6, 2004 by Phyllis Gilbert

Last week: We concluded last week's study with this statement: "But the thing David had done displeased the Lord." Of course, "the thing" was his having broken most of he 10 commandments, committing adultery and murder in his pursuit of Bathsheba. The contrast between chapters 7 and 9 where God is pleased with David, and ch. 11 where David spins out of control, is stark. And we're left asking why is David called a "man after God's own heart"? We'll see tonight.

II Samuel 12: This chapter contains a parable, and Nathan the prophet uses it to confront David with God's knowledge of his sin. He also, through the parable, shows David himself. Now David can't deny what he did was wrong, and he's grief-stricken. Nathan's parable involves a poor man with a lamb whose rich neighbor, receiving guests, slaughters the poor man's lamb to feed his guests, leaving his own flock untouched, and the poor man with nothing. David reacts with indignation, saying the man who stole the poor man's lamb must repay restitution: four times over for the lamb taken. And then Nathan speaks chilling words to David: "You are the man." In Hebrew, it's "Atta ha-ish," but in any language, it's direct and convicting. David says "I have sinned." He has condemned himself both by his actions and his words, and he recognizes that he's sinned against God (though he doesn't mention his sins against Uriah and Bathsheba).

II Samuel 12:7: Nathan issues God's judgment on David reminding David that all he has is because God chose him and anointed him. Then he tells David that "the sword will never depart from your house," and further, "your own sons will sleep with your wives (concubines)." All this comes true: four of David's sons die in violent circumstances, and one, as a sign of his rebellion, openly sleeps with 10 of David's concubines.

Reflections: We may ask why God punishes David's family so severely, but in a sense, it is harsher punishment for David to see his family suffer than for him to be put to death. David writes Psalm 51, the psalm we read on Ash Wednesday, as his confession and repentance of his sin. He knows it is God whom he has offended, and God's law he has broken. David's heartbreak is clear in the words of
Psalm 51
For the director of music: A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
5 And so that you are proved right when you speak
and justified when you judge.
6 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
7 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
8 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
9 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
10 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
11 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
12 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
13 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
14 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will turn back to you.
15 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
16 O Lord, open my lips,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
17 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
18 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
19 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper;
build up the walls of Jerusalem.
20 Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Further reflections: David does not make excuses; he accepts God's judgment, and then he asks forgiveness in one of the most excruciatingly honest of the psalms. But he also shows his trust and love for God in the psalm, and faith to believe that God forgives him.

II Samuel 12:15: The consequences of David's sin are immediate: the child born to Bathsheba dies. And we see David, for the seven days the child is ill, fasting and praying, refusing any comfort. Once the child has died, however, he bathes and eats. His servants are mystified, but he tells them "the child will not come to me, but I will go to him." This is offered as evidence that infants, children who have not reached "the age of accountability" are taken to God, and we'll meet them in heaven. It's a comfort to parents who've lost very small children.

II Samuel 12:24: Proof that David has been forgiven is in these verses: he and Bathsheba produce another child, and this one, Solomon, is David's successor. Not only that, God tells them to name him Jedidiah, meaning "loved by God." We never attach this name to Solomon; there are cliches about "the wisdom of Solomon," and never "the wisdom of Jedidiah," but that was God's name for him. And perhaps, like many royal sons, he had four or five names: e.g., Solomon Jedidiah David Samuel Moses.

II Samuel 12:26: From the palace to the battlefield, the scene shifts, and we see Joab and the army fighting Rabbah, an Ammonite city which has been a difficult enemy to subdue. Joab says to David "come and lead the troops or when the city falls, I'll name it for myself." David goes, and God gives him victory as well as a crown heavy with gold and jewels - more plunder to save for the building of the temple. But David is back in the place God put him, leading the Israelites in completion of the conquest Joshua began.

II Samuel 13: Now we see the tragedy of David's sin played out among his adult children, and none of it makes a reader want to dwell on it. Amnon, David's firstborn son, whose mother was Ahinoam, falls in love with his half sister Tamar. Tamar's mother was Maacah, also mother to Absolom. (II Samuel 3:2-5 lists David's first six sons; Absalom was the third after Amnon and Kileab.) Amnon is the crown prince, the next in line to the throne, but we see little to recommend him in this incident. He looks so forlorn that his cousin Jonadab, a man described as "very shrewd," asks him what's wrong, and Amnon tells him. Jonadab says "pretend to be ill, take to your bed, and when the king comes to visit, tell him you want Tamar to nurse you." So Amnon follows his advice. Asking David to send Tamar involves David in the crime that follows. When Tamar comes to Amnon's quarters, she fixes him a meal; he demands that all the servants leave, and then he tells Tamar, "feed it to me in my bedroom." Once she goes into that private room, he grabs her, making known what he really wants. She protests, saying "ask the king and he'll give me to you as wife," but Amnon, in a fit of passion, disregards this and her other statement that it's wicked to take her and make her unfit for any other man. Amnon rapes her. Then he "hated her with intense hatred," and throws her out. One gets the idea that he's making her not only the victim but the perpetrator here. She runs to Absalom looking as if she's in mourning, and though Absalom is furious, he sympathizes with her, comforts her and takes care of her.

II Samuel 13:21: David hears about it and he, too, is furious, but we read nothing about punishment, even a lecture of displeasure, to Amnon. And here we learn at least two things about David as a father: first, he's indulged his children, and secondly, he's been a poor example to them. They observed his taking of Bathsheba, and feeling like privileged darlings, they see no reason not to do the same thing. David does nothing; Absalom is angry and lets his anger fester, determined to get his revenge.

II Samuel 13:23: Two years later, Absalom acts. It's sheep-shearing time, a time of festivals and big dinners, and Absalom invites his brothers and David to a celebration of the wool harvest. David declines, but Absalom presses for Amnon to attend. David questions this invitation, but probably thinking that after two years Amnon has nothing to fear from Absalom, encourages Amnon to go. He does. When he's good and drunk, Absalom's servants carry out his pre-arranged instructions to kill Amnon. A servant runs to David saying "all the king's sons are dead," and David falls into grief. But Jonadab (the shrewd cousin who came up with the scheme to get Tamar in Amnon's room) tells David, "it's just Prince Amnon who is dead." Right behind Jonadab are David's other sons, also mourning, and all of them with David begin to plan the funeral. Meanwhile, Absalom has run for his life to his grandfather Talmai, the king of Geshur, a small Aramean kingdom northeast of the Sea of Galilee. He's there for sometime, and the king mourns not only for Amnon but for Absalom. His absence is like a death to David.

II Samuel 14: Joab, ever loyal to David, wants to find a way to reconcile David with Absalom (the latter has been gone 3 years). So he finds a wise woman to go to David with another parable. The woman goes in mourning dress, and tells David that she is a widow who had two sons, one of whom killed the other in a fight. She protects the only son she has left against the rest of the clan who want to put him to death for the murder of his brother. She, however, wants descendants, grandchildren, not just graves. The king tells her to go home, and that he'll issue a pardon (thinking perhaps that the man didn't mean to kill his brother) and gives the woman back her son and his freedom. The woman then says "let me speak to you, my lord the king"; now she's putting aside the ruse, speaking directly to the king about his sons. In effect, she repeats what Nathan told him in ch. 12, "you are the man." In other words, David's having pardoned her son's "murder" (and Absalom, his son is a murderer), is a hypocrite. The woman speaks for all Israel saying that allowing Absalom to remain estranged is wrong. Blood was spilled; revenge cannot bring Amnon back. The king is condemned by his ruling, and to uphold justice, he must bring Absalom back and restore him to his place. David says "did Joab put you up to this?" and the woman admits that he did. The woman adds that Joab wanted to bring about change; he didn't do it for himself, but for the country as a whole, and for David and his son in particular.

II Samuel 14:21: David tells Joab to bring Absalom back, and Joab does. However, David refuses to see Absalom; he's back in Jerusalem, but not in the king's sight just yet. The estrangement lasts initially for seven years (for 2 years after Amnon raped Tamar, 3 years when Absalom is in Geshur, and 2 years in Jerusalem but not in the king's sight).

II Samuel 14:25: Now we learn more about Absalom: he's handsome (his hair in particular is distinctively thick and heavy), and he's ambitious. He has a wife and four children. Apparently he's often in the streets of Jerusalem because all of the city knew him by sight and found him pleasing to see. Good looks, as we saw in Saul's case, do not qualify one to become king. But that's Absalom's ambition. We also learn that he's selfish and demanding. He's tired of being on the outs with his father, so he asks Joab to intercede; Joab, having gotten him back to Jerusalem, refuses to do more. Perhaps Joab thinks "he's an adult; let him take it from here." But Absalom continues to pester Joab with messages, which Joab ignores. Finally, Absalom, whose property borders Joab's, tells his servants to set Joab's barley field on fire. That brings Joab to his door demanding an explanation. What does Absalom say? "I sent to you but you didn't come; now I've got your attention." He whines and complains - it's all about Absalom. But Joab, perhaps because he wants to preserve his remaining crops, house and family, goes to David with Absalom's request, and David finally receives him.

II Samuel 14:33: In this final verse, we can picture father and son, but we hear no words. David does not ask him why he killed Amnon, nor does David ask him to repent and ask God's forgiveness. They merely meet and then part. This proves fatal for Absalom, and nearly so for David.

II Samuel 15: "In the course of time," we read Absalom begins to gather an entourage - an armed and dangerous group of chariots, men and horses. He also begins to curry favor with the people of Israel by meeting them at Jerusalem's gate and asking them why they've come. When one says "I want to see the king about such and such," Absalom tells them the king won't do anything, and then says "If I were judge. . ." leading the individual to believe that he would settle all disputes justly and swiftly. And in this way, Absalom "stole the hearts of the men of Jerusalem" over four years. Eleven years have now gone by since Amnon raped Tamar; Absalom is ready to make his move.

II Samuel 15:7: Absalom asks the king for permission to go to Hebron, telling David that he's going to fulfill a vow he made in Geshur. David says "go in peace," and off the prince rides with 200 men, sending spies throughout the country inviting other folks to join him at Hebron, telling them "Absalom is king." Both Saul and David were anointed by Samuel, God's prophet. Absalom has not been anointed by anyone but himself. The people who come to Hebron come innocently; they must imagine that David is dead or that he's given the throne to Absalom. Absalom does offer sacrifices in Hebron (as he'd told David he would), but it's clear that his primary reason for being out of Jerusalem is to solidify his support and make a move for the throne. He sends for Ahitophel, one of David's counselors and grandfather of Bathsheba. Ahitophel, perhaps out of a desire to even the score with David for having taken his granddaughter and killing Uriah, goes. And we read at v. 12 "and so the conspiracy gained strength."

II Samuel 15:13: Meanwhile, back in Jerusalem, David gets word of Absalom's rebellion and he musters his household and leaves the city in mourning. He's afraid of his son - and no wonder. The man is apparently without conscience. One motive for escape is to save the city of Jerusalem bloodshed. Another may be to publicly show the city and nation that he, David is alive and is still king. In any event, the entourage makes its way to the Mount of Olives, across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. This same place will be the site of Jesus's betrayal and long hours of prayer before his crucifixion. With David are plenty of Mighty Men, including some Philistines who came over to David at the time he lived in Ziklag. David frees them telling them to go home, but they refuse and pledge their loyalty to him. The priests go with David, along with the Ark (which David sends back to the city), and David continues on his journey to safety. He hears that Ahitophel has gone over to Absalom, and prays "God confound his counsel to Absalom," and then asks Hushai the Arkite to go to Absalom and give advice that will frustrate that of Ahitophel. So Hushai obeys the king, and gets to the city just as Absalom and his band of supporters enter Jerusalem.

II Samuel 16: Opportunists are everywhere, including Ziba, the servant of Mephibosheth whom David charged with working Saul's land to support Mephibosheth. Ziba meets the king with donkeys and food, saying it's all for Davd's use. David asks him where Mephibosheth is and Ziba tells him "he's staying in Jerusalem thinking that he will regain the throne of his grandfather." (This proves to be a fabrication by Ziba; Mephibosheth denies such thinking in ch. 19:26, greeting David's return to Jerusalem with his clothes in disarray, having been in mourning for David.) But David, harried and hurried, believes Ziba's tale of disloyalty and gives all of Mephibosheth's property to him.

II Samuel 16:8: Shimei, a man from the same clan as Saul, sees David leaving Jerusalem and throws curses and stones at him. He accuses David of killing Saul's family (not true) and of stealing the throne. Abishai, David's nephew, wants to kill Shimei for this affront to the king, but David stops him saying "perhaps he's cursing me because God told him to." And David adds, "my own son is trying to take the throne, how much more this Benjamite." David is feeling humbled by all that has happened.

II Samuel 16:15: Ahitophel advises Absalom to take the king's 10 concubines left in Jerusalem at the palace. So Absalom does; this meant a permanent break with his father because taking his father's "wives" was an act of treason.

II Samuel 17: The story continues: now that Absalom has made his final break with his father, he asks the two advisors for their thoughts about his next move. It's military; he'll need to secure the city and the throne through warfare. Ahitophel tells him to strike now, taking 12,000 men and chasing David while he's tired and fearful. "Kill just the king," he says, and bring the people back with you. Hushai, on the other hand, advises Absalom to send word to all of Israel, gather forces, and then, in a position of strength, go after David. His reasoning is that David is a fighter, a seasoned warrior, and that he and his men will fight "like a bear defending her cubs," if chased now. Hushai believes that an overwhelming force is the only way to take the throne. Abasalom takes the latter's advice. And this is an answer to David's prayer that God frustrate the advice of Ahitophel (II Sam. 15:31).

II Samuel 17:15: Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, who told their sons to take the word to David about Absalom's plans. David had sent all of them, including Hushai back to Jerusalem to be his eyes and ears; they now get the message to him, and he and the people with him cross the Jordan. They end up in Mahanaim. Meanwhile, Ahitophel (v. 23), disheartened that his advice (which was better than Hushai's) wasn't followed, hangs himself. Here is why: he'd been David's advisor, and knowing that Absalom would be defeated, he fears David's return to the throne. Ahitophel has been part of a conspiracy; his life would be worth nothing. And secondly, he was Bathsheba's grandfather. We can assume that he'd been waiting for several years to pay David back for the wrong done her.

II Samuel 17:24: On the chase for David, Absalom and his men cross the Jordan, and we're then told Amasa is the commander of Absalom's forces. They camp in Gilead. And in David's camp, kind and benevolent men have brought them food, bedding, dishes for cooking and eating - a Salvation Army response to an emergency flight. The inevitable confrontation between rebellious son and his father the king is just hours away.

Next week: Absalom's rebellion continues and comes to a tragic end. It's tragic for David as well as Absalom because the painful consequences of his sin with Bathsheba are playing out in front of his eyes.

Homework for those who want to go deeper:

Let's close in prayer.