DBG - April 11 - II Samuel 12-14

In this chapter David is confronted and repents of his sins.

vs. 1-14 – God sends the prophet Nathan to confront David for his sin with Bathsheba.  He tells him a story first, of a rich man that stole a poor man’s lamb.  David’s background as a shepherd likely made this extremely personal.  David declares that whoever committed the crime would repay fourfold.  Nathan then reveals that the guilty man was David, who stole another man’s wife.  David will be judged severely for his crimes.  The child that Bathsheba carried will die and his family will be fractured and kingdom will be fractured moving forward.

vs. 15-23 – The child dies after a long illness, just as Nathan had said.  David mourns while the child lives but once it passes, he begins to return to normal life.  The servants are amazed.  David reveals his faith that he would one day see that child again in the everlasting life that awaits every believer.  Take note of vs. 23 because it is a powerful help for those that mourn.

vs. 24-25 – There is so much that could be said here that we must read between the lines.  David has repented of his sin.  We see this in his actions and the words he penned in Psalm 51.  I believe he helps Bathsheba to repent also.  They have a second child that they name Solomon (“peaceful”) and Nathan names Jedidiah (“beloved of the Jehovah”).  Every indication is that Solomon is marked to be the heir to the throne.

vs. 26-31 – While the drama with David and Bathsheba played out, Joab was in the field with the army besieging the Ammonites.  Finally, the capital of Rabbah is ready to fall.  Careful that the king would get the credit, Joab brings David to be present at the final assault.  There is some confusion about the size of the king’s crown in vs. 30.  A talent of gold is about 75 pounds.  I do not think this is literally the weight of the crown, but rather the value of the crown.  We see this type of phrasing in these historical books fairly often.  There was no system of coinage, so precious metals were weighed at each transaction.   I think the value of the crown with its precious stones and design work make it worth one talent of gold.  One last thing is the treatment of the Ammonite prisoners in vs. 31.  More modern interpreters have tried to read this as if they put them to work as slaves.  The literal and historic reading, which I believe is correct, is that David brutally slaughtered these prisoners.  Here is an article I wrote about this: https://www.baptistbasics.org/2022/01/28/what-did-david-do-to-the-ammonites-in-ii-samuel-1231-and-i-chronicles-203/

In this chapter David fails to deal with Amnon’s sin so Absalom does.

vs. 1-20 – Amnon “(faithful”) lusted for Tamar (“palm tree”), his half-sister and the full sister of Absalom (“father of peace”). Reese suggests the Amnon is 23 years old, Absalom 21, and Tamar 15. Amnon’s “friend” Jonadab (“whom Jehovah impels”) hatches a plan that Amnon uses to rape Tamar. Tamar tries to resist and convince Amnon not to do it. She even suggests that David would give her to Amnon as wife if only he would ask for her, a situation expressly forbidden in Leviticus 18:9-11. Amnon’s lust turns to hate and casts her from his house. Tamar is left to bear the shame of her brother’s sin.

vs. 21-29 – David does nothing to punish Amnon’s terrible crime.  B.H. Carroll observes: “You will find that whenever you do wrong, it will make you more silent in you condemnation of wrong in others.”  But Absalom would not sit idly by.  He plots for two years and then murders Amnon. 

vs. 30-39 – Note that David feared Absalom had killed all of the other princes.  He surely believed it was possible.  It is Jonadab’s twisted mind the sees the scheme for what it is.  Absalom flees to Geshur, a region east of the Sea of Galilee, where his maternal grandfather ruled (see 3:3).  He remains there for three years.

In this chapter Joab and Absalom scheme a reunion between David and Absalom.

vs. 1-24 – Joab senses that David did want Absalom to return so he takes it upon himself to facilitate it.  Why he does so is a bit of mystery.  He is usually brutal against those who go against David, so perhaps he though Absalom would be the next king was trying to get in good favor with him.  Joab takes inspiration from Nathan’s rebuke of David and uses a widow from Tekoah to weave a story that would sway David’s heart.  The story is a good one. The old woman has two sons, which got into a fight, and one killed the other. Justice demanded that the murderer be put to death, but that would mean no heirs for her house. David’s verdict that no harm should come to the living son is turned back on him as the woman praises him for deciding in such a merciful and God-like manner. It is then that David realizes what the ploy by Joab was and relents to have Absalom return to Jerusalem. Absalom is allowed to return but not to be in the royal court or in the presence of David.  This goes on for two years.

vs. 25-27 – Absalom looked like a king.  His physical appearance and his personality drew admirers.  It is noted here that he is hair “weighed” 200 shekels (5 pounds).  I believe this is another case where the word is not literal weight but value, saying that his hair was valued at 200 shekels (~$6,200). 

vs. 28-33 – Joab was content with his part in bringing Absalom to Jerusalem but refused to aid any further.  Absalom burns Joab’s barley fields to get his attention.  Joab speaks to David and David finally reunites with Absalom after not seeing him for five years.

Paul wrote that “the wages of sin is death”.  James wrote that  “sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”  We tend to think of these in spiritual terms, that sin causes us to go to hell and miss Heaven.  I think there is a far more practical application.  Sin is a deadly poison.  It is not satisfied with hindering or delaying.  It brings about destruction.  Look here at the fallout from David and Bathsheba’s sin.  Their child is dead.  Tamar is raped and never marries.  Amnon is dead.  Absalom will be dead soon.  It is a bitter and deadly harvest that springs when we sow the seeds of sin. 

Today’s hymn is an obscure text by Charles Wesley that has been published under the title of “Death of a Child”.  It is heavily influenced by David’s response to the loss of his child with Bathsheba.  It is not the usual topic for a hymn but a very necessary one to aid us in our struggles of life.

Wherefore should I make my moan,
Now the darling child is dead?
He to early rest is gone,
He to paradise is fled;
I shall go to him, but he
Never shall return to me.

God forbids his longer stay,
God recalls the precious loan,
God hath taken him away,
From my bosom to His own;
Surely what He wills is best,
Happy in His will I rest.

Faith cries out, "It is the Lord!
Let Him do as seems Him good";
Be Thy holy name adored,
Take the gift awhile bestowed;
Take the child, no longer mine,
Thine he is, forever Thine.