David’s children

Amnon, Tamar & Absalom

13:1-19

• Amnon [David’s 1st son] claims to love Tamar [his half-sister], but then he rapes her & hates her

13:20-22

• Absalom [Tamar’s brother] consoles Tamar & lets her live in his home & [secretly] hates Amnon

13:23-38

• 2 years later: Absalom [David’s 3rd son] kills Amnon, then flees to Geshur [in Aram] for 3 years

13:39 – 14:27

• Joab arranges for a woman to visit David [in David’s role as Judge]; she asks David if he will bring Absalom home;
• Absalom returns to Jerusalem but he is not allowed to see David

14:28-33

• Absalom wants to meet David, so he burns Joab’s field, forcing Joab to arrange the meeting

15:1-6

• Absalom tells people, ‘King David will not listen to your legal complaints [contrast 8:15], and I would do a better job as Judge’;
• Absalom wins the hearts of the people [by this deception]

B2-i-King Absalom (David’s son)

15:7-23

• In Hebron (cf. 2:1-4), Absalom proclaims himself as king
• David and his men flee [into exile]

15:24-30

• Zadok the priest meets David; David asks Zadok to return [to Jerusalem] as his informer

15:31

• David prays, ‘May Ahithophel’s [wise] advice be considered foolish’ [see God’s answer in 17:14]

15:32-37

• David tells Hushai, ‘Serve Absalom, then disagree with Ahithophel, then inform Zadok’

16:1-4

• David is told that Mephibosheth [Saul’s grandson] has also rebelled [he later denies it, see 19:24-30]

16:5-14

• Shimei (a relation of Saul) mocks David & throws stones at him; Abishai [Joab’s brother] volunteers to kill Shimei, but David accepts the derision & refuses to retaliate (cf. 19:16-23)

16:15-23

• Hushai joins Absalom
• Absalom sleeps with David’s concubines

[to fulfil prophecy of 12:11-12 / Based on an oriental custom: a king’s harem was inherited by their successor, cf. 1 Kgs 1:1-11, 2:13-25]

17:1-23

• Ahithophel [wisely] advises Absalom how to fight David; Hushai contradicts him;
• Absalom listens to Hushai; Hushai informs Zadok what David should do;
• Ahithophel hangs himself

17:24-29

• David goes to Mahanaim [east of Jordan];
• Absalom travels to Gilead [east of Jordan];
• Absalom appoints Amasa as his army commander [David’s nephew, 1 Chron 2:13-17];
• David’s men are given provisions by some compassionate people (including hospitality from Barzillai, see 19:32)

18:1-18

• David sends out his army & orders them to be gentle with Absalom, but Joab kills Absalom

18:19 – 19:8

• David learns that his army was victorious, but weeps when he hears of Absalom’s death;
• Joab rebukes David for favouring Absalom above his own men who fought to save him

[The rebellious son of David is killed while hanging on a tree, and his body is pierced through (18:9-15); but David wishes that he could have died in his son's place (18:33). In effect, David wished that he (David, the innocent one) was killed hanging on a tree and was pierced through, so that the rebellious son of David (Absalom, the guilty one) could be allowed to live. David was chosen to replace King Saul because he was "a man after God's own heart" (1 Sam 13:14), and this sacrificial heart was ultimately reflected in Jesus, the Son of David, who gave up everything to suffer on the cross for sinners (Php 2:5-8, 1 Tim 1:15)]

Ruth / 1-Sam / 2-SAM / 1-Kgs / 2-Kgs