"Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you." (2 Samuel 13:13)I wonder if she's right about this? The social ethics of the day are obviously way different than today but I find it hard to believe that David would in fact support the marriage of his son and his daughter even though they have different mothers. Perhaps she's just trying to get out of a bad situation by saying the first thing that enters her mind that would slow Amnon down. Either way, Amnon will not be slowed down. When she attempts to resist his advances he rapes her.
It becomes obvious that Amnon didn't really "love" Tamar after the deed is done:
Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. (2 Samuel 13:15)This event adds more emotional turmoil to David's household.
When King David heard all this, he was furious. And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister Tamar. (2 Samuel 13: 21-22)But nobody really does anything about it. It's just left there to fester. Tamar goes to live with her brother Absalom "a desolate woman".
2 years later
Absalom decides to get revenge on Amnon for what he did to his sister.
Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I given you this order? Be strong and brave.” (2 Samuel 13:28)Absalom's plan is successful and word gets back to David so Absalom flees for his life, figuring that his father will want to avenge his son's death.
3 years later
Joab is still one of David's insiders. He is one of his most trusted men. I guess he decides it's been long enough so he cooks up a plan to try to make peace in David's family. I don't quite understand the specifics of this plan but it involves a woman from Tekoa to do a little act for David in which she tells a story...it sort of reminds me of Nathan confronting David about his sin with Bathsheba...but this seems a little more underhanded. Anyway, this woman, in the course of her performance for David, says something that is quite profound. I don't know how much she really believes about what she says, she is certainly no prophet, but this statement shows a lot of insight into who God is and what He is really like:
"Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him." (2 Samuel 14:14)Anyway, the plan works to a certain degree. Absalom moves back to Jerusalem but there is no actual contact with David.
2 years later
Absalom worms his way back into an uneasy relationship with his father.
Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom. (2 Samuel; 14:33)Absalom takes advantage of this situation and runs a PR campaign to win the favor of the people.
4 years later
Absalom's PR campaign turns into a conspiracy to overthrow David and become king. Eventually David has to flee Jerusalem but he is able to put one of his own men, Hushai, undercover in Absalom's organization.
David is still expressing himself in his poetry. Psalm 3 is written sometime while he is fleeing from his son Absalom.
But you, LORD, are a shield around me,Psalm 13 reflects the honesty of a man's heart as he expresses his pain to God:
my glory, the One who lifts my head high.
I call out to the LORD,
and he answers me from his holy mountain. (Psalm 3:3-4)
How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?But in the very same psalm faith is expressed in the midst of trial:
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me? (Psalm 13:1-2)
But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the LORD’s praise,
for he has been good to me. (Psalm 13:5-6)
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