Godly fathers-ungodly sons-24
We left our last study with Absalom’s murder of his half-brother Amnon. He had plotted and planned for two years after Amnon had raped Absalom’s sister Tamar. What will David do?
2 Samuel 13:34 Now Absalom had fled. And the young man who was the watchman raised his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain. 13:35 Jonadab said to the king, "Behold, the king's sons have come; according to your servant's word, so it happened."
Absalom, not knowing what his father would do fled to safety. Jonadab, who gave his plan to Amnon how to seduce Tamar, is in David’s presence. Evil counselors know how to avoid prosecution and remain close to the king. As Jude has warned us, they creep in to deceive.
13:36 As soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king's sons came and lifted their voices and wept; and also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly.
This seems hard to fully understand. David did nothing when Amnon raped Tamar. Now instead of commanding Absalom to appear before him, as Absalom is now a ‘murderer’, he wept bitterly over Amnon’s untimely death by deception. This story has many similarities to David’s own saga with Bathsheba and Uriah.
13:37 Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. 13:38 So Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, and was there three years. 13:39 The heart of King David longed to go out to Absalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.
Amnon fled to the protection of his father-in-law. David, instead to requiring Absalom to come to him, just longed to see him but never summoned him. Absalom murdered Amnon, but it seems that David had moved on from that terrible tragedy and now longed for Absalom to come back to him.
Now we know that from some reason, Absalom appears to be David’s favorite son and even Absalom’s murder of his half-brother did not seem to alter that affection. This seems to be closer to a dysfunctional family than a godly family.
What have we learned thus far?
David seemed to lack the courage or conviction of reprimanding his sons for obvious evil, ungodly behavior.
David seemed to ‘love’ Absalom above his other sons.
Absalom murdered a son of a king, when David would not harm Saul, who he felt was God’s anointed.
There is little evidence that any of the three oldest sons feared God, acknowledged God, or obeyed God. It was David’s responsibility to teach them God’s word, which includes His laws.
There is no evidence of David’s prayers during these events.
More next Saturday.