IN OUR LAST CHAPTER WE SAW SOMETHING THAT OUGHT TO GET OUR ATTENTION. ALTHOUGH YAHUAH GAVE DAVID FAVOUR AND FORGAVE HIM (MEANING HE NO LONGER HAD TO RECEIVE THE DEATH PENALTY AND DIE AS A CRIMINAL, NOR HAVE HIS ETERNAL EXISTENCE SNUFFED OUT) NEITHER DAVID, NOR HIS FAMILY NOR HIS GOVERNMENT EVER FULLY RECOVERED FROM HIS ADULTEROUS AND MURDEROUS AFFAIR WITH BATHSHEBA. AND AS WE FOLLOW THE PROGRESS OF DAVID WE’LL SEE A STEADILY WEAKENING MAN, BROUGHT LOW BY THE BURDEN OF A CONTINUOUS SUCCESSION OF HEARTBREAKS AND CALAMITIES THAT WERE LAID UPON HIM AT THE VERY HAND OF YAHUAH, THE ONE WHO HAD FORGIVEN HIM.
DAVID WELL UNDERSTOOD THAT THE SOURCE OF HIS TROUBLES WAS HIS OWN SIN AND THE JUDGMENT OF YAHUAH, WHO HAD NO CHOICE IN HIS PERFECT SET-APARTNESS BUT TO LET DAVID FEEL THE STING OF REBUKE AND DIVINE JUSTICE. AND WE NEED TO WAKE UP AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE WAY YAHUAH TREATED DAVID IS THE PATTERN AFTER WHICH WE SHALL ALL BE TREATED. JUDGMENT STARTS AT THE ALTAR OF YAHUAH - O’ WE MAY BE SPIRITUALLY ATONED AND FORGIVEN ACCORDING TO YAHUSHA’S DIMENSION, BUT HERE IN THE PHYSICAL, THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES.
YAHUAH PRONOUNCED HIS JUDGMENT UPON DAVID THAT “THE SWORD WOULD NEVER LEAVE HIS HOUSEHOLD” MEANING THAT DIVINELY CAUSED TREACHERY, VIOLENCE AND DEATH WOULD PLAY OUT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME AMONG DAVID’S CLOSEST DESCENDANTS. AND IT BEGINS RIGHT HERE TODAY IN CHAPTER 13, WHERE DAVID HAS BECOME SELF-INDULGENT AND THEREFORE ALSO INDULGENT OF HIS CHILDREN. HE HAD GIVEN THEM A BAD EXAMPLE IN MANY AREAS OF LIFE. MOST WEREN’T AROUND IN HIS “GLORY DAYS” OF SUCH ADMIRABLE BELIEF AND TRUST IN YAHUAH THAT LED TO HIS ASSUMPTION OF THE THRONE. THEREFORE IT WAS THE UNDESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS OF THEIR FATHER THAT THEY MOSTLY WITNESSED, AND OF COURSE THEY PICKED UP ON IT AS BUT THE RIGHTS OF PRIVILEGED ROYALTY (OF WHICH THEY WERE).
INCEST & RAPE (2 SAM 13)
Now King David had a beautiful daughter named Tamar, who was the sister of Absalom HEBREW: FATHER OF PEACE. She was also the half-sister of Amnon (they had different mothers) who fell madly in love with her. But Tamar was a virgin, and Amnon could not think of a way to be alone and intimate with her, and he got himself so upset and obsessive about her that he even made himself sick.
THIS WAS SEXUAL OBSESSION. AMNON WAS STRUCK WITH AN EROTIC LUST FOR HIS BEAUTIFUL STEP-SISTER TAMAR AND THE LAST THING ON HIS MIND WAS TO MAKE HER HIS WIFE OR TO START A FAMILY WITH HER.
THE BACKGROUND FOR WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING WITH AMNON, TAMAR, AND ABSALOM REVOLVED AROUND COMPETITION FOR SUCCESSION TO DAVID’S THRONE. BECAUSE DAVID HAD SO MANY CHILDREN BY SO MANY WIVES, THE NUMBER OF COMPETITORS WRESTLING FOR POSITION WAS MASSIVE. AMNON WAS DAVID’S FIRSTBORN; HE WAS THE SON OF DAVID’S WIFE AHINOAM (WHO WE READ ABOUT IN CHAPTER 3). AND IT SEEMS THAT ABSALOM WAS GENERALLY CONSIDERED AS 2ND IN LINE (BEHIND AMNON) TO BE KING UPON DAVID’S EVENTUAL DEMISE. ABSALOM’S POSITION AS 2ND IN LINE CAME ABOUT NOT AS A RESULT OF BEING THE 2ND BORN (HE PROBABLY WASN’T) BUT BECAUSE NOT ONLY WAS HE THE LEGITIMATE SON OF KING DAVID HE WAS ALSO THE GRANDSON OF ANOTHER KING ON HIS MOTHER’S SIDE, THE KING OF GESHUR; BOTH SIDES OF HIS FAMILY WERE ROYALTY. SADLY THEIR MUTUAL SISTER TAMAR PLAYED THE ROLE OF A POLITICAL PAWN IN BOTH AMNON’S AND ABSALOM’S RUTHLESS DESIGNS TO POSITION THEMSELVES AS THE NEXT KING OF YISHARAL.
TAMAR WAS A VIRGIN AND BECAUSE TAMAR WAS HIS HALF-SISTER, THE LAW DID NOT PERMIT INCEST NOR DID IT PERMIT THEIR MARRIAGE AND THUS HE COULD NOT HAVE SEX WITH HER (WHICH WAS HIS GOAL).
IT'S INTERESTING THAT AMNON SUCCUMBED TO THE SAME CHARACTER FLAW AND CRIME AS HIS FATHER, DAVID. WE SEE HERE A SIMILAR THEME IN THAT DAVID DEVELOPED AN UNCONTROLLABLE LUST FOR BATHSHEBA BASED ON HER RARE BEAUTY AND DAVID’S SON, AMNON, SUCCUMBS TO THE SAME. ONLY THIS TIME (IF IT WERE EVEN POSSIBLE) AMNON’S IMPROPER DESIRES ARE WORSE THAN HIS FATHER’S. WHY THIS IS INTERESTING IS BECAUSE WE SEE YAHUAH SUPERNATURALLY HANDING DOWN PROPORTIONAL JUSTICE UPON DAVID JUST AS HE SAID HE WOULD. IT IS THE CLASSIC EYE-FOR-AN-EYE PRINCIPLE WHEREBY BECAUSE DAVID LUSTED AFTER A WOMAN WHO WAS LEGALLY TABOO FOR HIM, SO NOW HIS FIRSTBORN SON LUSTS AFTER A WOMAN WHO IS LEGALLY TABOO FOR HIM. AND THE RESULT OF BOTH CASES WOULD BE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND DEATH.
And Amnon had a friend (COUSIN) named Jonadab, who was the son of David’s brother Shimeah. And Jonadab always knew how to get what he wanted, and he said to Amnon, “What’s ya problem? You’re the King’s son for goodness sake! You shouldn’t have to go pussy-footing around feeling sorry for yourself every morning.” REMEMBERING, NOW, THAT A LOT OF STRONG-ARMING FOR POSITION TO SUCCEED KING DAVID WAS BEHIND THE ACTIONS OF DAVID’S FAMILY, WE SEE JONADAB SKULKING IN WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADVANCE HIMSELF.
“But I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” Amnon said. “Just go lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, ask him to send Tamar, so you can watch her cook something for you, then she can serve you the food.” (Since it was a woman’s job to fix food, attend to men, and be a comforter).
So Amnon went to bed and pretended to be sick and when the King came to see him, Amnon said, “Please, ask Tamar to come over so she can make some of her special bread (HEART CAKES) while I watch, and then she can serve it to me.”
So David told his daughter Tamar, “Go over to Amnon’s house and fix him some food will you.”
THE WORDS WERE ARRANGED AND SPOKEN IN A DRAMATIC WAY SO AS TO BRING DAVID NEARLY TO TEARS IN SYMPATHY FOR HIS GREATLY DISTRESSED SON. WHAT FATHER COULD DENY HIS SON SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS HAVING HIS OWN SISTER COME AND PREPARE SOME FOOD FOR HIM TO EAT AND PERHAPS LIFT HIS SPIRITS?
TAMAR LIVED IN A SEPARATE AREA OF THE CITY OF DAVID FROM HER HALF-BROTHER AMNON. SINCE DAVID HAD A SIZEABLE HAREM, HE WOULD HAVE HAD SEVERAL VIRGIN DAUGHTERS OF MARRIAGEABLE AGE. IT IS BELIEVED FROM SOME LATER VERSES THAT THE VIRGIN GIRLS OF THE ROYAL COURT LIVED MORE OR LESS TOGETHER IN A KIND OF CONVENT; A HIGHLY PROTECTED ENVIRONMENT. THEY LIVED SEPARATED FROM THE MEN SO THAT NOTHING IMMODEST (OR WORSE) COULD HAPPEN. IN FACT, AS WE’LL SHORTLY SEE, THE VIRGINS EVEN WORE A SPECIAL UNIFORM THAT BOTH PUBLICALLY TESTIFIED TO THEIR VIRGIN STATUS AND WAS ESPECIALLY LOVELY AND MODEST IN ITS DESIGN.
BUT BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD ALSO NOTICE HOW IT WAS KING DAVID WHO FACILITATED HIS VIRGIN DAUGHTER TAMAR GOING TO AMNON, AND THIS WOULD DIRECTLY LEAD TO HER BEING RAPED! OF COURSE THAT IS NOT WHAT DAVID INTENDED, BUT IT IS AN IRONY THAT NO DOUBT IT WAS ALL PART OF YAHUAH’S PUNISHMENT UPON DAVID SUCH THAT EVEN ATTEMPTING TO SHOW CONCERN FOR HIS SON ENDED UP DEVASTATING HIS FAMILY. AND ONCE AGAIN WE SEE DIVINE LEX TALIONIS (EYE-FOR-AN-EYE) PLAYING OUT. DAVID HAD CRUELLY USED AN UNWITTING MESSENGER TO GO AND FETCH AN UNSUSPECTING BATHSHEBA TO HIS PALACE SO THAT HE MIGHT HAVE IMMORAL (AND PROBABLY NOT COMPLETELY UNOPPOSED) SEX WITH HER. NOW DAVID HIMSELF IS MADE THE UNWITTING MESSENGER THAT IS USED BY AMNON TO FETCH THE UNSUSPECTING TAMAR TO THE MAN WHO WOULD FORCE HIMSELF ON HER, HAVE IMMORAL SEX WITH HER, AND END HER VIRGINITY ... PATTERNS!!
And when Tamar got to Amnon's place, he was lying in bed. So she mixed the dough, made the loaves, and baked them while he watched. Then she took the bread out of the pan and put it on his plate, but he refused to eat it. “Send the servants out of the house,” Amnon said, and after they had gone he said to Tamar, “Come serve the food in my bedroom.” So Tamar picked up the bread that she had made and brought it into Amnon’s bedroom.
But as she was taking it over to him, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me, you know you want to!”
“NO! PLEASE DON'T FORCE ME! ... This sort of thing isn’t done in Yisharal. It’s too disgusting! Please think of me. I’ll be humiliated forever! And think of yourself. Everyone in Yisharal will say you’re nothing but trash! Let's just ask the King, for he would not keep me from you.”
But Amnon would not listen to what she said. He was stronger than she was, so he overpowered her and raped her.
BY TAMAR PLAINLY SAYING “NO!” TO AMNON’S ADVANCES, ALL OF THE SIN OF WHAT WAS OCCURRING FELL UPON AMNON. AMNON WAS ABOUT TO BECOME A RAPIST. BUT INEVITABLY, IT WAS THE WOMAN, TAMAR, THE VICTIM WHO WOULD SUFFER THE MOST. TAMAR TRIES TO BRING AMNON TO HIS SENSES BY RIGHTLY TELLING HIM THAT THEY WOULD BOTH SUFFER THE WORST SHAME FROM THIS - SHE BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF HER VIRGINITY, AND HE BECAUSE OF THE CRIME OF RAPE AND INCEST.
SOME HAVE COMPLETELY MISINTERPRETED HER WORDS (“SPEAK TO THE KING, BECAUSE HE WON’T KEEP ME FROM YOU”) AS MEANING THAT DAVID WOULD FIND A WAY TO ALLOW AMNON AND TAMAR TO BE MARRIED SO THAT THEY COULD AVOID COMMITTING AN IMMORAL ACT. BUT THAT IS NOT AT ALL THE INTENT. AS MENTIONED, THE VIRGIN GIRLS WERE GENERALLY KEPT SEPARATED FROM THE MALE POPULATION. BUT SHE WAS CLAIMING THAT IF AMNON INSISTED THAT HE HAD SUCH A DEEP AFFECTION FOR HER (AS HIS SISTER) THEIR FATHER DAVID WOULDN’T INTENTIONALLY KEEP THEM FROM VISITING ONE ANOTHER. BUT BY NO MEANS WAS EITHER SEX OR MARRIAGE A PART OF HER MEANING. WITHOUT A DOUBT TAMAR WAS TRYING EVERY TACTIC SHE COULD THINK OF TO TALK HER WAY OUT OF THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION.
BUT IT WAS TO NO AVAIL; AMNON HAD THOUGHT ABOUT THIS MOMENT FOR A VERY LONG TIME. HE HAD PLAYED THIS OUT IN HIS MIND OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND WOULD NOT BE DENIED. IN SOME TWISTED WAY HE EVEN PROBABLY THOUGHT OF THIS AS ROMANTIC, THINKING SHE WOULD COMPLY AND HE EVEN HOPED THAT SHE WAS AS ANXIOUS FOR LOVE-MAKING AS WAS HE. BUT IN REALITY NONE OF THAT MATTERED; HE WAS BIGGER AND STRONGER AND SO HE FORCED HIMSELF UPON HER.
And when it was all over Amnon hated her even more than he had loved and obsessed about her before. So he told her, “Get up and get out!”
But she said, “Please don’t send me away like this! That would be even worse than what you’ve already done.”
But Amnon was a special kind of skumbag and wouldn't listen. He called in his servant and said, “Throw this one out and lock the door!” Then the servant made her leave, and he locked the door behind her.
THE MINUTE AMNON WAS FINISHED WITH HER A REVULSION FOR HER WELLED UP INSIDE OF HIM. TAMAR HAD RESISTED IN EVERY WAY. HER REFUSAL AND DISGUST HAVE ESSENTIALLY RUINED THE EXPERIENCE THAT HE HAD FANTASISED OVER FOR SO LONG. HIS ANIMAL LUST FOR HER HAD INSTANTLY TURNED INTO A HATRED THAT WAS EVEN GREATER THAN HIS 'SO-CALLED' LOVE. ONLY NOW THAT HIS HORMONES ARE SATISFIED DOES AMNON BEGIN TO CONTEMPLATE THE EARTHLY CONSEQUENCES OF HIS VIOLENT INCENTUOUS RAPE. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR TAMAR IS NOWHERE IN HIS THOUGHTS. HE BLAMES HER. THINGS GO FROM BAD TO WORSE; AMNON ORDERS HIS VICTIM TO GET UP OFF OF HIS BED AND LEAVE. HE DIDN’T WANT THE OBJECT OF HIS UNREQUITED PASSION TO BE IN HIS SIGHT ANY LONGER. SHE IS HORRIFIED; BEING SENT AWAY AS THOUGH SHE WAS A STREET PROSTITUTE WOULD BE AN EVEN GREATER SHAME. WHAT SHE HAD IN MIND BY WANTING TO NOT YET LEAVE IS HARD TO SAY; POSSIBLY IT WAS LITTLE MORE THAN SOME TIME TO DIGEST THIS CALAMITY, TO THINK ABOUT WHAT TO DO NEXT, OR POSSIBLY TO GET HER EMOTIONS AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE IN ORDER. IT WAS POSSIBLY TO WAIT UNTIL NIGHTTIME WHEN SHE MIGHT BE ABLE TO SNEAK AWAY LESS NOTICED. OTHERS SAY THAT DESPITE THE LAW AGAINST IT, SHE WANTED HIM TO MARRY HER. WHEN WE SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON IN DAVID’S DAY WITH LITTLE MENTION OF A FUNCTIONING PRIESTHOOD, AND THE FALLING BACK TO COMMON MIDDLE EASTERN CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS IN PLACE OF FOLLOWING THE LAWS OF MOSES, IT COULD WELL BE THAT THE REGULATIONS ABOUT MARRIAGE AND INCEST WERE NOT BEING VIGOROUSLY ENFORCED. WE ARE GIVEN AN EARLIER EXAMPLE OF THIS IN THE DAVID AND BATHSHEBA MATTER. BUT AMNON WOULD HAVE NONE OF IT; HE ORDERED HIS SERVANTS TO THROW TAMAR OUT AND LOCK THE DOOR BEHIND. AMNON DOESN’T SAY “THROW THIS WOMAN OUT”. RATHER HE COMPLETELY DEHUMANISED HER. THE HEBREW FOR WOMAN IS ISHAH; BUT AMNON REFERS TO HER AS ET-ZOT, “THIS ONE”. THROW THIS ONE OUT, HE SAYS TO HIS SERVANTS. HE TREATS HER AS THOUGH SHE WERE A STALKER, INTRUDER OR A HANGER-ON WHO NEEDS TO BE KEPT AWAY FROM HIM.
Now the King’s unmarried daughters used to wear long robes with sleeves. Tamar tore the robe she was wearing and put ashes on her head. Then she covered her face with her hands and cried loudly as she walked away from Amnon's place.
AFTER TAMAR WAS THROWN OUT THE DOOR, HER CLOTHES DISHEVELED AND TORN, SHE COULDN’T HIDE HER STATE. SHE THREW ASHES OVER HERSELF IN THE UNMISTAKABLE SIGN AMONG HEBREWS OF MOURNING AND GRIEF. HERE IS WHERE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF PATTERNS HELPS US OUT. THE WORD USED TO DESCRIBE HER VIRGIN’S ROBE IS 'KETONETH', A WORD RARELY USED IN THE SCRIPTURE, BUT THERE IS ONE OTHER PLACE WHERE IT IS USED THAT YOU WILL QUICKLY RECOGNISE - IT'S THE SAME WORD USED FOR JOSEPH’S COAT OF MANY COLORS, AND THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE CHOICE OF THIS WORD 'KETONETH' IS INTENDED BY THE AUTHOR TO DRAW A GRAPHIC PARALLEL BETWEEN THE FINAL STATE OF JOSEPH’S TUNIC AND TAMAR’S ... PATTERNS!!
And when Tamar’s brother Absalom found out about this incident he said to her, “How could Amnon have done such a terrible thing to you! However since he’s your brother, you mustn't tell anyone what happened. And try not to think about it anymore my sister, put it out of your mind!” And Tamar soon moved into Absalom’s house, but she was always depressed, lonely and devastated. And when David heard what had happened to Tamar, he was furious also. However Amnon was his oldest son and also his favourite, and David would not do anything to make Amnon unhappy. Absalom also treated Amnon as though nothing had happened, but he hated Amnon for what he’d done to his sister Tamar.
ABSALOM WAS A CLEVER AND COLDLY CALCULATING MAN. AMNON’S ASSAULT UPON TAMAR (WHILE RUINOUS FOR HER) PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ABSALOM TO USE TO HIS BENEFIT WHAT WAS OTHERWISE A FAMILY DISASTER AND SETBACK.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JOSEPH’S TUNIC? AFTER HIS BROTHERS SOLD HIM TO ARAB SLAVE-TRADERS THEY NEEDED A BELIEVABLE STORY TO EXPLAIN HIS DISAPPEARANCE TO HIS FATHER JACOB. SO THEY RUBBED GOAT BLOOD ON THE COAT, HANDED IT TO JACOB, AND TOLD HIM JOSEPH WAS KILLED BY A WILD ANIMAL. SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN 2ND SAMUEL IS AN EQUALLY GRAPHIC SCENE. THE VIOLATED, REJECTED TAMAR WAS DRESSED IN A 'KETONETH'. SHE IS DESTROYED AND THROWS ASHES ALL OVER HERSELF IN DESPAIR. BUT THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE ON THAT TUNIC OTHER THAN DIRT AND ASHES: BLOOD. SHE WAS A YOUNG VIRGIN AND SHE WAS WEARING THE TUNIC ALL DURING AMNON’S RAPE. YOU’LL RECALL THAT IN ANCIENT TIMES THERE WAS THE TRADITION OF THE MARRIAGE CLOTH WHEREBY THE NEWLY WEDS WOULD CONSUMMATE THEIR MARRIAGE ON A NEW WHITE CLOTH, AND THE EXPECTATION OF BLOOD UPON IT WAS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED BY THE BRIDE’S PARENTS AS PROOF OF THEIR DAUGHTER’S PRIOR VIRGINITY. IN FACT THE MARRIAGE CLOTH WAS CAREFULLY STORED AWAY TO BE USED AS LEGAL EVIDENCE IN CASE THE HUSBAND EVER WISHED TO DIVORCE HIS WIFE (AND GET HIS BRIDE-PRICE BACK FROM HER FATHER) USING THE EXCUSE THAT SHE WASN’T A VIRGIN WHEN HE MARRIED HER AND SO HAD BEEN DEFRAUDED. THE BLOOD ON TAMAR’S VIRGIN’S 'KETONETH' WAS PUBLIC PROOF THAT SHE WAS NO LONGER PURE. THERE WAS NO HIDING IT. WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A PRIZED MARRIAGE CLOTH WAS NOW PERMANENT EVIDENCE OF HER LIFE-LONG SHAME.
AS HAS BEEN THE MOTTO OF RUTHLESS POLITICAL LEADERS SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL, ‘YOU DON’T EVER LET A GOOD CRISIS GO TO WASTE’. ALL IT WOULD TAKE IS SOME DETERMINATION AND PATIENCE ON ABSALOM’S PART AND HIS FONDEST ASPIRATIONS JUST MIGHT BECOME ATTAINABLE. APPARENTLY TAMAR WENT TO HER BROTHER ABSALOM’S HOUSE FOR REFUGE. THAT IS, SHE DIDN’T RETURN TO HER LIVING QUARTERS AT THE VIRGIN’S COMPOUND BECAUSE THE REALITY IS THAT SHE NO LONGER BELONGED THERE. SHE HAD HER PURITY STOLEN FROM HER AND ONE CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE MALICIOUS GOSSIP THAT WOULD HAVE ERUPTED IF SHE SHOWED UP DISTRAUGHT WITH HER CLOTHING TORN, SOILED WITH ASHES, AND SMEARED WITH BLOOD. TAMAR REALLY HAD NO OTHER OPTION THAN TO REMAIN AS A WARD OF HER BROTHER, PROBABLY FOR THE REST OF HER (OR ABSALOM’S) LIFE.
ABSALOM COUNSELED HER TO KEEP WHAT HE VIEWS AS A FAMILY MATTER TO HERSELF SO THAT THERE WOULDN’T BE A PUBLIC SCANDAL. BUT WORD OF AMNON’S INCESTUOUS ACT REACHED KING DAVID AND WE’RE TOLD THAT HE BECAME ANGRY; BUT THAT’S APPARENTLY AS FAR AS HIS CONCERN WENT. THERE IS NO HINT THAT ONE WORD WAS SPOKEN BETWEEN DAVID AND AMNON. CERTAINLY THERE IS NO RECORD THAN ANY ACTION WHATSOEVER WAS TAKEN BY DAVID; NO REBUKE, NO PUNISHMENT, NO NOTHING. SO HERE A SERIOUS FLAW IS EXPOSED IN DAVID. DAVID FULL WELL KNEW THAT BY THE LAWS OF MOSES, AMNON HAD A PRICE TO PAY AND JUSTICE APPLIED. HOWEVER ONE MUST ADMIT THAT IT IS NOT SO CUT AND DRY AS WHAT THAT PRICE MIGHT BE.
ACCORDING TO LEVITICUS, WHILE AMNON DIDN’T HAVE THE DEATH PENALTY COMING, HE CERTAINLY WAS TO BE BANISHED AND CUT-OFF FROM HIS PEOPLE (IN THE SAME WAY A LEPER MIGHT BE). AND EQUALLY HE COULDN’T MARRY TAMAR AS A SOLUTION, THAT MAINLY AMOUNTED TO A PROTECTION FOR HER. SO, DAVID DID NOTHING. AND AS WE’RE ABOUT TO SEE, HIS DOING NOTHING LED TO EVEN MORE VIOLENCE.
IT IS INTERESTING THAT WE SEE A SIMILAR THING HAPPEN WITH DAVID’S ANCESTOR, JACOB, WHO ALSO SEEMED TO HAVE NO INTEREST IN DISCIPLINING HIS SONS OR TAKING ACTION WHEN WRONG WAS DONE. RECALL THAT THE KING OF SHECHEM'S SON RAPED JACOB’S DAUGHTER DINAH AND JACOB DID NOTHING ABOUT IT EXCEPT GET ANGRY. IN FACT, IT WAS THE KING OF SHECHEM WHO CAME TO JACOB, HAT IN HAND, TO ASK JACOB IF THIS COULD BE MADE RIGHT BY HIS SON MARRYING DINAH (WHICH, IN FACT, WAS THE REMEDY OF DEUTERONOMY 22, EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD BE CENTURIES LATER BEFORE THE LAW WAS EVEN GIVEN). JACOB AGREED TO THIS, BUT HIS SONS (DINAH'S OWN BROTHERS) WERE ENRAGED THAT THEIR FATHER WOULD RESPOND BY ESSENTIALLY GIVING IN TO A FOREIGN KING, AND SO THEY TOOK A VIOLENT AND WRONG ACTION BY GOING ON A SAVAGE VIOLENT BLOODBATH, KILLING THE ENTIRE MALE POPULATION OF THE CITY (WHO WERE INNOCENT AND HAD NO PART IN THIS). AND JACOB’S RESPONSE TO THIS WAS SIMPLY TO MOVE.
Two years later, Absalom’s servants were cutting wool from his sheep in Baal-Hazor near the town of Ephraim, and Absalom invited all of the King’s Sons to be there (for it was a time of work and celebration). Then he went to David and said, “My servants are cutting the wool from my sheep. Please come and join us!”
But David answered, “No, my son, we won’t go. It would be too expensive for you.” Absalom tried to get him to change his mind, but David did not want to go. He only said that he hoped they would have a good time. Absalom said, “If you won’t go, at least let my brother Amnon come with us.”
David asked, “Why should he go with you?” But Absalom kept on insisting, and finally David let Amnon and all his other sons go with Absalom.
ABSALOM HAD NEITHER FORGOTTEN NOR FORGIVEN. FOR 2 YEARS HIS DESOLATE SISTER LIVED WITH ABSALOM, A CONSTANT REMINDER OF AMNON’S VILE AND DEPRAVED DEED. NO DOUBT ABSALOM WAS MOVED BY HIS TORMENTED SISTER’S PLIGHT AND IT PAINED HIM. AT THE SAME TIME ABSALOM KNEW THAT HE COULD USE THIS TO HIS ADVANTAGE TO ACHIEVE HIS GOAL OF YISHARAL’S THRONE, AND FEELING THAT ENOUGH TIME HAD PASSED SO THAT ANY SUSPICION COULD BE LAID TO REST, HE FOUND EXACTLY THE RIGHT CIRCUMSTANCE AND MOMENT TO TAKE ACTION. EVEN IF DAVID WASN’T SUSPICIOUS OF ABSALOM’S MOTIVES, IT WAS ALWAYS DANGEROUS TO HAVE ALL OF A KING’S SONS DISPATCHED TO ONE PLACE BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME UNKNOWN CALAMITY WHEREBY THEY WERE ALL KILLED OR CAPTURED. SUCH A THING COULD BRING ABOUT THE END OF A KING’S DYNASTY.
Absalom prepared a banquet fit for a king. But he told his servants, “Keep an eye on Amnon. When he gets a little drunk from the wine and is feeling good, I’ll give the signal. Then kill him! I’ve commanded you to do it, so don’t be afraid. Be strong and brave.” THIS WAS THE MIDDLE EAST AND CULTURAL JUSTICE WAS A COMPLEX MATTER. ABSALOM DIDN’T HIDE THE FACT THAT INDEED HE WAS THE HEAD OF THE CONSPIRACY TO KILL HIS HALF-BROTHER AMNON, AND THIS WAS BECAUSE HE COULD CLAIM THE RIGHT AS THE GO’EL, THE FAMILY BLOOD AVENGER, AND SO FELT THAT THE GENERAL POPULATION WOULD MERELY SEE HIM AS DOING HIS DUTY.
And Absalom’s servants killed Amnon, just as Absalom had told them and the rest of the King’s sons quickly rode away on their mules to escape from Absalom. While they were on their way to Jerusalem, someone told David, “Absalom has killed all of your sons! Not even one is left.”
David got up, and in his sorrow he tore his clothes and lay down on the ground. His servants remained standing, but they tore their clothes too. Then David’s nephew Jonadab said, “Your Majesty, not all of your sons were killed! Only Amnon is dead. On the day that Amnon raped Tamar, Absalom decided to kill him. But don’t worry about the report that all your sons were killed my King. Only Amnon is dead and Absalom has run away.”
JUST AS DAVID HAD FACILITATED TAMAR’S RAPE BY ORDERING HER TO GO TO AMNON TO FIX HIM SOME FOOD, NOW DAVID HAS FACILITATED HIS FIRSTBORN’S DEATH BY ORDERING AMNON AND ALL OF HIS SONS TO ATTEND THE SHEEP-SHEARING. NOTICE THE PATTERN: FIRST UNLAWFUL SEX AND THEN MURDER AS A RESULT. BUT THE IRONY IS EVEN THICKER; JONADAB SAYS, “MY MASTER THE KING SHOULDN’T TAKE IT SERIOUSLY AS IF ALL THE KING’S SONS ARE DEAD; ONLY AMNON IS DEAD”. THIS HAS THE SAME SOCIOPATHIC AND INDIFFERENT TONE OF, “DON’T LET THIS MATTER GET YOU DOWN; THE SWORD DEVOURS IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER” WHICH DAVID SAID TO JOAB WHEN TOLD THAT SEVERAL INNOCENT HEBREW SOLDIERS HAD DIED IN ORDER THAT URIYAH (BATHSHEBA’S HUSBAND) WAS KILLED WITHOUT SUSPICION BEING PLACED UPON THE KING. DAVID WAS STUPID AND WOULD HAVE INSTANTLY RECOGNISED THAT ONCE AGAIN THE DIVINE CURSE FOR HIS ADULTERY AND MURDER HAD FALLEN LIKE A GUILLOTINE. THOSE WORDS OF DARK PROMISE FROM ALAHIM, “THE SWORD SHALL NEVER LEAVE YOUR HOUSEHOLD” LAY UPON DAVID AS IF IT WERE A BOULDER UPON HIS CHEST. HE WAS TRAPPED AND COULD HARDLY BREATHE.
One of the guards noticed a lot of people coming along the hillside on the road to Horonaim. So he went and told the King, “I saw some men coming along Horonaim Road.”
Jonadab said, “Your Majesty, look! Here come your sons now, just as I told you.”
No sooner had he said it, than David’s sons came in. They were weeping out loud, and David and all his officials cried just as loudly. David was sad for a long time because his favourite son Amnon was dead. And Absalom had run away to Geshur, where he stayed for three years with King Talmai the son of Ammihud (Absalom’s grandfather). And David still felt so sad over the loss of Amnon that he wanted to take his army there and capture Absalom.
ABSALOM KNEW THAT HE WOULD NEED TO STAY FAR AWAY FROM HIS FATHER FOR AWHILE; MURDERING THE CROWN-PRINCE WAS FAR MORE SERIOUS THAN RAPE. NOT ONLY THAT BUT AMNON’S SIDE OF THE FAMILY WOULD NOW BE AFTER BLOOD-REVENGE ON THIS BLOOD-AVENGER (THAT’S THE WAY OF THE ORIENTALS). HE WENT TO HIS MOTHER’S HOMETOWN AND STAYED UNDER THE PROTECTION OF HIS GRANDFATHER, THE KING OF GESHUR, BIDING HIS TIME. MANY MONTHS PASSED AND DAVID, FINALLY COMING TO TERMS WITH THE DEATH OF AMNON, BEGAN TO SET HIS MIND ON ABSALOM. TO SAY DAVID WAS CONFLICTED PUTS IT MILDLY; SINCE HIS FIRSTBORN WAS KILLED, WHO WOULD BE NEXT IN LINE TO REPLACE HIM? JUST AS AMNON HAD BEEN SEEN AS THE CROWN-PRINCE, ABSALOM MUST HAVE BEEN SEEN AS NEXT AFTER HIM BY ONE AND ALL. CAN DAVID BRING HIM BACK AND FORGIVE HIM? CAN DAVID BRING HIM BACK AND TRUST HIM NOT TO DO TO DAVID WHAT HE DID TO AMNON? DAVID WELL UNDERSTOOD THE WAYS OF BLOOD-REVENGE; BUT HE ALSO WELL UNDERSTOOD THAT ABSALOM WAS AMBITIOUS, RUTHLESS, AND IMPATIENT.
YAHUAH'S WORDS ARE THE TRUTH AND EVERYTHING HE SAYS ALWAYS HAPPENS ... JUST LOOK AT WHAT'S BEING DISHED OUT ON DAVID'S FAMILY ... A MAN AFTER YAHUAH'S OWN HEART !!
"David did nothing" ... "Jacob did nothing" ... will we do nothing about the behaviours in our home ?
"The whole world is full of children suffering, because of stupid, lazy, wicked parents, who want their own ways. They will lie to their children about the truth of our Creator and how He tells us to live in a prosperous way. What possible chance do kids today have to know the truth, against the language of lies (THE DEVIL'S LANGUAGE), told to them BY WICKED PARENTS living in rebellion towards Yahusha’s truth" (even those who know His name!) ...
Those of us in Yahusha's Bride need to start vigilantly establishing `platforms' (a standard of behaviour) communicating truth to our children, regarding the Devil, what he's doing in the world and what he wants for them! Doing nothing and letting our kids fill themselves with the world's poison will bring about the same consequences and curses that we grew up in ... repeating the cycle over and over ... and time is short!!