2Sa 13:1 | KingComments | STEP | The two sins committed by David, adultery and murder, are both found in this chapter in his house. He has sown for his own flesh and “from the flesh reaps corruption” ( ; cf. ). It is a chapter full of sorrow for David. A moment of thoughtless sinning can result in years of crying bitter tears. At the same time, we may know that God can turn those bitter tears into a rainbow. In this chapter the announced sword ( ) in his house begins to do its judgmental work. A man, a son of his house, his eldest son, rapes his daughter. Another son, one of his favorites, kills the rapist. Later this son will rebel against him and be killed. Amnon is his eldest son, the crown prince. The third son is Absalom. He loses his first-born son and also the second oldest sons – if we exclude Chileab who probably died young ( ). By committing his sins, something has come into David’s family that breaks the already fragile family bond even more. He has no discernment in the case of Amnon’s dark plans with Tamar. He is also unable to act against it because his spiritual power and his spiritual insight have been greatly diminished by his life in sin. Maybe he also feels he’s become implausible to say something about the sins of his children. The sin we have committed ourselves makes it difficult to strongly condemn another person’s sin. We see this here too. David does not act against Amnon nor against Absalom. The consequences of sins are not automatic. They don’t just come over his house. Every sin in his home takes place under his responsibility. If he had been strong, he could have prevented those consequences. The judgment comes from God, yet David himself is responsible. We see that David is no longer the same man as before his sins. He is blind to certain things. He does not understand anything of the intentions of Amnon nor of those of Absalom. If sin has wrought devastation in the life of a believer, one consequence is that one is no longer the same person as before. We learn here that children are the weakness of their parents. There is no area where we are so weak as when it comes to our children. Many parents have come on wrong paths because they have recognized and acknowledged their children’s sins so little. Sometimes they’ve even seen those sins, but haven’t acted against them or even defended them. Many people can judge sharply when it comes to others, but when it comes to their own children, they no longer see so sharply and sometimes even defend sin. The introductory words “now it was after this” show that what follows, connects to the foregoing. In this case, what happens “after” is not only a sequel to the previous, but also a consequence thereof. In the events described, too, we see that one thing is the result of another. First we are introduced to the ‘protagonists’ in . They are two sons of David, a daughter of David and David himself. It is about a family drama. The drama begins with a young man falling in love with his beautiful half-sister. There is nothing to be seen of any fear of God in this son of David. If it had been there, he would directly have judged his evil lusts in himself. However, he does not follow his father in the good example that David also gave, but in the evil example that he unfortunately also gave. David has not been able to curb his lusts. His son goes even further in his sexual sinfulness. The young man’s love is so great that it makes him sick. This love is a purely selfish matter, only directed to self-satisfaction. It is strictly forbidden by law to have sexual intercourse with a sister or half-sister ( ). This rule of the law and also the continuation of the history make it clear that this is not a question of love, but only of self-generated sexual lusts. Sexual desires are given by God, but they may only be experienced in the bond of marriage and love. Of course, Tamar is not to blame. The fact that “it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her” does not mean that he has any sense of respect for her. The sequel shows that for him she is nothing more than a lust object. That it seems hard to do anything to her perhaps means that it is impossible for him to come to her, because she lives, because she is a virgin, in the women’s enclosure.

‏ 2 Samuel 13:1

Introduction

The two sins committed by David, adultery and murder, are both found in this chapter in his house. He has sown for his own flesh and “from the flesh reaps corruption” (Gal 6:8a; cf. Jer 4:18). It is a chapter full of sorrow for David. A moment of thoughtless sinning can result in years of crying bitter tears. At the same time, we may know that God can turn those bitter tears into a rainbow.

In this chapter the announced sword (2Sam 12:9-10) in his house begins to do its judgmental work. A man, a son of his house, his eldest son, rapes his daughter. Another son, one of his favorites, kills the rapist. Later this son will rebel against him and be killed. Amnon is his eldest son, the crown prince. The third son is Absalom. He loses his first-born son and also the second oldest sons – if we exclude Chileab who probably died young (2Sam 3:2-3).

By committing his sins, something has come into David’s family that breaks the already fragile family bond even more. He has no discernment in the case of Amnon’s dark plans with Tamar. He is also unable to act against it because his spiritual power and his spiritual insight have been greatly diminished by his life in sin. Maybe he also feels he’s become implausible to say something about the sins of his children.

The sin we have committed ourselves makes it difficult to strongly condemn another person’s sin. We see this here too. David does not act against Amnon nor against Absalom. The consequences of sins are not automatic. They don’t just come over his house. Every sin in his home takes place under his responsibility. If he had been strong, he could have prevented those consequences. The judgment comes from God, yet David himself is responsible.

We see that David is no longer the same man as before his sins. He is blind to certain things. He does not understand anything of the intentions of Amnon nor of those of Absalom. If sin has wrought devastation in the life of a believer, one consequence is that one is no longer the same person as before.

We learn here that children are the weakness of their parents. There is no area where we are so weak as when it comes to our children. Many parents have come on wrong paths because they have recognized and acknowledged their children’s sins so little. Sometimes they’ve even seen those sins, but haven’t acted against them or even defended them. Many people can judge sharply when it comes to others, but when it comes to their own children, they no longer see so sharply and sometimes even defend sin.

Amnon Covets Tamar

The introductory words “now it was after this” show that what follows, connects to the foregoing. In this case, what happens “after” is not only a sequel to the previous, but also a consequence thereof. In the events described, too, we see that one thing is the result of another.

First we are introduced to the ‘protagonists’ in 2Sam 13:1. They are two sons of David, a daughter of David and David himself. It is about a family drama.

The drama begins with a young man falling in love with his beautiful half-sister. There is nothing to be seen of any fear of God in this son of David. If it had been there, he would directly have judged his evil lusts in himself. However, he does not follow his father in the good example that David also gave, but in the evil example that he unfortunately also gave. David has not been able to curb his lusts. His son goes even further in his sexual sinfulness. The young man’s love is so great that it makes him sick. This love is a purely selfish matter, only directed to self-satisfaction.

It is strictly forbidden by law to have sexual intercourse with a sister or half-sister (Lev 18:9 ; Lev 20:17). This rule of the law and also the continuation of the history make it clear that this is not a question of love, but only of self-generated sexual lusts. Sexual desires are given by God, but they may only be experienced in the bond of marriage and love. Of course, Tamar is not to blame.

The fact that “it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her” does not mean that he has any sense of respect for her. The sequel shows that for him she is nothing more than a lust object. That it seems hard to do anything to her perhaps means that it is impossible for him to come to her, because she lives, because she is a virgin, in the women’s enclosure.