2 Samuel Part 3

o Sin breeds more sin.

o Sin brings suffering (to others).

o Sin makes us stupid.

o Sin follows a pattern.

- Why was David not rejected like Saul? Terrible as he was, what made David different?

Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

1. What is your initial reaction to this story? Why?

2. What important lessons can we learn from characters other than David?

3. Which of the points about sin are most relevant to you right now? What other things do

we learn from this account?

4. Do you feel David got a just punishment? If you were David, how would that change your

perspective on the situation? (If it’s hard to think of yourself as David, why?)

5. How do you respond when confronted with your sin?" c/o Ozark Christian College

Footnotes

2 Samuel 12:1 Lit said to him

2 Samuel 12:3 Lit morsel

2 Samuel 12:4 Lit spared

2 Samuel 12:5 Lit is a son of death

2 Samuel 12:8 Lit bosom

2 Samuel 12:11 Lit the sight of this sun

2 Samuel 12:12 Lit before

2 Samuel 12:13 Lit caused your sin to pass away

2 Samuel 12:15 Lit wife

2 Samuel 12:21 Lit On account of

2 Samuel 12:24 Some mss read she

2 Samuel 12:25 I.e. beloved of the Lord

2 Samuel 12:30 Or Malcam; cf Zeph 1:5

2 Samuel 12:30 Or were precious stones

The tragic fallout of David’s sin. On the one hand, David is restored to his place as king, but on the other hand things will never be the same. Nathan’s prophecy about the sword not departing from his house proves true almost immediately. First Amnon rapes Tamar, then Absalom kills Amnon. Amnon in particular exposes the truth about what happens when we give into sin. Absalom’s exile and return; - David restored but never the same" c/o Ozark Christian College

Amnon and Tamar

13 Now it was after this that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon the son of David loved her. 2 Amnon was so frustrated because of his sister Tamar that he made himself ill, for she was a virgin, and it seemed [a]hard to Amnon to do anything to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of [b]Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd man. 4 He said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so depressed morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Then Amnon said to him, “I am in love with Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.” THIS STORY IS ABOUT INCEST.

5 Jonadab then said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill; when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me some food to eat, and let her prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat from her hand.’” 6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.” 7 Then David sent to the house for Tamar, saying, “Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, and he was lying down. And she took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 9 She took the pan and [c]dished them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Have everyone go out from me.” So everyone went out from him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the [d]bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes which she had made and brought them into the bedroom to her brother Amnon. 11 When she brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” 12 But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this disgraceful thing! 13 As for me, where could I [e]get rid of my reproach? And as for you, you will be like one of the [f]fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 However, he would not listen to [g]her; since he was stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her. 15 Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up, go away!” 16 But she said to him, “No, because this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you have done to me!” Yet he would not listen to her. 17 Then he called his young man who attended him and said, “Now throw this woman out of my presence, and lock the door behind her.” 18 Now she had on a [h]long-sleeved garment; for in this manner the virgin daughters of the king dressed themselves in robes. Then his attendant took her out and locked the door behind her. 19 Tamar put [i]ashes on her head and tore her [j]long-sleeved garment which was on her; and she put her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went. 20 Then Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now keep silent, my sister, he is your brother; do not take this matter to heart.” So Tamar remained and was desolate in her brother Absalom’s house. 21 Now when King David heard of all these matters, he was very angry. 22 But Absalom did not speak to Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar. 23 Now it came about after two full years that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.