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Day 131: Hope for the Future
Chapter 13: Discord in David's Family
2 Samuel 13:1-22 is the first of a trilogy of stories that fulfill God's prophetic judgment against David's family and the second of the four part restitution he must make for his sins. David's handsome son Absalom will become the central figure in the dramatic events that follow in chapters 13:23-20:22.
Amnon and Tamar (Jan Steen)
2 Samuel 13:1-6 ~ Amnon's Plan to Seduce his Sister
Amnon is the eldest son and heir of David and his wife Ahinoam of Jezreel (2 Sam 3:2; 1 Chr 3:1). Jonadab is Amnon's cousin and David's nephew. Absalom and Tamar are David's children by Maachah, princess of the neighboring vassal state of Geshur that is located in the southern Golan east of the Galilee in northern Israel. Do not miss the comparison between David's sin in chapter 11 that began when he sees and lusts after a "beautiful woman" who is forbidden to him because she is another man's wife (11:2-3) and Amnon's sin that began when he sees and lusts after a "beautiful woman" who is forbidden to him because she is his sister (13:1).
In the narrative there is also the comparison between the betrayal of Tamar by her brother and the betrayal of Joseph son of Jacob by his brothers in Genesis 37:3-7, 18-35. In both the Genesis 37:3, 23 and 31 passage and in 2 Samuel 13:18 and 19, the victim of betrayal wears a passim, a special long decorated coat designating status. These are the only two passages where this Hebrew word is found in the Bible.
Amnon has developed an unnatural passion for his half-sister Tamar. Under the Law, a virgin's virtue was protected. If a man seduced a virgin who was not betrothed to be married, he had to pay her bride price, he had to take her as his wife to secure her material and social position, and he was never permitted to divorce her. However, her father could refused to allow his daughter to marry her rapist/seducer, but in that case he still had to pay the bride price to help with her material support (Lev 22:15-16/16-17; Dt 22:28-29).
If the girl was betrothed and was raped, the penalty for the man was death (Dt 22:25-27). The contemplation of the sin in this case is even more serious because it includes the sin of incest: The man who marries his father's or mother's daughter: if they have intercourse together, this is an outrage. The will be executed in public, for the man has had intercourse with his sister; he will bear the consequences of his guilt (Lev 20:17).
Amnon's cousin helps to formulate a plan for Amnon to rape his sister, and the plan involves making David an innocent accomplice.
Question: What is the irony concerning David's sin with Bathsheba and the sin Amon intends to commit that will dishonor both David and his daughter?
Answer: David committed a sexual sin first by being tempted and then by committing adultery. Now his son has followed his father's bad example and will even use his father to help him achieve his objective.
2 Samuel 13:7-18 ~ The Rape of Tamar
Amnon's plan is successful. Tamar comes to his house in obedience to her father's request and cooks for him. He dismisses his servants and invites her into his inner room, the bed chamber where he assaults her. Notice the shape of the cakes he requested her to make in verse 6 which she made in verse 8. Biblical scholar Robert Alter writes: "The verb and its object are both cognate with the Hebrew word lev (or levav), heart'. The term could refer to the shape of the dumplings or to their function of "strengthening the heart..." (Ancient Israel, page 497). How ironic that she should make "heart" cakes for the one intent on breaking her heart.
She protests that Israelites do not act this way. Other Near Eastern countries did not have an incest taboo, especially in the Egyptian royal household where the heir was expected to marry his royal sister. She protests that if he shames her in this way no man will marry her and she will become a disgraced, unmarriageable outcast. Finally in desperation, she suggests that he should get permission from their father to marry her, but they both know permission would never be granted.
Question: After he rapes Tamar, why does he despise her?
Answer: It is probably because he knows he has committed a terrible sin and despises both himself and the object of his lust that in his mind caused him to sin.
Referring to Tamar as "this woman" is an expression that demonstrates Amon's utter contempt for her. That she was still wearing her royal garments is meant to show that the rape was both brutal and quick. He didn't even bother to remove her clothes.
2 Samuel 13:19-22 ~ David Fails to Punish Amnon
Question: What are Tamar's actions and what do they mean?
Answer: Tamar's actions are all expressions of her grief:
- The wearing of ashes represents her mourning her condition.
- Tearing the ornamental garment of a virgin daughter of the king signifies that she is no longer a virgin.
- Her inconsolable crying is a sign of her deep distress and her fear for her future.
When her brother discovered what has happened, he tells her to be quiet. He probably does not want to have her reputation destroyed by having her shame made public and expects their father to handle the matter privately. David is very upset (verse 21), but he does not take action against Amnon. He is probably fearful that if he does bring charges against Amnon that the just penalty under the law is the death of his heir. If he condemns other men to death for this sin, how can he save his son? This is, however, no excuse and his failure to give his daughter justice will end in tragedy.
God is our Divine Father. Human fathers are called to imitate God's care for His human children.
God told David that He will punish David's son(s) when they did that which was wrong, but He would also still love them. David is not imaging God's fatherhood. He loves his son but, by not disciplining his son, he is failing both his son and his family.
2 Samuel 13:23-29 ~ Absalom Murders Amnon
For two years Absalom has planned his revenge for his sister's disgrace. It is the season of sheep-shearing which is always accompanied by a festival and Absalom plans a banquet on his lands at Baal-Hazor. It is a site some Biblical scholars have identified as about six miles northeast of Bethel and about five miles south and a little west of Shiloh. In order to avoid suspicion, Absalom first invites his father and his courtiers but when David declines he then focuses on his real objective, the presence of Amnon, the crown prince, at his banquet. When Amnon is drunk Absalom's servants carry out their master's orders to kill the crown prince.
2 Samuel 13:30-29 ~ David's Response to Amnon's Murder
David has received the false report that all his sons are dead. His nephew, Jonadab, assures David that only Amnon has been killed. You will remember it was Jonadab who suggested the plan to Amnon on how to lure Tamar to his house.
Absalom has had his revenge on both his half-brother Amnon for raping his sister and on his father for his failure to secure justice of Tamar. He gone into voluntary exile and has fled to the kingdom of his maternal grandfather, Talmai, king of Geshur. It is ironic that David, a warrior king who fears no man, who prides himself on being decisive in battle, and is responsible as king for carrying out just verdicts, fails so miserably in letting his personal feelings cloud the need for justice. He seems to be unable to make harsh decisions concerning members of his own family. He will pay the price for failing to bring Absalom to justice. It will be the fourth of his fourfold restitution in penance for the murder of Uriah.
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A Daily Defense
DAY 131 Peter and James the Just
CHALLENGE: “Peter wasn’t the first pope because James the Just (aka “the Lord’s brother”) was the leader; he was the one who decided the results of the Acts 15 council, referring to ‘my judgment’ (Acts 15:19).”
DEFENSE: Jesus appointed Peter as leader of the Church (Matt. 16:18). Although James did come to have a leadership role, Jesus never made him superior to Peter.
Initially, the brethren of the Lord (see Day 135) did not have leadership roles, as they did not believe in him during his earthly ministry (John 7:5). They only later believed (cf. 1 Cor. 15:7) and became leaders. James eventually became bishop of Jerusalem.
The second-century author Clement of Alexandria records an earlier tradition that James the Just had the office of bishop conferred on him by the apostles: “Peter and James and John after the Ascension of our Saviour, as if also preferred by our Lord, strove not after honor, but chose James the Just bishop of Jerusalem” (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 2:1:3). If this tradition is accurate, he likely would have become bishop shortly before James son of Zebedee was executed (Acts 12:2) and Peter fled Jerusalem (Acts 12:17—note the reference to James).
In Acts 15, the question is whether Gentiles must keep the Law of Moses. James does not decide this issue. Peter points out that the decision has already been made by God and announced when God chose Peter to preach the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 15:7–11; cf. 10:1–11:18).
James appeals to what Peter has recounted (Acts 15:14) and provides scriptural support for it (15:16–18). He then expresses his opinion that the Gentiles should not be required to keep the law (15:19). The Greek word sometimes translated “judgment” in this passage (krinō) means “to hold a view or have an opinion with regard to something—‘to hold a view, to have an opinion, to consider, to regard’ ” (Johannes Louw and Eugene Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2nd ed., 31.1). James then proposes pastoral provisions (15:20) to help Jewish and Gentile Christians live harmoniously (15:21).
The fact that he did not decide the results of the council is shown by the letter the council sent, which was addressed in the name of all the apostles and elders and which speaks of the decision being collective, without naming any individuals as the deciders (15:23–29).
Jimmy Akin, A Daily Defense: 365 Days (Plus One) to Becoming a Better Apologist
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