An Idle Moment with Disastrous Consequences
August 26, 2021 at 4:43 pm | Posted in II Samuel | 3 CommentsTags: 2 Samuel 10, 2 Samuel 11, 2 Samuel 12, 2 Samuel 13, commentary on 2 Samuel, David and Bathsheba, James 1, Nathan and David, Sunday School lessons on 2 Samuel
In II Samuel Chapter 10 David sent ambassadors to King Hanun, but the king thought they were spies, and his treatment of them sounds almost as humorous to us as it must have been humiliating to them:
Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.
II Samuel 10:4
This led to war and the Lord gave David the victory, but the war against the Ammonites was still ongoing. The Ammonites were Lot’s descendants. Joab was besieging Rabbah, but David stayed in Jerusalem – idle. In Chapter 11 there is an emphasis on “sending” – the word “sent” is found at least 10 times. David, possibly aged 50 at this time, had fallen into the trap of over-delegating. In reality, when it came to spiritual warfare, David would have been safer on the battlefield than in his own palace.
And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house. And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.
II Samuel 11:1-5
Bathsheba conceived a child, but that’s not all that was conceived here.
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
James 1:14-15
It appears likely that Satan set a trap for David by observing him. He broke the second table of the 10 Commandments almost in reverse order. First he coveted his neighbor’s wife, then he committed adultery, then he bore false witness, and, finally, he committed murder. The prophet Nathan came to David to confront him.
And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead? But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
II Samuel 12:18-19
Do you think David wished he could have that day when he first looked at Bathsheba back to do over again – that hour, that moment?
This is the price I pay —
Just for one riotous day —
Years of regret and of grief,
And of sorrow without relief.
Suffer it I will, my friend,
Suffer I will until the endSmall was the thing I bought,
Small was the thing at best,
Small was the debt, I thought,
But, O my Lord! — the interest.
Paul Lawrence Dunbar
But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
II Samuel 12:23
David expected to see, and to be able to fully recognize, his infant son in Heaven one day.
And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
II Samuel 12:6 (emphasis added)
In Chapters 12 and 13 we start to see a fourfold loss experienced by David. First, his baby died. Second, the rape of Tamar resulted in Amnon being killed. Third, Absalom was killed. Fourth, Adonijah was killed. Absalom and Tamar were full brother and sister of royal blood; their mother was Maacah, a princess of Geshur. Amnon lusted for Tamar, but may not have acted upon it except:
But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.
II Samuel 13:3
Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.
II Samuel 13:14-15
Amnon’s “love” for Tamar is revealed as a hateful desire to use. God made things to be used; He made people to be loved.
Absalom was furious about what Amnon has done to Tamar, but he also saw it as an opportunity to get closer to the throne.
And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.
II Samuel 13:20
Christian F.R.I.E.N.D.S.hip (Part 1)
November 20, 2013 at 1:16 pm | Posted in Biblical friendship, Uncategorized | 12 CommentsTags: 2 Corinthians 6, 2 Samuel 13, Biblical friendship, Ephesians 4, friendship, James 4, Luke 11, Proverbs 27, true friendship
The Bible has much to say about friends, and friendship is encouraged in Scripture, but choosing the wrong friend can be dangerous.
But Amnon had a friend, whose name [was] Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab [was] a very subtil man.
II Samuel 13:3 (emphasis added)
Christians are supposed to have friends and we are supposed to be friends. Did you know there is a difference between being friends with someone and being a friend to someone?
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
II Corinthians 6:14
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
James 4:4
As Christians, we are not supposed to get involved in the sinful activities of non-Christians, which means you really shouldn’t be friends with non-Christians, but you definitely should be a friend to all sorts of non-Christians. Therefore, we serve and love them, but we shouldn’t compromise our stand for Jesus, and we should make sure they know that our loyalty to Christ comes before our loyalty to them. So, if a lost person falls down, you help him up – that’s being a friend to him; but if he fell down because he was doing something wrong, you don’t start doing it too, because that would make you friends with him.
Let’s look at what it takes to be friends with another Christian.
F.orgiving
One of the most important things to remember about being a Christian is that you are a forgiven sinner. You can’t be a Christian without acknowledging your sinfulness. Therefore, when two Christians are friends, that means two sinners have become friends. And sinners sometimes sin against each other. Friends make mistakes, they hurt each other’s feelings, they say the wrong thing, they let each other down sometimes. But if they are truly friends they respond to the sin of their friend the way that Jesus responds to our sins.
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32
If your friend is a Christian, then that means God punished Jesus on the Cross for what your friend has done wrong to you. Would it be right for you to punish your friend for something for which God has already punished Jesus? No. Be a good friend. Be forgiving. Be gracious. Be merciful.
R.esponsive
Being a good friend doesn’t mean you always do what your friend wants you to do, but it does mean that you respond when your friend has a real need.
And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
Luke 11:5-8
A good friend listens; he doesn’t just wait for his turn to talk. Even though listening is important, “doing” is usually the most significant part of service in Christian friendship, but not just “doing something.” They key is in doing what’s right for your friend in each situation – which means listening closely when your friend has something to say. Anybody can talk; it takes skill and patience to listen. God gave us two ears and one mouth – some of us need to take the hint.
I.nsightful
A good friend is someone who gives good advice. That means he evaluates what’s going on, and then finds out what the Bible has to say about something before he just blurts out whatever comes to mind.
Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so [doth] the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel.
Proverbs 27:9
Things that smell good are attractive – and they make people happy. The insight of a friend is the same way. “Hearty counsel” means insight or advice that turns out to be right. A good friend will pray about it, seek God’s will about it, look in the Bible, talk to someone wise about it, then carefully give good counsel. A bad friend says let’s just do the first thing that seems right, or let’s just do what everyone else does in this situation.
You can probably tell by now that I’m using an acrostic – F.R.I.E.N.D.S. – to list some qualifications of Christian friendship. Next time, we will look at the E.N.D.S.
Beware of Fabrics, Frolicking, and Friends
October 18, 2010 at 9:36 am | Posted in A Little Alliteration, Biblical friendship, Genesis | 9 CommentsTags: 2 Samuel 13, Biblical friendship, Biblical garments, clothes in the Bible, commentary on Genesis, Genesis, Genesis 38, getting fleeced, Judah, levirate marriage, Onan, Proverbs 13, Sunday School lessons on Genesis
Joseph was sold into slavery at about age 17. He reached the throne of Egypt at around 30. The narrative account of Joseph is put on hold for a little while in Genesis Chapter 38.
Garments or raiment or clothes or coats are a big deal in Genesis. Judah was deceived by his daughter-in-law Tamar while he was at Timnath for sheep-shearing. Getting fleece for garments, he was deceived by a garment. Isaac had been deceived by a garment when Jacob dressed up like Esau. Jacob was deceived by a garment at least once (Joseph’s torn coat), and maybe twice (his first wedding night). There is often a discernible symmetry when God applies his principle of reaping and sowing. God Law says that our coverings should be distinct, and He is the only One Who is never truly fooled by outward garments, which He establishes early on in the account of Adam and Eve (fig leaves versus animal skins).
Genesis 38 also gives us the account of the infamous “sin of Onan.”
And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar. And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
Genesis 38:6-7
This brought into play what is called the “levirate” (Latin for brother-in-law) marriage. The sin of Onan is difficult to discuss in mixed company, although the text makes it plain enough. When people who are supposed to be spiritual and faithful to God get involved with the world, the result is often some kind of sexual sin.
And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
Genesis 38:1
“Turned in to” is a helpful play on words. The Hebrew word for “turned” is natah. It means more than just to change directions; it means “to incline to;” “to bend to the will;” “to pervert.” Judah “turned in to (into) a certain Adullamite.”
“Hirah” meant “a nobleman” of the Canannites.
And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.
Genesis 38:2
“Shuah” meant “wealth.”
And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.
Genesis 38:3
“Er” meant “awake.”
And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.
Genesis 38:4
“Onan” meant “strong.”
And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah [a petition]: and he was at Chezib [false], when she bare him.
Genesis 38:5, bracketed descriptions added
Judah’s family was getting more and more worldly as he looked for wealth and strength and influence and deception.
God killed Er because He did evil in the sight of the Lord. He was “awake” – aware of what he was doing and he did it openly. All evil is done in the sight of the Lord. He sees everything, but some people take special pleasure in wickedly defying Him.
Judah ended up being deceived by his daughter-in-law, Tamar, thinking she was a harlot – a prostitute. He tried to buy his way out of it when she got pregnant, and his sin was ultimately exposed.
Tamar delivered twins, and they struggled in their birth the way Jacob and Esau did. The baby with the scarlet thread came out second.
I just want to make one other point before we move on to Genesis Chapter 39 next time.
And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
Genesis 38:12, emphasis added
And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand: but he found her not.
Genesis 38:20, emphasis added
And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her. But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man. And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king’s son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.
II Samuel 13:2-4, emphasis added
Choose your friends carefully.
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Proverbs 13:20
The Deep End 
Foreshadowing a Greater Rebellion and Its Resolution
September 13, 2021 at 12:46 pm | Posted in II Samuel | 2 CommentsTags: 2 Sameul 18, 2 Samuel 13, 2 Samuel 14, 2 Samuel 15, 2 Samuel 16, 2 Samuel 17, Absalom, commentary on 2 Samuel, Shimei, Sunday School lessons on 2 Samuel
II Samuel 13:20
Absalom might might have been furious about what Amnon had done to Tamar, but he saw an opportunity also – an opportunity to get closer to the throne. He began to plot revenge. Two years later he exacted that revenge: he had his servants kill Amnon.
II Samuel 13:39
I believe that this description of David is intentionally vague – sort of a studied ambiguity. David longed for Absalom for two reasons. He longed to be reconciled to his son, and he longed to see justice done. This was a problem for David, and God faced a similar situation with you and me: how to execute justice and exercise mercy at the same time. God is the only one ever able to completely satisfy justice while graciously extending mercy, and He did this in the death of Christ Jesus on the Cross.
Joab convinced David to bring Absalom back, but Absalom stole the hearts of the people. Absalom was popular, purposeful, and patient, but why did Ahitophel, David’s best advisor, join Absalom’s rebellion? It may have been because Bathsheba was his granddaughter and he still harbored some resentment toward David.
David fled Jerusalem to protect the people of Jerusalem. He had been in the wilderness before, but he was 60 years old now. There was a time when he fled from Saul the spear-thrower, but now he was hounded by Shimei the rock-thrower.
II Samuel 16:7
Hushai, a double agent working for David, convinced Absalom to disregard Ahitophel’s advice, and to gather a large army and go into battle himself (mainly by appealing to his pride and imagination). Absalom was killed when his hair got caught in a tree.