Absalom’s Revenge on Amnon

Introduction:

After Amnon violated his half-sister Tamar, Absalom, her full brother, harbored resentment toward Amnon. For two years, Absalom waited for the right moment to avenge the rape of his sister Tamar.

Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
⁹ “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?

David’s sin with Bathsheba had serious consequences.

2 Samuel 12:10 NLT
¹⁰ From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.

2 Samuel 13:23-39 NLT
²³ Two years later, when Absalom’s sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come to a feast. ²⁴ He went to the king and said, “My sheep-shearers are now at work. Would the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?”
²⁵ The king replied, “No, my son. If we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you.” Absalom pressed him, but the king would not come, though he gave Absalom his blessing.
²⁶ “Well, then,” Absalom said, “if you can’t come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?”
“Why Amnon?” the king asked. ²⁷ But Absalom kept on pressing the king until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon. So Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king.
²⁸ Absalom told his men, “Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal, kill him! Don’t be afraid. I’m the one who has given the command. Take courage and do it!” ²⁹ So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.
³⁰ As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, this report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one is left alive!” ³¹ The king got up, tore his robe, and threw himself on the ground. His advisers also tore their clothes in horror and sorrow.
³² But just then Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimea, arrived and said, “No, don’t believe that all the king’s sons have been killed! It was only Amnon! Absalom has been plotting this ever since Amnon raped his sister Tamar. ³³ No, my lord the king, your sons aren’t all dead! It was only Amnon.” ³⁴ Meanwhile Absalom escaped.
Then the watchman on the Jerusalem wall saw a great crowd coming down the hill on the road from the west. He ran to tell the king, “I see a crowd of people coming from the Horonaim road along the side of the hill.”
³⁵ “Look!” Jonadab told the king. “There they are now! The king’s sons are coming, just as I said.”
³⁶ They soon arrived, weeping and sobbing, and the king and all his servants wept bitterly with them. ³⁷ And David mourned many days for his son Amnon.
Absalom fled to his grandfather, Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. ³⁸ He stayed there in Geshur for three years. ³⁹ And King David now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed to be reunited with his son Absalom.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 13:23-39 NLT
Absalom’s Revenge on Amnon 

²³ Two years later,

Two years …
Absalom has been harboring anger and hatred against Amnon for two years.

During these two years there is no record of David doing anything to discipline Amnon.

• Absalom has been harboring anger and hatred against Amnon for two years.

when Absalom’s sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor near Ephraim,

Approximately 15 miles north-northeast of Jerusalem.

 Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come to a feast. 

• King David had at least 19 sons mentioned by name in the Bible, as well as several unnamed sons by his concubines.

Six sons were born to him in Hebron: Amnon, Daniel, Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, and Ithream.

Four sons were born to him by Bathsheba in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon.

Nine other sons were born to him in Jerusalem: Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

This does not include any unnamed sons he may have had with his concubines.

Absalom hosted a festival to celebrate the time of sheepshearing, a custom observed in Israel from Israel’s earliest times.

• Sheep shearing was a festive and social occasion.

²⁴ He went to the king and said, “My sheep-shearers are now at work. Would the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?” 

²⁵ The king replied, “No, my son. If we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you.” Absalom pressed him, but the king would not come, though he gave Absalom his blessing.

²⁶ “Well, then,” Absalom said, “if you can’t come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?” 

The oldest son and crown prince could represent the family.

• It was not uncommon for the oldest son to represent the family. 

“Why Amnon?” the king asked. 

David would have known about the strained relationship between Amnon and Absalom. 

²⁷ But Absalom kept on pressing the king until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon.

• Again, against his better judgment, David agreed to do something he didn’t feel comfortable doing. 

So Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king.

²⁸ Absalom told his men, “Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal, kill him!

• Absalom had planned this celebration gathering for the sole purpose of providing an opportunity to murder Amnon. 

Don’t be afraid. I’m the one who has given the command. Take courage and do it!” 

By commanding the death of Amnon, Absalom is guilty of murder, much like his father David, by arranging the death of Uriah, was guilty of murder.

When he raped Tamar, Amnon was guilty of sexual immorality, much like his father David, by having sex with Bathsheba.

²⁹ So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon.

A murder avenged a rape.

The act of murder is carried out in cold blood, showing the depth of Absalom’s premeditated vengeance.

Though rape was punishable by death, personal vengeance such as this was unacceptable to God.  The due course of law was to be carried out.

Deuteronomy 16:18 NLT
Justice for the People
¹⁸ “Appoint judges and officials for yourselves from each of your tribes in all the towns the Lord your God is giving you. They must judge the people fairly.

Deuteronomy 19:15 NLT
¹⁵ “You must not convict anyone of a crime on the testimony of only one witness. The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

• By commanding the death of Amnon, Absalom is guilty of murder.

• With the murder of Amnon, Absalom not only avenged the rape of his sister but he also secured for himself the position of successor to the throne.

2 Samuel 3:3 NLT
³ The second (son) was Daniel (Kileab), whose mother was Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel.
The third (son) was Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur.

Kileab (Daniel) David’s second son, may have died in his youth since there is no mention of him beyond the announcement of his birth. (1 Chronicles 3:1 and 2 Samuel 3:3) 

Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.

Riding mules appeared to be the normal means of transportation for royalty in David’s kingdom. 

³⁰ As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, this report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one is left alive!” 

News of Amnon’s death spreads quickly, but the report is exaggerated, claiming that Absalom has killed all the king’s sons. This causes David profound grief and fear.

³¹ The king got up, tore his robe, and threw himself on the ground. His advisers also tore their clothes in horror and sorrow.

David “tore his robe, and threw himself on the ground”.

These were common ways of expressing grief.

A sign of great distress or remorse.

• When David heard that all of his sons were killed he was devastated. 

³² But just then Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimea, arrived and said, “No, don’t believe that all the king’s sons have been killed! It was only Amnon! 

Absalom has been plotting this ever since Amnon raped his sister Tamar.  

³³ No, my lord the king, your sons aren’t all dead! It was only Amnon.” ³⁴ Meanwhile Absalom escaped.

Jonadab (the same individual who had advised Amnon earlier) reassures David that only Amnon is dead, revealing that this was part of Absalom’s calculated revenge. Jonadab’s involvement and casual attitude toward these events further emphasize the corrupt environment in David’s court. 

• Jonadab assures David that only Amnon was killed. 

Then the watchman on the Jerusalem wall saw a great crowd coming down the hill on the road from the west. He ran to tell the king, “I see a crowd of people coming from the Horonaim road along the side of the hill.”
³⁵ “Look!” Jonadab told the king. “There they are now! The king’s sons are coming, just as I said.”
³⁶ They soon arrived, weeping and sobbing, and the king and all his servants wept bitterly with them. ³⁷ And David mourned many days for his son Amnon.

• King David had at least 19 sons mentioned by name in the Bible, as well as several unnamed sons by his concubines.

Six sons were born to him in Hebron: Amnon, Daniel, Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, and Ithream.

Four sons were born to him by Bathsheba in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon.

Nine other sons were born to him in Jerusalem: Ibhar, Elishua, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

This does not include any unnamed sons he may have had with his concubines. 

Absalom fled to his grandfather, Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur.

Absalom, now a fugitive, sought refuge among his mother’s family.  Absalom’s mother, Maacah, was the daughter of Talmai, the king of Geshur. (3:3)

Leviticus 24:17 NLT
¹⁷ “Anyone who takes another person’s life must be put to death. 

• Absalom, now a fugitive, sought refuge among his mother’s family. 

³⁸ He stayed there in Geshur for three years. 

Instead of seeking justice through proper means, Absalom takes matters into his own hands, leading to bloodshed and further division within the family. 

³⁹ And King David now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed to be reunited with his son Absalom.

With Amnon dead and Absalom a refugee, David had lost both of his oldest living sons.

Kileab (Daniel) David’s second son, may have died in his youth since there is no mention of him beyond the announcement of his birth. (1 Chronicles 3:1 and 2 Samuel 3:3)

• David mourns Amnon but eventually desires to be reconciled with Absalom.

• This passage is a sobering reminder of the consequences of sin, unresolved conflict, and failed leadership.

David’s family had become dysfunctional.

David’s children are repeating the sins of their parents.

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The Rape of Tamar

Choices have consequences.

David’s sin with Bathsheba had serious consequences.

2 Samuel 12:10 NLT
¹⁰ From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.

Trouble within David’s family begins here in 2 Samuel 13:1-22.

The story of Amnon and Tamar is an example dysfunction and suffering within David’s family.

Unchecked sin can destroy families and relationships.

Proverbs 22:6 KJV
⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. 

Where was David when all of this was happening?

Did David teach his son Amnon how he should conduct himself?

2 Samuel 13:1-22 NLT
The Rape of Tamar
^13:1 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon, her half brother, fell desperately in love with her. ² Amnon became so obsessed with Tamar that he became ill. She was a virgin, and Amnon thought he could never have her.
³ But Amnon had a very crafty friend—his cousin Jonadab. He was the son of David’s brother Shimea ⁴ One day Jonadab said to Amnon, “What’s the trouble? Why should the son of a king look so dejected morning after morning?”
So Amnon told him, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”
⁵ “Well,” Jonadab said, “I’ll tell you what to do. Go back to bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, ask him to let Tamar come and prepare some food for you. Tell him you’ll feel better if she prepares it as you watch and feeds you with her own hands.”
⁶ So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon asked him, “Please let my sister Tamar come and cook my favorite dish as I watch. Then I can eat it from her own hands.” ⁷ So David agreed and sent Tamar to Amnon’s house to prepare some food for him.
⁸ When Tamar arrived at Amnon’s house, she went to the place where he was lying down so he could watch her mix some dough. Then she baked his favorite dish for him. ⁹ But when she set the serving tray before him, he refused to eat. “Everyone get out of here,” Amnon told his servants. So they all left.
¹⁰ Then he said to Tamar, “Now bring the food into my bedroom and feed it to me here.” So Tamar took his favorite dish to him. ¹¹ But as she was feeding him, he grabbed her and demanded, “Come to bed with me, my darling sister.”
¹² “No, my brother!” she cried. “Don’t be foolish! Don’t do this to me! Such wicked things aren’t done in Israel. ¹³ Where could I go in my shame? And you would be called one of the greatest fools in Israel. Please, just speak to the king about it, and he will let you marry me.”
¹⁴ But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her, and since he was stronger than she was, he raped her. ¹⁵ Then suddenly Amnon’s love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her. “Get out of here!” he snarled at her.¹⁶ “No, no!” Tamar cried. “Sending me away now is worse than what you’ve already done to me.”
But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her. ¹⁷ He shouted for his servant and demanded, “Throw this woman out, and lock the door behind her!”
¹⁸ So the servant put her out and locked the door behind her. She was wearing a long, beautiful robe, as was the custom in those days for the king’s virgin daughters. ¹⁹ But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying.
²⁰ Her brother Absalom saw her and asked, “Is it true that Amnon has been with you? Well, my sister, keep quiet for now, since he’s your brother. Don’t you worry about it.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother Absalom’s house.
²¹ When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry. ²² And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 13:1-22 NLT

The Rape of Tamar 

^13:1 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar.

Review David’s family tree.

2 Samuel 3:2 NLT
David’s Sons Born in Hebron
² These are the sons who were born to David in Hebron:
The oldest was Amnon, whose mother was Ahinoam from Jezreel. 

And Amnon, her half-brother, fell desperately in love with her. 

² Amnon became so obsessed with Tamar that he became ill.

• Amnon believed that he was desperately in love with his half-sister Tamar.

Discuss lust vs. love.

Amnon’s “love” for Tamar is revealed to be obsessive lust rather than genuine care. His feelings are selfish and focused on gratification rather than respect or commitment.

Amnon is on the fast track to destruction.

Choices have consequences.

Galatians 5:19 NLT
¹⁹ When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures… ²¹… Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

Amnon will repeat his father’s sin. 

She was a virgin, and Amnon thought he could never have her.

• Amnon thought, for good reason, that he could never have Tamar.

A few of these “good reasons” were:

Tamar was recognized by others as the king’s virgin daughter. (Verse 18)

Tamar was aware of the serious consequences of sex outside of marriage. (Verses 12-20) 

³ But Amnon had a very crafty friend—his cousin Jonadab.

Crafty here is not a good thing.

Beware of bad counsel and the evil influence of those around you.

Proverbs 13:20 NLT
²⁰ Walk with the wise and become wise;
associate with fools and get in trouble.

Proverbs 12:26 NLT
²⁶ The godly give good advice to their friends;
the wicked lead them astray.

• Stay away from people who encourage wrongdoing.

Wise counsel is essential for making godly decisions. 

He was the son of David’s brother Shimea ⁴ One day Jonadab said to Amnon, “What’s the trouble? Why should the son of a king look so dejected morning after morning?” 

So Amnon told him, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” 

⁵ “Well,” Jonadab said, “I’ll tell you what to do.

• Jonadab devised a deceptive plan to help Amnon fulfill his desires.

1 Peter 5:8 NLT
⁸ Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 

Go back to bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, ask him to let Tamar come and prepare some food for you. Tell him you’ll feel better if she prepares it as you watch and feeds you with her own hands.”

• Jonadab, Amnon’s cousin gave Amnon the plan by which he was able to rape Tamar.

⁶ So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon asked him, “Please let my sister Tamar come and cook my favorite dish as I watch. Then I can eat it from her own hands.”  

⁷ So David agreed and sent Tamar to Amnon’s house to prepare some food for him.

What was David thinking? 

⁸ When Tamar arrived at Amnon’s house, she went to the place where he was lying down so he could watch her mix some dough. Then she baked his favorite dish for him. ⁹ But when she set the serving tray before him, he refused to eat. “Everyone get out of here,” Amnon told his servants. So they all left. 

¹⁰ Then he said to Tamar, “Now bring the food into my bedroom and feed it to me here.” So Tamar took his favorite dish to him. ¹¹ But as she was feeding him, he grabbed her and demanded, “Come to bed with me, my darling sister.” 

¹² “No, my brother!” she cried. “Don’t be foolish! Don’t do this to me! Such wicked things aren’t done in Israel. 

• Tamar resisted Amnon’s sexual advances.

Scripture supporting Tamar’s comment.

Leviticus 18:9-11 NLT
⁹ “Do not have sexual relations with your sister or half sister, whether she is your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born into your household or someone else’s.
¹⁰ “Do not have sexual relations with your granddaughter, whether she is your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter, for this would violate yourself.
¹¹ “Do not have sexual relations with your stepsister, the daughter of any of your father’s wives, for she is your sister.

Leviticus 20:17 NLT
¹⁷ “If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a shameful disgrace. They must be publicly cut off from the community. Since the man has violated his sister, he will be punished for his sin.

Deuteronomy 27:22 NLT
²² ‘Cursed is anyone who has sexual intercourse with his sister, whether she is the daughter of his father or his mother.’
And all the people will reply, ‘Amen.’

• Marrying half-sisters was a common practice among the surrounding nations. 

¹³ Where could I go in my shame? And you would be called one of the greatest fools in Israel.

• This behavior would have a negative impact on both Tamar and Amnon.

This would jeopardize Amnon’s position as crown prince and heir to the throne.

This behavior would bring shame on Tamar. (more later in this lesson.) 

Please, just speak to the king about it, and he will let you marry me.”

• Tamar may have been stalling for time when she suggested that Amnon ask David for permission to marry her.

Surely David would have known the teachings in Leviticus and Deuteronomy and would not support this marriage.

On the other hand David would have known about Genesis 20:12.

Genesis 20:12 – Abraham married his sister. – ¹² And she really is my sister, for we both have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her. 

¹⁴ But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her, and since he was stronger than she was, he raped her.  

• Amnon raped Tamar. 

¹⁵ Then suddenly Amnon’s love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her.

In revulsion to what he had done, Amnon now hated Tamar more than he had previously loved her.  This indicates that his original feelings had not been love but only lust.

Perhaps some of the hatred that Amnon felt was self-hatred.

• The sudden reversal of Amnon feelings toward Tamar are a real indication that his feelings were never more than sensual desires (lust). 

“Get out of here!” he snarled at her.

¹⁶ “No, no!” Tamar cried. “Sending me away now is worse than what you’ve already done to me.”

• Ammon should have married Tamar.

Exodus 22:16 NLT
Social Responsibility
¹⁶ “If a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to anyone and has sex with her, he must pay the customary bride price and marry her. 

Deuteronomy 22:28-29 NLT
²⁸ “Suppose a man has intercourse with a young woman who is a virgin but is not engaged to be married. If they are discovered, (see verses 20-21) ²⁹ he must pay her father fifty pieces of silver. Then he must marry the young woman because he violated her, and he may never divorce her as long as he lives.

• No longer a virgin, Tamar could not be offered by her father to any other potential husband.

Deuteronomy 22:13-21 NLT
Regulations for Sexual Purity
¹³ “Suppose a man marries a woman, but after sleeping with her, he turns against her ¹⁴ and publicly accuses her of shameful conduct, saying, ‘When I married this woman, I discovered she was not a virgin.’ ¹⁵ Then the woman’s father and mother must bring the proof of her virginity to the elders as they hold court at the town gate. ¹⁶ Her father must say to them, ‘I gave my daughter to this man to be his wife, and now he has turned against her. ¹⁷ He has accused her of shameful conduct, saying, “I discovered that your daughter was not a virgin.” But here is the proof of my daughter’s virginity.’ Then they must spread her bed sheet before the elders. ¹⁸ The elders must then take the man and punish him. ¹⁹ They must also fine him 100 pieces of silver  which he must pay to the woman’s father because he publicly accused a virgin of Israel of shameful conduct. The woman will then remain the man’s wife, and he may never divorce her.
²⁰ “But suppose the man’s accusations are true, and he can show that she was not a virgin. ²¹ The woman must be taken to the door of her father’s home, and there the men of the town must stone her to death, for she has committed a disgraceful crime in Israel by being promiscuous while living in her parents’ home. In this way, you will purge this evil from among you. 

But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her. ¹⁷ He shouted for his servant and demanded, “Throw this woman out, and lock the door behind her!” 

After the assault, Amnon’s feelings turn to hatred, revealing the hollowness of his lust. This rejection deepens Tamar’s suffering, leaving her not only violated but also humiliated and abandoned. This shift in Amnon’s attitude reflects the corrosive nature of sin and guilt. 

¹⁸ So the servant put her out and locked the door behind her. She was wearing a long, beautiful robe, as was the custom in those days for the king’s virgin daughters. 

• Wearing a long, beautiful robe, was the custom in those days for the king’s virgin daughters. 

¹⁹ But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head.

The ashes were symbols of mourning and humility.

The torn robe symbolized the ruin of her life.

And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying. 

Tamar publicly mourns her disgrace, symbolized by her torn robe and ashes on her head. Her actions demonstrate the profound personal and social consequences of sexual violence in her cultural context. The narrative draws attention to the lasting scars of such trauma. 

²⁰ Her brother Absalom saw her and asked, “Is it true that Amnon has been with you? Well, my sister, keep quiet for now, since he’s your brother. Don’t you worry about it.” 

Absalom urges his sister not to make this matter a public scandal.

So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother Absalom’s house.

Tamar’s brother Absalom takes Tamar into his home.

• Tamar remained “desolate”, a term in Hebrew that means unmarried and childless, which was a living death for a Jewish woman. 

²¹ When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry. 

David may have been angry but he did not do anything to punish Amnon.

• David abdicated his responsibilities both as king and as father. This lack of discipline toward his sons eventually led to the death of Amnon and the revolts of Absalom and Adonijah. 

²² And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.

Absalom quietly bided his time.

Absalom did take Amnon’s treatment of his sister to heart and will take revenge in our next lesson.

• Absalom hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.

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David Captures Rabbah

In this lesson David resumes his duties as the king of the Israelites.

This lesson includes reviews of previous lessons.

We will have a lesson within a lesson.

How well do you trust the translation of the Bible you are using?

Which translations are accurate?

2 Samuel 12:26-31 NLT
David Captures Rabbah
²⁶ Meanwhile, Joab was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of Ammon, and he captured the royal fortifications. ²⁷ Joab sent messengers to tell David, “I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply. ²⁸ Now bring the rest of the army and capture the city. Otherwise, I will capture it and get credit for the victory.”
²⁹ So David gathered the rest of the army and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it. ³⁰ David removed the crown from the king’s head, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and it weighed seventy-five pounds. David took a vast amount of plunder from the city. ³¹ He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to work in the brick kilns. That is how he dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns. Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.                                         

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 12:26-31 NLT
David Captures Rabbah

From previous lesson. (Same chapter)

²⁰ Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.

David accepted the Lord’s discipline.

David resumed normal life activities.

²⁶ Meanwhile, Joab

was fighting against Rabbah, the capital of Ammon,

• Joab fought against Rabbah, the capitol of Ammon.

Refer to a map.

The author returns to the siege of Rabbah.

This all began in chapter 10.

2 Samuel 10:1-4 NLT
^10:1 Some time after this, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun became king. ² David said, “I am going to show loyalty to Hanun just as his father, Nahash, was always loyal to me.” So David sent ambassadors to express sympathy to Hanun about his father’s death.
But when David’s ambassadors arrived in the land of Ammon, ³ the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, their master, “Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the city so they can come in and conquer it!” ⁴ So Hanun seized David’s ambassadors and shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame.

This event turned the Israelites against the Ammonites.

The Ammonites paid the Aramean soldiers to help them fight the Israelites.

The Israelites defeated the Arameans leaving the Ammonites to fend for themselves.

2 Samuel 11:1 NLT
^11:1 In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

Review Joab’s involvement in the death of Uriah.

2 Samuel 11:14-21
David Arranges for Uriah’s Death
¹⁴ So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. ¹⁵ The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” ¹⁶ So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. ¹⁷ And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.
¹⁸ Then Joab sent a battle report to David. ¹⁹ He told his messenger, “Report all the news of the battle to the king. ²⁰ But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls? ²¹ Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’ Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’”

David sent a letter to Joab, the commander of his army, instructing him to place Uriah at the front line of battle where the fighting is fiercest and then withdraw, ensuring Uriah’s death.

• Joab complied with David’s instructions.

• Joab’s willingness to carry out David’s orders reflects the ethical dilemmas faced by subordinates in systems of power.

Joab may have felt compelled to obey David as his king, believing it was his duty to follow orders. However, the Bible consistently upholds God’s law as the ultimate standard, even above human authority.

This was an act of premeditated murder.

Exodus 20:13 NLT
“You must not murder.

Situations like this highlight the importance of courageously opposing injustice, even when it comes from a superior.

Obeying authority does not excuse participation in wrongdoing. Individuals are accountable for their actions, even when following orders.

James 4:17 NLT
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Joab’s submission to David’s command does not absolve him of guilt for participating in an immoral act.

Joab knew that fighting close to the enemies’ city wall was a military blunder. 

• Joab knew that his actions were wrong.

More of David’s instructions to Joab.

2 Samuel 11:25 NLT
²⁵ “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”

• David instructed Joab to “Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”

Joab does as David instructed.

Back to today’s passage. 

and he (Joab) captured the royal fortifications. 

• Joab captured the “royal fortifications”, not the entire city of Rabbah.

Many translations say “the royal city”.

The “royal city” refers to the central and most fortified part of Rabbah, which was a stronghold. Capturing this portion was a significant military achievement that paved the way for complete conquest. (ChatGPT) 

²⁷ Joab sent messengers to tell David, “I have fought against Rabbah and captured its water supply.  

Many translations say “the city of waters”.

• With no water, the inhabitants of Rabbah would soon have to surrender.

²⁸ Now bring the rest of the army and capture the city. Otherwise, I will capture it and get credit for the victory.”

David was given the privilege of leading the final assault.

This was both:

Military protocol.

Joab’s loyalty and respect for King David.

• Joab calls David to come to Rabbah so that David can get credit for the victory. 

²⁹ So David gathered the rest of the army and went to Rabbah, and he fought against it and captured it. 

This is what David should have been in the first place.

• In spite of David’s recent sinful behaviors, God granted his army victory over the Ammonites.

Remember, after David had sinned, he was truly sorry for his sins, and he confessed his sins.

Even though the Lord was displeased with David’s actions, he gave the Israelites victory over the Ammonites who had abused them.

³⁰ David removed the crown from the king’s head, and it was placed on his own head. The crown was made of gold and set with gems, and it weighed seventy-five pounds. 

A symbolic act of transferring to David sovereignty over Ammon. 

David took a vast amount of plunder from the city. 

• David took a vast amount of plunder from the city.

³¹ He also made slaves of the people of Rabbah and forced them to labor with saws, iron picks, and iron axes, and to work in the brick kilns. That is how he dealt with the people of all the Ammonite towns.

This was a common practice.

A lesson within a lesson.

Different translations appear to imply different things. 

Note:   These verses can be translated with the sense that the Ammonites were cut with saws, indicating that David imposed cruel death on the captives in accordance with Ammonite ways.

2 Samuel 12:31

And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem. (KJV) 

And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick kiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem. (ASV) 

³¹ He brought out the people who were in the city and put them to work making bricks. David demolished the city with saws, iron picks, and axes he did this to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all the troops returned to Jerusalem. (CEB)

1 Chronicles 20:3 American Standard Version
³ And he brought forth the people that were therein, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. And thus did David unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 20:3 King James Version
³ And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 20:3 Common English Bible
³ After removing the people who were in the city, David demolished the city with saws, iron picks, and axes, as he did to all the Ammonite cities. Then David and all his troops returned to Jerusalem.

• David’s treatment of the Ammonites reflects the harsh realities of ancient warfare.

Harsh treatment of conquered nations was not uncommon.

Amos 1:13 NLT
¹³ This is what the Lord says:
“The people of Ammon have sinned again and again,
and I will not let them go unpunished!
When they (the ammonites) attacked Gilead to extend their borders,
they ripped open pregnant women with their swords. 

2 Samuel 8:2 NLT
² David also conquered the land of Moab. He made the people lie down on the ground in a row, and he measured them off in groups with a length of rope. He measured off two groups to be executed for every one group to be spared. The Moabites who were spared became David’s subjects and paid him tribute money.

Different translations appear to imply different outcomes. 

Then David and all the army returned to Jerusalem.

• David’s victories are seen as fulfilling God’s promise to establish his kingdom, even when David himself is flawed.

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David Confesses His Guilt

Lots of repetition of Biblical principles we have already discussed.  (Repetition is good.)

A story of God’s grace and mercy.

Justice gives what is deserved (reward or punishment).
Mercy withholds what is deserved (punishment).
Grace gives what is not deserved (blessing or favor).

2 Samuel 12:13-25 NLT
¹³ Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”
Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.”
¹⁵ After Nathan returned to his home, the Lord sent a deadly illness to the child of David and Uriah’s wife. ¹⁶ David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. ¹⁷ The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.
¹⁸ Then on the seventh day the child died. David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. “He wouldn’t listen to reason while the child was ill,” they said. “What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?”
¹⁹ When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
²⁰ Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.
²¹ His advisers were amazed. “We don’t understand you,” they told him. “While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.”
²² David replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’ ²³ But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.”
²⁴ Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. The Lord loved the child ²⁵ and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means “beloved of the Lord”), as the Lord had commanded.

Examine the Scriptures
2 Samuel 12:13-25 NLT
David Confesses His Guilt 

¹³ Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

• David recognizes his guilt and confesses his sin in response to Nathan’s rebuke.

David displayed genuine and contrite repentance.

Read Psalm 51.
For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Nathan the prophet came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
¹ Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
² Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
³ For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
⁴ Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.
⁵ For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
⁶ But you desire honesty from the womb,
teaching me wisdom even there.
⁷ Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
⁸ Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.
⁹ Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
¹³ Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.
¹⁴ Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;
then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.
¹⁵ Unseal my lips, O Lord,
that my mouth may praise you.¹⁶ You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.
You do not want a burnt offering.
¹⁷ The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.
You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.
¹⁸ Look with favor on Zion and help her;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
¹⁹ Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—
with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.
Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar. 

Nathan replied, “Yes, but the Lord has forgiven you,

• The Lord forgave David.

God’s grace was more than sufficient to forgive and restore David.

1 John 1:9 NLT
⁹ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

• David experienced the joy of knowing his sin was forgiven.

Psalm 32:1-5 NLT
A psalm of David.
¹ Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
² Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
³ When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
⁴ Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.
⁵ Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.  

and you won’t die for this sin. 

(From previous lesson.)

Leviticus 24:17 NLT
¹⁷ “Anyone who takes another person’s life must be put to death.

Leviticus 20:10 NLT
¹⁰ “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death. 

God does not give us what we deserve. He gives us what we least deserve (grace) and withholds what we do deserve (mercy). While God may not grant every desire or wish, He remains faithful to His promises. 

¹⁴ Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the Lord by doing this, your child will die.”

• Forgiveness does not always remove all of the consequences of sin. (From previous lesson.)

• • David’s sons Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah will all die by the sword.
  • David’s family will turn against him.
  • David will experience public humiliation.

¹⁵ After Nathan returned to his home, the Lord sent a deadly illness to the child

• David did experience painful consequences for his sins.

of David and Uriah’s wife. 

Note: Scripture says this was “the child of …Uriah’s wife” 

¹⁶ David begged God to spare the child. He went without food and lay all night on the bare ground. 

• David begged God to spare the child.

¹⁷ The elders of his household pleaded with him to get up and eat with them, but he refused.
¹⁸ Then on the seventh day the child died.

“When David slept with Bathsheba and created new life, Bathsheba did not belong to him but to Uriah. The child cannot belong to David. He cannot enrich himself through his sin, and in a sense, justice is done to Uriah.” (Constable) 

David’s advisers were afraid to tell him. “He wouldn’t listen to reason while the child was ill,” they said. “What drastic thing will he do when we tell him the child is dead?”
¹⁹ When David saw them whispering, he realized what had happened. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
²⁰ Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the Lord.

• David accepted the Lord’s discipline.

Referring back to verse 14, David would have viewed the death of the child as an act of God.

Jews associated seven days with divine acts. 

After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.

• David resumed normal life activities.

²¹ His advisers were amazed. “We don’t understand you,” they told him. “While the child was still living, you wept and refused to eat. 

¹⁶ David begged God to spare the child. 

But now that the child is dead, you have stopped your mourning and are eating again.”

When David resumed his normal life activities, his advisors were amazed.

²² David replied, “I fasted and wept while the child was alive, for I said, ‘Perhaps the Lord will be gracious to me and let the child live.’ 

²³ But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? 

David accepted the Lord’s discipline.

David understood the principle of Galatians 6:7 NLT

⁷ Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 

I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.”

Reflect on the following passages of scripture.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 NLT
The Hope of the Resurrection
¹³ And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. ¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
¹⁵ We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. ¹⁷ Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ So encourage each other with these words.

John 14:1-3 NLT
^14:1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. ² There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? ³ When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

Revelation 21:4 NLT
⁴ He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Philippians 3:12-14 NLT
¹² I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. ¹³ No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. 

²⁴ Then David comforted Bathsheba, his wife, 

See Matthew 1:6 (second part of this verse) 

and slept with her. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon.

1 Chronicles 3:5 NLT
⁵ The sons born to David in Jerusalem included Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon. Their mother was Bathsheba, …

Genealogy in Matthew (Matthew 1:1–17)

Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah). (Matthew 1:6 NLT)

Genealogy in Luke (Luke 3:23–38)

Mattatha was the son of Nathan. Nathan was the son of David.  (Luke 3:31 NLT)

• The birth of David and Bathsheba’s second son, Solomon was a blessing from the LORD. It demonstrates that God’s grace is greater than all our sins.

The fact that God allowed him to live—and even made him David’s successor on the throne—is testimony to God’s great grace to David.

Romans 5:20 NLT
²⁰ God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.

• God had previously revealed to David that He would give him a son, and that he should name him “Solomon,” and that this son would succeed David on his throne.

1 Chronicles 22:6-10 NLT  (2 Samuel 7 – previous to David’s sin with Bathsheba)
⁶ Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. ⁷ “My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God,” David told him. ⁸ “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. ⁹ But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. ¹⁰ He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

1 Chronicles 28:4-7 NLT
⁴ “Yet the Lord, the God of Israel, has chosen me (David) from among all my father’s family to be king over Israel forever. For he has chosen the tribe of Judah to rule, and from among the families of Judah he chose my father’s family. And from among my father’s sons the Lord was pleased to make me king over all Israel. ⁵ And from among my sons—for the Lord has given me many—he chose Solomon to succeed me on the throne of Israel and to rule over the Lord’s kingdom. ⁶ He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will build my Temple and its courtyards, for I have chosen him as my son, and I will be his father. ⁷ And if he continues to obey my commands and regulations as he does now, I will make his kingdom last forever.’ 

The Lord loved the child 

• The Lord loved Solomon.

²⁵  and sent word through Nathan the prophet that they should name him Jedidiah (which means “beloved of the Lord”), as the Lord had commanded.

Solomon means “peaceful” or “man of peace.”

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Nathan Rebukes David

Choices have consequences.  Consequences can be severe and painful.

Psalm 32:3-4 NLT (Written by David)
³ When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
⁴ Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. 

2 Samuel 12:1-12 is a powerful and convicting story of the prophet Nathan confronting King David over his sin with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah.

2 Samuel 12:1-12 NLT
Nathan Rebukes David
^12:1 So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. ² The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. ³ The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. ⁴ One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”
⁵ David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! ⁶ He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”
⁷ Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. ⁸ I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. ⁹ Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed? For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife. ¹⁰ From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.
¹¹ “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. ¹² You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 12:1-12 NLT

Nathan Rebukes David

• Nathan uses a parable to reveal David’s sin indirectly, appealing to his sense of justice before directly confronting him.

A parable is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. 

^12:1 So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story:

God is sending Nathan the prophet to rebuke and announce judgment on the king God had entrusted to shepherd His people.

• We are all accountable to God for our words and actions.

Romans 14:12 NLT
¹² Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.

• The Lord confronted David with his sins.

The parable. 

“There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. ² The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. ³ The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought.

The rich man represents David,

the poor man represents Uriah,

and the little lamb represents Bathsheba.

He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. ⁴ One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.” 

The stealing and slaughter of the lamb represented the adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah by David.

The Lord’s concern for the poor is a major theme in the Bible. As his representative, the king was supposed to protect the poor against abuse by the powerful.

Exodus 23:6 NLT
⁶ “In a lawsuit, you must not deny justice to the poor.

Proverbs 29:7 NLT
⁷ The godly care about the rights of the poor;
the wicked don’t care at all.

Proverbs 19:17 NLT
¹⁷ If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—
and he will repay you!

Proverbs 14:31 NLT
³¹ Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,
but helping the poor honors him.

Deuteronomy 15:11 NLT
¹¹ There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.

Matthew 25:34-36 NLT
³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. ³⁶ I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ 

⁵ David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! 

• David was so angry he pronounced that the man who would do such a despicable thing ought to die, though the Law contained no such penalty for the theft of property. 

⁶ He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”

• David is truly concerned about justice, when not blinded by his own passion.

Exodus 22:1 NLT
Protection of Property
_22:1 “If someone steals an ox or sheep and then kills or sells it, the thief must pay back five oxen for each ox stolen, and four sheep for each sheep stolen.

Note: Four of David’s sons will die.

Bathsheba’s first son

2 Samuel 12:18 NLT
¹⁸ Then on the seventh day the child died.

Amnon (13:29)

2 Samuel 13:29 NLT
²⁹ So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.

Absalom (18:15)

2 Samuel 18:15 NLT
¹⁵ Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.

Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25

1 Kings 2:25 NLT
²⁵ So King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Adonijah was put to death. 

⁷ Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man!

Nathan shifts from the parable to the direct rebuke that Nathan was delivering from God.

• Sin blinds people to their guilt and often requires external confrontation for them to see their wrongdoing.

“You are that man” would have gotten David’s attention.  Commentators believe several months had passed since David had committed his gross sins and they were probably not in the forefront of his thinking. 

The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul. ⁸ I gave you your master’s house and his wives and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. And if that had not been enough, I would have given you much, much more. 

A reminder of some of the great things God had done for David.

Anointed David king.

Saved David from the power of Saul.

Gave David:

Saul’s house and wives.

The kingdom of Israel and Judah.

• God had done great things for David

• God has done great things for us. 

⁹ Why, then, have you despised the word of the Lord and done this horrible deed?

Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
⁹ “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is? 

For you have murdered Uriah the Hittite with the sword of the Ammonites and stolen his wife.  

David is held responsible for despising the word of the Lord, murdering Uriah, and stealing his wife.

Leviticus 24:17 NLT
¹⁷ “Anyone who takes another person’s life must be put to death.

Leviticus 20:10 NLT
¹⁰ “If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death.

• David is charged with murdering Uriah the Hittite and stealing his wife.

Why was David spared the death penalty?  His sin was heinous.

David’s genuine and contrite repentance (Psalm 51)

• God’s grace is more than sufficient to forgive and restore David (us).

Although God’s grace could restore his fellowship with God, the impact of his sin remained and had a negative impact on the nation of Israel as well as a negative on David’s personal life.

• Forgiveness does not always remove all of the consequences of sin. 

¹⁰ From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.

The scriptures say that David has despised the Lord and his word. (Verses 9 & 10)

• Choices have consequences.

David’s household will experience violence, as seen later in the conflicts between his sons (Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah).

Bathsheba’s first son

2 Samuel 12:18 NLT
¹⁸ Then on the seventh day the child died.

Amnon (13:29)

2 Samuel 13:29 NLT
²⁹ So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.

Absalom (18:15)

2 Samuel 18:15 NLT
¹⁵ Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.

Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25)

1 Kings 2:25 NLT
²⁵ So King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Adonijah was put to death. 

• David’s sons Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah will all die by the sword. 

¹¹ “This is what the Lord says: Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you.

• David’s family will turn against him.

2 Samuel 15:13-16 NLT
David Escapes from Jerusalem
¹³ A messenger soon arrived in Jerusalem to tell David, “All Israel has joined Absalom in a conspiracy against you!”
¹⁴ “Then we must flee at once, or it will be too late!” David urged his men. “Hurry! If we get out of the city before Absalom arrives, both we and the city of Jerusalem will be spared from disaster.”
¹⁵ “We are with you,” his advisers replied. “Do what you think is best.”
¹⁶ So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace. 

I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes, and he will go to bed with them in public view. ¹² You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”

• David will experience public humiliation.

2 Samuel 16:22 NLT
²² So they set up a tent on the palace roof where everyone could see it, and Absalom went in and had sex with his father’s concubines.

We are responsible for our choices.

Choices have consequences.

God’s grace is more than sufficient to forgive and restore us. 

Forgiveness does not always remove all of the consequences of sin.

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David Arranges for Uriah’s Death

Introduction:

Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
⁹ “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
and desperately wicked.
Who really knows how bad it is?

2 Samuel 11:14-27 NLT
David Arranges for Uriah’s Death
¹⁴ So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. ¹⁵ The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” ¹⁶ So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. ¹⁷ And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.
¹⁸ Then Joab sent a battle report to David. ¹⁹ He told his messenger, “Report all the news of the battle to the king. ²⁰ But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls? ²¹ Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’ Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’”
²² So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David. ²³ “The enemy came out against us in the open fields,” he said. “And as we chased them back to the city gate, ²⁴ the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king’s men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite.”
²⁵ “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”
²⁶ When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. ²⁷ When the period of mourning was over, David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.

Examine the Scriptures

2 Samuel 11:14-27 NLT

David Arranges for Uriah’s Death

¹⁴ So the next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver.

• David plots Uriah’s death.

Uriah unknowingly carries his own death warrant.

 ¹⁵ The letter instructed Joab, “Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. Then pull back so that he will be killed.” 

• David sends a letter to Joab, the commander of his army, instructing him to place Uriah at the front line of battle where the fighting is fiercest and then withdraw, ensuring Uriah’s death.

Then pull back so that he will be killed.” 

Note: Uriah was one of “David’s mighty warriors” (listed in 1 Chronicles 11 and 2 Samuel 23)

David manipulates others to cover his sin.

This is an act of premeditated murder.

Leviticus 24:17 NLT
¹⁷ “Anyone who takes another person’s life must be put to death. 

¹⁶ So Joab assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall where he knew the enemy’s strongest men were fighting. 

• Joab complied with David’s instructions.

Joab’s willingness to carry out David’s orders reflects the ethical dilemmas faced by subordinates in systems of power.

David, as king, abused his authority to serve his personal desires,

Joab may have felt compelled to obey David as his king, believing it was his duty to follow orders. However, the Bible consistently upholds God’s law as the ultimate standard, even above human authority.

This was an act of premeditated murder.

Exodus 20:13 NLT
“You must not murder.

Situations like this highlight the importance of courageously opposing injustice, even when it comes from a superior.

Acts 5:29 NLT
²⁹ But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.

Obeying authority does not excuse participation in wrongdoing. Individuals are accountable for their actions, even when following orders.

James 4:17 NLT
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

• Joab’s submission to David’s command does not absolve him of guilt for participating in an immoral act.

Bible characters who disobeyed those in authority:

The Hebrew midwives

Exodus 1:15-17 & 21 NLT
¹⁵ Then Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, gave this order to the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah: ¹⁶ “When you help the Hebrew women as they give birth, watch as they deliver.  If the baby is a boy, kill him; if it is a girl, let her live.”
¹⁷ But because the midwives feared God, they refused to obey the king’s orders. They allowed the boys to live, too.
²¹ And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families of their own.

Rahab  (Note: Rahab is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus.)

Joshua 2:2-6 NLT
² But someone told the king of Jericho, “Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” ³ So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: “Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land.”
⁴ Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, “Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn’t know where they were from. ⁵ They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don’t know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them.” ⁶ (Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out.)

The people – the men of Saul’s army

1 Samuel 14:43-45 NLT
⁴³ “Tell me what you have done,” Saul demanded of Jonathan.
“I tasted a little honey,” Jonathan admitted. “It was only a little bit on the end of my stick. Does that deserve death?”
⁴⁴ “Yes, Jonathan,” Saul said, “you must die! May God strike me and even kill me if you do not die for this.”
⁴⁵ But the people broke in and said to Saul, “Jonathan has won this great victory for Israel. Should he die? Far from it! As surely as the Lord lives, not one hair on his head will be touched, for God helped him do a great deed today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he was not put to death.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Daniel 3:10-12 NLT
¹⁰ You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments. ¹¹ That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. ¹² But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.” 

Peter and John

Acts 4:18-20 NLT
¹⁸ So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.
¹⁹ But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? ²⁰ We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

¹⁷ And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, 

Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers.

• Here one sin led to another sin, escalating from adultery to deception and murder.

Uriah was not the only casualty.  David was also responsible for the death of several other Israelite soldiers.

• David’s sin harmed others.

¹⁸ Then Joab sent a battle report to David. ¹⁹ He told his messenger, “Report all the news of the battle to the king. ²⁰ But he might get angry and ask, ‘Why did the troops go so close to the city? Didn’t they know there would be shooting from the walls? 

• Joab knew that fighting close to the enemies’ city wall was a military blunder. 

Joab knew that his actions were wrong. 

²¹ Wasn’t Abimelech son of Gideon killed at Thebez by a woman who threw a millstone down on him from the wall? Why would you get so close to the wall?’

Judges 9:50-56 NLT
⁵⁰ Then Abimelech attacked the town of Thebez and captured it. ⁵¹ But there was a strong tower inside the town, and all the men and women—the entire population—fled to it. They barricaded themselves in and climbed up to the roof of the tower. ⁵² Abimelech followed them to attack the tower. But as he prepared to set fire to the entrance, ⁵³ a woman on the roof dropped a millstone that landed on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull.
⁵⁴ He quickly said to his young armor bearer, “Draw your sword and kill me! Don’t let it be said that a woman killed Abimelech!” So the young man ran him through with his sword, and he died. ⁵⁵ When Abimelech’s men saw that he was dead, they disbanded and returned to their homes.
⁵⁶ In this way, God punished Abimelech for the evil he had done against his father (Gideon was called Jerub-baal) by murdering his seventy brothers. 

Then tell him, ‘Uriah the Hittite was killed, too.’”

Joab’s messenger was instructed to inform David specifically that Uriah had been killed, communicating to David that his plan had worked.

• David’s plan worked. 

²² So the messenger went to Jerusalem and gave a complete report to David. ²³ “The enemy came out against us in the open fields,” he said. “And as we chased them back to the city gate, ²⁴ the archers on the wall shot arrows at us. Some of the king’s men were killed, including Uriah the Hittite.” 

²⁵ “Well, tell Joab not to be discouraged,” David said. “The sword devours this one today and that one tomorrow! Fight harder next time, and conquer the city!”

Basically, David told Joab not to be discouraged by the death of a few good men.

David was calling sin something other than sin: merely a natural consequence of war.

• David’s callus attitude is chilling.

What should David have done?

1 John 1:9 NLT
⁹ But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 

²⁶ When Uriah’s wife heard that her husband was dead, she mourned for him. 

Bathsheba mourns for Uriah.

There is no indication of David mourning the death of Uriah.

• Bathsheba mourned for Uriah.

²⁷ When the period of mourning was over,

Probably a period of seven days.

Joseph mourned his father’s death for seven days.

Genesis 50:10 NLT
¹⁰ When they arrived at the threshing floor of Atad, near the Jordan River, they held a very great and solemn memorial service, with a seven-day period of mourning for Joseph’s father.

King Saul’s death.

1 Samuel 31:11-13 NLT
¹¹ But when the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹² all their mighty warriors traveled through the night to Beth-shan and took the bodies of Saul and his sons down from the wall. They brought them to Jabesh, where they burned the bodies. ¹³ Then they took their bones and buried them beneath the tamarisk tree at Jabesh, and they fasted for seven days. 

David sent for her and brought her to the palace, and she became one of his wives. Then she gave birth to a son. 

But the Lord was displeased with what David had done.

No sin is hidden from God, and accountability is inevitable.

David had brazenly violated God’s laws.

Exodus 20:13-17 NLT

¹³ “You must not murder.

¹⁴ “You must not commit adultery.

¹⁵ “You must not steal.

¹⁶ “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

¹⁷ “You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”

• David had abused his royal power, which the Lord had entrusted to him to shepherd the Lord’s people. 

The assignment that God had given to David.

2 Samuel 5:2 NLT
… And the Lord told you, (David) ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be Israel’s leader.’” 

• The Lord was displeased with what David had done. 

A small sample of the guilt David would have to live with. 

Psalm 51:2-4 NLT
² Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
³ For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
⁴ Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.

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