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One-sentence summary: David's son rapes his half sister, and his other son rises up against him.
David's son Absolom has a lovely sister whose name is Tamar, and it says that Amnon, David's other son, loved her. He becomes "sick" with love for her. She is a virgin, and it is improper for him to do anything to her. He has a friend who is David's nephew, and his friend asks him why he as the king's son is becoming thinner day by day, and he says it is because he loves Tamar. So the man devises a plan, telling him to pretend to be ill, and then when David comes to see him, to ask if Tamar can make food and give it to him. So he does this, and David tells Tamar to go to Amnon's house to make food for him, and she bakes cakes in his sight and places the food before him. He refuses to eat and tells everyone to leave the room. Then, he tells her to bring the food to the bedroom. He then takes hold of her and says, "Come, lie with me my sister!" She tells him not to force her and that "no such ting should be done in Israel." She begs him not to do such a disgraceful thing, that she would be shamed and have nowhere to go and that he would be a fool for doing this. She begs him to ask the king for her instead, but he does not listen, and he forces her to lay with him. Then, he "hates her exceedingly," more than he had loved her at first, and he tells her to go. She pleads with him, saying that the evil of sending her away is worse than the first thing, but he does not listen but has his servant put her out and lock the door. She has on a colorful robe that the king's virgin daughter's wear, and she puts ashes on her head and tears her robe and lays her hand on her head and goes away crying bitterly. Absolom asks her if Amnon has been with her. He tells her to hold her peace and not take it to heart, and she remains "desolate in Absolom's house." When King David hears, he is very angry, and Absolom doesn't speak to Amnon, but he hates him. After two full years, Absolom invites all the king's sons to go with him to shear sheep. David says no at first, but he convinces him to let all his sons to go. Absolom tells his servants to kill Absolom when his "heart is merry with wine." He tells them to be strong and courageous and to obey. They do this, and all the king's sons flee. While they are on their way, David hears that Absolom has killed all his sons. So David tears his clothes and lays on the ground, and his servants do the same. However, David's nephew appears and says it is only Amnon who is dead because Absolom had determined to kill him ever since he violated Tamar. Then, Absolom flees, and a young man keeping watch sees David's sons comings, and David knows what his nephew said is true. His sons come and weep with David and his servants, and David mourns for his son every day. Absolom is gone for three years, and once David is comforted, he longs to go to Absolom.
Joab sees that David's heart is concerned about Absolom, so he sends a wise woman and asks her to pretend to be a mourner and to go to David and tell him that her sons fought, and one killed the other, and that the whole family has risen against her and wants to kill the other. David tells her to return home and that he will give orders concerning her, not to harm her. David says if anyone tries to harm her, to bring that person to him. She then asks him why he has not brought the banished Absolom home. She says the people made her afraid, and so she has come to speak to him so that he will answer her request. David tells her to be honest with him, and he asks if Joab is behind all this, and she says that it is true. The king tells Joab that he will grant the request and bring Absolom back. Joab falls to the ground and thanks David. So Absolom is brought to Jerusalem. David says he may return to his own house but that he may not see the king's face. It says that in all Israel, no one is praised as much as Absolom for his good looks. He is described as having "no defect in him," and he also has luscious hair. He has three sons and one daughter, a beautiful woman named Tamar. He lives in Jerusalem two years without seeing David's face. Then, he sends for Joab to send him to the king, but he does not come to him. He sends again, but he still does not come, so he tells his servants to set fire to Joab's field, and they do. Then, Joab goes to his house and asks why they have done this, and Absolom says it is because he has not answered him to bring him to the king. His message/question for David is why has he brought him here not to see his face, and that he should either see him or execute him. Then, Absolom is called before David and bows before him, and David kisses him.
Absolom provides himself with chariots and horses and fifty men. He rises early and stands at the gate of the city so that whenever anyone comes to David with a lawsuit, he can intercept. He wishes to be a judge in the land. Whenever anyone bows to him, it says he takes their hand and kisses them. So, he steals the hearts of the people. After 40 years, he asks David if he may go to pay his vows to the Lord to serve him, saying he made them because the Lord brought him back. Instead, he goes to Hebron and sends spies throughout Israel. He tells them when they hear the trumpet sound, they must say, "Absolom reigns in Hebron!" 200 men from Jerusalem go with him, not knowing his plan. He sends for David's counselor, and the "conspiracy [grows] strong" with more people becoming loyal to him. A message comes to David that the people's hearts are with his son, and he tells his servants they must flee because they will surely "not escape from Absolom." He goes with his household but leaves ten concubines to keep the house. A foreigner is with them, and David tells him to return, but he refuses and says he will go wherever David goes, so he permits him to go. They all head towards the wilderness with the Levites carrying the ark. Then, David tells a man, a seer, to carry the ark back to the city, and that if the Lord gives him favor, He will bring him back, but if the Lord does not delight in him, then may He do to him what he sees best. He tells the man to return to the city with his household, and that he will wait in the plains in the wilderness until he sends him word. David goes up weeping by the Mt. of Olives. His head is covered, and he is barefoot, and the others with him do the same, covering their heads and weeping. It is told David that his counselor is with Absolom, so he asks the Lord to turn his counsel to foolishness. When he comes up the top of the mountain where he worships God, his friend comes to him with his robe torn and his hand on his head, and David tells him to return to the city and become Absolom's servant rather than staying and being a burden to him. That way, he may defeat the counsel of the defected counselor. He tells him to tell whatever he hears from Absolom's house to the seer and his household and that they can send him word. And Absolom comes into Jerusalem.
Thoughts/discussion questions:
We see God's judgment to David immediately come to pass, and David seems resigned.