Bathsheba’s Child Dies
The LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became very ill. 16David therefore pleaded with God for the child; David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground. 17The elders of his house stood beside him, urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, “While the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us; how then can we tell him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” 19But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, he perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.”
20Then David rose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes. He went into the house of the LORD, and worshiped; he then went to his own house; and when he asked, they set food before him and he ate. 21Then his servants said to him, “What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but when the child died, you rose and ate food.” 22He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me, and the child may live.’ 23But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”
Solomon Is Born
24Then David consoled his wife Bathsheba, and went to her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and he named him Solomon. The LORD loved him, 25and sent a message by the prophet Nathan; so he named him Jedidiah,b because of the LORD.
The Ammonites Crushed
26Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and took the royal city. 27Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the water city. 28Now, then, gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it; or I myself will take the city, and it will be called by my name.” 29So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, and fought against it and took it. 30He took the crown of Milcomc from his head; the weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone; and it was placed on David’s head. He also brought forth the spoil of the city, a very great amount. 31He brought out the people who were in it, and set them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes, or sent them to the brickworks. Thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
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a Ancient scribal tradition: Compare 1 Sam 25.22 note: Heb scorned the enemies of the LORD
b That is Beloved of the LORD
c Gk See 1 Kings 11.5, 33: Heb their kings
12.4 Took the poor man’s lamb invokes the theme of royal abuse of power as expressed in another prophetically oriented passage, 1 Sam 8.11–18, where the verb take is used repeatedly with the king as subject.
12.6 Fourfold restitution comes from Ex 22.1, but in the original text of the present passage, preserved in most Greek manuscripts, David demands that the lamb be restored sevenfold (cf. Prov 6.31).
12.7 I anointed you king over Israel. See 1 Sam 16.1–13.
12.8 Errors in the transmission of this verse have obscured its main point. Your master’s house should be “your master’s daughter,” i.e., Michal (see 3.13–16). Your master’s wives must refer to Saul’s wives, and entry into a king’s harem was a way of claiming his throne (see 16.21–22). We have no direct report that David took any of Saul’s wives, but the Talmud (Sanhedrin 18a) and a number of modern scholars have speculated that David’s wife Ahinoam, the mother of Amnon (see 3.2; 1 Sam 25.43), was the same as Saul’s wife, Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz (1 Sam 14.50). The house of Israel and of Judah should be “the daughters of Israel and Judah” the point is that David was given as many women as he could possibly want, but, like the rich man in the parable, he wantonly took something that belonged to someone who had been less generously treated.
12.10 Sword…never depart from your house. The prophetic author of chs. 11–12 (see note on 11.1–13) interprets events to come—specifically the violent deaths of David’s sons Amnon (13.23–29), Absalom (18.15), and Adonijah (1 Kings 2.25)—as a result of David’s contrivance of the death of Uriah.
12.11 Trouble…from within your own house. The grievous events of Absalom’s revolt are also interpreted as a consequence of David’s sin against Uriah. Specifically, someone (Absalom) will enter David’s harem in the sight of this very sun (see 16.21–22).
12.13–14 Put away your sin, rather “transferred your sin” David will not die, but someone must, and it will be the child that is born to him.
12.15b–23 David fasts, lies in the dirt, and implores the Lord to spare the condemned infant. When the child dies, David bathes and eats. His astonished servants see all this as a reversal of normal behavior, since fasting and self-abasement usually followed a death as gestures of mourning.
12.20 House of the LORD, anachronistic; the temple will be built in the time of Solomon (see 7.13).
12.24–25 Though explained differently in 1 Chr 22.9, the name Solomon, Hebrew shelomoh, means “his replacement,” referring to the child who died in v.18. Jedidiah, mentioned nowhere else in the Bible, may have been an official throne name used alongside the personal name Solomon.
12.26–31 The continuation and completion of the siege begun in 11.1.
12.26–27 Royal city, water city, designations for the same place; it may have been a royal fortress that stood on the high citadel and guarded the spring that provided the city’s water supply.
12.30 Milcom, the national god of the Ammonites. His crown with its single jewel (cf. Zech 9.16) would have been worn by his cult statue, which to judge by the size of the crown (a talent of gold, about 75 pounds) was larger than the size of a man.
12.31 The work assigned to Ammonites with saws and iron picks and iron axes is probably the dismantling of the city’s fortifications.
2 SAMUEL 13
Amnon and Tamar
1Some time passed. David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar; and David’s son Amnon fell in love with her. 2Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. 3But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah; and Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4He said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” 5Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed, and pretend to be ill; and when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, so that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” 6So Amnon lay down, and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.”
7Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.” 8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 9Then she took the pan and set thema out before him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, “Send out everyone from me.” So everyone went out from him. 10Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the chamber, so that I may eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” 12She answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me; for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do anything so vile! 13As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the scoundrels in Israel. Now therefore, I beg you, speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.” 14But he would not
listen to her; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.
15Then Amnon was seized with a very great loathing for her; indeed, his loathing was even greater than the lust he had felt for her. Amnon said to her, “Get out!” 16But she said to him, “No, my brother;b for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.” But he would not listen to her. 17He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence, and bolt the door after her.” 18(Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves; for this is how the virgin daughters of the king were clothed in earlier times.c) So his servant put her out, and bolted the door after her. 19But Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore the long robe that she was wearing; she put her hand on her head, and went away, crying aloud as she went.
20Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister; he is your brother; do not take this to heart.” So Tamar remained, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom’s house. 21When King David heard of all these things, he became very angry, but he would not punish his son Amnon, because he loved him, for he was his firstborn.d 22But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had raped his sister Tamar.
Absalom Avenges the Violation of His Sister
23After two full years Absalom had sheep-shearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24Absalom came to the king, and said, “Your servant has sheepshearers; will the king and his servants please go with your servant?” 25But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, or else we will be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. 26Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. Absalom made a feast like a king’s feast.e 28Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Watch when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not be afraid; have I not myself commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.” 29So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons rose, and each mounted his mule and fled.
30While they were on the way, the report came to David that Absalom had killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them was left. 31The king rose, tore his garments, and lay on the ground; and all his servants who were standing by tore their garments. 32But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king’s sons; Amnon alone is dead. This has been determined by Absalom from the day Amnonf raped his sister Tamar. 33Now therefore, do not let my lord the king take it to heart, as if all the king’s sons were dead; for Amnon alone is dead.”
34But Absalom fled. When the young man who kept watch looked up, he saw many people coming from the Horonaim roadg by the side of the mountain. 35Jonadab said to the king, “See, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.” 36As soon as he had finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, and raised their voices and wept; and the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.
37But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son day after day. 38Absalom, having fled to Geshur, stayed there three years. 39And the heart ofh the king went out, yearning for Absalom; for he was now consoled over the death of Amnon.
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a Heb and poured
b Cn Compare Gk Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain
c Cn: Heb were clothed in robes
d Q Ms Gk: MT lacks but he would not punish…firstborn
e Gk Compare Q Ms: MT lacks Absalom made a feast like a king’s feast
f Heb he
g Cn Compare Gk: Heb the road behind him
h Q Ms Gk: MT And David
13.1–22 This story may be viewed as a prologue to the account of Absalom’s rebellion in chs. 15–20. The source for most of the material in chs. 13–20 seems to have been an early account of Absalom’s revolt, which, like the story of David’s rise to power, is told in such a way that it exonerates David of possible charges of serious wrongdoing in the violent events being reported (see Introduction). The contrast with the prophetic orientation of chs. 11–12 and their unfavorable portrayal of David is striking. In the old story that begins in 13.1 David, the adulterer and murderer of the preceding chapters, is guilty of nothing worse than excessive love and leniency toward his sons (see 13.21, 37–39; 18.5).
13.1 Tamar, Absalom’s full sister, the daughter of David and Maacah (see 3.3), and Amnon’s half sister.
13.2 For Amnon’s lovesickness, cf. Song 2.5; 5.8. Amnon knows that as a virgin and a member of the royal family Tamar would be closely guarded.
13.3 Shimeah. See note on 1 Sam 16.9.
13.6 The dish Tamar prepares, which is made from dough that is kneaded and boiled (v. 8), seems to be a pudding or dumplings of some kind rather than cakes.
13.8 Baked, rather “boiled” (cf. v. 6).
13.12 Anything so vile, behavior that seriously violates the norms of etiquette or law, rendered folly in 1 Sam 25.25; see also note on 13.13.
13.13 Scoundrels, in Hebrew the plural of nabal (see note on 1 Sam 25.3); by flouting the norms of Israelite society Amnon will, says Tamar, become an outcast. Intercourse with a man’s sister or half sister is prohibited by biblical law (Lev 18.9, 11; 20.17; Deut 27.22), so that Tamar’s statement that David will not withhold her from Amnon, unless she is lying to buy time, must mean that these laws were not in effect at the time, or that the royal family was exempt from them, or that David would be willing to disregard them.
13.16 This wrong in sending me away. Tamar is appealing to a regulation like that in Deut 22.28–29 (cf. Ex 22.16), which says that a man who rapes a virgin is required to marry her and is forbidden to send her away.
13.18 The exact appearance or significance of a long robe with sleeves (see also Gen 37.3) is unknown; it may have been a robe that reached the extremities (the wrists and ankles).
13.19 All the actions here are customary gestures of grief.
13.20 Rejected by Amnon and having lost her virginity, Tamar has become a desolate woman, i.e., childless and without hope of marriage (see, ironically, Isa 54.1).
13.21 David is depicted as acting too leniently out of love for his son; the same weakness will affect his dealings with Absalom at the time of his revolt (see vv. 37–39; 18.5).
13.23–39 Absalom avenges the violence done to his sister by killing his brother.
13.23 For the festival of sheepshearers, see 1 Sam 25.7. Baal-hazor, a town in the central hills about twenty miles north of Jerusalem; about two miles to the southeast was Ephraim (see Jn 11.54), also known as Ophrah (see Josh 18.23) and Ephron (2 Chr 13.19).
13.27 As in 1 Sam 25.36, a king’s feast would be expected to include a lot of drinking, which is, as the next verse shows, an important part of Absalom’s plot.
13.29 It seems to have been customary at this time for a king or prince to ride a mule rather than a donkey or a horse (see 18.9; 1 Kings 1.33, 38, 44); if Israelites were forbidden to hybridize horses in this period (cf. Lev 19.19), the royal mules must have been imported.
13.32 It is Jonadab, Amnon’s friend (v. 3), who reports the true state of affairs to the king.
13.34 The royal party approaches the city along the Horonaim road, which ran northwest in the direction of “the two Horons” (Hebrew horonaim), i.e., Upper and Lower Beth-horon (see Josh 16.3, 5; note on 1 Sam 13.18).
13.37 Absalom finds sanctuary with Talmai son of Ammihud, his maternal grandfather (see 3.3). Geshur. See notes on 2.9; 3.3.
2 SAMUEL 14
Absalom Returns to Jerusalem
1Now Joab son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s mind was on Absalom. 2Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He said to her, “Pretend to be a
mourner; put on mourning garments, do not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead. 3Go to the king and speak to him as follows.” And Joab put the words into her mouth.
4When the woman of Tekoa came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance, and said, “Help, O king!” 5The king asked her, “What is your trouble?” She answered, “Alas, I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6Your servant had two sons, and they fought with one another in the field; there was no one to part them, and one struck the other and killed him. 7Now the whole family has risen against your servant. They say, ‘Give up the man who struck his brother, so that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he murdered, even if we destroy the heir as well.’ Thus they would quench my one remaining ember, and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.”
8Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.” 9The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “On me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father’s house; let the king and his throne be guiltless.” 10The king said, “If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall never touch you again.” 11Then she said, “Please, may the king keep the LORD your God in mind, so that the avenger of blood may kill no more, and my son not be destroyed.” He said, “As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”
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