20240522

results of indiscretion

2 Samuel 13:1-22 (JDV)

2 Samuel 13:1 After this, David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and David’s son Amnon loved her.
2 Samuel 13:2 Amnon was frustrated to the point of making himself sick over his sister Tamar because she was a virgin, but it seemed impossible to do anything to her.
2 Samuel 13:3 Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, a son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man,
2 Samuel 13:4 and he asked Amnon, “Why are you, the king’s son, so miserable every morning? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon replied, “I’m in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”
2 Samuel 13:5 Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend you’re sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare a meal in my presence so I can watch and eat from her hand.'”
2 Samuel 13:6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my presence so I can eat from her hand.”
2 Samuel 13:7 David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Please go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare a meal for him.”
2 Samuel 13:8 Then Tamar went to his house while Amnon was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his presence, and baked them.
2 Samuel 13:9 She brought the pan and set it down in front of him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, “Everyone leave me!” And everyone left him.
2 Samuel 13:10 “Bring the meal to the bedroom,” Amnon told Tamar, “so I can eat from your hand.” Tamar took the cakes she had made and went to her brother Amnon’s bedroom.
2 Samuel 13:11 When she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, “Come sleep with me, my sister!”
2 Samuel 13:12 “Don’t, my brother!” she cried. “Don’t disgrace me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Don’t commit this outrage!
2 Samuel 13:13 Where could I ever go with my humiliation? And you– you would be like one of the outrageous fools in Israel! Please, speak to the king, for he won’t keep me from you.”
2 Samuel 13:14 But he refused to listen to her, and because he was stronger than she was, he disgraced her by raping her.
2 Samuel 13:15 So Amnon hated Tamar with such intensity that the hatred he hated her with was greater than the love he had loved her with. “Get out of here!” he said.
2 Samuel 13:16 “No,” she cried, “sending me away is much worse than the great wrong you’ve already done to me!” But he refused to listen to her.
2 Samuel 13:17 Instead, he called to the servant who waited on him: “Get this away from me, throw her out, and bolt the door behind her!”
2 Samuel 13:18 Amnon’s servant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a long-sleeved garment because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore.
2 Samuel 13:19 Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long-sleeved garment she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away crying out.
2 Samuel 13:20 Her brother Absalom said to her: “Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.” So, Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.
2 Samuel 13:21 When King David heard about all these things, he was furious.
2 Samuel 13:22 Absalom didn’t say anything to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon since he disgraced his sister Tamar.

results of indiscretion

The consequences of David’s sin with Bathsheba continue to play out in the lives of his children. Had David been able to see all that would happen as a result of his indiscretion perhaps it would have given him pause. As it turns out, David seems helpless to stop the world he created from spiraling into despair. In spite of the fact that he had been forgiven, his choices brought great harm to his family, and great shame to himself, his nation, and his God. Oh, Christian, run from sin.

LORD, give us insight into the consequences of our choices.