Study Desk

Then David said to the man, "Tell Joab, ‘Do not let this thing trouble you. For the sword kills one as well as another. Make your battle against the city stronger and destroy it.' Comfort him with these words."

When Uriah's wife heard that her husband was dead, she was filled with sorrow for him.

Now a traveler came to the rich man. But the rich man was not willing to take from his own flock or his own cattle, to make food for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the poor man's female lamb and made it ready for the man who had come to him."

David was very angry at the man, and said to Nathan, "As the Lord lives, for sure the man who has done this should die.

But by this act you have given those who hate the Lord a reason to speak against the Lord. The child that is born to you will die for sure."

The child died on the seventh day. And David's servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, "See, we spoke to him while the child was still alive, and he did not listen to us. So how can we tell him the child is dead? He might hurt himself."

So David got up from the ground, washed, poured oil on himself, and changed his clothes. Then he came into the house of the Lord and worshiped. He returned to his own house and asked for food. So they set food in front of him, and he ate.

David said, "I went without food and cried while the child was still alive, for I said, ‘Who knows? The Lord might be kind to me and let the child live.'

and sent word through Nathan who spoke for God. And Nathan gave him the name Jedidiah because of the Lord.

Then David sent home for Tamar, saying, "Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and make food for him."

But she said, "No, my brother. Do not make me. For such a thing is not done in Israel. Do not do this bad and foolish thing!

As for me, where could I get rid of my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. So now I beg you, speak to the king, for he will not keep me from you."

Now she was wearing a dress which covered her arms. For this is how the king's daughters dressed when they had never had a man. The man who helped Amnon took her out and locked the door behind her.

But the king said to Absalom, "No, my son. We should not all go, or we will be trouble for you." Absalom tried to talk him into going. The king prayed that good would come to him, but he would not go with him.

So do not let my lord the king take this to heart and think that all the king's sons are dead, for only Amnon is dead."

Absalom ran away and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. And David was filled with sorrow for his son every day.

The spirit of King David wanted very much to go out to Absalom. For he was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.

So Joab sent for a wise woman from Tekoa, and said to her, "Pretend to be filled with sorrow. Dress as if you were filled with sorrow, and do not pour oil on yourself. Dress like a woman who has been filled with sorrow for the dead many days.

Now the whole family has come against your woman servant. They say, ‘Give us the one who killed his brother. We must put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed.' So I would be without a son to receive what belonged to his parents when I die. They would put out the last of the fire which is left to me. My husband would be left without a name and with no children on the earth."

Then she said, "I beg the king to remember the Lord your God, that the one who punishes for blood will stop destroying. Or my son might be destroyed." And the king said, "As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son will fall to the ground."