Study Desk

The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to David, he said, "There were two men in a city. One was rich, but the other was poor.

But the poor man had nothing except one little female lamb he had bought. The poor man fed the lamb, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food and drank from his cup and slept in his arms. The lamb was like a daughter to him.

"Then a traveler stopped to visit the rich man. The rich man wanted to feed the traveler, but he didn't want to take one of his own sheep or cattle. Instead, he took the lamb from the poor man and cooked it for his visitor."

You had sexual relations with Bathsheba in secret, but I will do this so all the people of Israel can see it.'"

But what you did caused the Lord 's enemies to lose all respect for him. For this reason the son who was born to you will die."

The elders of David's family came to him and tried to pull him up from the ground, but he refused to get up or to eat food with them.

On the seventh day the baby died. David's servants were afraid to tell him that the baby was dead. They said, "Look, we tried to talk to David while the baby was alive, but he refused to listen to us. If we tell him the baby is dead, he may do something awful."

But now that the baby is dead, why should I fast? I can't bring him back to life. Someday I will go to him, but he cannot come back to me."

Next she took the pan and served him, but he refused to eat. He said to his servants, "All of you, leave me alone!" So they all left him alone.

She went to him so he could eat from her hands, but Amnon grabbed her. He said, "Sister, come and have sexual relations with me."

But Amnon refused to listen to her. He was stronger than she was, so he forced her to have sexual relations with him.

Tamar said to him, "No! Sending me away would be worse than what you've already done!" But he refused to listen to her.

Absalom did not say a word, good or bad, to Amnon. But he hated Amnon for disgracing his sister Tamar.

King David said to Absalom, "No, my son. We won't all go, because it would be too much trouble for you." Although Absalom begged David, he would not go, but he did give his blessing.

So Absalom's young men killed Amnon as Absalom commanded, but all of David's other sons got on their mules and escaped.

David cried for his son every day. But Absalom ran away to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur.

We will all die someday. We're like water spilled on the ground; no one can gather it back. But God doesn't take away life. Instead, he plans ways that those who have been sent away will not have to stay away from him!

But King David said, "Absalom must go to his own house. He may not come to see me." So Absalom went to his own house and did not go to see the king.

Then Absalom sent for Joab so he could send him to the king, but Joab would not come. Absalom sent a message a second time, but Joab still refused to come.

Then Absalom would say, "Look, your claims are right, but the king has no one to listen to you."