2 Samuel 18:13-15 13 And if I had betrayed the king by killing his son—and the king would certainly find out who did it—you yourself would be the first to abandon me.” 14 “Enough of this nonsense,” Joab said. Then he took three daggers and plunged them into Absalom’s heart as he dangled, still alive, in the great tree. 15 Ten of Joab’s young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him. We don’t know the name of the soldier who obeyed the king’s wishes and chose not to harm his son, Absalom. Whenever he comes up, he’s just a man. But he is loyal to David. Meanwhile, Absalom is stuck in a tree. It might seem strange that he got caught up by his hair, but in 2 Samuel 14, we’re told that not only was Absalom handsome, his hair was so thick that he’d cut it every month and the cut hair would weigh five pounds (as a bald man, that’s just bragging). So his hair was thick, and as he was trying to escape, he got tangled up in a tree...   Read More

2 Samuel 18:9-12 9 During the battle, Absalom happened to come upon some of David’s men. He tried to escape on his mule, but as he rode beneath the thick branches of a great tree, his hair got caught in the tree. His mule kept going and left him dangling in the air. 10 One of David’s men saw what had happened and told Joab, “I saw Absalom dangling from a great tree.” 11 “What?” Joab demanded. “You saw him there and didn’t kill him? I would have rewarded you with ten pieces of silver and a hero’s belt” 12 “I would not kill the king’s son for even a thousand pieces of silver,” the man replied to Joab. “We all heard the king say to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘For my sake, please spare young Absalom.’ In this chapter, we are in the midst of a civil war between King David and those loyal to him, and his son Absalom, who has tricked many of the Israelites into supporting him as a new king. So how did we get here? After Amnon’s death, Absalom flees Hebron to Geshur. Geshur is about 250-300 miles away from Hebron, so he is now a good, “safe” distance away from any retribution from his father, the king. After two years, David allows Absalom to return to Hebron, but he doesn’t want to see him; not yet. His feelings are still complicated. He knows what Amnon did was wrong, but he still grieves Amnon. And he loves and wants to reconcile with Absalom, but will that make it look like he no longer grieves Amnon? Meanwhile, Absalom continues to allow his hatred for Amnon’s act to consume him. He has now named his daughter Tamar, after his sister that Amnon raped...  Read More

This content may be difficult for some in your group to process together. Be sure to let your group know the topic before you meet, and give permission to anyone to bow out if they are concerned about being triggered, or who simply don’t want to talk through this particular story. What are some of the stories from Scripture that you struggle to understand, have questions about, or wish you had some sort of answer for that you currently don’t?  Read More

2 Samuel 13:34b-39 34…Then the watchman on the Jerusalem wall saw a great crowd coming down the hill on the road from the west. He ran to tell the king, “I see a crowd of people coming from the Horonaim road along the side of the hill.” 35 “Look” Jonadab told the king. “There they are now The king’s sons are coming, just as I said.” 36 They soon arrived, weeping and sobbing, and the king and all his servants wept bitterly with them. 37 And David mourned many days for his son Amnon. Absalom fled to his grandfather, Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. 38 He stayed there in Geshur for three years. 39 And King David, now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed to be reunited with his son Absalom. I know this story doesn’t mention Tamar again after she goes to Absalom’s house where we are told she lived desolate, or ruined. However, as a father to a daughter, I like to imagine that David went to Tamar and tried to console her and love her back to a place of healing and hope. That’s what I like to believe happened...  Read More

2 Samuel 13:23-34a 23 Two years later, when Absalom’s sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come to a feast. 24 He went to the king and said, “My sheep-shearers are now at work. Would the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?” 25 The king replied, “No, my son. If we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you.” Absalom pressed him, but the king would not come, though he gave Absalom his blessing. 26 “Well, then,” Absalom said, “if you can’t come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?” “Why Amnon?” the king asked. 27 But Absalom kept on pressing the king until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon. So Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king. 28 Absalom told his men, “Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal, kill him Don’t be afraid. I’m the one who has given the command. Take courage and do it” 29 So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled. 30 As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, this report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one is left alive” 31 The king got up, tore his robe, and threw himself on the ground. His advisers also tore their clothes in horror and sorrow. 32 But just then Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimea, arrived and said, “No, don’t believe that all the king’s sons have been killed It was only Amnon Absalom has been plotting this ever since Amnon raped his sister Tamar. 33 No, my lord the king, your sons aren’t all dead It was only Amnon.” 34 Meanwhile Absalom escaped. As we see in this story, Absalom let his hatred for Amnon grow for two years. Two years of playing the scene over and over again in his head. Two years of seeing the woman Tamar became, after Amnon’s act...  Read More

WARNING: Today’s topic continues with the aftermath of a story involving rape and abuse. We want to make sure you are well cared for, so if you have struggled with these things, please proceed with caution. If you are triggered in any way, or realize you need more help, you may reach out to a pastor at your local campus, or call the Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.4673. 2 Samuel 13:15-22 15 Then suddenly Amnon’s love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her. “Get out of here” he snarled at her. 16 “No, no” Tamar cried. “Sending me away now is worse than what you’ve already done to me.” But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her. 17 He shouted for his servant and demanded, “Throw this woman out, and lock the door behind her” 18 So the servant put her out and locked the door behind her. She was wearing a long, beautiful robe, as was the custom in those days for the king’s virgin daughters. 19 But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying. 20 Her brother Absalom saw her and asked, “Is it true that Amnon has been with you? Well, my sister, keep quiet for now, since he’s your brother. Don’t you worry about it.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother Absalom’s house. 21 When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry. 22 And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister. First of all, I recognize that I am a man and can’t possibly fathom what all Tamar went through in this story, but I can tell you it breaks my heart and causes me to feel sick inside (and I do recognize that men can experience rape and sexual assault too, and I in no way want to suggest otherwise). These sick feelings are yet another reminder that these are the stories we were never meant to experience or hear...  Read More