Study Desk

His officials said, "What are you doing? You went without eating and cried for your son while he was alive! But now that he's dead, you're up and eating."

David comforted his wife Bathsheba and slept with her. Later on, she gave birth to another son and named him Solomon. The Lord loved Solomon

and took the crown from the statue of their god Milcom. The crown was made of seventy-five pounds of gold, and there was a valuable jewel on it. David put the jewel on his own crown. He also carried off everything else of value.

Then she took the bread out of the pan and put it on his plate, but he refused to eat it. Amnon said, "Send the servants out of the house." After they had gone,

He called in his servant and said, "Throw this woman out and lock the door!"

When David heard what had happened to Tamar, he was very angry. But Amnon was his oldest son and also his favorite, and David would not do anything to make Amnon unhappy.

Absalom treated Amnon as though nothing had happened, but he hated Amnon for what he had done to his sister Tamar.

Two years later, Absalom's servants were cutting wool from his sheep in Baal-Hazor near the town of Ephraim, and Absalom invited all of the king's sons to be there.

David answered, "No, my son, we won't go. It would be too expensive for you." Absalom tried to get him to change his mind, but David did not want to go. He only said that he hoped they would have a good time.

But Absalom kept on insisting, and finally David let Amnon and all his other sons go with Absalom. Absalom prepared a banquet fit for a king.

But he told his servants, "Keep an eye on Amnon. When he gets a little drunk from the wine and is feeling good, I'll give the signal. Then kill him! I've commanded you to do it, so don't be afraid. Be strong and brave."

David got up, and in his sorrow he tore his clothes and lay down on the ground. His servants remained standing, but they tore their clothes too.

No sooner had he said it, than David's sons came in. They were weeping out loud, and David and all his officials cried just as loudly.

David still felt so sad over the loss of Amnon that he wanted to take his army there and capture Absalom.

Now all of my relatives have come to me and said, "Hand over your son! We're going to put him to death for killing his brother." But what they really want is to get rid of him, so they can take over our land. Please don't let them put out my only flame of hope! There won't be anyone left on this earth to carry on my husband's name.

"Please," she replied, "swear by the Lord your God that no one will be allowed to kill my son!" He said, "I swear by the living Lord that no one will touch even a hair on his head!"

David told Joab, "I don't want to see my son Absalom. Tell him to stay away from me." So Absalom went to his own house without seeing his father.

He got his hair cut once a year, and when the hair was weighed, it came to about five pounds.

Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing his father.

Finally, Absalom told his servants, "Joab's barley field is right next to mine. Go set it on fire!" And they did.