Saturday 9th November
Read 2 Samuel 13:30-36
“While they were on their way, the report came to David: ‘Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons; not one of them is left.’ 31 The king stood up, tore his clothes and lay down on the ground; and all his attendants stood by with their clothes torn.
32 But Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, ‘My lord should not think that they killed all the princes; only Amnon is dead. This has been Absalom’s express intention ever since the day that Amnon raped his sister Tamar. 33 My lord the king should not be concerned about the report that all the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.’
34 Meanwhile, Absalom had fled.
Now the man standing watch looked up and saw many people on the road west of him, coming down the side of the hill. The watchman went and told the king, ‘I see men in the direction of Horonaim, on the side of the hill.’
35 Jonadab said to the king, ‘See, the king’s sons have come; it has happened just as your servant said.’
36 As he finished speaking, the king’s sons came in, wailing loudly. The king, too, and all his attendants wept very bitterly.” (NIVUK)
The fate of God’s promises to David hangs in the balance. At least from David’s perspective. David somehow hears rumours before word could possibly arrive and concludes the worst.
It is Jonadab, he who whispered Tamar’s demise in Amnon’s ears, who somehow also knows that only Amnon is dead. Something he tries to communicate to David through his grief, repeating it twice. Luckily for Jonadab David is too overwrought to ask the obvious question – how does Jonadab know of Absalom’s assassination plans? David’s grief blinds him.
What happens when you love something other than God too much?
