Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He had intercourse with her, and she bore a son, whom David named Solomon. The Lord loved the boy and commanded the prophet Nathan to name the boy Jedidiah, because the Lord loved him.
Prior to having done anything good or bad (Romans 9:11-13). Thank you for loving me, Father. Please demonstrate that love towards me that once again.
Meanwhile Joab continued his campaign against Rabbah, the capital city of Ammon, and was about to capture it. He sent messengers to David to report: “I have attacked Rabbah and have captured its water supply.”
The beginning of the end for a beseiged city – and that due to a simple lack of wisdom (2 Samuel 10). The previous chapter and a half were just a big parentheses – one that would cost so dearly…
So David gathered his forces, went to Rabbah, attacked it, and conquered it. …He …took a large amount of loot from the city and put its people to work… Then he and his men returned to Jerusalem.
A victorious return hollowed out by the Bathsheba affaire. For whatever victories we may or may not have, Lord, may they be forever untainted!
David’s son Absalom had a beautiful unmarried sister named Tamar. Amnon, another of David’s sons, fell in love with her.
We men are so stupid and superficial (Genesis 29:16-18)! Help me, Father, to not judge by appearances (1 Samuel 16:7)! [That’s not to say I’m looking for a wife by any means…]
Amnon… had a friend, a very shrewd man named Jonadab…
So called friends that assist us in turning desire into sin (James 1:15). Keep such people far away from me, Lord!
Amnon… overpowered her and raped her. Then Amnon was filled with a deep hatred for her; he hated her now even more than he had loved her before.
Lust: not to be confused with love. Having is not the same as wanting. Being David’s first born, Amnon was very much following in the footsteps of Jacob’s first born, Rueben (Genesis 49:3-4). How history repeats itself. And now the consequences of David’s sin comes home to roost…