Second Samuel 14 Commentary
We have a very difficult situation at the palace. David wants Absalom back but he cannot say it. Joab senses that the king wants to have Absalom back and devices a plan to initiate the process.
Absalom is finally brought back to Jerusalem but the King doesn’t want to see his son. Interestingly, Joab also doesn’t want to see Absalom. We know Joab and Absalom are first cousins. In order to force Joab to see him, Absalom burns Joab’s crop field. We are also told about Absalom’s very good looks.
It is very easy to smell trouble right here in this chapter. Absalom is trouble in the making but that is for tomorrow. Today we can focus on the decisions at the palace that could have probably added fire to the trouble.
After Amnon raped Tamar, Absalom’s sister, apart from being upset, David goes quiet. It is a point of indecision. It is probably this indecision or the decision to accommodate this kind of sin within the palace that probably angered Absalom. Now that Absalom had exacted justice, the king wants to act tough. Absalom sees nothing but injustice at the palace. He is not completely wrong.
Under the Law of Moses, Amnon deserved death. It didn’t happen. Check Deuteronomy 22 verses 23 to 27.
Indecision in the case of Amnon robbed David of his authority to act in the case of Absalom. Indecision can only produce further indecision and more trouble. In the case of sin, indecision today is only more indecision and more trouble tomorrow. The scripture encourages us to ruthlessly deal with sinful situations in order to avoid more trouble tomorrow.
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