Would you like to read James McNaught’s novel Sinking Sand”? click here: Sinking Sand
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
2 Samuel 13:30–39, “And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left. Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent. And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead. But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him. And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king’s sons come: as thy servant said, so it is. And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore. But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years. And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.”
When the murder took place, someone escaped and brought the message that all of the king’s sons had been killed. When David heard this he began to mourn for his sons. He tore his clothes, as a sign of mourning, and lay on the ground. However, Jonadab David’s nephew told the king that only one of his sons was dead, namely Amnon. Jonadab had been Amon’s friend and had told Amnon what to do to satisfy his great desire for Tamar. It seems as though Jonadab was a schemer and tried to curry favour with the king’s sons for his own advantage. Jonadab told David the Absalom had been planning to kill Amnon since Tamar had been raped. At the same time, the watchman on the wall of the city saw a crowd of people coming to the city. These were the surviving princes who were returning home. Everyone wept because Amnon was the king’s firstborn son and the heir presumptive. On the other hand, Absalom escaped and went to live his uncle for three years to escape any penalty for his actions. David didn’t do anything about Amnon but was reconciled to the fact that he was dead. On the other hand, he missed Absalom and longed to see him.
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