Bible Connect (Week 21 Day 1)
Reading 2 Sam 3
13 - 2 Samuel 13 begins the calamities Nathan had prophesied would strike David’s house (12:1). Am- non (verse 1) is David’s firstborn (2 Sam 3:2), and thus very important in David’s house. Verse 2’s last line is hard to translate, but the idea seems to be that Amnon knew marriage was impossible. Tamar gives powerful reasons for Amnon not to sin: verse 12 begins with this was “not done in Israel” (we are God’s people, we have the Law, we don’t act like this), then she appeals for him to be concerned for others (verse 13’s “where could I take my shame?), and then ends by reminding him to be concerned for himself (verse 13’s “you ... like one of the fools”). What does she mean with “the king will not withhold me from you” (verse 13b)? Since such marriages were forbidden in the law (Lev. 1:9,11; 2:1; Deut. 2:22) we can only conclude she is grasping at straws trying to say anything to stop this ungodly assault. Verse 21 really stands out. Of course, David can’t say anything because he engaged in seual sin as well Verse 26 seems to show that David was suspicious of Absalom.
14 - Chapter 14 reveals Joab’s scheme to get Absalom back into the king’s good graces. Did Joab think Absalom would be the next king and so was siding with him? We don’t know but his plan worked. The wise woman tells a sad story involving her son (verses 4-7), and gets David to agree to protect her and her son 37
(verses 8-11). Then she skewers David by pointing out he won’t afford the same kindness to Absalom (verses 12-16). Her situation involves only one family, while his involves the entire nation. She has him, but David allows Absalom to return but makes the critical mistake of really reconciling with him (verse 13). By the time two years pass Absalom’s heart is hardened against his father.
28 - Again, we are impressed with aul’s practicality as even a great apostle can gather wood (verse 3), and his courage and faith show when bitten by a snake (verses 3-4). Verse 11 has the sound of an eyewitness, doesn’t it? It must have been exciting (and occasionally terrifying!) to travel with Paul. If our admiration of Paul knows no bounds it is tempered by the realism of verse 15. ven aul could use encouragement and enoy being with brethren! The preaching Paul offers (verse 23) is again scriptural, and again it fulfills the pattern of all Acts: some belief and some don’t (verse 24). When verse 31 closes Acts we may wish we knew more of Paul’s final situation but the book isn’t about Paul. It is about the work of God which goes on and prospers even to this day.