David Mourns Absalom
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David had now lost four sons.
David’s sin with Bath-sheba resulted in the death of the infant they had conceived (2 Samuel 12:18). Absalom had caused his older brother Amnon’s death (2 Samuel 13:29). Chileab, second in line for the throne (2 Samuel 3:3), had probably died as no mention of him is found in the genealogical records. With Amnon and Chileab dead, Absalom had become the heir apparent. Now he was dead (2 Samuel 18:15).
David had received the very punishment for his sin with Bath-sheba that he had prescribed: “As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die: And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man” (2 Samuel 12:5–7).
Every judgment of the Lord, as expressed by the prophet Nathan, had come true. The sword had not departed from his house (v. 10).
His concubines had been raped in public by Absalom (vv. 11, 12).
The child of David and Bath-sheba had died (v. 18).
The penalty he himself had voiced had come true—four of his sons had died. “There are few places in the Bible that picture more poignant grief. David’s sorrow was not merely that of a father for his departed son, although for the tenderhearted king such a sorrow would be heavy enough. What made the situation more difficult for David was that he himself was responsible for the course of events that had had its climax in this terrible tragedy. Absalom had slain his brother after Amnon had violated his sister, Tamar, and now he in turn was slain in battle against his own father. All this followed in natural consequence of David’s heinous sin.” God did not directly cause these deaths, but often “His restraining power will be in a measure removed from the agencies of evil, so that a train of circumstances will arise which will punish sin with sin.” One can only imagine the remorse David must have felt in seeing the end result of his sin.
