The child that is born to David and Batsheva dies. But this is not the end of the punishment that David suffers because of his taking Batsheva. Let us go back to Natan's words to David. God would not directly cause harm to David for his sin, but there are consequences to what he has done.
(ט) מַדּ֜וּעַ בָּזִ֣יתָ ׀ אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר ה' לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת הָרַע֮ בעינו [בְּעֵינַי֒] אֵ֣ת אוּרִיָּ֤ה הַֽחִתִּי֙ הִכִּ֣יתָ בַחֶ֔רֶב וְאֶ֨ת־אִשְׁתּ֔וֹ לָקַ֥חְתָּ לְּךָ֖ לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וְאֹת֣וֹ הָרַ֔גְתָּ בְּחֶ֖רֶב בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן׃ (י) וְעַתָּ֗ה לֹא־תָס֥וּר חֶ֛רֶב מִבֵּיתְךָ֖ עַד־עוֹלָ֑ם עֵ֚קֶב כִּ֣י בְזִתָ֔נִי וַתִּקַּ֗ח אֶת־אֵ֙שֶׁת֙ אוּרִיָּ֣ה הַחִתִּ֔י לִהְי֥וֹת לְךָ֖ לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ (ס) (יא) כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר ה' הִנְנִי֩ מֵקִ֨ים עָלֶ֤יךָ רָעָה֙ מִבֵּיתֶ֔ךָ וְלָקַחְתִּ֤י אֶת־נָשֶׁ֙יךָ֙ לְעֵינֶ֔יךָ וְנָתַתִּ֖י לְרֵעֶ֑יךָ וְשָׁכַב֙ עִם־נָשֶׁ֔יךָ לְעֵינֵ֖י הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ הַזֹּֽאת׃ (יב) כִּ֥י אַתָּ֖ה עָשִׂ֣יתָ בַסָּ֑תֶר וַאֲנִ֗י אֶעֱשֶׂה֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה נֶ֥גֶד כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְנֶ֥גֶד הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (ס)
(9) Why then have you flouted the command of the LORD and done what displeases Him? You have put Uriah the Hittite to the sword; you took his wife and made her your wife and had him killed by the sword of the Ammonites. (10) Therefore the sword shall never depart from your House—because you spurned Me by taking the wife of Uriah the Hittite and making her your wife.’ (11) Thus said the LORD: ‘I will make a calamity rise against you from within your own house; I will take your wives and give them to another man before your very eyes and he shall sleep with your wives under this very sun. (12) You acted in secret, but I will make this happen in the sight of all Israel and in broad daylight.’”
Remember, David has many wives and children. This was the normal pattern for a king of that time. It meant more status. However, it brings many dangers. Who will succeed the king? each wife will push and scheme so that her son will be the one to become king. Most of the children will be half-brothers and sisters and will be rivals. Each child of the king will be more likely to form the closest bonds with other children with the same mother. This was the case in David's household.
One of David's sons, Amnon, attacks his half-sister, Tamar. King David is upset by the attack, but does not do anything to punish Amnon. Her full brother, Avshalom, is enraged, but holds his anger until he can take revenge. He invites all the princes to a party and there kills Amnon. David is upset at the death of one son and the crime of another. But he does not do anything to address the situation. Avshalom flees. David is persuaded to bring back Avshalom, but Avshalom is ignored by David for two years. Here is how the Tanach describes Avshalom. Remember, the Tanach spends very few words on physical descriptions of people unless it is important to the story.
One of David's sons, Amnon, attacks his half-sister, Tamar. King David is upset by the attack, but does not do anything to punish Amnon. Her full brother, Avshalom, is enraged, but holds his anger until he can take revenge. He invites all the princes to a party and there kills Amnon. David is upset at the death of one son and the crime of another. But he does not do anything to address the situation. Avshalom flees. David is persuaded to bring back Avshalom, but Avshalom is ignored by David for two years. Here is how the Tanach describes Avshalom. Remember, the Tanach spends very few words on physical descriptions of people unless it is important to the story.
(כה) וּכְאַבְשָׁל֗וֹם לֹא־הָיָ֧ה אִישׁ־יָפֶ֛ה בְּכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְהַלֵּ֣ל מְאֹ֑ד מִכַּ֤ף רַגְלוֹ֙ וְעַ֣ד קָדְקֳד֔וֹ לֹא־הָ֥יָה ב֖וֹ מֽוּם׃ (כו) וּֽבְגַלְּחוֹ֮ אֶת־רֹאשׁוֹ֒ וְֽ֠הָיָה מִקֵּ֨ץ יָמִ֤ים ׀ לַיָּמִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְגַלֵּ֔חַ כִּֽי־כָבֵ֥ד עָלָ֖יו וְגִלְּח֑וֹ וְשָׁקַל֙ אֶת־שְׂעַ֣ר רֹאשׁ֔וֹ מָאתַ֥יִם שְׁקָלִ֖ים בְּאֶ֥בֶן הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (כז) וַיִּֽוָּלְד֤וּ לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ שְׁלוֹשָׁ֣ה בָנִ֔ים וּבַ֥ת אַחַ֖ת וּשְׁמָ֣הּ תָּמָ֑ר הִ֣יא הָיְתָ֔ה אִשָּׁ֖ה יְפַ֥ת מַרְאֶֽה׃ (פ)
(25) No one in all Israel was so admired for his beauty as Absalom; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head he was without blemish. (26) When he cut his hair—he had to have it cut every year, for it grew too heavy for him—the hair of his head weighed two hundred shekels by the royal weight. (27) Absalom had three sons and a daughter whose name was Tamar; she was a beautiful woman.
Avshalom stirs up the people against David and it breaks out into open rebellion.
(א) וַֽיְהִי֙ מֵאַ֣חֲרֵי כֵ֔ן וַיַּ֤עַשׂ לוֹ֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם מֶרְכָּבָ֖ה וְסֻסִ֑ים וַחֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אִ֖ישׁ רָצִ֥ים לְפָנָֽיו׃ (ב) וְהִשְׁכִּים֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם וְעָמַ֕ד עַל־יַ֖ד דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַשָּׁ֑עַר וַיְהִ֡י כָּל־הָאִ֣ישׁ אֲשֶֽׁר־יִהְיֶה־לּוֹ־רִיב֩ לָב֨וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט וַיִּקְרָ֨א אַבְשָׁל֤וֹם אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֵֽי־מִזֶּ֥ה עִיר֙ אַ֔תָּה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מֵאַחַ֥ד שִׁבְטֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם רְאֵ֥ה דְבָרֶ֖ךָ טוֹבִ֣ים וּנְכֹחִ֑ים וְשֹׁמֵ֥עַ אֵין־לְךָ֖ מֵאֵ֥ת הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (ד) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם מִי־יְשִׂמֵ֥נִי שֹׁפֵ֖ט בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְעָלַ֗י יָב֥וֹא כָּל־אִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶֽׁר־יִהְיֶה־לּוֹ־רִ֥יב וּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט וְהִצְדַּקְתִּֽיו׃ (ה) וְהָיָה֙ בִּקְרָב־אִ֔ישׁ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֖ת ל֑וֹ וְשָׁלַ֧ח אֶת־יָד֛וֹ וְהֶחֱזִ֥יק ל֖וֹ וְנָ֥שַׁק לֽוֹ׃ (ו) וַיַּ֨עַשׂ אַבְשָׁל֜וֹם כַּדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ לְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁר־יָבֹ֥אוּ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיְגַנֵּב֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם אֶת־לֵ֖ב אַנְשֵׁ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (פ) (ז) וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֵ֣לֲכָה נָּ֗א וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֛ם אֶת־נִדְרִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־נָדַ֥רְתִּי לַֽה' בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן׃ (ח) כִּי־נֵ֙דֶר֙ נָדַ֣ר עַבְדְּךָ֔ בְּשִׁבְתִּ֥י בִגְשׁ֛וּר בַּאֲרָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר אִם־ישיב [יָשׁ֨וֹב] יְשִׁיבֵ֤נִי ה' יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם וְעָבַדְתִּ֖י אֶת־ה' (ט) וַיֹּֽאמֶר־ל֥וֹ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לֵ֣ךְ בְּשָׁל֑וֹם וַיָּ֖קָם וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ חֶבְרֽוֹנָה׃ (פ) (י) וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ מְרַגְּלִ֔ים בְּכָל־שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר כְּשָׁמְעֲכֶם֙ אֶת־ק֣וֹל הַשֹּׁפָ֔ר וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם מָלַ֥ךְ אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן׃ (יא) וְאֶת־אַבְשָׁל֗וֹם הָלְכ֞וּ מָאתַ֤יִם אִישׁ֙ מִיר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם קְרֻאִ֖ים וְהֹלְכִ֣ים לְתֻמָּ֑ם וְלֹ֥א יָדְע֖וּ כָּל־דָּבָֽר׃ (יב) וַיִּשְׁלַ֣ח אַ֠בְשָׁלוֹם אֶת־אֲחִיתֹ֨פֶל הַגִּֽילֹנִ֜י יוֹעֵ֣ץ דָּוִ֗ד מֵֽעִירוֹ֙ מִגִּלֹ֔ה בְּזָבְח֖וֹ אֶת־הַזְּבָחִ֑ים וַיְהִ֤י הַקֶּ֙שֶׁר֙ אַמִּ֔ץ וְהָעָ֛ם הוֹלֵ֥ךְ וָרָ֖ב אֶת־אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ (יג) וַיָּבֹא֙ הַמַּגִּ֔יד אֶל־דָּוִ֖ד לֵאמֹ֑ר הָיָ֛ה לֶב־אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אַחֲרֵ֥י אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ (יד) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר דָּ֠וִד לְכָל־עֲבָדָ֨יו אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֤וֹ בִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ ק֣וּמוּ וְנִבְרָ֔חָה כִּ֛י לֹא־תִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֥נוּ פְלֵיטָ֖ה מִפְּנֵ֣י אַבְשָׁל֑וֹם מַהֲר֣וּ לָלֶ֗כֶת פֶּן־יְמַהֵ֤ר וְהִשִּׂגָ֙נוּ֙ וְהִדִּ֤יחַ עָלֵ֙ינוּ֙ אֶת־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה וְהִכָּ֥ה הָעִ֖יר לְפִי־חָֽרֶב׃ (טו) וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ עַבְדֵֽי־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כְּכֹ֧ל אֲשֶׁר־יִבְחַ֛ר אדושם הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ הִנֵּ֥ה עֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃ (טז) וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְכָל־בֵּית֖וֹ בְּרַגְלָ֑יו וַיַּעֲזֹ֣ב הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֵ֣ת עֶ֧שֶׂר נָשִׁ֛ים פִּֽלַגְשִׁ֖ים לִשְׁמֹ֥ר הַבָּֽיִת׃
(1) Sometime afterward, Absalom provided himself with a chariot, horses, and fifty outrunners. (2) Absalom used to rise early and stand by the road to the city gates; and whenever a man had a case that was to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” And when he answered, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe in Israel,” (3) Absalom would say to him, “It is clear that your claim is right and just, but there is no one assigned to you by the king to hear it.” (4) And Absalom went on, “If only I were appointed judge in the land and everyone with a legal dispute came before me, I would see that he got his rights.” (5) And if a man approached to bow to him, [Absalom] would extend his hand and take hold of him and kiss him. (6) Absalom did this to every Israelite who came to the king for judgment. Thus Absalom won away the hearts of the men of Israel. (7) After a period of forty years had gone by, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow that I made to the LORD. (8) For your servant made a vow when I lived in Geshur of Aram: If the LORD ever brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD.” (9) The king said to him, “Go in peace”; and so he set out for Hebron. (10) But Absalom sent agents to all the tribes of Israel to say, “When you hear the blast of the horn, announce that Absalom has become king in Hebron.” (11) Two hundred men of Jerusalem accompanied Absalom; they were invited and went in good faith, suspecting nothing. (12) Absalom also sent [to fetch] Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his town, Giloh, when the sacrifices were to be offered. The conspiracy gained strength, and the people supported Absalom in increasing numbers. (13) Someone came and told David, “The loyalty of the men of Israel has veered toward Absalom.” (14) Whereupon David said to all the courtiers who were with him in Jerusalem, “Let us flee at once, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must get away quickly, or he will soon overtake us and bring down disaster upon us and put the city to the sword.” (15) The king’s courtiers said to the king, “Whatever our lord the king decides, your servants are ready.” (16) So the king left, followed by his entire household, except for ten concubines whom the king left to mind the palace.
Questions
1 What does David do about Amnon's assault on Tamar? What does David do about the killing of Amnon?
2 How does David's action or inaction make the situation worse?
3 What are Avshalom's feelings about his father?
4 What complaints does Avshalom have against David?
5 Do you think they are justified?
6 How does Avshalom go about stirring up a rebellion against David?
7 Who in the Torah starts a rebellion against Moshe and Aharon? We will be reading about him in a few weeks in the parashah?
8 Why do people support Avshalom?
9 Why is there an extensive description of Avshalom? Does this help to tell us why people were willing to listen to him?
10 Who is Ahitophel? Why does Avshalom want him on his side?
11 What is David's reaction to the rebellion?
1 What does David do about Amnon's assault on Tamar? What does David do about the killing of Amnon?
2 How does David's action or inaction make the situation worse?
3 What are Avshalom's feelings about his father?
4 What complaints does Avshalom have against David?
5 Do you think they are justified?
6 How does Avshalom go about stirring up a rebellion against David?
7 Who in the Torah starts a rebellion against Moshe and Aharon? We will be reading about him in a few weeks in the parashah?
8 Why do people support Avshalom?
9 Why is there an extensive description of Avshalom? Does this help to tell us why people were willing to listen to him?
10 Who is Ahitophel? Why does Avshalom want him on his side?
11 What is David's reaction to the rebellion?