Whether through genetics or example or some mix of the two, children seem to adopt many of the same characteristics of their parents. Both my sons in their own ways behave, have interests, or capabilities that resemble me or my wife. This is both for good, and for ill. As parents, we sometimes have to try and discipline the negative from ourselves and our children at the same time. With each of my kids, it really is a little “like father, like son.”
Sadly for Israel, it was also “like father, like son” when it came to their king and his sons. David had committed adultery and murder. One son had horribly abused his half-sister out of sexual immorality as well. And one son would murder that abuser out of revenge.
Sin begets sin, because we are all “like father, like son” as this passage shows. Thank God that we are forgiven through Jesus, his perfect son, who was also “like father, like son” and so accomplished our salvation.
Amnon’s lust turned to hatred as he twisted his own sinful acts to blame on the woman he had abused. Tamar fled humiliated to her brother’s house, awaiting justice which never came. King David just did nothing (v.21).
Absalom, meanwhile, did nothing publicly, but he hated his brother Amnon (v.22). And he plotted.
Two years later, Absalom decided that the dish of revenge was cold enough to serve. He invited all his brothers to a sheep shearing party at his estate in Baal-hazor (v.24). He also invited King David, who declined given how much it would cost to put up the whole Court (v.25).
Then, just as Amnon manoeuvred David into sending Tamar to him, Absalom manoeuvred David into sending Absalom through pressing him (vv.26-7). David probably smelled a rat (this time) but Absalom had been the perfect public gentleman.
The trap set, Absalom informed his servants to wait until Amnon was tipsy then strike him down (v.28). Everything went as Absalom hoped. Amnon hit the floor dead, and the rest of David’s sons hit their mules and fled (v.29).
News reached David, but the initial report was that all the king’s sons were slain (v.30). David and his servants tore their clothes in horror and mourning (v.31). But Jonadab, Amnon’s crafty schemer, was nearby to clarify – only Amnon was gone (v.32).
Somewhere along the way Jonadab had switched allegiances, and now was Absalom’s fixer. He pointed out that Amnon’s death was “determined from the day he violated his sister Tamar” (v.32). Cheer up, oh King! It’s only Amnon who’s gone, he said (v.33).
Jonadab’s words were soon proved right, as the watchman spotted a fleeing horde of David’s sons racing home to the safety of Jerusalem (vv.34-5).
Jonadab offered cold words of comfort to David, just as Absalom had offered cold words of comfort to his sister. David and the king’s sons mourned and wept for Amnon’s death (v.36). The Crown Prince was gone.
Also gone was Absalom, who fled (vv.34, 37). He went to the protection of his maternal grandfather Talmai, king of Geshur (v.37, 3:3). There, Absalom stayed away for three years.
Meanwhile, David had recovered from the loss of Amnon. Perhaps a sense of perspective came, and David remembered the foul way Amnon had treated his daughter. David “longed to go out to Absalom”, perhaps because he had already lost sons. One son to his own sin almost directly, one son to murder. Another son in another land, lost to him as well?
Like father, like son. David had Uriah murdered to cover up his own infidelity (probably not an official act). Absalom had Amnon murdered, this time in revenge for Amnon’s acts.
We probably look at Absalom with shock. Much like gang shootings or murders in the news today, we wonder who could do such a thing. What motivates them? Even when we can see the reasoning; there was no justice for Tamar, because David refused to act. So Absalom acted, out of anger and revenge.
But there is justice for every evil deed. Where every leader fails, and David certainly failed, God will not fail. All will be held to account on the Day of Judgement. There the true measure of justice will be poured out on those who do wicked deeds, whether violation or murder.
And the truth is, we are not so far from Absalom as we might hope. Perhaps we never murder by act, but we murder in our hearts (Matt. 5:21-22). Outside of Christ, we pass “our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another” (Titus 3:3). Like children of the Devil.
Thanks be to God that Jesus was a true and faithful, perfect son like his Father. Jesus gave himself up for us on the Cross, that we might be cleansed of our sin and adopted as children of the Living God. No longer to murder and hate, but to love and forgive. Like father, like son.
