January 28, 2024 – 2 Samuel 13

Lesson Date: January 28, 2024

Focal Scripture Passage: 2 Samuel 13:1-39

AIM: To lead students to discover that the first of God’s prophecies concerning the future costs of David’s sins came to pass as his sons imitated his sinful behavior, and to commit themselves to model godliness and purity before their family and friends.

Before class: Read the notes on 2 Samuel 13 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Bring an apple to class.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Direct the students’ attention to the apple, and tell them that apples grow on trees.  Ask: “What eventually happens to ripe apples if they are not picked?” (they fall off the tree).  Ask: “Where do they fall?” (to the ground).  Ask: “Do they fall a mile away from the tree?” (no, they fall right beneath the tree).

Tell the students we probably will not find apples out in our church parking lot, because there are no apple trees there.  If we want to find apples on the ground, we must look under an apple tree.

Ask: “Have you ever heard the old expression, ‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’?” (they probably have).  Ask: “What does it mean?” (that children often mimic the behavior or follow in the footsteps of their parents).  Tell the class that a similar expression is, “Like father, like son.”

Tell the class the title of today’s lesson is The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree.  Tell them as we study 2 Samuel 13, we will learn that David’s sons imitated his sinful behavior.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind the class that we are studying the Old Testament book of 2 Samuel.
   • Ask everyone to turn to 2 Samuel 11, which we studied two weeks ago.
   • Ask: “What happened in that chapter?” (King David stole another man’s wife and had that man killed).
   • Ask: “How did God feel about David’s sins?” (He was very displeased; 2 Sam. 11:27).
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (Costs of David’s Sins; we learned about some of the immediate and future costs of David’s sins).
   • Ask if any volunteer would recite last week’s memory verse (Rom. 6:23).
2. Amnon’s Lust.
   • Read 2 Samuel 13:1.
   • Explain the following:
     • King David had multiple wives, which violated God’s plan for marriage and caused many problems.
     • Absalom was David’s third son, “the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur” (2 Sam. 3:3; locate Geshur on the Map).
     • Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar.
     • Amnon was David’s firstborn son, the son of his third wife Ahinoam (2 Sam. 3:2).
     • Tamar was Amnon’s half-sister.
   • Ask a volunteer to read 2 Samuel 13:2.
   • Ask: “What was Amnon’s problem?” (he was filled with lust for his sister).
   • Ask: “Does this remind you of Amnon’s father, David?” (yes; David had lustful thoughts toward Bathsheba, which led him to sin, and brought many bad consequences).
   • Stress the fact that Amnon had the same problems with lust that his father had.
   • Summarize: David’s oldest son Amnon lusted for his beautiful half-sister Tamar, just as David had lusted for Bathsheba.
3. Amnon Raped Tamar.
   • Read 2 Samuel 13:3-4.
   • Tell the class that Amnon had a close friend (who was also his cousin) named Jonadab.
   • Ask: “How does the Bible describe Jonadab?” (he was “a very subtil man;” in other words, he was cunning and crafty; see Gen. 3:1).
   • Tell the students that Jonadab asked Amnon why he was moping around, and Amnon told him about his so-called “love” (which was actually lust) for his half-sister.
   • Ask a volunteer to read 2 Samuel 13:5.
   • Ask: “What did Jonadab advise Amnon to do?” (pretend to be sick and ask David to send Tamar to prepare and serve him food, so he could get her alone).
   • Stress the fact that we must be very cautious who we go to for advice; if we seek advice from wicked people, we will get ungodly advice.
   • Ask: “What might a godly friend have advised Amnon?” (to reject his sinful thoughts and to replace them with godly thoughts; a godly friend would have warned him to avoid incest and immorality at all costs).
   • Ask a volunteer to read 2 Samuel 13:6-8.
   • Ask: “Did Amnon follow his friend’s evil and ungodly advice?” (yes).
   • Ask: “Does anything about this wicked plotting and scheming remind you of Amnon’s father, David?” (yes: David plotted to kill Bathsheba’s husband Uriah).
   • Read 2 Samuel 13:9-14.
   • Explain the following:
     • Amnon sent all his servants out of the room and called Tamar to his bedside.
     • Amnon grabbed Tamar.
     • She tried desperately to reason with her half-brother.
   • Ask: “According to verses 12-13, what did Tamar say to try to persuade Amnon not to rape her?” (she said rape and incest should not take place in Israel; she begged him not to do this wicked crime; she reminded him that she would be shamed forever if he raped her; she said he would be considered a stupid, wicked, vile fool; finally, she begged him to stop and ask their father for her hand in legitimate marriage).
   • Ask: “Did her reasoning stop Amnon?” (no; he yielded to his lustful desires, overpowered Tamar, and raped her).
   • Ask a volunteer to read 2 Samuel 13:15.
   • Ask: “What became of Amnon’s so-called ‘love’ for Tamar after he raped her?” (it was gone; he hated her and sent her away).
   • Tell the class that Amnon shamed and disgraced Tamar to satisfy his fleshly desires.
   • Ask: “Does this remind you of David?” (yes: David shamefully drew Bathsheba into an adulterous relationship simply to satisfy his fleshly lusts).
   • Explain the following:
     • Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her special garment worn by the virgin daughters of the king (verse 19).
     • These were signs of grief and shame.
     • Tamar went home to her brother Absalom’s house, where she remained unmarried and childless the rest of her life (verse 20).
   • Summarize: Amnon raped Tamar to satisfy his fleshly lust, just as David committed adultery with Bathsheba to satisfy his fleshly lust.
4. Reaction to Amnon’s Sin.
   • Ask a volunteer to read 2 Samuel 13:21-22.
   • Ask: “How did David feel when he learned about Amnon’s sin?” (he was very angry).
   • Remind the class that the Old Testament Law laid out specific penalties for rape and incest (Lev. 18:9; 20:17; Deut. 22:29; 27:22); as king, David was responsible to uphold the Law.
   • Ask: “Does the Bible tell us David did anything about Amnon’s crime?” (no).
   • Explain the following:
     • David did not take any action against Amnon for raping his sister, just as he sought to sweep his own sin with Bathsheba under the rug.
     • Being an adulterer himself, perhaps David felt he lacked the moral authority to judge Amnon’s sin.
     • Perhaps David wanted to protect Amnon, since he was his first-born son and heir to the throne.
   • Ask: “How did Absalom react to Tamar’s rape?” (he hated Amnon and did not speak to him).
   • Tell the class there was a ticking time bomb of hatred in Absalom’s heart.
   • Summarize: David was angry about Amnon’s rape of Tamar, but did nothing about it. Absalom harbored hatred toward Amnon in his heart.
5. Absalom’s Murderous Plot.
   • Read 2 Samuel 13:23-29.
   • Explain the following:
     • Absalom waited two full years for the right time to exact revenge.
     • He invited Amnon and the rest of the king’s sons to a sheep shearing celebration away from Jerusalem.
     • Absalom ordered his servants to kill his brother Amnon.
     • Word came to David that all of his sons were dead.
     • David’s nephew Jonadab (Amnon’s wicked friend) told David the truth.
   • Read 2 Samuel 13:32.
   • Ask: “How long had Absalom been plotting to kill Amnon?” (from the day Amnon raped Tamar).
   • Summarize: Absalom orchestrated his half-brother Amnon’s death, just as David arranged Uriah’s death.
6. Results of Absalom’s Sin.
   • Read 2 Samuel 13:37-39.
   • Absalom fled Israel and stayed with his grandfather, Talmai the king of Geshur (locate Geshur on the Map).
   • Ask: “How long did Absalom stay there?” (three years).
   • Ask: “What does verse 39 say David longed to do?” (go to Absalom, but he did not).
   • Summarize: Absalom took revenge on Amnon, but lost his relationship with his father. Their relationship would never be the same again, all because of sin.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the students that the title of today’s lesson is The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree.

Tell the class that David’s sins were repeated by his sons:

• Just as David allowed his lustful thoughts to become reality in an adulterous affair with another man’s wife, Amnon acted on his lustful thoughts and raped his half-sister.
• Just as David plotted the murder of Uriah with cold-blooded calculation, Absalom planned for two years to kill his half-brother, Amnon.

Ask: “Why did such terrible things happen in David’s family?” (these were some of the costs of David’s sins).  Read 2 Samuel 12:10.  Stress the fact that because of David’s sins concerning Bathsheba and Uriah, God told him that the sword would never depart from his house.  Tell the class the things we learned about today are just the beginning of the fulfillment of that prophecy.

Ask: “What did Amnon’s sin cost?” (it brought shame and disgrace upon Tamar, it brought pain and broken relationships to David’s family, and Amnon eventually paid with his life).  Ask: “What did Absalom’s sin cost?” (he lost his relationship with his father).  Hold up a copy of the Sunday School Member Quarterly, and remind the students that this quarter we are learning about some of the costs of sin and disobedience.  Tell them the sins of David, Amnon, and Absalom all cost them dearly.  Stress that if we want to avoid paying the cost of sin, we must resist its temptations.

Tell the students another important lesson for all of us is that our children, grandchildren, and other family members are watching our behavior.  Tell them that just as David’s sons imitated his sinful actions, if we live sinful and selfish lives, our children will likely do the same.  Stress the fact that parents must model morality and godliness if they want their children to be moral and godly people.

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Urge them to make a commitment to God right now to model godliness and purity before their family members.  Allow a moment for silent prayer, and then voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Tell the students that whatever kind of legacy they want to leave their children, grandchildren, and other family members, they must start living today, because we are being watched!