2 Samuel 13:30 - Printer Friendly

ESV: While they were on the way, news came to David, "Absalom has struck down all the king 's sons, and not one of them is left."

NIV: While they were on their way, the report came to David: "Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons; not one of them is left."

NASB: Now it was while they were on the way that the report came to David, saying, 'Absalom has struck and killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.'

CSB: While they were on the way, a report reached David: "Absalom struck down all the king’s sons; not even one of them survived!"

NLT: As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, this report reached David: 'Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one is left alive!'

KJV: And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.

NKJV: And it came to pass, while they were on the way, that news came to David, saying, “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left!”

Absalom, David's third son, has asked all his brothers to join him miles away from Jerusalem. This is supposedly for a feast in celebration for a successful sheep shearing (2 Samuel 13:24–27). But his intentions are sinister.

Two years prior, David's oldest son, Amnon, raped Absalom's sister, Tamar. Absalom has carefully planned his vengeance ever since. With his brothers gathered around, Absalom's servants made sure Amnon was well-supplied with alcohol. When drink had dulled the victim's senses and suspicions, Absalom gave an order, and his servants killed Amnon (2 Samuel 13:23, 28–29).

Even with the instant communication options in the modern world, breaking news reports from the scenes of tragedy often get the facts wrong. The first message to reach David from the violence at Absalom's feast likely came from someone there, perhaps a servant, who ran for his life the moment the murder of Amnon occurred before seeing what happened next. Or a version of the events may have been passed between several people as it traveled from the hill country near Bethel to Jerusalem.

In any case, the news likely sounded plausible. Absalom certainly killed David's immediate heir. It's not a stretch to imagine that Absalom would want to eliminate all his potential rivals to become king. It's happened before (Judges 9:1–6), and it will happen again (2 Kings 11:1).

In 2 Samuel 13:30–36, David receives tragic news. The first report is that his third son, Absalom, has slaughtered his half-brothers: all of David's other sons. The same nephew who helped arrange the event that led Absalom to revenge (2 Samuel 13:3–5) assures him that only Amnon, who raped Absalom's sister, has died. The surviving brothers then arrive to mourn with their father.

In this chapter, God's curse that the sword will strike David's house (2 Samuel 12:10) begins to emerge. David's firstborn son Amnon lusts over half-sister Tamar. Tamar fights back, but Amnon first rapes her and then rejects her. David is angry but does nothing. Two years later, Tamar's full brother Absalom murders Amnon. Three years after that, Absalom returns and becomes the enemy in David's house who takes his wives in public (2 Samuel 12:11–12; 15:1–16; 16:21–23).

This begins fulfillment of some of God's curses against David (2 Samuel 12:10), and sets the scene for others (2 Samuel 12:11–12). David's oldest son, Amnon, rapes his own half-sister, Tamar. Her full brother Absalom murders Amnon, starting a five-year campaign of vengeance against David. By the end, two of David's sons will be dead, his daughter will be desolate, and David will be deeply humbled (2 Samuel 14—19).

Second Samuel continues the story of David, who will become king over Judah. The other tribes of Israel are resistant, eventually sparking a civil war. David wins and makes Jerusalem his capital. Early success is followed by moral failure and controversy in David's house. The book of 1 Kings will begin by detailing David's decline and death.