2 Samuel 13:30-39

Absalom Flees to Talmai. 2 Samuel 13:30-39

30 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.
31 Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.
32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.
34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hillside behind him.
35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as thy servant said, so it is.
36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.
37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.
39 And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

22.

Why did anyone think that all had been killed? 2 Samuel 13:30

Rumor exaggerated the calamity. Confusion reigned at the feast; and by the time word got to David, twenty miles away, the report was made that Absalom had killed all the king's sons. Such catastrophic news left the king in deep mourning. Like Tamar, David tore his garments and lay on the earth. He was brought low, as he was when his son died. The servants stood by helplessly in a similarly bereaved condition.

23.

How did Jonadab know the truth? 2 Samuel 13:32-33

Jonadab was deeply involved since he had helped Amnon in the original plot. He may have heard expressions from Absalom's lips which made him certain of how the matter stood. He knew that murder was committed according to the orders given by Absalom. He did not imply by his report that Absalom had, from the first, avowed his purpose of killing Amnon. As matters had developed, the conclusion was reached by an observant man like Jonadab, and he was correct in what he had surmised.

24.

Why would David take the thing to his heart? 2 Samuel 13:33

David might well be expected to blame himself for what had happened. Jonadab was anxious, however, that David know the truth. Only Amnon was dead. It is easy to see that David's punishment for his own sin in slaying Uriah is increasing. David was not able to punish Amnon; therefore a double punishment comes on him for his own sin. His son born to Bathsheba died in infancy, and his heir to the throne was killed by another of David's sons.

25.

Why did Absalom flee to Talmai? 2 Samuel 13:37

In 2 Samuel 3:3 is the note: (speaking of David's sons) ... and the third, Absalom, the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. Absalom fled to the home of his mother's father, his maternal grandfather. Here he hoped to find protection against any punishment David might seek to mete out to him.

26.

What did David do after Absalom fled? 2 Samuel 13:39

David did not send messengers to bring Absalom back; he did not take any overt action. He longed to go forth himself to Absalom. The verb is in a feminine form, to indicate that David's spirit, or his soul, longed to go forth; and the King James translators rightfully show the insertion of the phrase, the soul of, in italics, meaning that they supplied this subject of the verb. He wanted to do something. He pined away over it, but he did not do anything immediately.