The Bible Study Podcast, episode 533. Today, the Bible Study podcast continues the study of the

Kings of Judah and Israel with 2 Samuel 13.

Welcome to the Bible Study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen. A little background before we get

into a very sordid story here in 2 Samuel 13. Remember, first of all, that David was promised

last week when he was confronted with the guilt of his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and then also

of murdering her husband, that there would be consequences besides just that that child died,

that things would happen to him, that what he did in private would be done to him in public.

So that's partially where we're going just immediately, but also remember that David has multiple different wives.

I think there was at least six wives before Beth Sheba, so I think seven total, if I am remembering correctly.

And he has a lot of children who, of course, then have half siblings.

Now, the other thing you need to know is that in the law,

having sexual relations with a sibling or a half sibling would be sin. And so that's the

context here of this story of Amnon and Tamar. In the course of time, Amnon, son of David,

fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom,

son of David. Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill.

She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her.

Now, Amnon had an advisor named Donadab, son of Shimea, David's brother. John Adab was a very shrewd man. He asked Amnon, why do you, the king's son, looks so haggard morning after morning, won't you tell me? Amnon said to him, I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister. Go to bed and pretend to be ill, Donadab said. When your father comes to see you, say to him, I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat.

Let her prepare the food in my sight so that I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.

So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill.

When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, I would like my sister Tamar to come and make some special bread in my sight, so I may eat it from her hand. David sent word to Tamar, the palace, go to the house of your brother Amnon, and prepare some food for him. So Tamar went to the house of her brother, Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, the bread in his sight, and baked it. Then she took

the pan and served him the bread, but he refused to eat. Send everyone out of here, Emman said, so

everyone left him. Then Amnon said to Tamar, bring the food here into my bedroom so that I may

...