David’s Older Sons

David had many sons. To have no son was a potential problem for a king, but so was having too many sons.

Some of them are well known, some less known. There was one who would become king after his father, and another two who wanted to be king, as well as a son that died as a baby. We may also note the way David behaved as a father and how he reacted to his sons. The scriptural account is to be found in 2 Samuel chapters 9‑20, 1 Kings 1,2, and 1 Chronicles 3.1‑9 and 14.3‑7.

Six sons were born to David in Hebron (his first capital city): Amnon (mother Ahinoam); Daniel (mother Abigail); Absalom (mother Maacah); Adonijah (mother Haggith); Shephatiah (mother Abital); Ithream (mother Eglah). Born at Jerusalem were the four sons of Bathsheba - Shimea, Shobah, Nathan and Solomon - while other sons born in Jerusalem were Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet. This is not counting the sons of his concubines. Another son, Jerimoth, is mentioned in 2 Chron. 11.18.

Of all these, Solomon is the best known, who succeeded his father as king over all the twelve tribes of Israel. He was the one given the wonderful opportunity to build the temple in Jerusalem to replace the tabernacle. He was the one famed for his wisdom (as mentioned in Matthew 12.42). He is also mentioned in relation to his glory in Matthew 6.28,29: "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." On the other hand, Solomon's reign as king was imperfect. His foreign wives had their pagan gods, and he went on to build temples for them too. Despite setting out with the best of intentions, he did not live the long life he could have, and the problems were passed on to his children.

Amnon, which is supposed to mean 'faithful', was David's eldest son. His story is marred by sin. The main instance occurs in 2 Samuel 13, where he is attracted to his half‑sister Tamar. He feigns illness, to ask for her to look after him. She goes to care for her supposed sick half‑brother, and feeds him cakes while he is in bed. But he uses the occasion to force her into his bed, and to use a blunt word, he rapes her. Having used her so ill, he does not want to see her again and puts her out of the house and bolts the door on her. She flees to her brother Absalom's home.

Because of what Amnon did to his sister, Absalom hated him. This festered on for two years, as these things can, and at last Absalom found an opportunity for revenge. He used sheep shearing festivities to take all the sons of David away for a feast. He got Amnon 'merry with wine' so that his servants could murder him.

King David mourned a long time for his son Amnon (2 Sam 13.37), despite his sin and what he did to his daughter. Why would he have mourned such a son? We can comfort ourselves with the thought that if David could mourn such a son, how much more can God in due time shower his mercy on many who are criminals when he brings them back in his kingdom.

Absalom, who in revenge had conspired to murder his half‑brother, fled. No doubt fearing his father's reaction he went to the King of Geshur, and spent three years there. He had taken the life of another man - but what was the penalty for rape in the Bible? In some circumstances it meant the man could legally be killed, in other circumstances the offender would have to marry the young lady. So the law allowed for so severe a penalty, and we ought to bear this in mind when we consider that Absalom killed his brother.

In 2 Samuel 13.39 it says David was filled with longing for his son Absalom, he missed seeing him, longed to see him. Joab, the commander, perceived David's wishes, and arranged for a woman to come and put a test case that was very similar to the situation with Absalom, and in this way brought David's mind around to allowing himself to see his son. So Absalom returned to Jerusalem on his father's orders, but he was not allowed to see King David or live in the palace.

Absalom still wanted to actually see his father, and asked Joab for help. Joab refused to see him, evidently he felt he had done enough. Absalom over‑reacted, and set on fire Joab's field. He asked Joab to visit David and ask him, if he, Absalom, was guilty, to kill him, but otherwise to let him meet his father. Absalom came before King David and bowed before him with his face to the ground, and David gave his son Absalom his kiss.

The bond between father and son was renewed, but Absalom wanted power, and to succeed his father as king. For four years he intercepted everyone coming for a judgment from King David, saying there was no one to hear their case at the palace, but the law was on their side. This way he made himself popular with the Israelites. After asking permission to go and worship at Hebron, he led a conspiracy to overthrow his father as king. David is forced to leave his palace as the plotters gain in number. They are gathered to battle, and David still asks that Absalom go unharmed. It was a bad day, twenty thousand were killed, and Absalom got caught by the neck in a tree when on his mule. Finding him, many declined to end Absalom's life, but Joab does not decline to kill him. As all through history, whoever rebels against a king and battles against him and loses, can lose his life as a consequence.

Naturally they fear to tell David, but they manage to indicate that Absalom is dead, as are many other of his enemies. David understands, and cries, and says "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom. Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom my son, my son."

After the other two sons/princes were dead, Adonijah was the eldest surviving son. We are told he was handsome, but more relevantly that David had never reprimanded him about anything. We are also told that Adonijah was ambitious. It indicates a faulty level of indulgence from David. You may surmise that he was spoilt and not given boundaries. A younger child is often afforded more freedom, but in this case it is implied that David did not do his job as a father properly. All this led to a big issue.

A stage came when David was old and likely to die. We already know that Adonijah was ambitious and wanted to claim the throne for his own. He got Joab and Abiathar the priest to support him, but he did not secure the backing of Nathan the prophet, or Zadok the priest, or three other key officials. He organised for many officials and all the other sons of David (apart from Solomon) to make a sacrifice of sheep and calves, and have a sacrificial feast. This act was intended to proclaim him as the heir apparent to David's throne. God had otherwise planned to have Solomon succeed - as often happens in scripture the younger would have precedence over the older.

Adonijah's strategy fails as Nathan and Bathsheba act, and David proclaims Solomon as his successor. Solomon enters Jerusalem riding on his father's mule, and is anointed king by Zadok and Nathan. The trumpet was blown and the shout was raised, 'Long live King Solomon!' Adonijah was then afraid, but Solomon said he would not be harmed if he remained loyal. Adonijah bows low before Solomon.

After David's death it appears Adonijah was still struggling to accept the situation. He asked his mother to speak to Solomon's mother about Adonijah taking for his wife David's last favourite, a beautiful young woman called Abishag who cared for David during his last months. Solomon saw what this implied. 'You might as well give him my throne too.' Joab and Abiathar were on his side. Solomon had to have Adonijah executed.

Too many sons, not properly trained and disciplined, can cause a problem.

What do we make of these prominent sons? They did not humbly look to God, as David did. Looking for power in this life was more important to them than accepting what God has decided is best. "Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called" (1 Cor.1.26) How hard it is for prominent men. Too much preference leads to its own specific issues They are in the same category as the governors in this world whom God has not called and chosen to be kings and priests. But nevertheless, as David still mourned for them, God also mourns, and is not forgetful of them. Neither has He forgotten those other sons that we know only by name, or not at all. God's mercy is a wonderful thing.

"I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion"(Rom.9.15).

NAC