The United Kingdom of Israel:
Saul, David & Solomon
Foreshadow Christ the King

Lesson 16 Amnon, Tamar & Absalom: David’s Children
the Second Book of Samuel 13:1—14:33

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for The United Kingdom of Israel
cross references in The United Kingdom of Israel
next lesson: Absalom Usurps the Throne

This material coordinates with Lesson 16 on pages 98–103 in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

“When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”
—the Second Book of Samuel 7:12–13

welcome to our in-depth study of Saul, David & Solomon
We invite interested groups and individuals to check out the sample first lesson from this 28-lesson Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study. These online study pages link to our free lesson videos, as well as to a glossary and cross references in the biblical text. Other study aids include maps, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King has been granted an imprimatur and may be purchased from our website shop. If you have a Bible-related question or comment, click on the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button on any study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the Second Book of Samuel 11:1—12:31
Lesson 15 David’s Sin & the Birth of Solomon recounts details of David’s adultery with Bathsheba and his schemes to keep their affair secret after Bathsheba becomes pregnant. He originally tries to arrange for Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah the Hittite, to come home from the battle front and sleep with Bathsheba so that he’ll believe that the child she carries is his. When this fails, David arranges for Uriah to die in battle. After Bathsheba mourns the death of her husband, David marries her. God sends the prophet Nathan to accuse David of sinning. David immediately repents. The LORD declares that David won’t die but that the sword never will depart from the house of David. The LORD also decrees that the child born to David and Bathsheba must die. David fasts and prays, but the child dies. Afterward, David and Bathsheba have another son whom they name Solomon. The LORD sends word by Nathan than he loves this second child, whom God calls Jedidiah. Meanwhile, Joab sends for David when the Ammonite city of Rabbah is taken. David collects a great amount of spoil, conquers all of the Ammonite cities, and then makes the Ammonites toil in Israel’s brick kilns.

map notes—Horonaim & Horonaim Road; Geshur
When Absalom has Amnon killed at Baal-Hazor, the other sons of David flee. The Second Book of Samuel 13:34 records that watchmen see them coming into Jerusalem by way of the Horonaim Road. Readers naturally expect the Horonaim Road to correspond is some way to a biblical city named Horonaim, but Horonaim apparently was located in Edomite territory east of the Dead Sea and south of Jerusalem, while the location of Baal-Hazor was west of the Dead Sea and north of Jerusalem. After arranging for Amnon’s death, Absalom flees to the small Syrian kingdom of Geshur, which is located in the region of Gilead in territory allotted by God to the half-tribe of Manasseh. Click on the map (right) to enlarge it. The original map is on page 102 in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

a plethora of character studies (17:58)
In the video overviews for the lessons in this Bible study, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps frequently points out what might be motivating the biblical characters to act as they do. Their actions aren’t always predictable, but their complex natures make it easy for us to relate to them as human beings—even thousands of years after the events described in the Scriptures took place. In Lesson 16, “Amnon, Tamar & Absalom: David’s Children,” we encounter Amnon behaving as a jerk, Jonadab motivated by strong self-interest, and Absalom patiently waiting to exact his revenge. We also see David ignoring Amnon’s rape of Tamar, and Joab intervening to restore harmony between David and Absalom.

oops—Matthew misspeaks on the video
In the video for this lesson, Matthew inadvertently misspeaks when he says that Amnon hears about the rape of his sister. He obviously intended to say Absalom hears about Amnon’s rape of their sister. We regret any confusion.


The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study match the Scripture ranges for the sets of questions in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King. You can follow along as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 16, “Amnon, Tamar & Absalom: David’s Children,” on pages 98–103 in the study book.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about the sins of the fathers?
The introduction on page 98 in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King refers to the book of Exodus 20:5. The LORD announces that he’s a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation. This no-nonsense statement from the LORD comes in the context of the commandment not to worship any other gods.

?  In the book of Numbers 14:18, Moses repeats the LORD’s words, although Moses begins his prayer with reminders that the LORD is slow to anger, abounding in mercy, and forgives iniquity and transgression. Then after mentioning the consequences of sin, Moses goes on to beg the LORD to forgive the people. Read the fourteenth chapter in the book of Numbers. What punishment was the LORD considering inflicting on the children of Israel?
?  What might have caused the LORD to relent?
?  What is especially disturbing about the idea that the LORD might punish our children for sins committed by us or by our parents or our ancestors?
?  What reason can you think of that might indicate how God’s love for his human family underlies punishing children for the sins of their fathers?
?  Read the Gospel According to John 9:1–3. How do Jesus’ words acknowledge and expand Old Testament thinking on this issue?

read the Catechism—how we inherit original sin
Consider how the LORD’s statement about holding our descendants responsible for sins we commit might apply to Church teaching about original sin. If necessary, read paragraphs 404 and 405 in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

404     How did the sin of Adam become the sin of all his descendants? The whole human race is in Adam “as one body of one man.” By this “unity of the human race” all men are implicated in Adam’s sin, as all are implicated in Christ’s justice. Still, the transmission of original sin is a mystery that we cannot fully understand. But we do know by revelation that Adam had received original holiness and justice not for himself alone, but for all human nature. By yielding to the tempter, Adam and Eve committed a personal sin, but this sin affected the human nature that they would then transmit in a fallen state. It is a sin which will be transmitted by propagation to all mankind, that is, by the transmission of a human nature deprived of original holiness and justice. And that is why original sin is called “sin” only in an analogical sense: it is sin “contracted” and not “committed”—a state and not an act.

405     Although it is proper to each individual, original sin does not have the character of a personal fault in any of Adam’s descendants. It is a deprivation of original holiness and justice, but human nature has not been totally corrupted: it is wounded in the natural powers proper to it; subject to ignorance, suffering, and the dominion of death; and inclined to sin—an inclination to evil that is called “concupiscence.” Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ’s grace, erases original sin and turns a man back toward God, but the consequences for nature, weakened and inclined to evil, persist in man and summon him to spiritual battle.

don’t get confused—these names are difficult to keep straight
Shime-ah, David’s brother and the father of Jonadab, is mentioned in the Second Book of Samuel 13:3 and 13:32. Be on the lookout later in this study when we’ll encounter at least three other people with the same or similar names. It doesn’t help that the First Book of the Chronicles 2:13 spells David’s brother’s name Shime-a and makes no mention of the brother named Shammah—and also lists only seven sons of Jesse while the sixteenth chapter in the First Book of Samuel records that David is the eighth of Jesse’s sons. Each supplemental online page includes a link to a related glossary to make it easier to identify the different biblical figures in this Bible study.

lust—you could look it up in our archives
The Second Book of Samuel recounts Amnon’s lust for his half-sister. His rape of Tamar causes Absalom to hate him, and although David is angry when he learns about Amnon’s behavior, he takes no action. Learn more about the all-encompassing nature of lust in Lost in Translation, an online column in which Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps helps readers connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.

Tamar & David mourn different things
The Second Book of Samuel 13:19 and 13:31 describe behavior that the descendants of Jacob associated with mourning. Tamar puts ashes on her head, tears her long robe, and places her hand on her head. On Ash Wednesday in the present-day Church, ashes have come to represent penitence as well and are considered a sign of mourning for sin. In Tamar’s case, however, she’s mourning the loss of her virginity. The biblical text is clear that she in no way consented to Amnon’s advances. The detail of placing her hand on her head describes a posture that’s widely understood to indicate sorrow and tribulation, and often is associated with artistic depictions of the Old Testament figure of Job.

When David hears that all of his sons have been murdered by Absalom, he tears his clothing. David also tore his clothing when he learned of the deaths of Saul and Jonathan, and he instructed the people to tear their clothes after the murder of Abner. Elsewhere in this study, the image of a torn garment is used by the prophets to describe what eventually will happen to David’s united kingdom.

these Old Testament parables are only approximate
The story that the woman of Tekoa tells in the Second Book of Samuel 14:4–7 only partially resembles David’s situation with his son Absalom. The story that Nathan told to call the king’s attention to the sin of committing adultery with Bathsheba and then conspiring to have her husband killed also only partially resembled David’s real situation. These parables are close enough to the truth, however, that David has little trouble recognizing that they’re about him. Consider the parables of Jesus found in the New Testament. While they seem straightforward, this is because we’ve been brought up in the Church to know what they mean. The next time you encounter one of Jesus’ parables, try to imagine how it must have been interpreted by its original audience.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about what’s missing from the biblical text?
There’s a lot that the biblical text for this lesson doesn’t tell us. While Amnon’s actions clearly are motivated by lust, we’re given no details about the long-term effects on Tamar. It’s almost impossible to guess what’s in the minds of David or Absalom.

?  It can help to consider why the biblical authors don’t bother to include some of the details we’d like to know. What are the points that they’re trying to get across through the information they do provide?
?  What character do they seem most concerned about and why? (Who is most important to their purpose and what do we think that purpose is?)
?  What picture of this character emerges from reading the text?
?  Consider what the Scripture passage is disclosing about who God is and how God acts?
?  What might God be trying to say to us today with this story about the upheavals in David’s family?

pray with the Psalms—sin speaks to us in the depths of our hearts
The opening verses of Psalm 36 provide a picture of the way sin operates. This is an accurate description of how Amnon succumbs to the temptation to rape Tamar and then reject her. The same forces are at work in Absalom’s heart when he plots to have his brother murdered. How do you resist the temptation to sin when transgression speaks to you in the depths of your heart? What suggestions can you make that might help others avoid succumbing to sin? On what does the Psalmist rely in order to resist temptation? Prayed at Wednesday Lauds (Week I), Psalm 36 is included as part of Lesson 8 Seeing in God’s Light in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I Lauds & Vespers.

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however, including the passage in this lesson from Second Book of Samuel 13:1—14:33.

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing extra information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out persons and places mentioned in the biblical text under multiple names or spellings. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun that appears in the primary biblical text for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf.

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the Second Book of Samuel 13:1—14:33 (NIV)

close with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the round black dovescriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on the biblical text in this lesson in the study book The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King.

O God, you created the human family to live in love.  
Teach us not to confuse lust and love,
and help us to control all of our passions, anger as well as lust.
Foster in us a willingness to forgive those who are closest to us
and to trust your loving mercy in all difficult situations.
Grant that we may value all men and women
as members of your chosen family. Amen.

Lesson 17 Absalom Usurps the Throne—the Second Book of Samuel 15:1—16:14
Lesson 15 David’s Sin & the Birth of Solomon—the Second Book of Samuel 11:1—12:31

you also may like our free Lenten study of Jesus’ Passion (digital only)
Jesus’ Passion: The Story of Redemptive Suffering is a five-lesson Catholic Bible study offering an in-depth look at the biblical foundations of the movie The Passion of the Christ. This revised study, which has been granted an imprimatur, contains all of the original material of the 2004 edition as well as many new features in an improved, reader-friendly format. Click on the book’s cover to view the introduction. Free digital lessons of Jesus’ Passion: The Story of Redemptive Suffering are available on the website during Lent.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King. Information about beginning a Turning to God’s Word Bible study can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I are available to answer questions. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). All Scripture links for the online study pages for The United Kingdom of Israel: Saul, David & Solomon Foreshadow Christ the King are to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE) translation. The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces these with more accessible English. The few significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.