Rape of Tamar and King David
Response to someone about King David's not *acting* upon Tamar's rape.....
OK - I was struck by your message because it was huge. And it was also something that I myself never delved into. And so I did. And I read the part in the Book of Samuel that deals with this whole saga from its inception with Amnon to the *invervention* of Abshalom to the final deed to the *quiet* response of King David and arrived at my own conclusion based on my knowledge of who exactly King David was - son, shepherd, lover, husband, father, servant, warrior and king.
And that is - King David didn't act upon this in the ways that we know or are familiar with. He fumed, yes. He was insane with confusion, yes. Did he act - directly against Amnon? No. What did the King of Israel do? He prayed. He went to war. He put his life on the line. He wrote psalms, isolated himself, sat with ashes and sackcloth and prayed to God. He did this in silence and privacy. Just him and God. Even Samuel the prophet who wrote down the chronicles wasn't aware. But we are - through the Psalms of David. And because David knew how God operates, and because he knew how to connect with Him, and because he trusted with unshakeable faith, he left this issue of family tragedy in the hands of God to be sorted out and healed. And he knew it would. And it was. You know how this ended, yes? And you know also the price all involved had to pay, because there is collective karma and all must pay the price for *sins of the fathers*......
Tamar in the end was the sacrifice, the one to even out the dysfunction in the insanity of a family gone a tad haywire. This doesn't take away from the good qualitilies of the family, or to say she was all good and they were all bad. It is just to say that sometimes, we are here to be used as generators, equalizers and synthesizers for stuff that happens around us - specificially in our families. And Tamar was *chosen* for this role. And I can't even BEGIN to understand her utter sense of betrayal at all those who deserted her in her time of need. But know this. She wasn't forgotten. And she wasn't forsaken. Her name Tamar means Date (as in the date palm) which is one of the 7 species of the Land of Israel. The date can flourish in the desert with little water, with just a few inches of rain per annum and STILL be blessed with being fruitful and having delicious, life preserving fruit that sustains man, animal and the land itself with nutrition and longevity.
What I want to say is this - the ways of God are truly unknown to us. What we DO know is that His ways are Just. Capital J. There are no shortcuts or corruptions when it comes to this Justice. And so even though we don't know the why's we do know the what's. And in that knowing there is faith. And in that faith we have to trust that ultimately it's only God who can mete out the perfect wisdom to right the wrongs and correct the crimes committed in this world. Even if man fails miserably at it.
Abshalom died a horrific death. His name blemished. His body desecrated and his crime avenged. I believe Tamar continued her journey with strength and blessings. And I know that those who are similar in their archetype to her - will follow suit. And in our betrayal we will find solace. And in our solace we will find strength and our strength we will find unity and in that clarity.
OK - I was struck by your message because it was huge. And it was also something that I myself never delved into. And so I did. And I read the part in the Book of Samuel that deals with this whole saga from its inception with Amnon to the *invervention* of Abshalom to the final deed to the *quiet* response of King David and arrived at my own conclusion based on my knowledge of who exactly King David was - son, shepherd, lover, husband, father, servant, warrior and king.
And that is - King David didn't act upon this in the ways that we know or are familiar with. He fumed, yes. He was insane with confusion, yes. Did he act - directly against Amnon? No. What did the King of Israel do? He prayed. He went to war. He put his life on the line. He wrote psalms, isolated himself, sat with ashes and sackcloth and prayed to God. He did this in silence and privacy. Just him and God. Even Samuel the prophet who wrote down the chronicles wasn't aware. But we are - through the Psalms of David. And because David knew how God operates, and because he knew how to connect with Him, and because he trusted with unshakeable faith, he left this issue of family tragedy in the hands of God to be sorted out and healed. And he knew it would. And it was. You know how this ended, yes? And you know also the price all involved had to pay, because there is collective karma and all must pay the price for *sins of the fathers*......
Tamar in the end was the sacrifice, the one to even out the dysfunction in the insanity of a family gone a tad haywire. This doesn't take away from the good qualitilies of the family, or to say she was all good and they were all bad. It is just to say that sometimes, we are here to be used as generators, equalizers and synthesizers for stuff that happens around us - specificially in our families. And Tamar was *chosen* for this role. And I can't even BEGIN to understand her utter sense of betrayal at all those who deserted her in her time of need. But know this. She wasn't forgotten. And she wasn't forsaken. Her name Tamar means Date (as in the date palm) which is one of the 7 species of the Land of Israel. The date can flourish in the desert with little water, with just a few inches of rain per annum and STILL be blessed with being fruitful and having delicious, life preserving fruit that sustains man, animal and the land itself with nutrition and longevity.
What I want to say is this - the ways of God are truly unknown to us. What we DO know is that His ways are Just. Capital J. There are no shortcuts or corruptions when it comes to this Justice. And so even though we don't know the why's we do know the what's. And in that knowing there is faith. And in that faith we have to trust that ultimately it's only God who can mete out the perfect wisdom to right the wrongs and correct the crimes committed in this world. Even if man fails miserably at it.
Abshalom died a horrific death. His name blemished. His body desecrated and his crime avenged. I believe Tamar continued her journey with strength and blessings. And I know that those who are similar in their archetype to her - will follow suit. And in our betrayal we will find solace. And in our solace we will find strength and our strength we will find unity and in that clarity.
Comments