What scriptural connections exist between 2 Samuel 13:35 and Proverbs on wisdom? Opening Snapshot - The tragedy surrounding Amnon, Tamar, and Absalom reaches a climax when news of Amnon’s death races toward David. - Jonadab—already known for crafty counsel (2 Samuel 13:3)—steps forward again to interpret events for the king. Key Verse: 2 Samuel 13:35 “Look!” said Jonadab, “The king’s sons have arrived; it is just as your servant said.” Immediate Observations - Jonadab is quick to speak and quick to claim accuracy. - His “insight” comes less from fear of God and more from human shrewdness. - Scripture presents him as clever, yet the fruit of his counsel (rape, murder, family fracture) is anything but wise. Wisdom Themes Surfacing in the Narrative - Counsel: Who speaks into our decisions? - Speech: How words can calm—or inflame—crisis. - Motive: The line between godly wisdom and self-serving cunning. Connecting Threads to Proverbs Wise Counsel vs. Cunning Counsel • Proverbs 13:20 — “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” – Amnon “walked with” Jonadab and reaped devastating harm. • Proverbs 12:26 — “A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” – Neither Amnon nor David exercised caution; both were led astray by Jonadab’s influence. Speech that Heals vs. Speech that Hurts • Proverbs 15:2 — “The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.” – Jonadab’s earlier plan (“Feign illness…”) poured out folly; his later announcement (“Look! … just as your servant said”) offers no healing, only self-justification. • Proverbs 16:28 — “A perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.” – The dissension in David’s household traces back to words conceived and delivered by Jonadab. Quick Words vs. Discernment • Proverbs 14:15 — “The simple believe every word, but the prudent consider carefully his steps.” – David quickly accepts Jonadab’s explanation without probing deeper. • Proverbs 18:13 — “He who answers before he listens—his folly and shame.” – Jonadab “answers” the king before the sons even arrive, illustrating hasty speech. Fruit of Wisdom vs. Fruit of Folly • Proverbs 3:17 — “All her paths are peace.” – True wisdom yields peace; Jonadab’s counsel yields murder, exile, and heartbreak. • Proverbs 14:1 — “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.” – Jonadab’s influence helps tear down David’s house from the inside. Fear of the LORD as Foundation • Proverbs 1:7 — “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” – Jonadab’s plans and pronouncements reveal no reverence for God, only calculation. Contrasts Between Godly Wisdom and Jonadab’s Cunning - Source: Wisdom begins with the LORD; cunning begins with self-interest. - Motive: Wisdom seeks righteousness and peace; cunning seeks advantage and control. - Outcome: Wisdom produces life (Proverbs 3:18); cunning breeds death, evident in Amnon’s fate. Lessons for Today - Guard the voices that shape your choices. Align every counsel with the fear of the LORD. - Measure words by their fruit: do they lead toward peace, purity, and life, or toward strife and secrecy? - Refuse the allure of “inside information” and quick assessments; pursue the steady, God-centred discernment praised throughout Proverbs. |
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