What is the meaning of 2 Samuel 13:36? And as he finished speaking “Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother, replied, ‘My lord, the king, these are the sons of the king coming; it is just as your servant said.’ ” (2 Samuel 13:35) • The “he” is Jonadab, the shrewd cousin who had earlier counseled Amnon’s sin (13:3–5). • Jonadab tries to calm David with his “inside knowledge,” showing how human scheming contrasts with God’s righteousness (Proverbs 14:12). • This moment reminds us that even when people manipulate events, the Lord remains sovereign (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). the sons of the king came in, wailing loudly “And as he finished speaking, the sons of the king came in, wailing loudly.” (13:36a) • David’s remaining sons return from Absalom’s feast traumatized, confirming that Amnon is dead (13:28–30). • Their collective wail echoes the grief of Jacob’s household after Joseph’s supposed death (Genesis 37:34–35). • Public lament was expected in Israel when disaster struck a family (Jeremiah 31:15), demonstrating communal identification with suffering (Romans 12:15). Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly “Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.” (13:36b) • David’s tears flow not only for Amnon but for the shattering of family trust and for Absalom’s exile to come (13:37–38). • His grief mirrors his lament over Saul and Jonathan (2 Samuel 1:17–27) and foreshadows his later anguish over Absalom’s death (18:33). • Scripture affirms the legitimacy of deep sorrow; even Jesus wept at Lazarus’s tomb (John 11:35). Yet believers grieve with hope, confident that God hears every cry (Psalm 34:18; Revelation 21:4). summary 2 Samuel 13:36 captures the moment when truth breaks in: Jonadab’s words are confirmed, the royal sons cry out, and David joins them in bitter mourning. The verse paints a scene of family devastation brought on by sin, yet it also underscores God’s sovereignty in the midst of human failure and the scriptural assurance that He draws near to the brokenhearted. |
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