What is the meaning of 2 Samuel 13:39?

And King David longed

- The verb “longed” paints a picture of deep, persistent yearning, not a passing wish (compare 2 Samuel 18:33, where David mourns Absalom).

- David’s heart still beats as a father’s heart, even after the bitter events of 13:1-33.

- Cross reference: In Genesis 43:30 Joseph “longed” for his brother—showing that godly leaders can feel intense family affection even when relationships are complicated.

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to go to Absalom

- David’s desire is not abstract; he wants personal contact, face-to-face reconciliation (see 2 Samuel 14:21-23 where he eventually allows Absalom to return).

- The king’s longing points to a readiness to forgive, even though civil justice has not fully run its course (contrast Romans 13:4, which affirms the ruler’s duty to bear the sword).

- Parents may wrestle with balancing love and discipline; David leans heavily toward love here.

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for he had been consoled

- Time has soothed the sharpest edge of grief, allowing other emotions to surface (Ecclesiastes 3:4, “a time to weep and a time to laugh”).

- Comfort often opens the door to restoration; once David’s sorrow abates, he can think about Absalom instead of Amnon (compare Genesis 24:67, where Isaac is “comforted” after his mother’s death and can move forward).

- God sometimes uses the passing of time to heal wounds we cannot fix overnight.

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over Amnon’s death

- Amnon’s murder (2 Samuel 13:28-29) was a consequence of David’s own earlier sins (12:10-12). Yet David has now accepted that Amnon is gone.

- The phrase underscores that David’s consolation is specific: he is no longer paralyzed by mourning for Amnon, freeing him to address the estrangement with Absalom.

- Cross reference: 2 Samuel 12:23, where David accepted the death of his infant son and moved forward in faith; a similar acceptance is seen here.

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summary

2 Samuel 13:39 shows a father-king whose intense mourning for one son has subsided enough to awaken a longing for reconciliation with another. David’s heart, no longer dominated by grief, yearns to bridge the gap with Absalom, illustrating both the powerful pull of parental love and the possibility of renewed relationship after tragedy.