Is there anything you could have avoided but allowed it to happen and later became a snare to you? How did you feel when the consequences of your actions led to further problems for you and the people around you? If you were given a second chance at life, what would you do differently to avert such an incident from happening? Most of us build our lives on try and error patterns. We make countless mistakes until we get it right. Some people are able to bounce back from where they fall. Unfortunately many are unable to get it right and remain at the rock bottom all their lives. One such person whose decisions led to a cycle of misfortunes was king David. His one night with Uriah’s wife and subsequent murder caused him a cycle of painful experiences. This was the verdict David received for sleeping with someone’s wife and then killing the husband: “Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own. This is what the Lord says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity on you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will sleep with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ ” (2 Samuel 12:10-12). As a result of this verdict, David’s own son (Amnon) raped David’s own daughter (Tamar). David’s own son (Absalom, brother of Tamar) killed David’s firstborn (Amnon). When we thought there was calmness, another volcano was dropped: Absalom rebelled against his own father and David, his household, his army and his supporters and counselors fled from home (read 2 Samuel 15). The same Absalom who was forgiven for murder, conspired with some of David’s own people against his own father. David’s best counselor, Ahithophel was among the conspirators. David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.” (2 Samuel 15:31b). As a matter of urgency, David, the giant slayer, fled with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace (2 Samuel 15:16). These ten concubines were left behind when all those that matter to David were taken away. These concubines spent their lives meeting the sexual and emotional needs of David. However, when trouble came to the house of David, they were left behind to take care of a troubled palace. Their place was with the troublemaker Absalom. They might have been afraid for their lives. What would their fate be? So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. (2 Samuel 16:22) When Absalom asked Ahithophel what he should do, the very wise Ahithophel gave him wild advice. Ahithophel was no ordinary person. In those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice (2 Samuel 16:23). No wonder David prayed that God would turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness. This was the advice of Ahithophel: “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to take care of the palace. Then all Israel will hear that you have made yourself obnoxious to your father, and the hands of everyone with you will be more resolute.” (2 Samuel 16:21). Reading this verse 1000s of years later, I still wonder why Absalom did not think this advice was foolish. But Ahithophel knew how to kill David’s authority in the eyes of the people. So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel (2 Samuel 16:22). Imagine! David even had the sanity to take Bethsheba to the room. Absalom slept with ten women on a rooftop in broad daylight. This is not a movie! It really happened. Did Absalom have any reverence for these women? Why did he chose to disregard the ten women’s lives but killed Amnon for raping his one sister? Imagine the shame and the stigma. The Law of Moses made it explicit that sons should not disrespect their father’s bed (Leviticus 18:8). Jacob’s son, Rueben committed a similar crime with his father’s concubine, Bilhah and Jacob cursed the entire generation of the Reubenites. When peace was restored and David finally returned to his palace Jerusalem, he took the ten concubines he had left to take care of the palace and put them in a house under guard. He provided for them but had no sexual relations with them. They were kept in confinement till the day of their death, living as widows (2 Samuel 20:3). Absalom made these ten concubines desolate for the rest of their lives just as Amnon made Tamar desolate. Absalom did not win the war against his father. He was killed and all who supported him perished with him. However, the ten concubines lived as mere shadows of themselves. They were put in a house under a guard. Their freedom was taken, their lives were halted and for the rest of their days, they lived as widows. All these pain inflicted by the men who were supposed to protect these vulnerable women. No woman deserves to be treated as just a sex object. Men have the moral and God-given responsibility to provide a safe environment for the women in their lives. If you know a woman who is being abused sexually, contact the right authorities to help her. If we keep quiet, the abusers’ next target might be someone close to you. Women are created by God for exploits. Be intentional about helping your wife, sister, friend, neighbour etc. When women are highly equipped, the world becomes a better place.
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