David's Children - Amnon, Absalom, and Tamar (Discussion Questions)

Read 2 Samuel 13

Discuss with older students. This is a story of deception.

• Who are Amnon, Absalom, and Tamar? (David's children; Absalom and Tamar have the same mother.)
• Why is Amnon interested in his half-sister Tamar? (She was very beautiful)
• What does Amnon's friend, Jonadab suggest? (II Sam 13:5)
• What did Amnon ask his father?
• How did Tamar try to stop Amnon?
• Why did Amnon defile his sister?
• Why did he throw her out of his house?
• Should Amnon be punished? How? By whom?
• What does David do?
• Why do you think David didn't punish Amnon?
• Why should we learn to respect each other?
• How does Absalom react to the news about his sister?
• What does Absalom eventually do to Amnon?
• Does Absalom kill Amnon because of the rape or because he wants to be next in line to be King?
• Discuss pride, greed, power, deception, position.
• Describe Absalom physically (II Sam 14:25).
• Describe Absalom's character (II Sam 14:28-33).
• Why did the people love Absalom? (II Sam 15:1-6)
• Did Absalom deceive the people? David? Why?
• Why did David flee?
• What happened to Absalom? (II Sam 18:9-10,15)
• Who grieved Absalom's death?
• What important lessons do we learn from David and his family?
• What are some of the negative characteristics that need to be cast out? (pride, greed, lust, selfishness, hatred, jealousy, anger, deception, vanity, pretense)
• How do we avoid these characteristics?