David's Family
King David had many wives, concubines, and children. This is a list of some of them.
Contents
Amnon
Amnon was David's oldest son, and at one time was rightful heir to the throne. He raped his half-sister, Tamar, and was murdered by his half-brother Absalom. Amnon's mother was Ahinoam.
Another of David's wives' was Maachah, who gave birth to both Tamar and Absalom. Thus, Amnon and Absalom were half-brothers, similar to Abraham's son's Ishmael and Isaac.
Jewish law forbade Amnon to marry a half-sister, and taking evil advice, he pretended to be sick. He lured Tamar into his quarters with the pretense that we wanted her to cook a special meal for him, ignored her protests, and had sexual relations with her. Two years later, Absalom engineered Amnon's death.
Absalom
Absalom is the third son of David, king of Israel. He was deemed the handsomest man in the kingdom. He avenged the rape of his sister Tamar by engineering the death of his half-brother Amnon.
Absalom rebelled against his father David, and tried to take over the kingdom, even winning some battles and marrying some of David's wives'.
A battle was fought in the "wood of Ephraim." (The name suggests a locality west of Jordan.) Absalom's army was routed. Since he had long hair, he was caught in the boughs of an oak tree, and as David had strictly charged his men to deal gently with Absalom, Joab was informed. What a common soldier had refused to do for a thousand shekels of silver, the king's general at once undertook. Joab thrust three spears through the heart of Absalom as he struggled in the branches and his ten armour-bearers cam around and slew him. Despite the revolt, David was overwhelmed with grief, and ordered a great heap of stones to be erected where he fell.
There is another monument near Jerusalem. The "Absalom Tomb" appears to be of later origin, may have been erected by Avshalom in 2 Samuel 18. This Absalom Tomb often has rocks thrown at it as people reject his rebellion, and remember fondly the days of David, the first Isreali king to unite the 12 tribes.
Adonijah
Adonijah is a Hebrew name meaning "Yahweh is my Lord." A number of characters in the Bible bear this name.
Adonijah is the fourth son of David. After the death of his elder brothers, Amnon, and Absalom, he became heir-apparent to the throne. But Solomon, a younger brother, was preferred to him. Adonijah, however, when his father was dying, caused himself to be proclaimed king. But Nathan and Bathsheba induced David to give orders that Solomon should be proclaimed immediately, and admitted to the throne.
Adonijah fled and took refuge at the altar, and received a pardon for his conduct from Solomon on the condition that he show himself "a worthy man" (1 Kings 1:5-13.) He afterwards made a second attempt to gain the throne, by trying to marry David's last woman, Abisag from Sunam, but Solomon denied authorization for such an engagement, even if Bathsheba now pleaded on Adonijah's behalf. He was then seized and put to death (1 Kings 2:13-25.)
Solomon
Solomon was the second child of David and Bathsheba, and successor to David. The first child of David and Bathsheba's adulterous affair died as an infant. David married Bathsheba after he engineered the death of her first husband Uriah the Hittite.
