The Tanakh Podcast

Avshalom is in exile. But David is pining for him. Yoav orchestrates his return to Jerusalem, and then Avshalom forces his way back, using Yoav, to high society.
In this chapter we witness David as a conflicted person, conflicted between his values and his parental love.
We also observe Avshalom's fierce resolve, a perseverance which will become dangerous in the upcoming chapters.

David's son Amnon conspires and brutally rapes his own half sister, Tamar. Then, two years later, Tamar's brother Avshalom murders Amnon.
We will show that way that the style of this horrific story brings us to see this as punishment for David's crimes.

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The prophet comes to David and accuses David of murder and adultery and pronounces David's punishment. David admits his sin. Batsheva's child dies.

In the stories of David there is no sin greater than David's adultery and murder in this chapter. We shall see how sin leads to complication and complication to further sin as David is tempted to use his royal power to cover his own misdeeds.

David sends a diplomatic delegation to console the ammonite king Hannun after the death of his father.
However Hannun humiliates David's officials.
This is in essence a declaration of war against Israel as Ammon rally an entire alliance of forces to fight David's army. Yoav and his brother Avishai show their phenomenal military prowess in their management of the battle.