Scripture Daily

Context No. 4166 of 4322 · 1 Chronicles

Context · Reflection

1 Chronicles 3:1-9: in context

1Now these were the sons of David, who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess; 2the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; 3the fifth, Shephatiah of Abital; the sixth, Ithream by Eglah his wife: 4six were born to him in Hebron; and he reigned there seven years and six months. He reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem; 5and these were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, four, by Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel; 6and Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, 7Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 8Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. 9All these were the sons of David, in addition to the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.

This passage lists the sons of David, born to him by many different wives in Hebron and Jerusalem. It reads as a simple genealogy, but a reader who knows David's story feels the shadow behind it. Many of these sons brought David deep grief. Amnon disgraced his half-sister and was killed by Absalom; Absalom rebelled against his father and died; Adonijah grasped for the throne and was executed.

David's household, built on many wives, became a place of rivalry, violence, and heartbreak. There is a quiet, sober lesson in this list of sons by many mothers. David departed from God's design for marriage, taking many wives, and the fruit was a divided, competitive, troubled family. The disorder of the household reflected the disorder of its foundation. This is not spelled out, but the sad history of these sons speaks for itself. God's design for the family is not arbitrary; departing from it, as David did, tends to sow the seeds of strife and sorrow.

Do I trust that God's design for marriage and the family, though it may seem restrictive, is for my good, aware that departing from his ways, as David did, tends to sow the seeds of strife and sorrow in a household?

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