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Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But King David mourned many days for his son. After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he stayed there three years. And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he was consoled concerning Amnon’s death. 2 Samuel 13:37-39

David’s firstborn, Amnon, rapes his younger half sister Tamar, destroying her life as the Bible says she lived in her brother Absalom’s house, a desolate woman. Absalom is infuriated with Amnon, but he is also cunning in seeking revenge for his sister. For two years Absalom plots and finally kills Amnon, then flees to his mother’s father, the king of Geshur. Geshur was part of the land Joshua assigned to Manasseh, but the Geshurites were never driven out of the land. Geshur, with Bethsaida as its capital city based on archeological findings, apparently made a treaty with David as he married Maacah, daughter of Talmai. So Absalom flees to live in the safety of his grandfather for three years. Despite Absalom’s sin of revenge against Amnon, it appears Absalom is still David’s favorite son, and the David longs to go to Absalom. The lives of so many people are injured and or destroyed by sexual sin. We saw it in David’s sin with Bathsheba, and now with Amnon, Tamar, and Absalom. Is it a coincidence that the story of David and Bathsheba is followed by the story of Amnon and Tamar? The Bible doesn’t address it, but surely David must have realized something terrible happened to his daughter Tamar. While Absalom told her to say nothing about the incident since Amnon is her brother, surely someone in the family must have known. Even Jonadab, nephew to king David, and who gave Amnon advice on how to get close to Tamar, must have known what his cousin did. All of these did nothing to address the sin until Absalom takes revenge. Sexual sin, as with all sin, must be dealt with, and dealt with quickly, lest it reach its eventual destructive force. Thanks be to God we have Jesus, the mediator between God and man, who can bring healing and peace – turn to Him.