Bible Question: We all know that David was the greatest King (other than Christ) of Israel, but was David a good father? |
Bible Answer: According to the Scriptures your answer is NO, David was not a good father. Please note the following comments: David - David is an example of a passive father too hesitant to punish when corrective discipline was needed. As a shepherd, as servant to King Saul, as a mighty warrier, as man of spiritual depth, and as a king, David stands out in the Old Testament as truly a great man. Nothing should be said to diminish his statue in our eyes. However, the Bible does not hide his sins of weakness, as in the case of Bathsheba (2 Samuel Chapters 11 and 12). Second Samuel Chapter 13 reveals David as one who failed to take needed action toward a disobedient son, and it cost him and the nation of Israel dearly. As you recall, when Amnon, David's son, raped his half sister Tamar, he not only violated a command of God, but he violated the person of a woman, and brought shame on the household. David's response to Anon's sin is stated in a single sentence: "Now when king David heard of all these matters, he was very angry" (2 Samuel 13:21). He was angry with the actions of his son, but what did he do about the matter? What punishment did he exact on Amnon for such a shameful deed against one of David's own daughters? NOTHING, as far as the Scriptures reveal. His lack of appropriate discipline prompted Absalom, Tamar's brother, to begin a plan for the execution of Amnon that took two years to develop. When Absalom killed Amnon, David and his other sons wept bitterly (2 Samuel 13:36). David's lack of bold action toward his children is also revealed in yet another place. When David was old and Solomon was about to be made King, one of David's sons named Adonijah rose up in rebellion against his father and sought to become king (1 Kings 5). Adonijah was disobedient to his father in part because his father had never crossed him at any time by asking, "why have you done so?" (1 Kings 1;6). David had never challenged Adonijah in any way about his son's plans or actions. Is it any wonder that such a son would rise up in rebellion against God and man to try to usurp the throne? For his rebellion, Adonijah was spared for a while, but after David's death, he was killed by the command of Solomon for an apparent covert effort to gain authority (1 Kings 2:13-25). Mike |