Then David consoled his wife Bathsheba and went to her and lay with her, and she bore a son, and he named him Solomon. The Lord loved him and sent a message by the prophet Nathan, so he named him Jedidiah because of the Lord.
Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites and took the royal city. Joab sent messengers to David and said, “I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the water city. Now, then, gather the rest of the people together, encamp against the city, and take it, lest I myself take the city and it is called by my name.” So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah and fought against it and took it. He took the crown of Milcom from his head; the weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone, and it was placed on David’s head. He also brought forth the spoil of the city, a very great amount. He brought out the people who were in it and set them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes or sent them to the brickworks. Thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
Reflection
A second son is born into this ill-advised marriage, this time a content and legal one. This birth is supposed to tell the world the punishment has ended, confirmed by the name Solomon, coming from the Hebrew shalom which means peace. The truth of God is found in the contradictions between our covenant defying sin and God’s consistent grace.
When was the last time you were punished for something?
Did you experience forgiveness afterwards? What would it take for that forgiveness to occur?
Prayer:
Loving God, you are very good, and all good and perfect gifts come from you. May knowing how good you really are keeps us from anything bad that tempts us to sin. We want to live as the first taste of your good new world. Amen.
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