1 Chronicles 3 - David's Large Family

As I read this list of the descendants of David, I was thinking, "Wow, all those wives and concubines!"  In order to take of all those kids, one would have to have lots of wives.  On the other hand, I've known women to bear close to 2 dozen children and they have done quite well raising them.  In fact, at least the ones I've known, have raised very well adjusted children.  When the family is so large they seem, at least to me, like the young people in the family are closer to each other than in many other families.  They take care of each other with older children looking after and helping to care for the younger. 

In this list of descendents we find one daughter listed.  That would be Tamar.  (see 2 Samuel 13) Remember Tamar's brother Amnon?  He tricked her by being ill into coming to wait on him.  Being his sister, she did and was repaid for her kindness by being raped by Amnon.  David knew about it and was was angry, but didn't do anything.  So after waiting two years, her other brother Absalom had their brother Amnon murdered. That did not turn out so well for this large and prestigious family. 

Today, most of us have much smaller families, but do we know what our sons and daughters are doing?  Do we have sufficient oversight of our children to lead them in the way that they should go.  Do we have sufficient oversight of our children to protect them from harm?  (more on that in chapter 4... )

God's Peace - Judy