The sins of the father are learned well by the children.  And typically get worse.

David had many sons so there were a plethora of half brothers and sisters.  Yet one of the brothers, Amnon, fell in love with one of the beautiful sisters, Tamar.  He seduced her and much to her pleading…raped her.  And after that…hated her.

It was much worse than even rape today.  Rape for a woman in ancient times meant she was defiled, and thus not worthy of marriage.  No one would choose her.  So it meant she had no future of a husband, no future of children…nothing.  Nothing of the very things that define a woman.

Tamar’s full brother Absalom took her in because of this.  And secreted deep hatred in his heart.  When two years passed and people had relaxed their guard, he murdered Amnon for defiling his sister.

Unimaginable that one of your children would rape another, and then another child of years would kill your son in revenge.  How can a father endure such heartache?

But in some ways this is about David too.  When he gave in to his lust, his sons were observers of this.  David thought he could hide his lust and tried to on several occasions, even marrying Bathsheba quickly to cover her pregnancy.  But surely Word got out, enough to make it the records of the writing of 2 Samuel.  And undoubtedly his sons learned.

We think we can get away with sins, but others always will be influenced by them.

Even the sins done in secret.