2 Samuel 13:30

30 {While they were on the way}, the message came to David, "Absalom has killed all the sons of the king, and not one of them [was] left."

2 Samuel 13:30 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 13:30

And it came to pass while they were in the way
On their road homewards, before they got to Jerusalem:

that tidings came to David;
perhaps brought by one who was at the entertainment, who upon seeing Amnon smitten, immediately rose up and fled with the news of it to David:

saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of
them left;
which he might suppose was the design of Absalom, and was done before that time; however, so it was ordered in Providence, that David, that rejoiced at the news of the death of Uriah, might be terrified with the tidings of the death of all his sons; and for a while it was as if it was really so, which occasioned the following behaviour in him.

2 Samuel 13:30 In-Context

28 Absalom commanded his servants, saying, "Please watch. At the moment the heart of Amnon [is] {tipsy} with wine, then I shall say to you, 'Strike Amnon down,' and you shall kill him! Don't be afraid. [Is] it not I myself who has commanded you? Be courageous and be {valiant!}

29 So Absalom's servants did to Amnon just as Absalom commanded, and all the sons of the king got up, and each mounted his mule and fled.

30 {While they were on the way}, the message came to David, "Absalom has killed all the sons of the king, and not one of them [was] left."

31 Then the king rose and tore his garments, and he lay on the ground, and all his servants standing by [were] tearing their garments.

32 Then Jonadab the son of Shimeah, the brother of David, responded and said, "My lord should not think that all the young men, the sons of the king, [are] dead, because only Amnon [is] dead. {Absalom was talking about it}, as it was being determined from the day he raped Tamar his sister.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "And it happened they [were] on the way"