2 Samuel 13:21-33

Absalom Kills Amnon

21 Now King David heard all these things, and {he became very angry}.
22 Absalom did not speak with Amnon {either bad or good}, for Absalom hated Amnon {over the matter when} he raped Tamar his sister.
23 {About two full years later}, Absalom's shearers were in Baal Hazor, which [is] near Ephraim, and Absalom summoned all the sons of the king.
24 Then Absalom went to the king and said, "Look, here [are] your servant's shearers; please let the king and his servants go with your servant.
25 The king said to Absalom, "No my son, not all of us shall go, so that we not be a burden to you." And he urged him, but he [was] not willing to go, but he blessed him.
26 So Absalom said, "But [will you] not let Amnon my brother go with us?" And the king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"
27 But Absalom pressed him, so he sent Amnon with him and all of the sons of the king.
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.
33 So then, let not my lord the king set his heart on this matter, thinking, 'All the sons of the king [are] dead,' for only Amnon alone [is] dead."

2 Samuel 13:21-33 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 13

This chapter relates some of the evils that were to arise out of David's house, and which were similar to the evils committed by him; the deflowering of his daughter, and the murder of his eldest son: the story is this; Amnon falls in love with Tamar, his sister, and grew thin upon it, which being observed by a friend of his, inquires the reason of it, which having got out of him, forms a scheme for obtaining his desire, and which succeeded; for by it he had the opportunity of ravishing his sister, 2Sa 13:1-14; the consequences of which were extreme hatred of her, hurrying her out of doors, lamentation and mourning on her part, grief to David, and enmity in the heart of Absalom to Amnon, which put him upon meditating his death, 2Sa 13:15-22; and which was brought about after this manner. Absalom had a sheep shearing, to which he invited the king and all his sons, and to which they all came excepting the king, 2Sa 13:23-27; when Absalom gave orders to his servants to observe Amnon when he was merry, and at his word smite him and kill him, as they did, 2Sa 13:28,29; tidings of which soon came to the ears of David, and these aggravated, that all the king's sons were killed, which threw the king into an agony; but Jonadab endeavoured to pacify him, by assuring him that only Amnon was dead, the truth of which soon appeared by the coming of the king's sons, 2Sa 13:30-36; but Absalom fled to Geshur, where he remained three years, when David's heart began to be towards him, and to long for him, who was to bring more evil against him, 2Sa 13:37-39.

Footnotes 9

  • [a]. Literally "it became very hot for him"
  • [b]. Literally "as far as from bad and up to good"
  • [c]. Literally "because of the thing that"
  • [d]. Literally "And it happened at two years [of] days"
  • [e]. Literally "good"
  • [f]. Literally "as sons of ability"
  • [g]. Literally "And it happened they [were] on the way"
  • [h]. Literally "For it was on the mouth of Absalom"
  • [i]. Amnon
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.