2 Samuel 13:7-17

7 Then David sent to the house for Tamar, saying, "Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare food for him."
8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, and he was lying down. And she took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.
9 She took the pan and dished them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, "1Have everyone * go out from me." So everyone * went out from him.
10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand." So Tamar took the cakes which she had made and brought them into the bedroom to her brother Amnon.
11 When she brought them to him to eat, he 2took hold of her and said to her, "Come, lie with me, my sister."
12 But she answered him, "No, my brother, do not violate me, for 3such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this 4disgraceful thing!
13 "As for me, where could I get rid of my reproach? And as for you, you will be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for 5he will not withhold me from you."
14 However, he would not listen to her; since he was stronger than she, he 6violated her and lay with her.
15 Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, "Get up, go away!"
16 But she said to him, "No, because this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you have done to me!" Yet he would not listen to her.
17 Then he called his young man who attended him and said, "Now throw this woman out of my presence, and lock the door behind her."

2 Samuel 13:7-17 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.

Cross References 6

  • 1. Genesis 45:1
  • 2. Genesis 39:12
  • 3. Leviticus 20:17
  • 4. Judges 19:23; Judges 20:6
  • 5. Genesis 20:12
  • 6. Leviticus 18:9; Deuteronomy 22:25; Deuteronomy 27:22; 2 Samuel 12:11

Footnotes 5

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