2 Samuel 13:18

18 And she was clothed with a coat down to the heel; for the king's daughters (who were) virgins used such clothes. Then the servant of Amnon put her out, and closed the door after her.

2 Samuel 13:18 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 13:18

And [she had] a garment of divers colours upon her
Of embroidered work, which made her the more observable, and her shame the more manifest. Whether this was interwoven with threads of various colours, or embroidered with figures of flowers, animals and wrought with the needle, or was painted with different colours, or made up of pieces of various colours, is not certain. (See Gill on Genesis 37:3); but according to Braunius ^F3 it was neither, and so the coat of Joseph, but was a garment with sleeves, reaching down to the ankles, and pieced at the borders with fringe; and, indeed, garments of flowers and various colours were such as in other nations, as in Athens, harlots wore ^F4 and not virgins, as follows:

for with such robes were the king's daughters [that were] virgins
apparelled;
which they wore to distinguish them both from common people, and from married persons of the same quality:

then the servants brought her out, and bolted the door after her;
laid hold on her, and brought her out by main force; thrust her out of doors, and turned the key upon her.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 De Vest. Sacerdot. Heb. l. 1. c. 17. sect. 21.
F4 Suidas in voce (etairan) .

2 Samuel 13:18 In-Context

16 And she answered to him, This evil is more which thou doest now against me, and puttest me out, than that, that thou didest before. And he would not hear her; (And she answered to him, This evil which thou now doest against me, by putting me out, is worse, than what thou didest before. But he would not listen to her;)

17 but when the servant was called, that ministered to him (who served him), he said, Put thou out this woman from me, and close thou the door after her.

18 And she was clothed with a coat down to the heel; for the king's daughters (who were) virgins used such clothes. Then the servant of Amnon put her out, and closed the door after her.

19 And she sprinkled ashes (on)to her head, and when her long coat was rent, and her hands put on her head, she went entering [in] and crying.

20 And Absalom, her brother, said to her, Whether Amnon, thy brother, hath lain with thee? But now, sister, be still; he is thy brother, and torment thou not thine heart for this thing. Therefore Tamar dwelled mourning in the house of Absalom, her brother (And so Tamar stayed in the house of her brother Absalom, and mourned her state).