2 Samuel 13:18

18 So Amnon’s attendant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a robe of many colors, [a] because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore.

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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

2 Samuel 13:18 In-Context

16 “No,” she replied, “sending me away is worse than this great wrong you have already done to me!” But he refused to listen to her.
17 Instead, he called to his attendant and said, “Throw this woman out and bolt the door behind her!”
18 So Amnon’s attendant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a robe of many colors, because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore.
19 And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying aloud.
20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or a robe with long sleeves; see also Genesis 37:3.
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