2 Samuel 13:34-39

Absalom Flees to Geshur

34 ¹But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him^[a] by the side of the mountain.

35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about. ”

36 And as soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came and lifted up their voice and wept. And the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly.

37 ²But Absalom fled and went to ³Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of ⁴Geshur. And David mourned for his son day after day.

38 ⁵So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

39 And the spirit of the king^[b] longed to go out^[c] to Absalom, because ⁶he was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.

2 Samuel 13:34-39 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

• 1. 13:34 ver. 37, 38
• 2. 13:37 ver. 34
• 3. 13:37 ch. 3:3; 1 Chr. 3:2
• 4. 13:37 ch. 14:23, 32; 15:8
• 5. 13:38 [See ver. 37 above]
• 6. 13:39 Gen. 24:67; 38:12; [Gen. 37:35]

Footnotes

• [a] 13:34 Septuagint 'the Horonaim Road'
• [b] 13:39 Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint; Hebrew 'David'
• [c] 13:39 Compare Vulgate 'ceased to go out'