2 Samuel 13:34-39

34 Now ¹Absalom had fled. And ²the young man who was the watchman raised his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain.

35 Jonadab said to the king, "Behold, the king's sons have come; according to your servant's word, so it happened."

36 As soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king's sons came and lifted their voices and wept; and also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly *.

37 Now ³Absalom fled and went to ⁴Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of ⁵Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

38 ⁶So Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, and was there three years.

39 The heart of King David longed to go out to Absalom; for ⁷he was comforted concerning 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. 2 Samuel 13:37, 38
• 2. 2 Samuel 18:24
• 3. 2 Samuel 13:34
• 4. 2 Samuel 3:3
• 5. 2 Samuel 14:23, 32
• 6. 2 Samuel 13:34
• 7. 2 Samuel 12:19-23

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "with a very great weeping"