2 Samuel 13:18

18 Now she had on a robe of many colors, for the king's virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind 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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

2 Samuel 13:18 In-Context

16 So she said to him, "No, indeed! This evil of sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me." But he would not listen to her.
17 Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, "Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her."
18 Now she had on a robe of many colors, for the king's virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.
19 Then Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly.
20 And Absalom her brother said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart." So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.