2 Samuel 13:1-19

1 And it came to pass after this that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

2 And Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin, and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.

3 But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man.

4 And he said unto him, "Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? Wilt thou not tell me?" And Amnon said unto him, "I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."

5 And Jonadab said unto him, "Lay thee down on thy bed and make thyself sick; and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, `I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it and eat it at her hand.'"

6 So Amnon lay down and made himself sick; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said unto the king, "I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand."

7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, "Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him meat."

8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was lying down. And she took flour and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.

9 And she took a pan and poured them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, "Send out all men from me." And they went out every man from him.

10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, "Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat from thine hand." And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

11 And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her and said unto her, "Come lie with me, my sister."

12 And she answered him, "Nay, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not thou this folly!

13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? And as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king, for he will not withhold me from thee."

14 Nevertheless he would not hearken unto her voice; but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, "Arise, be gone!"

16 And she said unto him, "There is no cause. This evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou did unto me." But he would not hearken unto her.

17 Then he called his servant who ministered unto him and said, "Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her."

18 And she had a garment of divers colors upon her, for with such robes were the king's daughters who were virgins appareled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head and went on crying.

2 Samuel 13:1-19 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.