2Sa 13:1 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.
The history here, down to the end of 2 Sam. 23 is mostly omitted in the Book of Chronicles. From henceforward David was followed with one trouble after another. Adultery and murder were David's sins, like sins among his children were the beginnings of his punishment.
And it came to pass after this - After the sin of David with Bathsheba, his repentance for it, and pardon of it, and the birth of Solomon as a token of reconciliation; yet after all this the divine threatenings must take place; they had begun already in the death of the child begotten in adultery, and others here follow.
Whose name was Tamar - Tamar was the daughter of David and Maacah, daughter of the king of Geshur, and the full sister of Absalom. Amnon was David’s eldest son by Ahinoam and only Tamar’s half brother. Her name signifies a palm tree.
Amnon the son of David loved her - not in an honourable way, to make her his wife, but in a lustful manner, to make an harlot of her.
2Sa 13:2 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.
Amnon was so vexed - Distressed, straitened, and perplexed in his mind through unruly and unbridled lusts that raged in him:
for she was a virgin — Unmarried daughters were kept in close seclusion from the company of men; no strangers, nor even their relatives of the other sex, being permitted to see them without the presence of witnesses. Of course, Amnon must have seen Tamar, for he had conceived a violent passion for her, which, though forbidden by the law Lev_18:11 You shall not uncover the nakedness of the daughter of your father's wife, begotten of your father. She is your sister. Yet with the sanction of Abraham’s example (Gen_20:12), and the common practice in neighboring countries for princes to marry their half sisters, he seems not to have considered an improper connection. But he had no means of making it known to her, and the pain of that disappointment preying upon his mind produced a visible change in his appearance and health.
for she was a virgin - and so kept very recluse from the company of men, that he could not come at her; Jewish women, and particularly virgins were shut up in their chambers, and through modesty shun the sight of men, even those of their own house.
Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything to her - it was difficult to have access to her; he was at his wits' end how to contrive any scheme to get at her, and obtain his desire.
2Sa 13:3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.
Shimeah - Called Shamma, was Jesse’s third son.
Jonadab was a very subtle man - literally, wise. The word is generally used in a good sense, but here, and in Job_5:13, it means crafty. Amnon's miserable appearance was observed by his cousin Jonadab, a very crafty man, who asked him what was the reason, and then gave him advice as to the way in which he might succeed in gratifying his desires.
2Sa 13:4 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.
lean from day today – Literally from morning to morning, when a person looks their worst. He was the king's eldest son, heir to the crown, fed at his table, had everything to make him gay and cheerful, and yet pined away.
my brother Absalom's sister - he does not call her his sister, but Absalom's sister, to lessen his sin of unlawful love to her.
2Sa 13:5 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.
Make thyself sick - “Feign thyself to be ill.” His crime begins not only with sinful lust, but with a lie.
That I may see it - He was to feign that he could not fancy anything that came from the kitchen, but that if he saw it cooked he should be able to eat it.
my sister Tamar come - here he is directed to call her not Absalom's sister, but his own, the more to cover his ill design upon her:
2Sa 13:6 So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come 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.
Amnon lay down, and made himself sick - Amnon acted upon the advice, and begged his father, when he came to ask him how he was, to allow his sister Tamar to come and bake two cakes for him before his eyes, which she very speedily did.
2Sa 13:7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him meat.
Then David sent home to Tamar - It is evident from these verses that the king's children lived in different houses. Probably each of the king's wives lived with her children in one particular compartment of the palace.
2Sa 13:8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.
2Sa 13:9 And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.
2Sa 13:10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.
brought them into the chamber - being quite innocent herself, and having no suspicion of a brother having any ill design upon her, she made no scruple of going into an inner chamber alone with him.
2Sa 13:11 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.
And when she had brought them unto him to eat - Not only into the chamber, but to the side of the bed or couch where he had laid himself, or sat, in a proper position to answer his purpose:
2Sa 13:12 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.
do not force me - which was another forbidding expression, signifying she would never freely yield to his will; and to force her, to defile her against her will, to commit a rape upon her, would be very criminal indeed:
Do not thou this folly - Tamar’s words are a verbal quotation from Gen_34:7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard. And the men were furious, and they were very angry, because he had done folly in Israel, in lying with the daughter of Jacob. And it ought not to be done so.
no such thing ought to be done in Israel - among God's professing people, who were better taught and instructed; and to give into such impure practices would bring a dishonor upon them, and upon the religion they professed; she urges the honor of religion, and the reputation of Israel, and the glory of the God of Israel:
2Sa 13:13 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.
Speak unto the king - It cannot be inferred with certainty from this that marriages were usual among half brothers and sisters in the time of David. The Levitical law forbade them, and Tamar may have merely urged this as her last resource, saying anything she thought would please him, in order to escape for the present out of his hands. On the other hand, the institution of the harem, itself contrary to the law of Moses Deu_17:17 Nor shall he multiply wives to himself, so that his heart does not turn away. Nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold to himself. may well have led to other deviations from its precepts, and the precedent of Abraham Gen_20:12 may have seemed to give some sanction to this particular breach of it.
whither shall I cause my shame to go - She desires him to consider her reputation, which would be lost; was she to go into a corner, into a place the most private and retired, yet she would blush at the thought of the crime committed; and still less able would she be to lift up her face in any public company; nor could she ever expect to be admitted into the matrimonial state; in short, her character would be entirely ruined:
thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel - as the vilest and basest and most abandoned in the nation; who ought of all men to be most careful of his reputation, being a prince in Israel, and heir apparent to the throne:
he will not withhold me from thee - this she said, either as ignorant of the law, which forbids such marriages, or as supposing the king had a power to dispense with it, and, rather than he should die for love, would; though she seems to say this, and anything that occurred to her mind, to put him off of his wicked design for the present.
2Sa 13:14 Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.
Howbeit, he would not hearken unto her voice - His lust was so inflamed and enraged, that he could not attend to any arguments, though ever so forcible, that were offered to him:
being stronger than she, forced her - whether she cried out or not, as the law directs in such cases, Deu_22:25-27 But if a man finds an engaged girl in the field, and the man forces her and lies with her, then only the man that lay with her shall die. But you shall do nothing to the girl. No sin worthy of death is in the girl; for as when a man rises against his neighbor and slays him, even so is this matter. For he found her in the field, the engaged girl cried out, but there was none to save her is not said.
2Sa 13:15 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.
Then Amnon hated her exceedingly - Having gratified his lust, his conscience stung him for it. It is not unusual for persons instigated by violent and irregular passions to go from one extreme to another. In Amnon’s case the sudden revulsion is easily accounted for; the atrocity of his conduct, with all the feelings of shame, remorse, and dread of exposure and punishment, now burst upon his mind, rendering the presence of Tamar intolerably painful to him.
Amnon said unto her, arise, be gone - without calling her by her name, or owning the relation she bore to him, using her as the basest and vilest of creatures. This conduct was very brutish, as well as imprudent, and foolish to the last degree; had he had any regard to his own reputation, he would never have turned her out of doors so soon, and in such a public manner; but so it was ordered by divine Providence, that his sin might be made known1.
2Sa 13:16 And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.
she said unto him, there is no cause – no reason for his inhumane treatment of her.
this evil in sending me away is greater than the - not that this was a greater sin, but it was a greater evil or injury to her, that being done secretly, this openly; being turned out in that open manner, it might look as if she was the aggressor, and had drawn her brother into this sin, or however had consented to it; had it been kept a secret, she would not have been exposed to public shame and disgrace, and she might have been disposed of in marriage to another; it would not have been known to the grief of her father, to the revenge of Absalom, and to the dishonor of religion; besides, the sin of Amnon might have been more easily excused, if any excuse could be made for it, as that it arose from the force of lust, and a strong impure affection, but this from barbarity and inhumanity:
2Sa 13:17 Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.
bolt the door behind her - so that it had the appearance of her being in disgrace.
put now this woman out from me - she not willing to depart at once, he ordered her to be put out immediately by force; using her and speaking of her in a very rude and scandalous manner, calling her this, leaving it to be supplied, as they would understand it, this immoral woman.
2Sa 13:18 And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.
A garment of divers colors - Notwithstanding this dress, by which a king's daughter could at once be recognised, Amnon's servant treated Tamar like a common woman, and turned her out of the house. Like Gen_37:3, this can also be read as “a tunic with sleeves,” a tunic reaching to the extremities, i. e. the hands and feet, and worn over the common tunic, in room of a robe. Either way, it is a costly garment reserved for people of rank.
2Sa 13:19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.
And Tamar took ashes upon her head – All of this was in token of sorrow and distress. By these signs, especially the rending of her distinguishing robe, Absalom at once conjectured what had taken place. Recommending her to be silent about it and not publish her own and her family’s dishonor, he gave no inkling of his angry feelings to Amnon. But all the while he was in secret “nursing his wrath to keep it warm,” and only “biding his time” to avenge his sister’s wrongs.
Laid her hand on her head - as a sign that a grievous trouble had come upon her.
rent her garment of divers colours - signifying that her virginity was rent from her in a forcible manner, or that she was ravished:
Crying - To manifest her abhorrency of the fact, and that it was not done by her consent.
2Sa 13:20 And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.
Has Amnon thy brother been with thee - This was a euphemism for what had taken place, as Absalom immediately conjectures.
he is thy brother, regard not this thing - this he said not out of love of Amnon, but as desirous of gratifying private revenge upon him for it when opportunity should serve.
Tamar remained desolate - Through shame and dejection of mind, giving her self up to solitude and retirement.
2Sa 13:21 But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.
But when King David heard - The Septuagint adds what is a good explanation. 2 Sam 13:21 And king David heard of all these things, and was very angry; but he did not grieve the spirit of his son Amnon, because be loved him, for he was his first-born. (Septuagint) This want of justice in David’s conduct, and favoritism to Amnon, probably rankled in Absalom’s heart, and was the first seed of his after rebellion. The same addition is found in the Vulgate and in Josephus. This probably gives the true reason why David let such a crime as Amnon's go unpunished, when the law enjoined that incest should be punished with death (Lev_20:17). The fact that David was contented to be simply angry is probably to be accounted for partly from his own consciousness of guilt, since he himself had been guilty of adultery; but it arose chiefly from his indulgent affection towards his sons, and his consequent want of discipline. This weakness in his character bore very bitter fruit.
he was very wroth - with Amnon; but no mention is made of any reproof he gave him, nor of any punishment inflicted on him by him.
2Sa 13:22 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad - That is, said nothing at all to him about the rape of his sister. He neither debated it with him, nor threatened him for it; but seemed willing to pass it by with brotherly kindness. He concealed his hatred of him, and his design to avenge the injury of his sister:
because he had forced his sister Tamar - who was his full sister, and dear to him, and therefore resented the injury done her.
2Sa 13:23 And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.
Absalom had sheep-shearers - These were times in which feasts were made, to which the neighbors and relatives of the family were invited.
Absalom invited all the king's sons - somewhat anticipates the course of events: for, according to 2Sa_13:24, Absalom invited the king himself, together with his courtiers; and it was not till the king declined the invitation for himself, that Absalom restricted his invitation to the royal princes.
2Sa 13:24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant.
2Sa 13:25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.
And the king said to Absalom, nay, my son - He did not object to the invitation entirely, he was willing some of the family should go, but not all; it seems probable that he particularly excepted himself and his eldest son, the heir to his crown. Absalom first invited the king and his court; but the king declining, on account of the heavy expense to which the reception of royalty would subject him [2Sa_13:25], Absalom then limited the invitation to the king’s sons [2Sa_13:26], which David the more readily agreed to, in the hope that it might tend to the promotion of brotherly harmony and union.
2Sa 13:26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?
Let my brother Amnon go - He mentions Amnon as being the king’s first-born. If he could not have the king’s company, let him at least have that of the heir apparent, and the king’s other sons. He urged this with the more plausibility, because Amnon was the first-born, and presumptive heir to the kingdom; and he had disguised his resentment so well before, that he was not suspected.
Let my brother Amnon go - he seems to express affection for him, and a particular desire of his company, as if all ill will towards him was removed from him, and this would be a public declaration of reconciliation between them:
Why should he go with you - The king would not at first give his consent to this; whether from suspicion cannot be determined with certainty, but he eventually yielded to Absalom's entreaties and let Amnon and all the other king's sons go. From the length of time that had elapsed since Amnon's crime was committed, without Absalom showing any wish for revenge, David might have felt quite sure that he had nothing more to fear.
2Sa 13:27 But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.
Absalom pressed him – David’s mind was blinded to any suspicion, that Amnon's incest might be punished and the judgment to David and his house be fulfilled on account of the affair of Uriah and Bathsheba:
2Sa 13:28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.
fear not, have not I commanded you - let all the blame be laid to Absalom, if any, they have nothing to do but to obey his commands:
be courageous, and be valiant - be men of courage and valour, not fearing the king's sons, or any in company, or what will be the consequences of it. It is very reasonably supposed that Absalom had not only in view to revenge the rape of his sister, but to get himself next heir to the crown.
2Sa 13:29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.
then all the king's sons arose - from the feast, imagining they were all designed to be slain.
every man gat him up upon his mule - This had become the favorite equipage of the great. King David himself had a state mule (1Ki_1:33).
2Sa 13:30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.
Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons – which he might suppose was the design of Absalom; however, so it was ordered in Providence, that David, who rejoiced at the news of the death of Uriah, might be terrified with the tidings of the death of all his sons.
Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons – It was natural that in the consternation and tumult caused by so atrocious a deed, an exaggerated report should reach the court, which was at once plunged into the depths of grief and despair. But the information of Jonadab, who seems to have been aware of the plan, and the arrival of the other princes, made known the real extent of the catastrophe.
while they were in the way - On their road homewards, before they got to Jerusalem.
2Sa 13:31 Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.
Then the king arose, and tore his garments - In token of extreme grief and sorrow, as Jacob did when he was shown the coat of Joseph, supposing him to have been slain, Gen_37:34 And Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. As David thought all his sons were.
and lay on the earth - on the bare ground, another token of mourning; so Job did on hearing the death of his sons, Job_1:20 And Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground and worshiped.
2Sa 13:32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.
By the appointment of Absalom - Meaning that Absalom’s resolution to slay Amnon had been formed at the time, and only waited an opportunity to give expression to it.
for Amnon only is dead - The history supplies another instance of Jonadab’s subtlety and sagacity. He at once gave the true explanation of the catastrophe at Baal-hazor, in spite of the false rumor. He is very positive, and speaks with great assurance; it looks as if he was in the secret, and knew of the plot against Amnon's life; and, if so, he must be a very wicked man, first to form a scheme whereby Amnon might come at Tamar to ravish her, and then be accessory to the murder of him, since if he knew of the design against his life, he did not acquaint Amnon nor the king of it.
2Sa 13:33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.
2Sa 13:34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.
Absalom fled - He who promised his servants protection could not protect himself, and who no doubt fled with him; he knew what he had done was death by law, and that there was no city of refuge for such sort of murder as this, and he had no reason to hope the king would suffer so foul a crime as this to pass unpunished:
the young man that kept the watch looked - to the way that led from Absalom's house to Jerusalem, to see if he could spy any other messenger on the road from thence:
2Sa 13:35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as thy servant said, so it is.
as thy servant said - he seems to applaud himself, and exult at his penetration and foresight.
2Sa 13:36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.
2Sa 13:37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
Absalom fled - As he had committed willful murder, he could not avail himself of a city of refuge, and was therefore obliged to leave the land of Israel, and take refuge with Talmai, king of Geshur, his grandfather by his mother’s side. 2Sa_3:3 And his second was Chileab, of Abigail of Carmel, the former wife of Nabal. And the third was Absalom, the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. Here he might hope for protection and safety.
David mourned for his son every day - all the days of the three years Absalom was in Geshur, about the end of which he was comforted concerning Amnon, as the following verses show. Some think it was for Absalom he mourned, but rather it was for Amnon. The reason why he mourned for him, when he did not for his child by Bathsheba, who died, because that was an infant, this a grown man, and heir to his crown, and was slain by the sword of his brother, and so fulfilled a judgment to himself on account of his own sin, which, hereby no doubt, was brought fresh to his mind.
2Sa 13:38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.
2Sa 13:39 And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
Longed to go forth - David wished either to go to him, or to bring him back; for the hand of time had now wiped off his tears for the death of his son Amnon. Joab had marked this disposition, and took care to work on it, in order to procure the return of Absalom. It would have been well for all parties had Absalom ended his days at Geshur. His return brought increasing wretchedness to his unfortunate father.
