2 Samuel 13
CoffmanTHE SWORD COMES TO DAVID’S HOUSE
Following David’s adultery with Bathsheba and his wholesale murder of eighteen men including her husband Uriah, the prophet Nathan had warned David of God’s punishments that would ensue, declaring that, “Therefore the sword shall never depart from your house” (2Sa_12:10). In this chapter, the sword of God’s judgment fell upon David’s first-born son and heir apparent to his throne.
Footnotes for 2 Samuel 13 1: Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 298. 2: The Pulpit Commentary, p. 324. 3: The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 308. 4: Matthew Henry’s Commentary, Vol. 2., p. 507. 5: The Pulpit Commentary, Vol. 2b, p. 324. 6: C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch’s Old Testament Commentaries, Vol. 2b, p. 398. 7: Albert Barnes, Samuel, p. 97. 8: The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. 2, p. 113. 9: The Pulpit Commentary, op. cit., p. 325. 10: Albert Barnes, op. cit., p. 98. 11: The Interpreter’s Bible, op. cit., p. 1115. 12: C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch’s Old Testament Commentaries, op. cit., p. 399. 13: Matthew Henry’s Commentary, op. cit., p. 508. 14: C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch’s Old Testament Commentaries, op. cit., p. 399. 15: Ibid. 16: Albert Barnes, op. cit., p. 98. 17: Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary, p. 202. 18: Matthew Henry’s Commentary 19: Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Commentary, p. 203. 20: John T. Willis, p. 357. 21: Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 298. 22: C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch’s Old Testament Commentaries, op. cit., p. 400. 23: The New Layman’s Bible Commentary, p. 415. 24: John T. Willis, p. 360. 25: International Critical Commentary, op. cit., p. 331. 26: C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch’s Old Testament Commentaries, op. cit., p. 402. 27: Ibid., p. 404. 28: The Teachers’ Bible Commentary, p. 187. 29: Matthew Henry’s Commentary, op. cit., p. 512. 30: The New Bible Commentary, Revised, p. 308. 31: C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch’s Old Testament Commentaries, op. cit., p. 405.
2 Samuel 13:1
AMNON’S SHAMEFUL LUST FOR HIS HALF-SISTER
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. And Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything unto her. But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man. And he said unto him, Why, O son of the king, art thou thus lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister. And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand. So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, Let her sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.
Absalom. had a beautiful sister … Tamar (2Sa_13:1). Both Absalom and Tamar were David’s children by his wife Maacah the daughter of King Talmai of Gesher whom David married during his reign in Hebron. Both Absalom and Tamar were noted for their beauty. David himself was known for his handsome appearance; and Absalom sheared his head yearly and weighed the hair. F1 Absalom seems to have been inordinately proud of his hair, which ironically gave Joab his opportunity to kill him. The name Tamar means palm tree, F2
Amnon, David’s son, loved her (2Sa_13:1). Amnon, David’s firstborn son was the child of Ahinoam a woman of Jezreel whom David married while he was still a fugitive from Saul. She, along with Abigail the widow of Nabal, was captured by the Ammonites while David was still at Ziklag, but was promptly rescued by David. Amnon was the heir-apparent to David’s throne (2Sa_3:2).
Loved her (Tamar) (2Sa_13:1). This is an unfortunate translation, because Amnon in no sense whatever actually loved Tamar. He simply allowed himself to be consumed with a savage animal lust after her beautiful body. Furthermore, his friend Jonadab fully understood this for what it was and proposed to Amnon the ruse by which he would have the opportunity to rape her.
As Payne quite properly observed, the entire episode of Absalom’s rebellion against David began, “With the same sins which David had committed, namely, adultery leading to murder.” F3 That a son of David should have been so wicked as Amnon appears in this passage is actually no surprise; because, as Matthew Henry said, “Grace does not run in the blood but corruption does”! F4 None of David’s children followed him in his devotion to God; but they followed him in his shameful sins and even went far beyond them.
Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab (2Sa_13:3). We learn from 1Ch_2:13 and 1Sa_16:9; 1Sa_17:13 that Jonadab was the son of David’s brother Shimeah (or Shimea, or Shammah), making him a cousin of Amnon. In the real sense, he was no ‘friend’ whatever of Amnon, because his advice led to Amnon’s rape of his half sister and his murder by Absalom.
Jonadab was a very crafty man (2Sa_13:3). Although the word crafty is not used here in a bad sense, F5 Jonadab’s cleverness was here prostituted to a very evil purpose. There is no doubt whatever that Jonadab fully understood what the purpose of Amnon was and that by the clever device which he proposed he himself became an accessory before the fact in the rape of Tamar. The picture that emerges here is that both Amnon and his ‘friend’ Jonadab were partners in very evil lives.
Pray let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand… (2Sa_13:6). Amnon lost no time in acting upon Jonadab’s evil suggestion and made this request when David came to visit his sick son. It must not be thought for a moment that Amnon was ill. Jonadab’s instructions were that he should, pretend to be ill (2Sa_13:5). Something of the arrangement of the various living quarters in the king’s palace appears here. 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. F6
2 Samuel 13:7
AMNON’S BRUTAL RAPE OF TAMAR
Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him food. So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes. And she took the 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.
And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from thy hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. And when she had brought them near unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come, lie with me, my sister. 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. And I, whither shall I carry my shame? and as for thee, thou wilt 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.
Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.
Such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this wanton folly (2Sa_13:12). This is a verbal quotation from Gen_34:7; and the natural inference is that Tamar knew this passage in Genesis and wished to profit from the warning it contained. F7 This is only one of literally hundreds of instances which we have cited in our commentaries which collectively afford the most overwhelming proof that every book in the O.T. from Joshua to Malachi is written within the shadow of the Book of Moses, commonly called the Pentateuch. How convincing is the action here of David’s daughter Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom, at the very moment when it appeared that she would be raped, even as Shechem the son of Hamor had raped Dinah the daughter of Jacob, that she would recall that tragic incident and quote the Scriptural reference to it in the vain hope that she might disarm the savage passion of her godless assailant. The comment of Caird in The Interpreter’s Bible is totally in error. He alleged that, Tamar here appealed to usage as the standard of morality.
Where no written code of law exists, the one standard of conduct is whether or not a thing is done. F8 Such a gross error is founded on the critical canard that the Pentateuch did not exist in the times of King David; but Tamar’s quotation from Gen_34:7, just mentioned, is proof enough that it did exist.
Do not force me (2Sa_13:12). The Hebrew words here are literally ‘Do not humble me’; and it is regrettable that the RSV has changed them; because they bear eloquent testimony to the nobleness of Hebrew women, who regarded their chastity as the crown of their honor. F9
Speak to the king; he will not withhold me from you (2Sa_13:13). It cannot be inferred from this that marriage by half brothers and sisters was usual in the times of David. F10 Tamar was merely trying to find a way out of her desperate situation. Sure, she knew that such marriages were forbidden in Lev_18:9; Lev_18:11, but she also knew that David frequently disobeyed God’s law; and knowing his love for Amnon might reasonably have expected him to violate it for Amnon’s sake. Caird’s suggestion that there was no law against such marriages during David’s times and that, A later law forbade them F11 is merely another preposterous error based upon a false date for the Books of Moses which, without any doubt whatever were written in the mid-second millennium B.C., as elaborately proved by Meredith Kline in the Wycliffe Commentary.
Keil also observed that, “Tamar’s suggestion here by no means proves that the Laws of Leviticus were not in existence at that time, nor does it even presuppose that Tamar was ignorant of such laws.” F12 This desperate young woman was merely trying to avoid surrendering to the brutal, selfish lust of Amnon.
Tamar’s arguments against Amnon’s actions were so clear and forceful that, If Amnon had not been goaded on by his lustful passion of which he had become the slave, they must surely have prevailed upon him to desist.
“All her arguments availed nothing. Tamar’s comfort, her honor, or virginity, everything that she cherished and honored must be sacrificed to the outrageous animal lust of this extremely wicked man. It must be concluded that Amnon had, though young, lived in lewd wickedness a long while; because no man could have suddenly arrived at such a state of wickedness as this.” F13
2 Samuel 13:15
AMNON’S “LOVE” WAS EXPOSED FOR WHAT IT WAS
Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. And she said unto him, Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is [worse] than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her. Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her. And she had a garment of divers colors 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. And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colors that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.
Then Amnon hated her (2Sa_13:15). What about all that love which he had for her? It was nothing but his selfish, burning, bodily appetite craving for sexual gratification and was not actual love in any sense whatever. It was like that of the man who grabbed an orange and said, I love oranges. He ripped a hole in it and sucked the last drop of juice out of it and then threw it in the garbage. That’s exactly the way Amnon loved his virgin sister. This action by Amnon fully entitled him to the punishment later inflicted upon him by Tamar’s brother, sinful as it was on Absalom’s part.
“Amnon had no sooner gratified his animal passion, than his love for his humbled sister turned to hatred; so he commanded her to ‘Get out’! That sudden change may be fully explained psychologically, as frequently exemplified still in actual life. This is striking proof that lust is not love, but simply the gratification of animal passions.” F14
This wrong in sending me away is greater than the other which you did to me (2Sa_13:16). Why was this true? It was because he drove her away and had the door bolted after her with the inevitable implication that, in some shameful way, Tamar had dishonored Amnon, which was a base lie. Also, by his sending the servants away, he had effectively prevented Tamar from crying out for help as commanded in Deu_22:27. However, in any case, Tamar could not have expected any assistance from Amnon’s servants. F15
She was wearing a long robe with sleeves (2Sa_13:18). This is the same word used in Gen_37:3, where it is translated ‘a coat of many colors’; but many prefer the rendition ‘a tunic reaching to the extremities’ (that is, to the hands and to the feet) and worn over the common tunic. F16 In all probability both translations are correct, because it was a mark of high favor and distinction. When Jacob gave such a garment to Joseph, it aroused the fierce jealousy of his brothers. The ‘diverse colors’ were possibly due to fancy embroidery with many-colored threads. Tamar wore such a garment as an indication of her extremely high rank as a virgin daughter of the king. Her rending it and placing ashes on her head were expressions of her extreme sorrow and humiliation at the hands of her heartless brother.
She laid her hand on her head (2Sa_13:19). Since Tamar’s veil is not mentioned, Amnon had probably turned her outdoors without it; and she laid her hand on her head with the purpose of covering her face. F17
2 Samuel 13:20
ABSALOM’S SMOULDERING HATRED FOR AMNON
And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but now hold thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; take not this thing to heart. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house. But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth. And Absalom spake unto Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
Has Amnon your brother been with you (2Sa_13:20)? This question by Absalom is a complete biography of the wicked Amnon. One glance at the heartbroken Tamar with her precious robe torn and with ashes upon her and her hand upon her head said to Absalom, Your beautiful sister has been raped by the godless Amnon. What a reputation Amnon must have earned for himself by his uncontrolled wickedness! As Henry stated it, This question by Absalom indicates that Amnon was known for his lewd practices, to the extent that it was dangerous for a modest woman to be with him. F18
Tamar dwelt, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom’s house (2Sa_13:20). Absalom was her natural protector. The children of polygamists lived by themselves, as if they constituted separate families. F19
When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry (2Sa_13:21). Nevertheless, David did absolutely nothing about it. Did he not know that Amnon deserved to be punished? According to the law in Lev_22:28, if Amnon had raped any virgin, he should have been compelled to marry the virgin whom he had raped and also severely fined. However, if the virgin thus raped was a man’s sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, then the penalty was death (Lev_20:17). But the namby-pamby old king simply did nothing at all, except stew in his own anger.
The reason for David’s inaction is not far to seek. He could not do anything because he had committed the same sins; and the circumstances and/or popular sentiment seem to have prohibited his bringing criminals to justice. F20 Young gave the reason for David’s lack of action as, His indulgent affection for his son and his habitual failure to discipline members of his family. F21 Whatever his reasons, David’s refusal to punish Amnon led directly to Absalom’s murdering him. When justice is thwarted, there always rises up lawless men who will take matters into their own hands.
A number of scholars inject the words of the LXX into this study which declare that, “David did not trouble the spirit of his son Amnon, because he loved him, for he was his first-born.” As Keil noted, “That comment is doubtless the truth; but it is only a subjective conjecture on the part of translators and does not deserve any place in the sacred text.” F22
Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister (2Sa_13:22). This smoldering hatred would ultimately break forth in murder and rebellion against David himself.
2 Samuel 13:23
ABSALOM’S HEARTLESS REVENGE AGAINST AMNON
And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheep-shearers; let the king, I pray thee, and his servants go with thy servant. And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him. 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?
But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. And Absalom 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. 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.
After two full years (2 Sam. 23). This long delay clearly marked the murder as premeditated and indicated Absalom’s ambition as much as any concern for his sister’s honor. F23 Absalom’s inability to induce King David to attend his feast might actually have frustrated Absalom’s plan to kill David himself and all of the king’s sons and take over the kingdom. Such a possibility, of course, is only a conjecture, but there was some urgent reason why Absalom so passionately desired the king’s attendance. The sudden flight of all the king’s sons immediately after Amnon’s murder indicates that they recognized Absalom as a potential murderer of all of them.
Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor (2Sa_13:23). The exact location of this place is debated, but Willis is probably correct in his identification of the place as, The modern el-Taiyibe about twelve miles north of Jerusalem. F24
Why should he (Amnon) go with you? (2Sa_13:26). This question by the king indicates some suspicion on his part that Absalom might have intended some harm to Amnon. After much insistence on Absalom’s part, the king consented. One cannot help wondering why Amnon willingly placed himself within Absalom’s power. Can it be supposed that he actually thought that he had gotten away with his shameful rape of Absalom’s sister? Certainly, he was an unqualified fool for accepting Absalom’s invitation. H. P. Smith wrote, That Absalom intended to secure the throne for himself by massacring all competitors would not be a remote inference. F25
If Absalom had intended any other murders than that of Amnon, the swift flight of all the king’s sons would have effectively prevented them.
Each mounted his mule and fled (2Sa_13:29). Several able scholars assert that this is the first place in the Bible where a mule is mentioned, but this writer believes that Gen_36:24 also mentions this animal. The particular word in Gen_36:24, found only there in the entire Bible. The KJV translated the word mules, as favored by Jewish scholars; and besides that, the first use of hot springs as a translation did not occur until the times of Jerome. (For a more adequate discussion of this see Vol. 1 (Genesis) of my series of commentaries on the Pentateuch, p. 441.)
Lev_19:19 forbade the Jews to breed hybrids; but the Jews either traded for them or purchased them from those who bred them. There appears to have been an extensive use of mules as saddled animals for riding by royal families. David had “his own mule,” (evidently a favorite) (1Ki_1:33).
2 Samuel 13:30
THE EXAGGERATED REPORT OF THE MURDER
And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that the tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left. Then the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent. And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have killed 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. 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.
The amazing thing in this passage is that Jonadab should have had this information in advance of the event. Was he a collaborator with Absalom in the murder? How did he know? Or, was it merely a shrewd guess? “Jonadab does not seem to speak from conjecture; he is much too sure of what he says.” F26
2 Samuel 13:34
THE KING’S SURVIVING SONS RETURNED TO JERUSALEM
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. And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king’s sons are come: as thy servant said, so it is. 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.
Amnon, the heir apparent to David’s throne, had been shamefully murdered by one of David’s own sons; and the words of Nathan must have once more rung in David’s ears, “Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house” (2Sa_12:10). Furthermore, David could not have missed the similarity between Absalom’s murder of Amnon and his own murder of Uriah. Both David and Absalom procured the help of others to bring about the murder. The great difference was that Uriah did not deserve to die, whereas Amnon most assuredly did. And look at Amnon’s adulterous rape of Tamar. David could not have failed to note the resemblance of this to his own sin in taking Bathsheba.
In both instances, the victim was brought to the residence of the adulterer. But these tragic events were by no means the end of God’s punishments upon David. More, much more, was in store.
The Septuagint (LXX) has additional material concerning these terrible events; but, as Keil stated, “The additions made by the Septuagint (LXX) are nothing but worthless glosses, introduced from subjective conjectures and giving no foundation whatever for altering the Masoretic Text.” F27
As we study the tragic account of these deeds of blood and shame, our newspapers are filled every day with stories of sexual deviations and outrages similar to these in the Bible. “The circumstances vary, but the results are always the same – guilt, shame, hatred and murder.” F28
2 Samuel 13:37
DAVID LONGED FOR ABSALOM TO RETURN
But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. And [David] mourned for his son every day. So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years. And [the soul of] king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
Absalom was no doubt welcomed at the court of his maternal grandfather, a pagan king who no doubt heartily approved of all that Absalom had done. David, at first, grieved bitterly over Amnon’s death, but in time this grief was diminished, and David’s heart once more longed for the return of Absalom. As Matthew Henry expressed it, “Time wore off David’s grief for Amnon, but it also wore off entirely too much of his detestation of Absalom’s terrible sin. F29
This final little paragraph is difficult, and scholars tell us there are imperfections in the text; “But the sense must be that David gradually became resigned to Amnon’s death and anxious to see Absalom again.” F30 Keil seriously questioned this understanding of the place, pointing out that the sense as alleged here is at variance with the fact (as stated in 2 Sam. 24) that when Absalom was finally allowed back in Jerusalem, David did not allow him to come into his presence for years. F31 We believe that a more perfect knowledge of what is written here would resolve that difficulty.