Ch. 2 Samuel 13:1-22. Amnon’s shameful outrage

This chapter relates how the doom pronounced on David’s house began to receive its fulfilment (1) by Amnon’s shameful outrage on Tamar, (2) by Absalom’s murder of Amnon in revenge for that outrage.

The events here related probably occurred soon after David’s marriage with Bath-sheba. See Introd. ch. IV. p. 26.

Dean Stanley points out how “the story, revolting as it is, has the interest of revealing to us the interior of the royal household beyond that of any other incident of those times. (1) The establishments of the princes. (2) The simplicity of the royal employments. (3) The dress of the princesses. (4) The relation of the king to the princesses and to the law.” Smith’s Dict. of the Bible, iii. 1433.

1. Tamar] Tamar and Absalom were the children of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur (ch. 2 Samuel 3:3). Tamar means palm-tree. The Arabs still frequently give their daughters the names of trees distinguished for their grace, beauty, or fruitfulness. See Van Lennep’s Bible Lands, II. 501.

Amnon] David’s first-born, the son of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess.

2. Amnon thought it hard] It seemed impossible to Amnon. Tamar lived a secluded life in the women’s apartments, where Amnon could not obtain access to her.

3. a friend] This narrative is a strong warning against the danger of evil companions. The clever but unprincipled friend is more likely to provide means for gratifying evil passions than help in resisting them.

Jonadab, the son of Shimeah] Shimeah is called Shammah in 1 Samuel 16:9. He had another son Jonathan (ch. 2 Samuel 21:21).

subtil] The word means simply wise, and pronounces no judgment on the way in which Jonadab misused his sagacity. Cp. Job 5:13; Jeremiah 4:22.

4. Why, &c.] Why art thou so wasted, O king’s son, morning by morning? His cousin Jonadab either lived in the same house with Amnon as his companion, or noticed his worn looks when he came to visit him at his morning levee.

5. make thyself sick] Feign thyself sick, and so in 2 Samuel 13:6.

to see thee] To visit in sickness, as in Psalm 41:6; 2 Kings 8:29.

6. cakes] The word occurs here only, and may denote some special delicacy suited for an invalid.

7. home] Into the house: the inner part of the palace, where the women’s apartments were.

to thy brother Amnon’s house] Cp. 2 Samuel 13:20. Each of the royal princes evidently had a separate house.

8. flour] The dough.

9. a pan] The pan in which the cakes or puddings had been cooked.

12. no such thing ought to be done in Israel] Israel was a holy nation, sanctified by the peculiar presence of Jehovah among them; and therefore all acts of unchastity were an offence against the true character and calling of the nation. Such acts might be common among heathen nations, but to Israel they were forbidden by the Law, which placed them on a loftier level of morality.

13. as one of the fools in Israel] “Fool” denotes not merely one who is stupid and ignorant, but one who has abandoned the fear of God, and cast off the restraints of decency and morality. Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 3:33; Psalm 14:1. “Folly” is a term specially applied to unchastity.

he will not withhold me from thee] The marriage of half-brothers and sisters was permitted in patriarchal times, as is shewn by the example of Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 20:12), but was expressly forbidden by the Mosaic law. Either the law was not strictly observed at this time, or Tamar, hoping to escape immediate violence, suggested that the king had a dispensing power, and might permit a regular marriage.

15. hated her exceedingly] “Proprium humani ingenii est odisse quem laeseris.” “It is characteristic of human nature to hate one whom you have injured.” Tac. Agric. c. 42.

16. There is no cause] The Heb. text cannot be so translated, and is certainly corrupt. The Sept. is also confused, but its original reading as indicated by the Old Latin Version gives an excellent sense, thus; “And she said unto him, Nay, my brother, for greater will be this latter wrong, in sending me away, than the former that thou didst unto me.”

18. a garment of divers colours] The expression is used elsewhere only of Joseph’s “coat of many colours” (Genesis 37:3; Genesis 37:23), and probably means a long tunic with sleeves, worn, it would seem, as an outer garment in place of the usual mantle. The fact of her wearing this distinctive dress is mentioned, to shew that the servant and the people who met her in the street would at once recognise who she was.

19. And Tamar put ashes, &c.] The ashes and the torn garments (1 Samuel 4:12; Esther 4:1), and the hands clasped above the head (Jeremiah 2:37), were all marks of grief and shame.

went on crying] Went away shrieking as she went; not lamenting with silent tears, but with loud passionate shrieks and wailing.

20. Amnon] The Heb. form here, and here only, is Aminon, which has been explained as a diminutive intended to express contempt, but may possibly be only an accidental variation.

hold now thy peace] Absalom urged her to bear the outrage patiently, and avoid a public scandal; feeling sure that David would not be persuaded to inflict an adequate punishment on Amnon, and intending to watch his own opportunity for revenge. To him, according to Oriental custom, belonged the duty of avenging his sister’s wrongs. Cp. Genesis 34:27.

desolate] Ruined and deserted. Cp. Isaiah 54:1, where “the desolate” is contrasted with the married wife.

21. was very wroth] The Sept. and the ordinary text of the Vulgate add, “and he vexed not the spirit of Amnon his son, because he loved him, because he was his firstborn,” i.e. in spite of his anger he did not punish or even rebuke the offence, though the legal penalty of his crime was death. David’s indulgent treatment of his sons was a fruitful source of mischief (cp. 1 Kings 1:6), and led in this case to the murder of Amnon, and ultimately to Absalom’s rebellion. The consciousness of his own guilt moreover weakened his hands for dealing with Amnon’s offence.

22. neither good nor bad] He made no allusion whatever to the matter, in order to quiet Amnon’s suspicions. For the phrase cp. Genesis 24:50; Genesis 31:24.

23–29. Absalom’s vengeance

23. Absalom had sheepshearers] Sheepshearing was and still is an occasion of festivity. Cp. 1 Samuel 25:7 ff.

Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim] Possibly Tell Asur, five miles north-east of Bethel, and two miles north-west of et-Taiyibeh, which is supposed to represent Ephraim. The preposition beside or near implies that Ephraim is here the name of a town not of the tribe territory. Cp. John 11:54.

24. let the king, &c.] A clever plan for removing all suspicion from Amnon’s mind.

25. lest we be chargeable unto thee] Lest we be burdensome unto thee. Chargeable is derived from charge, in the now obsolete sense of ‘a load’ or ‘burden,’ cp. 1 Thessalonians 2:9. It is “the first instance history offers of the ruinous cost of royal visits to those who are honoured with them.” Kitto’s Bible Illustr. p. 387.

blessed him] i.e. dismissed him with a farewell blessing. Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 19:39.

26. let my brother Amnon go] If David would not go himself, at least he might send his eldest son as his representative. David’s reluctance to consent shews that he felt some misgivings that Absalom had not forgiven Amnon.

27. At the end of this verse, the Sept. adds, “And Absalom made a feast like the feast of a king.” The words may easily have dropped out of the Hebrew text owing to the similar endings of the sentences.

28. Now Absalom had commanded] And Absalom commanded. Absalom felt himself bound in honour to avenge his sister’s wrong, and moreover welcomed the pretext for getting rid of Amnon, who stood between himself and the succession to the throne.

29. did unto Amnon, &c.] Though the princes were attended by a numerous retinue (2 Samuel 13:34), the blow was struck so suddenly and unexpectedly, that no resistance was possible, and Absalom escaped without difficulty.

upon his mule] Mules were generally used for riding at this time by persons of distinction, as Absalom (ch. 2 Samuel 18:9), David, and Solomon (1 Kings 1:33; 1 Kings 1:38).

30–39. The news brought to David. Absalom’s flight

31. tare his garments] Rent his clothes. The E. V. has introduced a distinction which does not exist in the Hebrew. Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 1:11.

lay on the earth] Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 12:16.

and all his servants, &c.] The Sept. and Vulg. represent a slightly different reading; “And all his servants, who stood by him, rent their clothes.”

32. Let not my lord suppose, &c.] A practical illustration of the sagacity for which Jonadab was famous (2 Samuel 13:3). He at once rejects the exaggerations of rumour, and predicts accurately what had really happened.

by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined] Lit., upon Absalom’s mouth hath it been set; that is, Absalom’s sinister looks have all along betrayed his determination to kill Amnon; or, his purpose has been obvious from his words; but the latter explanation is less likely, as Absalom seems to have dissembled his revenge in order to disarm Amnon’s suspicion.

34. But Absalom fled] This brief statement of Absalom’s escape is inserted here in anticipation of 2 Samuel 13:37-38, in order to contrast Absalom’s flight with the return of the king’s sons to Jerusalem.

the young man that kept the watch] At Jerusalem, probably in the tower over one of the gates. Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 18:24.

much people] The princes had been attended by a numerous retinue of followers.

by the way of the hill side behind him] From the way behind him from the side of the hill: that is probably, if the text is sound, from the west. But the Sept. has important variations, thus: “And behold much people were coming in the way behind him by the side of the hill at the descent. And the watchman came and told the king, and said, I have seen men coming from the way of Oronen, by the side of the hill. And Jonadab said,” &c. Oronen may represent Horonaim or Beth-horon, the dual form referring to the two places of that name, the “Upper” and “Lower” Beth-horon—which lay north-west of Jerusalem.

37. But Absalom fled, &c.] Now Absalom had fled and gone to Talmai. The narrative goes back to 2 Samuel 13:34. Talmai was Absalom’s grandfather. See note on ch. 2 Samuel 3:3.

And David mourned] David has fallen out of the Heb. text, but is found in the Sept. and Vulg., and is clearly necessary to the sense.

for his son] Amnon, not Absalom, is meant. His first feeling towards Absalom was one of anger.

38. “If the text of these verses is sound, they afford a curious specimen of Hebrew narrative. In 2 Samuel 13:34 we read Absalom fled; in 2 Samuel 13:37, Absalom fled and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur; in 2 Samuel 13:38, Absalom fled and went to Geshur and was there three years. At each step of the narrative only the fact is brought out which is wanted, (1) the flight; (2) the place whither he fled; (3) the duration of the absence; but with each new fact the old ones on which it depends are repeated.” Speaker’s Comm.

39. And the soul of king David, &c.] The Heb. of this verse is obscure, and has been made to bear almost opposite meanings. (1) The E. V., following the Jewish commentators, supplies the soul as the subject of the verb, which is feminine. It describes David as pining for the return of Absalom, after his sorrow for Amnon’s death had abated. To this interpretation it may be objected, (a) that the verb, in the voice used here, does not mean longed: (b) that if David had been anxious for Absalom’s return, he might have recalled him at once, whereas even when by Joab’s instrumentality he had been brought back to Jerusalem, he was not admitted to the royal presence. (2) By taking the verb impersonally we may obtain the sense, David desisted from going forth against Absalom (so the Vulg. “cessavitque rex David persequi Absalom;” and probably the Sept.), i.e. he gave up plans of pursuit and revenge; or by emending the text according to a very probable conjecture, the king’s wrath ceased to go forth against Absalom. Either of these renderings gives the general sense which seems to be required by the context, that David’s active hostility towards Absalom was mitigated by the lapse of time.