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Texts -- 2 Samuel 13:4-39 (NET)

Context
13:4 He asked Amnon, “Why are you , the king’s son , so depressed every morning ? Can’t you tell me?” So Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar the sister of my brother Absalom .” 13:5 Jonadab replied to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick . When your father comes in to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can fix some food for me. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I can watch . Then I will eat from her hand .’” 13:6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick . When the king came in to see him, Amnon said to the king , “Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight . Then I will eat from her hand .” 13:7 So David sent Tamar to the house saying , “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him.” 13:8 So Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother , who was lying down . She took the dough , kneaded it, made some cakes while he watched , and baked them. 13:9 But when she took the pan and set it before him, he refused to eat . Instead Amnon said , “Get everyone out of here!” So everyone left . 13:10 Then Amnon said to Tamar , “Bring the cakes into the bedroom ; then I will eat from your hand .” So Tamar took the cakes that she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom . 13:11 As she brought them to him to eat , he grabbed her and said to her, “Come on! Get in bed with me, my sister !” 13:12 But she said to him, “No , my brother ! Don’t humiliate me! This just isn’t done in Israel ! Don’t do this foolish thing ! 13:13 How could I ever be rid of my humiliation ? And you would be considered one of the fools in Israel ! Just speak to the king , for he will not withhold me from you.” 13:14 But he refused to listen to her . He overpowered her and humiliated her by raping her. 13:15 Then Amnon greatly despised her . His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and leave !” 13:16 But she said to him, “No I won’t, for sending me away now would be worse than what you did to me earlier !” But he refused to listen to her. 13:17 He called his personal attendant and said to him, “Take this woman out of my sight and lock the door behind her!” 13:18 (Now she was wearing a long robe , for this is what the king’s virgin daughters used to wear .) So Amnon’s attendant removed her and bolted the door behind her. 13:19 Then Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went on her way, wailing as she went . 13:20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Was Amnon your brother with you? Now be quiet , my sister . He is your brother . Don’t take it so seriously !” Tamar , devastated , lived in the house of her brother Absalom . 13:21 Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry . 13:22 But Absalom said nothing to Amnon , either bad or good , yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar .
Absalom Has Amnon Put to Death
13:23 Two years later Absalom’s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor , near Ephraim . Absalom invited all the king’s sons . 13:24 Then Absalom went to the king and said , “My shearers have begun their work. Let the king and his servants go with me.” 13:25 But the king said to Absalom , “No , my son . We shouldn’t all go . We shouldn’t burden you in that way.” Though Absalom pressed him, the king was not willing to go . Instead, David blessed him. 13:26 Then Absalom said , “If you will not go , then let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king replied to him, “Why should he go with you?” 13:27 But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him. 13:28 Absalom instructed his servants , “Look ! When Amnon is drunk and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear ! Is it not I who have given you these instructions ? Be strong and courageous !” 13:29 So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had instructed . Then all the king’s sons got up ; each one rode away on his mule and fled . 13:30 While they were still on their way , the following report reached David : “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons ; not one of them is left !” 13:31 Then the king stood up and tore his garments and lay down on the ground . All his servants were standing there with torn garments as well. 13:32 Jonadab , the son of David’s brother Shimeah , said , “My lord should not say , ‘They have killed all the young men who are the king’s sons .’ For only Amnon is dead . This is what Absalom has talked about from the day that Amnon humiliated his sister Tamar . 13:33 Now don’t let my lord the king be concerned about the report that has come saying , ‘All the king’s sons are dead .’ It is only Amnon who is dead .” 13:34 In the meantime Absalom fled . When the servant who was the watchman looked up , he saw many people coming from the west on a road beside the hill . 13:35 Jonadab said to the king , “Look ! The king’s sons have come ! It’s just as I said !” 13:36 Just as he finished speaking , the king’s sons arrived , wailing and weeping . The king and all his servants wept loudly as well . 13:37 But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur . And David grieved over his son every day . 13:38 After Absalom fled and went to Geshur , he remained there for three years . 13:39 The king longed to go to Absalom , for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • David

    [ebd] beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother's name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25. As to his personal ...
    [isbe] DAVID - da'-vid (dawidh, or dawidh, "beloved"; Daueid, also in New Testament, Dauid, Dabid; see Thayer's Lexicon): I. NAME AND GENEALOGY II. EARLY YEARS 1. Shepherd 2. Slinger 3. Harpist 4. Poet 5. Psalmist 6. Tribesman III....
    [nave] DAVID 1. King of Israel. Genealogy of, Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Sam. 16:11; 17:12; 1 Chr. 2:3-15; Matt. 1:1-6; Luke 3:31-38. A shepherd, 1 Sam. 16:11. Kills a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34-36. Anointed king, while a youth, by the ...

  • Tamar

    [ebd] palm. (1.) A place mentioned by Ezekiel (47:19; 48:28), on the southeastern border of Palestine. Some suppose this was "Tadmor" (q.v.). (2.) The daughter-in-law of Judah, to whose eldest son, Er, she was married (Gen. 38:6)....
    [smith] (palm tree). The wife successively of the two sons of Judah, Er and Onan. (Genesis 38:8-30) (B.C. about 1718.) Her importance in the sacred narrative depends on the great anxiety to keep up the lineage of Judah. It seemed as...
    [nave] TAMAR 1. Wife of the sons of Judah, Gen. 38:6-24; Ruth 4:12; 1 Chr. 2:4. Called Thamar, Matt. 1:3. 2. Daughter of David, 2 Sam. 13:1-32; 1 Chr. 3:9. 3. Daughter of Absalom, 2 Sam. 14:27. 4. A city of unknown location, Ez...

  • Amnon

    [ebd] faithful. (1.) One of the sons of Shammai, of the children of Ezra (1 Chr. 4:20; comp. 17). (2.) The eldest son of David, by Ahinoam of Jezreel (1 Chr. 3:1; 2 Sam. 3:2). Absalom caused him to be put to death for his great cr...
    [isbe] AMNON - am'-non ('amnon, "faithful"; compare 'aminon, 2 Sam 13:20, which is probably a diminutive. Wellhausen (IJG, II, 24, note 2) resolves 'amiynown into 'immi, and nun, "my mother is the serpent"; compare NUN): (1) The el...
    [smith] (faithful). Eldest son of David. (B.C. 1052.) He dishonored his half-sister Tamar, and was in consequence murdered by her brother. (2 Samuel 13:1-29) Son of Shimon. (1 Chronicles 4:20)
    [nave] AMNON 1. Son of David, 2 Sam. 3:2; 1 Chr. 3:1. Incest of, and death, 2 Sam. 13. 2. Son of Shimon, 1 Chr. 4:20.

  • SAMUEL, BOOKS OF

    [isbe] SAMUEL, BOOKS OF - || I. PLACE OF THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL IN THE HEBREW CANON II. CONTENTS OF THE BOOKS AND PERIOD OF TIME COVERED BY THE HISTORY III. SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS 1. Life of Samuel (1 Samuel 1 through 15) 2. Reign and D...

  • POLYGAMY

    [isbe] POLYGAMY - po-lig'-a-mi: 1. Meaning of the Term 2. Origin of Polygamy 3. The Old Testament and Polygamy 4. Polygamy Unnatural The Eunuch 5. Weakness of Polygamy 1. Meaning of the Term: Polygamy has been and is the open blazo...

  • CRIME; CRIMES

    [isbe] CRIME; CRIMES - krim, krimz: This. term is used in English as the equivalent of the Hebrew mishpaT, "judgment," "verdict" (Ezek 7:23); zimmah, "a heinous crime" (Job 31:11); 'asham = "a fault," "sin" (Gen 26:10, English Vers...

  • Absalom

    [ebd] father of peace; i.e., "peaceful" David's son by Maacah (2 Sam. 3:3; comp. 1 Kings 1:6). He was noted for his personal beauty and for the extra-ordinary profusion of the hair of his head (2 Sam. 14:25,26). The first public a...
    [nave] ABSALOM, called also Abishalom. Son of David by Maacah, 2 Sam. 3:3; 1 Chr. 3:2. Beauty of, 2 Sam. 14:25. Slays Amnon, 2 Sam. 13:22-29. Flees to Geshur, 2 Sam. 13:37, 38. Is permitted by David to return to Jerusalem, 2 Sa...

  • Rape

    [nave] RAPE Law imposes death penalty for, Deut. 22:25-27. Captives afflicted with, Isa. 13:16; Lam. 5:11; Zech. 14:2. Instances of Of the servant of a Levite, by Benjamites; tribe of Benjamin nearly exterminated by the army of ...

  • Adultery

    [nave] ADULTERY. Gen. 20:3; 2 Sam. 12:14; Job 24:15-17 v. 18.; Job 31:1, 9-12; Prov. 2:16, 18, 19 v. 17.; Prov. 5:3, 4 vs. 5-22.; Prov. 6:24-29, 32, 33; Prov. 7:5-23; Prov. 9:13-18; Prov. 22:14; Prov. 23:27, 28; Prov. 29:3; Prov. ...

  • Deception

    [nave] DECEPTION. Instances of By Satan, Gen. 3:4. Abraham, in stating that Sarah was his sister, Gen. 12:13; 20:2. Isaac, in stating that his wife was his sister, Gen. 26:7. Jacob and Rebekah, in imposing Jacob on his father,...

  • Sheep

    [ebd] are of different varieties. Probably the flocks of Abraham and Isaac were of the wild species found still in the mountain regions of Persia and Kurdistan. After the Exodus, and as a result of intercourse with surrounding nat...
    [isbe] SHEEP - shep: 1. Names: The usual Hebrew word is tso'n, which is often translated "flock," e.g. "Abel .... brought of the firstlings of his flock" (Gen 4:4); "butter of the herd, and milk of the flock" (Dt 32:14). The King J...
    [nave] SHEEP Offered in sacrifice, by Abel, Gen. 4:4; by Noah, Gen. 8:20; by Abraham, Gen. 22:13. See: Offerings. Required in the Mosaic offerings, See: Offerings. The land of Bashan adapted to the raising of, Deut. 32:14; Bozra...

  • Lasciviousness

    [nave] LASCIVIOUSNESS. Ex. 32:6; Prov. 2:16-18; Prov. 5:3-5, 8-13; Prov. 7:6-27; Prov. 9:13-18; Prov. 20:16; Prov. 30:18-20; Joel 3:3; Mark 7:21-23; Rom. 1:22-29; Rom. 7:8; Rom. 13:13; 1 Cor. 6:9, 10, 13, 15-18; 1 Cor. 9:27; 2 Cor...

  • Seduction

    [nave] SEDUCTION, 2 Tim. 3:6, 13. Laws concerning, Ex. 22:16, 17; Deut. 22:23-29. See: Rape. Instances of Of Dinah, Gen. 34:2. Tamar, 2 Sam. 13:1-14.

  • Jonadab

    [smith] (whom Jehovah impels). Son of Shimeah and nephew of David. (B.C. 1033.) He is described as "very subtle." (2 Samuel 13:3) His age naturally made him the friend of his cousin Amnon, heir to the throne. (2 Samuel 13:3) H...
    [nave] JONADAB 1. Nephew of David. His complicity with Amnon in his rape of Tamar, 2 Sam. 13:3-5. Comforts David on death of Amnon, 2 Sam. 13:32-35. 2. Called also Jehonadab. A Rechabite and companion of Jehu, 2 Kin. 10:15-23. H...

  • Homicide

    [nave] HOMICIDE. Accidental Ex. 21:13, 28-32; Num. 35:11-15, 22-28, 32 Deut. 4:41-43; 19:1-10. Josh. 20:1-9 Felonious or Murder: Gen. 4:9-11 v. 12.; Gen. 9:5, 6; Gen. 49:7; Ex. 20:13 Deut. 5:17; Rom. 13:9. Ex. 21:29-32; Num. 35...

  • Revenge

    [nave] REVENGE Forbidden, Lev. 19:18; Prov. 24:29; Rom. 12:17, 19; 1 Thess. 5:15; 1 Pet. 3:9. Jesus an example of forbearing, 1 Pet. 2:23. Rebuked by Jesus, Luke 9:54, 55. Inconsistent with a Christian spirit, Luke 9:55. Procee...

  • MEPHIBOSHETH

    [smith] (exterminating the idol), the name borne by two members of the family of Saul --his son and his grandson. Saul?s son by Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, his concubine. (2 Samuel 21:8) He and his brother Armoni were among the ...

  • Fugitives

    [nave] FUGITIVES, from servitude, not to be returned, Deut. 23:15, 16. Instances of From slavery, Shimei's servants, 1 Kin. 2:39; Onesimus, Philem. 1. See: Exodus. From justice: Moses, Ex. 2:15; Absalom, 2 Sam. 13:34-38. From t...

  • JEHONADAB

    [ebd] Jehovah is liberal; or, whom Jehovah impels. (1.) A son of Shimeah, and nephew of David. It was he who gave the fatal wicked advice to Amnon, the heir to the throne (2 Sam. 13:3-6). He was very "subtil," but unprincipled. (2...
    [isbe] JEHONADAB - je-hon'-a-dab (yehonadhabh, either "Yahweh is noble" or "liberal," or "Yahweh has impelled") = Jonadab (yonadhabh, same meaning): (1) Jehonadab in the Hebrew of 2 Sam 13:5; but Jonadab in English Versions of the ...

  • Bread

    [isbe] BREAD - bred (lechem; artos): I. DIETARY PREEMINENCE II. MATERIALS 1. Barley 2. Wheat 3. Three Kinds of Flour III. BREAD-MAKING 1. Grinding 2. Kneading 3. Baking (1) Hot Stones (2) Baking Pans 4. Ovens (1) The Bowl-Oven (2) ...
    [nave] BREAD Called the Staff of Life, Ezek. 4:16; 5:16; 14:13. Kinds of Bread of affliction, 1 Kin. 22:27; Psa. 127:2; Hos. 9:4; Isa. 30:20; made with yeast, Lev. 7:13; 23:17; Hos. 7:4; Amos 4:5; Matt. 13:33; not made with yeast...
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • Joseph faithfully served his father even bringing back a bad report of his brothers' behavior to him for which Jacob expressed his love by giving Joseph preferential treatment. However his brothers envied and hated him. God c...
  • Joseph emotionally revealed his identity to his brothers. He assured them of God's sovereign control of his life and directed them to bring Jacob to Egypt. He then demonstrated his love for his brothers warmly.This is one of ...
  • The Book of Samuel covers the period of Israel's history bracketed by Samuel's conception and the end of David's reign. David turned the kingdom over to Solomon in 971 B.C.3David reigned for 40 and one-half years (2 Sam. 2:11...
  • The basic theme in Samuel, that blessing, and in particular fertility of all kinds, follows from faithful commitment to God's revealed will, continues in this section. However another major motif now becomes more prominent. W...
  • Both Maon and Carmel (meaning "Garden Spot") stood about 14 miles west of Engedi and about 7 miles south-southeast of Hebron. The reference to Nabal's 3,000 sheep may be an allusion to Saul's 3,000 soldiers (24:2). As the sto...
  • (Continued from notes on 1 Samuel)V. David's triumphs chs. 1-8A. The beginning of David's kingdom 1:1-3:51. David's discovery of Saul and Jonathan's deaths ch. 12. David's move to Hebron 2:1-4a3. David's overtures to Jabesh-g...
  • The first 20 chapters of 2 Samuel are divisible into four units each of which ends with a list of names that is four verses long (1:1-3:5; 3:6-5:16; 5:17-8:18; 9:1-20:26).2The first two units conclude with lists of David's so...
  • "Saul the king is dead, Jonathan the heir apparent is dead, Abinadab and Malki-Shua (two of Jonathan's brothers) are dead (1 Sam 31:2), Abner the commander of the army is dead--and no other viable claimants or pretenders cont...
  • "As the story of David's accession to kingship over Judah (1:1-3:5) parallels that of his accession to the throne of Israel (3:6-5:16), each concluding with a list of his sons (3:2-5; 5:13-16), so the account of his powerful ...
  • The promises Yahweh made to David here are an important key to understanding God's program for the future.God rejected David's suggestion that he build a temple for the Lord and gave three reasons. First, there was no pressin...
  • Chapters 9-20 contrast with chapters 2-8 in that this later section is negative whereas the earlier one was positive. It records failure; the former records success. Compare the similar narrative of Saul's triumphs (1 Sam. 7-...
  • While Joab was continuing to subdue the Ammonites the following spring by besieging Rabbah (modern Amman, the capital of Jordan; cf. 10:7), David was residing in Jerusalem (11:1). By mentioning the fact that normally kings le...
  • David compounded his sin by trying to cover it up rather than confessing it. He tried three cover-ups: a "clean"one (vv. 6-11), a "dirty"one (vv. 12-13), and a "criminal"one (vv. 14-17).178David's suggestion that Uriah go hom...
  • At first, David piously tried to salve Joab's conscience for his complicity in Uriah's death (11:25). The Hebrew word translated "displease"literally means "be evil in your sight."David was calling what was sin something othe...
  • This is the longest literary section in the Court History of David (chs. 9-20). It records Absalom's antagonism to David that resulted in the king having to flee Jerusalem, but it ends with David's defeat of his enemy and his...
  • David's disobedience to the Mosaic Covenant resulted in a cutting back of his personal blessing and of his effectiveness as an instrument of blessing to Israel. These chapters record this restriction of blessing even though b...
  • Maacah bore Absalom while David was reigning in Hebron (3:3). He was David's third-born. Amnon, his first-born, was also born in Hebron but by Ahinoam (3:2). Both sons may have been in their late teens or early twenties at th...
  • References to two years (v. 23) and three years (v. 38) bracket this literary unit.
  • Absalom patiently and carefully plotted revenge on Amnon.". . . As the sheep of Absalom would lose their wool (vv. 23-24), so David's firstborn, the potential shepherd of Israel, would lose his life (vv. 28-29)."223Absalom fi...
  • The writer may have devoted so much text to straightening out the rumor that Absalom had killed all the king's sons to stress God's mercy in not cutting off all of them. At first report David probably thought God had judged h...
  • Evidently Joab (David's commander-in-chief and nephew by his half-sister, Zeruiah) concluded that it would be politically better for David and Israel if David brought Absalom back to Jerusalem from Geshur (cf. vv. 7, 13-15). ...
  • Joab's masquerade proved effective. David agreed to allow Absalom to return to Jerusalem (v. 21). However even though he did not execute him, neither did David restore Absalom to fellowship with himself (v. 24). His forgivene...
  • Two sub-sections each begin with a reference to time (vv. 1, 7) and form a literary "diptych"(i.e., two complementary panals).233The first six verses explain how Absalom undermined popular confidence in the Lord's anointed fo...
  • This is the central unit of chapters 5-20, and its central focus is the judgment that Hushai's advice was better than Ahithophel's (17:14). This advice is the pivot on which the fortunes of David swung in his dealings with Ab...
  • Ahimaaz wanted to be the first to tell David the news of his victory since messengers often received a reward for bringing good news. Joab discouraged him thinking he would also report that Absalom was dead. David would not h...
  • "The account of Sheba's rebellion against David serves as a counterpoise to the story of Absalom's conspiracy (15:1-12) in chapters 15-20, which constitute the major part of the narrative that comprises chapters 13-20 (more p...
  • "With Joab's return to the king in Jerusalem, the grand symphony known as the Court History of David reaches its conclusion for all practical purposes (at least as far as the books of Samuel are concerned . . .). The last fou...
  • Achtemeier, Paul J., and Elizabeth Achtemeier. The Old Testament Roots of Our Faith. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979.Ackerman, James S. "Knowing Good and Evil: A Literary Ananysis of the Court History in 2 Samuel 9-20 and ...
  • The first segment of the writer's story (1:1-2:12) continues the history of Israel's monarchy where 2 Samuel ended. It records the final events in David's reign that led to Solomon's succession to the throne. It answers the q...
  • David had warned Solomon to keep Shimei under close observation and to put him to death (vv. 8-9). Evidently David realized because of Shimei's past actions that it would only be a matter of time before he would do something ...
  • The writer's condemnation of Solomon in verses 1-2 rests on Deuteronomy 23:3-9 as well as Deuteronomy 7:3-4. The phraseology goes back to 23:3-9 and the motive to 7:3-4 (cf. Exod. 23:31-33; 34:15-16; Ezra 9:1; Neh. 13:26). So...
  • 4:16 The Shulammite invited Solomon to take her completely. She called on the winds to carry the scents to which Solomon had referred so he would find full satisfaction (cf. vv. 13-14).5:1 Solomon exulted in the joy that unio...
  • Israel deserved judgment, and this pericope shows why. Jeremiah presented a series of pictures of the nation's irresponsibility and corruption.2:29 The Lord wanted to know why His people were angry with Him. The difficulties ...
  • 13:1-3 The Lord gave Ezekiel a message for the prophets who were devising messages for the Jews from their own hearts and calling them prophecies from Yahweh. He was using the word "prophet"ironically; these were not true pro...
  • Three groups of people mourn Babylon's destruction in these verses: kings (vv. 9-10; cf. Ezek. 26:15-18), merchants (vv. 11-13, 15-17a; cf. Ezek. 27:36), and sea people (vv. 17b-19; cf. Ezek. 27:29-36).18:9 World government l...
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