2 Samuel 13:1

The Rape of Tamar

13:1 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David’s son Amnon fell madly in love with her. ¹ 

2 Samuel 13:4

13:4 He asked Amnon, ²  “Why are you, the king’s son, ³  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.”

2 Samuel 13:15

13:15 Then Amnon greatly despised her. ⁴  His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her. ⁵  Amnon said to her, “Get up and leave!”

¹ tn Heb “Amnon the son of David loved her.” The following verse indicates the extreme nature of his infatuation, so the translation uses “madly in love” here.

² tn Heb “and he said to him.”

³ tn An more idiomatic translation might be “Why are you of all people…?”

⁴ tn Heb “and Amnon hated her with very great hatred.”

⁵ tn Heb “for greater was the hatred with which he hated her than the love with which he loved her.”