2 Samuel 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.

Then he called {H7121} his servant {H5288} that ministered {H8334} unto him, and said {H559}, Put {H7971} now this woman out {H2351} from me, and bolt {H5274} the door {H1817} after {H310} her.

he called his personal servant and said, "Get rid of this woman for me! Throw her out, and lock the door after her!"

Instead, he called to his attendant and said, โ€œThrow this woman out and bolt the door behind her!โ€

Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.

Commentary

2 Samuel 13:17 captures a moment of profound cruelty and callousness following a heinous act within King David's royal household. After Amnon, David's son, had forcibly violated his half-sister Tamar, this verse records his immediate and heartless command to his servant.

Context

This verse is the grim aftermath of one of the most tragic events in David's family history. Amnon, consumed by lust for his beautiful half-sister Tamar, feigned illness to lure her to his chambers. Despite Tamar's desperate pleas and logical arguments for a lawful marriage, Amnon overpowered her (2 Samuel 13:14). Immediately after the act, Amnon's desire turned to intense hatred, a common psychological reaction in such cases, highlighting the true nature of his sin as one of power and degradation, not affection. His command to "Put now this [woman] out from me, and bolt the door after her" reveals his utter contempt and desire to erase his crime and its victim from his sight.

Key Themes

  • Extreme Cruelty and Contempt: Amnon's command is not merely a dismissal but an act of profound dehumanization. He refers to Tamar as "this woman," stripping her of her identity and relationship, and then demands she be expelled and locked out, signifying her utter rejection and humiliation.
  • Abuse of Power: As a prince, Amnon wielded significant authority, which he brutally exploited to commit his crime and then to discard his victim. This highlights the dangerous potential of unchecked power within a royal court, reflecting broader issues of injustice and vulnerability.
  • The Devastating Consequences of Sin: This single act of violence and subsequent cruelty sets in motion a chain of devastating events for David's family, leading to Absalom's murderous revenge (2 Samuel 13:28-29) and ultimately contributing to Absalom's rebellion against his father, David (2 Samuel 15:10). The verse underscores how sin, particularly unaddressed and unrepented sin, can unravel lives and families.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase for "Put out" (ืฉืึดืœึฐื—ึถื”ึธ ื”ึทื—ื•ึผืฆึธื”, shilcheha hachutzah) conveys a strong sense of expulsion, indicating a forceful and humiliating removal. The instruction to "bolt the door after her" (ื•ึฐื ึธืขึทืœึฐืชึผึธ ื”ึทื“ึผึถืœึถืช ืึทื—ึฒืจึถื™ื”ึธ, venaalta haddeleth achareha) emphasizes the finality of her rejection and the desire to prevent her return, sealing her fate in that moment of despair. It signifies a complete severance and a brutal end to the encounter, leaving Tamar utterly abandoned and disgraced.

Reflection and Application

This verse serves as a stark reminder of the horrific impact of sexual violence and the profound injustice faced by victims. Amnon's actions and his subsequent callousness are a chilling portrayal of evil and the absence of empathy. For us today, this passage calls for:

  • Empathy and Justice: It compels us to stand against injustice and to offer compassion and support to those who have been wronged, rather than dismissing or blaming them.
  • Accountability: The narrative implicitly critiques the lack of immediate and decisive justice from King David in response to this atrocity, which contributed to further tragedy within his family (2 Samuel 13:21). It highlights the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.
  • Understanding Sin's Destructive Power: Amnon's sin was not merely a private act; its ripple effects devastated a family and ultimately contributed to national turmoil. This reminds us that sin's consequences often extend far beyond the immediate act, impacting communities and generations, underscoring the biblical principle that what one sows, one will also reap.

The Lord sees and knows every act of injustice, and while human justice may fail, divine justice ultimately prevails.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

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