2 Samuel 13:31

KJV

Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

KJV (with Strong's)

Then the king {H4428} arose {H6965}, and tare {H7167} his garments {H899}, and lay {H7901} on the earth {H776}; and all his servants {H5650} stood {H5324} by with their clothes {H899} rent {H7167}.

Complete Jewish Bible

The king got up, tore his clothes and lay on the ground, while all his servants stood by with their clothes torn too.

Berean Standard Bible

Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

American Standard Version

Then the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
2 Samuel 13:31 vividly captures King David's immediate and profound reaction to the devastating news of his son Amnon's death, initially compounded by a false report that all his sons had been slain. This verse marks a pivotal moment of intense sorrow, public mourning, and deep personal anguish within David's royal household, underscoring the tragic consequences unfolding within his family.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated at a tragic turning point in David's reign, immediately following Absalom's meticulously planned assassination of his half-brother Amnon. The motive for this brutal act was revenge for Amnon's rape of their sister Tamar, an event that David had failed to adequately address, setting the stage for the escalating familial strife. The news of Amnon's death reached David in a dramatic and exaggerated fashion, initially suggesting that all his sons had been slain (cf. [2 Samuel 13:30](/2_samuel/13-30 "2 Samuel 13:30 - False Report of All Sons Slain")). This deeply personal tragedy is a bitter fruit of the prophecy delivered by Nathan concerning the consequences of David's sin with Bathsheba, foretelling that "the sword shall never depart from thine house" ([2 Samuel 12:10](/2_samuel/12-10 "2 Samuel 12:10 - Nathan's Prophecy of the Sword")). The events described in [2 Samuel 13:28-29](/2_samuel/13-28 "2 Samuel 13:28-29 - Absalom's Plot and Amnon's Assassination") directly precede this outpouring of grief, highlighting the immediate aftermath of Absalom's violent act and his subsequent flight.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In ancient Israel and the broader Near East, public displays of grief were not only common but expected, serving as a vital part of the mourning process and a communal acknowledgment of loss. Tearing one's garments (Hebrew: *qara'*), as David and his servants do here, was a powerful, non-verbal expression of intense emotion—grief, horror, anger, or despair. This act symbolized a tearing of one's inner being, a visceral response to overwhelming sorrow. Similarly, lying on the earth (or falling to the ground, sitting in ashes) was a posture of profound humility, abject sorrow, and utter brokenness, signifying a complete surrender to grief and a recognition of one's helplessness in the face of tragedy. These actions were deeply ingrained cultural rituals that communicated the magnitude of the loss to the entire community.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within the book of 2 Samuel and the broader Davidic narrative. Firstly, it underscores the theme of **Profound Grief and Despair**, illustrating that even a powerful king like David is subject to overwhelming human sorrow. His actions—rising, tearing his garments, and lying on the earth—are classic, culturally understood expressions of utter brokenness, demonstrating the depth of his personal pain and the shock of the news. Secondly, it serves as a stark reminder of the **Consequences of Sin**. While not explicitly stated in this verse, the entire narrative arc from [David's sin with Bathsheba](/2_samuel/11-4 "2 Samuel 11:4 - David's Sin with Bathsheba") through this chapter highlights the painful and far-reaching repercussions of moral failure, even for a forgiven king. The turmoil and violence within his family are a direct, tragic fulfillment of divine judgment, as prophesied by Nathan. Lastly, the verse emphasizes the **Public Display of Mourning**, as not only David but "all his servants stood by with their clothes rent." This collective shock and shared grief permeating the royal court underscore the magnitude of the tragedy, demonstrating that personal sorrow in a public figure often becomes a communal experience.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **arose (Hebrew, _qum'_):** This verb often denotes a decisive action or a change in posture, but here, in the context of receiving devastating news, it suggests a sudden, involuntary movement prompted by shock and distress. It's not a rising to action, but a rising *into* the immediate experience of grief, a physical manifestation of an internal jolt.
* **tare (Hebrew, _qara'_):** This verb specifically means "to tear" or "to rip apart." When applied to garments in biblical contexts, it is a highly symbolic and dramatic act. It signifies extreme emotional distress—whether grief, horror, anger, or despair—and is a public, visible declaration of profound internal anguish and a disruption of one's normal state.
* **lay (Hebrew, _shakav'_):** While often meaning "to lie down" for rest or sleep, in this context, "lay on the earth" signifies a posture of utter prostration, helplessness, and despair. It is a physical manifestation of being overwhelmed by sorrow, a complete collapse of strength and dignity in the face of unbearable news.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Then the king arose":** This phrase immediately conveys the sudden and forceful impact of the news on David. It suggests an involuntary, almost convulsive reaction, as if the shock physically propelled him from his seat or state of composure. It marks the initiation of his public display of grief.
* **"and tare his garments":** This is a powerful and culturally significant act. David, as king, would have worn fine robes, and the tearing of these garments was a public, non-verbal declaration of profound sorrow, horror, and despair. It symbolized the tearing of his heart and the shattering of his world, a visible sign of his brokenness.
* **"and lay on the earth":** This action denotes a complete collapse into grief. Lying prostrate on the ground was a common ancient Near Eastern posture of utter humiliation, submission, and overwhelming sorrow. For a king to do this publicly underscored the depth of his anguish and the devastating blow he had received.
* **"and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent":** This final clause highlights the communal nature of the tragedy and the shared grief within the royal court. The servants' mirroring of David's actions (tearing their clothes) indicates their shock, their empathy with the king's sorrow, and the pervasive sense of calamity that had befallen the royal household. It emphasizes the widespread impact of Absalom's violent act.

#### Literary Devices
2 Samuel 13:31 employs several potent **literary devices** to convey the profound impact of the news on David and his court. The most prominent is **Imagery**, which creates a vivid mental picture of David's physical response to grief: rising, tearing his clothes, and prostrating himself on the earth. These actions are not merely described but are presented with a raw immediacy that draws the reader into the scene of anguish. **Symbolism** is also central, as the tearing of garments and lying on the earth are deeply symbolic acts in ancient Israelite culture, universally understood as expressions of extreme sorrow, despair, and brokenness. The act of tearing one's clothes represents the tearing of one's inner being, while lying on the earth signifies utter helplessness and surrender to grief. Furthermore, the verse uses **Parallelism** by showing David's actions mirrored by his servants ("all his servants stood by with their clothes rent"). This parallelism emphasizes the pervasive nature of the tragedy and the collective shock that permeated the royal court, amplifying the sense of widespread calamity and shared mourning. The overall effect is one of intense **pathos**, evoking deep sympathy for David's suffering and the tragic consequences of his family's dysfunction.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
David's raw display of grief in 2 Samuel 13:31 resonates deeply with the biblical understanding of human suffering and the inevitable consequences of sin. While David was a man after God's own heart, his moral failures, particularly with Bathsheba, unleashed a torrent of familial strife and violence, as prophesied by Nathan. This verse serves as a poignant reminder that even divine forgiveness does not always negate the natural, painful repercussions of our choices in this fallen world. It underscores God's justice, not as vindictive punishment, but as the unfolding of moral order where actions have consequences, even for His chosen ones. David's anguish is a universal human experience of loss, yet it is intensified by the knowledge that this tragedy is intrinsically linked to the unraveling of his own household, a direct result of the "sword" that would not depart from his house.
* [Genesis 37:34](/genesis/37-34 "Jacob's Mourning for Joseph")
* [Job 1:20](/job/1-20 "Job's Response to Calamity")
* [Joel 2:13](/joel/2-13 "Tearing Hearts, Not Garments")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
2 Samuel 13:31 offers a profound glimpse into the reality of human grief, even for those in positions of power and spiritual favor. David's uninhibited display of sorrow—tearing his garments and prostrating himself—reminds us that authentic emotional expression in times of loss is not a sign of weakness but a necessary part of the human experience. It validates our own struggles with grief, acknowledging that sorrow can be overwhelming and physically debilitating. Furthermore, this verse, embedded within the larger narrative of David's family, serves as a sobering reminder that our actions, particularly our moral failures, can have far-reaching and painful consequences, often impacting those we love most deeply. It calls us to consider the ripple effects of our choices and to seek wisdom and righteousness not only for our own sake but for the well-being of our families and communities. The shared mourning of David's servants also highlights the importance of communal support and empathy in times of tragedy, reminding us to stand with those who grieve.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do David's actions in this verse reflect a universal human experience of grief, and how might this inform our own responses to loss?**
* **In what ways does this verse, within its broader context, remind us of the lasting consequences of sin, even after forgiveness?**
* **What does the public and collective nature of the mourning in David's court teach us about the role of community in processing sorrow?**

### FAQ
**Why did David tear his garments and lie on the earth?**

Answer: David's actions were culturally significant and deeply symbolic expressions of extreme grief, horror, and despair in ancient Israel. Tearing one's garments (Hebrew: *qara'*) was a powerful, public, non-verbal declaration of profound internal anguish, signifying a shattering of one's world and a visceral response to overwhelming sorrow. Lying on the earth, or prostrating oneself, was a posture of utter humility, helplessness, and abject brokenness, signifying a complete surrender to the overwhelming nature of the tragedy. These acts were common and expected responses to devastating news, communicating the magnitude of the loss to all who witnessed it.

**What was the "false report" that initially compounded David's grief?**

Answer: Prior to the arrival of the messenger with the specific news of Amnon's death, a report had reached David that Absalom had killed *all* the king's sons at the sheep-shearing feast (cf. [2 Samuel 13:30](/2_samuel/13-30 "2 Samuel 13:30 - False Report of All Sons Slain")). This exaggerated and terrifying news led David to believe the worst, causing an initial, even greater wave of despair before the truth—that only Amnon had been killed—was revealed. This initial, more devastating report amplified David's immediate reaction of profound sorrow and intensified the shock portrayed in [2 Samuel 13:31](/2_samuel/13-31 "2 Samuel 13:31 - David's Grief").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While 2 Samuel 13:31 vividly portrays the profound grief of an earthly king facing the bitter fruit of sin within his own household, it ultimately points to the greater King, Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies and redeems human suffering. David's sorrow, though immense, is a consequence of his own and his family's sin, a fulfillment of the "sword" that would not depart from his house. In contrast, Jesus, the Son of David, experienced profound grief not for His own sin, but for the sin of the world and the suffering it causes. We see His humanity and empathy in moments like when [Jesus wept at Lazarus's tomb](/john/11-35 "John 11:35 - Jesus Wept"), demonstrating a sympathetic heart that fully understands our pain ([Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest")). Unlike David, whose actions brought the sword upon his house, Christ came to bring peace and reconciliation, ultimately bearing the full weight of humanity's sin and its consequences on the cross. His suffering, foretold in passages like [Isaiah 53](/isaiah/53 "Isaiah 53 - The Suffering Servant"), was not a result of His own failures but a demonstration of God's perfect love ([Romans 5:8](/romans/5-8 "Romans 5:8 - God Demonstrates His Love")). Through Christ, the cycle of sin and its devastating consequences, so evident in David's family, is broken, offering true healing and eternal hope that transcends any earthly sorrow.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.