2 Samuel 13:5

Translation
King James Version
And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And Jonadab H3082 said H559 unto him, Lay thee down H7901 on thy bed H4904, and make thyself sick H2470: and when thy father H1 cometh H935 to see H7200 thee, say H559 unto him, I pray thee, let my sister H269 Tamar H8559 come H935, and give H1262 me meat H3899, and dress H6213 the meat H1279 in my sight H5869, that I may see H7200 it, and eat H398 it at her hand H3027.
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Complete Jewish Bible
Yonadav said to him, "Lie down on your bed, and pretend you're sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food to eat, and have her prepare the food where I can watch. I'll eat what she serves me."
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Berean Standard Bible
Jonadab told him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare it in my sight so I may watch her and eat it from her hand.’”
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American Standard Version
And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.
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World English Bible Messianic
Jonadab said to him, “Lay down on your bed, and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, tell him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.’”
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And Ionadab sayd vnto him, Lie downe on thy bed, and make thy selfe sicke: and when thy father shall come to see thee, say vnto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and giue me meate, and let her dresse meate in my sight, that I may see it, and eate it of her hand.
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Young's Literal Translation
And Jonadab saith to him, `Lie down on thy couch, and feign thyself sick, and thy father hath come in to see thee, and thou hast said unto him, `Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come in and give me bread to eat; and she hath made the food before mine eyes so that I see it , and have eaten from her hand.'
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See also
Mark 6:24Mark 6:252 Samuel 16:212 Samuel 17:4Acts 23:15Psalms 50:18Psalms 50:19
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City Plan: Jerusalem in the Time of David
City Plan: Jerusalem in the Time of David View full PDF
Banishment and Return of Absalom
Banishment and Return of Absalom View full PDF

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In the KJVVerse 8,323 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

2 Samuel 13:5 meticulously details Jonadab's insidious counsel to Amnon, outlining a deceptive scheme designed to facilitate Amnon's lustful intentions toward his half-sister, Tamar. This verse describes the elaborate pretense of illness Amnon is to adopt, followed by a specific request to King David for Tamar to come and prepare a special meal in his presence, and to feed him by hand. This calculated manipulation aimed to isolate Tamar, setting the stage for the tragic and morally reprehensible act that would deeply wound David's family and kingdom.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse serves as the chilling blueprint for the tragic narrative of Amnon and Tamar, a pivotal moment that begins with Amnon's illicit desire for his half-sister in 2 Samuel 13:1. Jonadab, shrewdly characterized as "a very subtil man" in 2 Samuel 13:3, emerges as the architect of this manipulative plot. Verse 5 precisely lays out the deceptive strategy that Amnon subsequently executes in 2 Samuel 13:6-7, directly culminating in the horrific assault detailed in 2 Samuel 13:14. This episode is not an isolated incident but represents a direct and devastating fulfillment of Nathan's prophecy against David's house following his sin with Bathsheba, particularly the pronouncement that "evil will arise against you from your own house" as foretold in 2 Samuel 12:11.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The narrative unfolds within the royal court of King David in ancient Israel, a patriarchal society where family honor, female purity, and the protection of female relatives were paramount. Unmarried princesses, such as Tamar, were typically safeguarded under the strict oversight of the royal household. The act of feigning illness was a recognized ruse, and the cultural expectation was for family members, especially parents, to express concern and provide care. The specific request for Tamar to prepare a particular dish (later revealed as cakes) and to feed Amnon by hand, while superficially appearing as a gesture of familial care for a sick brother, was a profound perversion of these cultural norms. Such an intimate act, performed in private, would effectively remove Tamar from the protective gaze of the wider household, rendering her acutely vulnerable. This calculated exploitation of familial trust and deeply ingrained cultural expectations vividly underscores the depth of Jonadab's cunning and Amnon's depravity.
  • Key Themes: This verse serves as a stark and chilling illustration of several pervasive themes within the biblical narrative. Deception and Manipulation are central, as Jonadab's counsel masterfully exploits King David's paternal concern and Tamar's familial duty to achieve a sinister end. This highlights the profound dangers of cunning employed for evil purposes, a theme powerfully echoed in Proverbs 12:20. The Destructive Power of Unchecked Lust is the primary driving force behind Amnon's actions; his unbridled, illicit desire leads him to orchestrate a morally reprehensible act, demonstrating how sinful desires, when entertained and nurtured, can lead to devastating and irreversible consequences, as warned in James 1:14-15. The Vulnerability of the Innocent is poignantly depicted through Tamar, who, utterly unaware of the malicious plot, becomes a victim of calculated evil. Finally, the verse powerfully foreshadows the Ripple Effect of Sin, as this initial act of deception and lust sets in motion a cascade of tragedies—sexual assault, fratricide, and rebellion—that would plague David's family and kingdom for years, serving as a direct fulfillment of the divine judgment pronounced in 2 Samuel 12:10-12.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • sick (Hebrew, châlâh', H2470): This verb (H2470), while broadly meaning "to be weak, sick, or afflicted," carries a crucial causative and deceptive implication in this context. Jonadab's instruction is not merely for Amnon to be sick, but to "make thyself sick," indicating a deliberate, calculated act of feigning illness. It denotes a manipulative pretense rather than a genuine physical ailment, designed to elicit sympathy and facilitate a sinister agenda.
  • meat (Hebrew, biryâh', H1279): This feminine noun (H1279) refers generally to "food" or "meat." While the KJV uses "meat" here, the broader narrative (2 Samuel 13:8) reveals that Tamar prepares a specific type of cakes (lĕvivōt). The use of this general term for "food" in Amnon's request allows for ambiguity, making his desire for a specific, comforting dish from his sister seem plausible and innocent to David, thereby masking the true, sinister intent behind the request.
  • hand (Hebrew, yâd', H3027): This primitive word (H3027) refers to the "hand" and is used in a wide variety of applications, often indicating power, means, or direction. In the phrase "at her hand," it emphasizes the intimacy and directness of the action. It implies that Tamar would not merely bring the food but would personally feed Amnon, an act of close, personal care. This detail is crucial to Jonadab's plan, as it ensures Tamar's close proximity and isolation, removing any protective distance and creating the vulnerable situation Amnon sought to exploit.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick": This opening clause immediately establishes Jonadab's role as the cunning instigator and architect of the plot. The imperative to "make thyself sick" reveals the deliberate and manipulative nature of the scheme from its very inception, laying the deceptive foundation for the elaborate ruse that follows.
  • "and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him": This phrase highlights the strategic exploitation of King David's paternal concern. Jonadab's plan shrewdly leverages David's expected visit to his "ailing" son, knowing that a father's natural inclination would be to grant a seemingly innocent request from a sick child, thereby bypassing any suspicion.
  • "I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see [it], and eat [it] at her hand": This is the meticulously crafted core of the deceptive request, designed to ensure Tamar's isolation and vulnerability. The multiple, progressively intimate clauses—her coming, her giving him food, her preparing it in his sight, his seeing it, and finally, his eating it directly from her hand—systematically narrow the scope of interaction, maximizing intimacy and minimizing external oversight, all under the guise of a sick brother's comforting need.

Literary Devices

The passage masterfully employs several literary devices to heighten its dramatic and tragic impact. Foreshadowing is powerfully evident in the meticulous detail of Jonadab's plan; the elaborate nature of the deception strongly hints at the grave consequences that will inevitably unfold. The Irony is profound: King David, a man of God and a wise ruler, is unwittingly manipulated by his own son and nephew, his deep paternal concern exploited for a heinous crime. This underscores the vulnerability of even the powerful to familial betrayal. Deception is the central driving force of the narrative, with Jonadab's cunning counsel and Amnon's feigned illness forming the core of the plot. Finally, Symbolism is present in the "meat" or cakes; what should be a gesture of familial comfort, nourishment, and care is tragically perverted into a tool for sin, symbolizing the corruption of sacred familial bonds and the perversion of natural affection.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

This verse, though seemingly a simple instruction, is deeply significant for its theological and thematic implications, serving as a chilling testament to the pervasive nature of sin and its destructive consequences. It underscores the biblical truth that unbridled desire, when coupled with malicious counsel and cunning, can lead to the most heinous acts, corrupting even the most sacred bonds of family. The narrative demonstrates how sin, once conceived, actively seeks means for its fulfillment, often through manipulation and the exploitation of trust. This episode is a direct outworking of the consequences prophesied for David's house following his own sin with Bathsheba, illustrating that sin has a ripple effect, impacting not only the individual but also their family and wider community, bringing sorrow and division where there should be peace and unity. It serves as a somber reminder of the need for moral vigilance and the discernment of counsel.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

2 Samuel 13:5 stands as a stark warning against the insidious nature of sin, particularly how it can fester in the heart and, with the aid of malicious counsel, orchestrate elaborate schemes of destruction. It challenges us to cultivate a profound discernment, not only of overt temptations but also of the subtle, seemingly innocent suggestions that might lead us or others down a path of compromise and sin. The vulnerability of Tamar, exploited by those who should have protected her, calls us to be vigilant guardians of the innocent and to recognize the potential for evil even within trusted circles. This narrative compels us to examine our own desires, asking whether they align with God's will or if they are becoming unbridled passions that could lead to destructive actions. Ultimately, it reminds us that sin rarely remains contained; its consequences often extend far beyond the initial act, unraveling the fabric of relationships and bringing widespread sorrow, underscoring the urgent need for repentance and reliance on God's grace to guard our hearts and minds.

Questions for Reflection

  • How do we discern counsel that appears wise or helpful on the surface but is, at its core, morally corrupt or manipulative?
  • What safeguards can we establish in our lives and communities to guard against unchecked desires and prevent them from leading to destructive actions?
  • In what ways might we, even unintentionally, contribute to or overlook situations where vulnerable individuals are at risk of exploitation?

FAQ

Why did Jonadab give such advice to Amnon?

Answer: Jonadab, Amnon's cousin, is explicitly described as "a very subtil man" in 2 Samuel 13:3. His motivation isn't explicitly stated as personal malice towards Tamar, but rather a cunning desire to help Amnon achieve his illicit goal. He appears to be a pragmatist without a moral compass, willing to devise an elaborate and unethical plan to satisfy Amnon's lust. His role highlights the danger of having "friends" who enable sin rather than offering godly counsel, demonstrating a perverse loyalty or perhaps a fascination with manipulation for its own sake.

Why did King David agree to this deceptive plan?

Answer: King David was likely motivated by sincere paternal concern for his "sick" son, Amnon. The request, on the surface, seemed innocent and culturally appropriate: a sick son desiring comforting care and a specific meal prepared by his sister. David had no reason to suspect the sinister intentions lurking beneath Amnon's feigned illness and seemingly simple request. This situation tragically illustrates how easily even a wise and discerning leader can be deceived when trust is exploited, especially by those within his own family, highlighting the pervasive nature of sin's deceit and its ability to blind even the most astute.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The dark narrative of 2 Samuel 13:5, steeped in deception, lust, and the exploitation of the innocent, stands in stark contrast to the person and work of Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies purity, truth, and self-sacrificial love. While Amnon's scheme was designed to isolate and harm the innocent, Christ willingly became the ultimate innocent victim, isolated and betrayed, not for His own sin, but for the sins of humanity, led "like a lamb to the slaughter" as prophesied in Isaiah 53:7. Where Jonadab's counsel led to manipulation and destruction, Jesus is the "Wonderful Counselor" (Isaiah 9:6), whose wisdom always leads to life and truth, powerfully exposing the lies of the "father of lies" (John 8:44). The perversion of familial love and trust in this passage is profoundly redeemed in Christ, who establishes a new family of God based on genuine love, purity, and mutual honor, as He "loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25-27). Through His atoning sacrifice, Jesus breaks the cycle of sin's destructive consequences, offering forgiveness and healing where human depravity brings only pain and division, demonstrating that "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). He is the true Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, contrasting with the "meat" prepared for a sinful purpose, offering Himself as the "Bread of Life" to nourish and redeem all who believe (John 6:35).

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Commentary on 2 Samuel 13 verses 1–20

I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points

We have here a particular account of the abominable wickedness of Amnon in ravishing his sister, a subject not fit to be enlarged upon nor indeed to be mentioned without blushing, that ever any man should be so vile, especially that a son of David should be so. Amnon's character, we have reason to think, was bad in other things; if he had not forsaken God, he would never have been given up to these vile affections. Godly parents have often been afflicted with wicked children; grace does not run in the blood, but corruption does. We do not find that David's children imitated him in his devotion; but his false steps they trod in, and in those did much worse, and repented not. Parents know not how fatal the consequences may be if in any instance they give their children bad examples. Observe the steps of Amnon's sin.

I. The devil, as an unclean spirit, put it into his heart to lust after his sister Tamar. Beauty is a snare to many; it was so to her. She was fair, and therefore Amnon coveted her, Sa2 13:1. Those that are peculiarly handsome have no reason, on that account, to be proud, but great reason to stand upon their watch. Amnon's lust was, 1. Unnatural in itself, to lust after his sister, which even natural conscience startles at and cannot think of without horror. Such a spirit of contradiction there is in man's corrupt nature that still it desires forbidden fruit, and the more strongly it is forbidden the more greedily it is desired. Can he entertain the thought of betraying that virtue and honour of which, as a brother, he ought to have been the protector? But what wickedness so vile as not to find admittance into an unsanctified unguarded heart, left to itself? 2. It was very uneasy to him. He was so vexed that he could not gain an opportunity to solicit her chastity (for innocent converse with her was not denied him) that he fell sick, Sa2 13:2. Fleshly lusts are their own punishment, and not only war against the soul, but against the body too, and are the rottenness of the bones. See what a hard master sinners serve, and how heavy his yoke is.

II. The devil, as a subtle serpent, put it into his head how to compass this wicked design. Amnon had a friend (so he called him, but he was really an enemy to him), a kinsman, that had in him more of David's blood (for he was his nephew) than of David's spirit, for he was a subtle man, cunning to carry on any bad design, especially an intrigue of this nature, Sa2 13:3.

1.He took notice that Amnon looked ill, and, being a subtle man, concluded that he was love-sick (Sa2 13:4), and asks him, "Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? Why dost thou pine, being the king's eldest son, and heir to the crown. Being the king's son," (1.) "Thou hast the pleasures of the court to divert thee; take those pleasures then, and with them drive away the sorrow, whatever it is." Content and comfort are not always to be found in royal palaces. With much more reason may we ask dejected and disconsolate saints why they, who are the children of the King of kings and heirs of the crown of life, are thus lean from day to day. (2.) "Thou hast the power of a prince to command what thou wantest and wishest for; use that power therefore, and gratify thyself. Pine not away for that which, lawful or unlawful, thou, being the king's son, mayest have. Quicquid libet licet - Your will is law." Thus Jezebel to Ahab in a like case (Kg1 21:7), Dost not thou govern Israel? The abuse of power is the most dangerous temptation of the great.

2.Amnon having the impudence to own his wicked lust, miscalling it love (I love Tamar), Jonadab put him in a way to compass his design, Sa2 13:5. Had he been what he pretended (Amnon's friend), he would have startled at the mention of such horrid wickedness, would have laid before him the evil of it, what an offence it was to God and what a wrong to his own soul to entertain such a vile thought, of what fatal consequence it would be to him to cherish and prosecute it; he would have used his subtlety to divert Amnon from it, by recommending some other person to him, whom he might lawfully marry. But he seems not at all surprised at it, objects not either the unlawfulness or the difficulty, the reproach or so much as his father's displeasure, but puts him in the way to get Tamar to his bed-side, and then he might do as he pleased. Note, The case of those is very miserable whose friends, instead of admonishing and reproving them, flatter them and forward them in their sinful ways, and are their counsellors and contrivers to do wickedly. Amnon is already sick, but goes about; he must take upon him to be so ill (and his thin looks will give colour enough to the pretence) as not to be able to get up, and to have no appetite to any thing but just that which pleases his fancy. Dainty meat is abhorred, Job 33:20. The best dish from the king's table cannot please him; but, if he can eat any thing, it must be from his sister Tamar's fair hand. This is what he is advised to.

3.Amnon followed these directions, and thus got Tamar within his reach: He made himself sick, Sa2 13:6. Thus he lieth in wait secretly, as a lion in his den, to catch the poor, and to draw them into his net, Psa 10:8-10. David was always fond of his children, and concerned if any thing ailed them; he no sooner hears that Amnon is sick than he comes himself to visit him. Let parents learn hence to be tender of their children and compassionate towards them. The sick child commonly the mother comforteth (Isa 66:13), but let not the father be unconcerned. We may suppose that when David came to see his sick son he gave him good counsel to make a right use of his affliction, and prayed with him, which yet did not alter his wicked purpose. At parting, the indulgent father asks, "Is there any thing thou hast a mind to, that I can procure for thee?" "Yes, Sir," says the dissembling son, "my stomach is weak, and I know not of any thing I can eat, unless it be a cake of my sister Tamar's making, and I cannot be satisfied that it is so unless I see her make it, and it will do me the more good if I eat it at her hand." David saw no reason to suspect any mischief intended. God hid his heart from understanding in this matter. He therefore immediately orders Tamar to go and attend her sick brother, Sa2 13:7. He does it very innocently, but afterwards, no doubt, reflected upon it with great regret. Tamar as innocently goes to her brother's chamber, neither dreading any abuse (why should she from a brother, a sick brother?) nor disdaining, in obedience to her father and love to her brother (though but her half-brother), to be his nurse, Sa2 13:8, Sa2 13:9. Though she was a king's daughter, a great beauty (Sa2 13:1), and well dressed (Sa2 13:18), yet she did not think it below her to knead cakes and bake them, nor would she have done this now if she had not been used to it. Good house-wifery is not a thing below the greatest ladies, nor ought they to think it a disparagement to them. The virtuous woman, whose husband sits among the elders, yet works willingly with her hands, Pro 31:13. Modern ages have not been destitute of such instances, nor is it so unfashionable as some would make it. Preparing for the sick should be more the care and delight of the ladies than preparing for the nice, charity more than curiosity.

4.Having got her to him, he contrives to have her alone; for the adulterer (much more so vile an adulterer as this) is in care that no eye see him, Job 24:15. The meat is ready, but he cannot eat while he is looked at by those about him; they must all be turned out, Sa2 13:9. The sick must be humoured, and think they have a privilege to command. Tamar is willing to humour him; her chaste and virtuous soul has not the least thought of that which his polluted breast is full of; and therefore she makes no scruple of being alone with him in the inner chamber, Sa2 13:10. And now the mask is thrown off, the meat is thrown by, and the wicked wretch calls her sister, and yet impudently courts her to come and lie with him, Sa2 13:11. It was a base affront to her virtue to think it possible to persuade her to consent to such wickedness when he knew her behaviour to be always exemplarily modest and virtuous. But it is common for those that live in uncleanness to think others such as themselves, at least tinder to their sparks.

III. The devil, as a strong tempter, deafens his ear to all the reasonings with which she resisted his assaults and would have persuaded him to desist. We may well imagine what a surprise and terror it was to the young lady to be thus attacked, how she blushed and how she trembled; yet, in this great confusion, nothing could be said more pertinently, nor with greater strength of argument, than what she said to him. 1. She calls him brother, reminding him of the nearness of the relation, which made it unlawful for him to marry her, much more to debauch her. It was expressly forbidden (Lev 18:9) under a severe penalty, Lev 20:17. Great care must be taken lest the love that should be among relations degenerate into lust. 2. She entreats him not to force her, which intimates that she would never consent to it in any degree; and what satisfaction could he take in offering violence? 3. She lays before him the great wickedness of it. It is folly; all sin is so, especially uncleanness. It is wickedness of the worst kind. Such abominations ought not to be committed in Israel, among the professing people of God, that have better statutes than the heathen have. We are Israelites; if we do such things, we are more inexcusable than others, and our condemnation will be more intolerable, for we reproach the Lord, and that worthy name by which we are called. 4. She represents to him the shame of it, which perhaps might influence him more than the sin of it: "For my part, whither shall I cause my shame to go? If it should be concealed, yet I shall blush to think of it as long as I live; and, if ever it be known, how shall I be able to look any of my friends in the face? For thy part, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel," that is, "Thou wilt be looked upon as an atrocious debauchee, the worst of men; thou wilt lose thy interest in the esteem of all that are wise and good, and so wilt be set aside as unfit to rule, though the first-born; for Israel will never submit to the government of such a fool." Prospect of shame, especially everlasting shame, should deter us from sin. 5. To divert him from his wicked purpose at this time, and (if possible) to get clear of him, she intimates to him that probably the king, rather than he should die for love of her, would dispense with the divine law and let him marry her: not as if she thought he had such a dispensing power, or would pretend to it; but she was confident that, upon notice given to the king by himself of this wicked desire, which he would scarcely have believed from any one else, he would take an effectual course to protect her from him. But all her arts and all her arguments availed not. His proud spirit cannot bear a denial; but her comfort, and honour, and all that was dear to her, must be sacrificed to his brutish and outrageous lust, Sa2 13:14. It is to be feared that Amnon, though young, had long lived a lewd life, which his father either knew not or punished not; for a man could not, of a sudden, arrive at such a pitch of wickedness as this. But is this his love to Tamar? Is this the recompence he gives her for her readiness to attend him in his sickness? Will he deal with his sister as with a harlot? Base villain! God deliver all that are modest and virtuous from such wicked and unreasonable men.

IV. The devil, as a tormentor and betrayer, immediately turns his love of her into hatred (Sa2 13:15): He hated her with great hatred, greatly, so it is in the margin, and grew as outrageous in his malice as he had been in his lust.

1.He basely turned her out of doors by force; nay, as if he now disdained to touch her with his own hands, he ordered his servant to pull her out and bolt the door after her, Sa2 13:17. Now, (1.) The innocent injured lady had reason to resent this as a great affront, and in some respects (as she says, Sa2 13:16) worse than the former; for nothing could have been done more barbarous and ill-natured, or more disgraceful to her. Had he taken care to conceal what was done, her honour would have been lost to herself only. Had he gone down on his knees and begged her pardon, it might have been some little reparation. Had he given her time to compose herself after the horrid confusion she was put into, she might have kept her countenance when she went out, and so have kept her counsel. But to dismiss her thus hurried, thus rudely, as if she had done some wicked thing, obliged her, in her own defence, to proclaim the wrong that had been done her. (2.) We may learn from it both the malignity of sin (unbridled passions are as bad as unbridled appetites) and the mischievous consequences of sin (at last, it bites like a serpent); for here we find, [1.] That sins, sweet in the commission, afterwards become odious and painful, and the sinner's own conscience makes them so to himself. Amnon hated Tamar because she would not consent to his wickedness, and so take part of the blame upon herself, but to the last resisted it, and reasoned against it, and so threw all the blame upon him. Had he hated the sin, and loathed himself for it, we might have hoped he was penitent. Godly sorrow worketh indignation, Co2 7:11. But to hate the person he had abused showed that his conscience was terrified, but his heart not at all humbled. See what deceitful pleasures those of the flesh are, how soon they pass away, and turn into loathing; see Eze 23:17. [2.] That sins, secret in the commission, afterwards become open and public, and the sinners themselves often make them so. Their own tongues fall upon them. The Jewish doctors say that, upon the occasion of this wickedness of Amnon, a law was made that a young man and a young woman should never be alone together; for, said they, if the king's daughter be so used, what will become of the children of private men?

2.We must now leave the criminal to the terrors of his own guilty conscience, and enquire what becomes of the poor victim. (1.) She bitterly lamented the injury she had received, as it was a stain to her honour, though no real blemish to her virtue. She tore her fine clothes in token of her grief, and put ashes upon her head, to deform herself, loathing her own beauty and ornaments, because they had occasioned Amnon's unlawful love; and she went on crying for another's sin, Sa2 13:19. (2.) She retired to her brother Absalom's house, because he was her own brother, and there she lived in solitude and sorrow, in token of her modesty and detestation of uncleanness. Absalom spoke kindly to her, bade her pass by the injury for the present, designing himself to revenge it, Sa2 13:20. It should seem by Absalom's question (Has Amnon been with thee?) that Amnon was notorious for such lewd practices, so that it was dangerous for a modest woman to be with him; this Absalom might know, and yet Tamar be wholly ignorant of it.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–20. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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