Amnon, David's son, feigns sickness to lure his half-sister Tamar into his chamber, where he forces her. Immediately after, Amnon's hatred for Tamar becomes intense, and he casts her out, leaving her desolate. Two years later, Absalom, Tamar's full brother, avenges her by orchestrating Amnon's murder at a sheep-shearing feast, then flees to Geshur.
He asked him, "Why, son of the king, are you growing thinner every day? Won't you tell me?"Amnon answered him, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Avshalom's sister."
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."
So Amnon lay down and pretended he was sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, "Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes here where I can watch, and I'll eat what she serves me."
Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the room, so that I can have you serve me. Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother.
Where could I go with such shame? And as for you, you will be regarded as one of Isra'el's vulgar brutes. Now therefore, please! Speak to the king, because he won't keep me from you."
But then he was filled with utter revulsion for her - his hatred of her was even greater than the love he had had for her before. Amnon said to her, "Get up, and get out of here!"
She was wearing a long-sleeved robe (this was how they used to dress the king's daughters who were virgins). His servant took her out and locked the door after her.
Avshalom her brother said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now, my sister, keep quiet; because he's your brother. Don't take the matter to heart." But Tamar remained desolate in her brother Avshalom's house.
The king replied to Avshalom, "No, my son, let's not all go - we don't want to be a burden to you."Avshalom pressed him, but he wouldn't go; however he gave him his blessing.
Avshalom ordered his servants, "Pay close attention: when Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine, and I say to you, 'Kill Amnon,' then strike him down. Don't be afraid - I'm the one ordering you to do it - but take courage, and be bold."
But then Yonadav, the son of Shim'ah, David's brother, spoke up; he said, "My lord shouldn't think they have killed all the young men, the king's sons. Only Amnon is dead; for Avshalom has meant to do this ever since the day he raped his sister Tamar.
But as King David became reconciled to the death of his son Amnon, he was increasingly filled with longing to see Avshalom.
Study Notes for 2 Samuel 13
Verse 1
This chapter recounts the tragic fulfillment of Nathan’s prophecy that 'evil' would arise against David from his own household (2 Sam. 12:11). Amnon, the crown prince, and Tamar, the daughter of David and Maacah, were half-siblings.
Verse 2
Amnon’s 'sickness' was rooted entirely in his obsessive, unfulfilled lust. Tamar’s status as a virgin (verse 18) made the act Amnon contemplated a capital offense under Mosaic Law, as it required public display of virginity (Deut. 22:13-21).
Verse 3
Jonadab is described as 'very subtil' (or shrewd/crafty). He acts as the evil counselor, using his intelligence not for wisdom but to facilitate a crime, mirroring the role of the serpent in Genesis.
Verse 5
The plot relies on exploiting David’s parental love and trust. Amnon manufactured a scenario that required intimate, private care from Tamar, which was customary when a family member was ill.
Verse 12
Tamar appeals to Amnon based on legal, moral, and familial grounds. She states that 'no such thing ought to be done in Israel,' emphasizing that the act is a violation of covenant standards and a great 'folly' (a term for grave moral or religious offense).
Verse 13
Tamar offers a desperate, if legally questionable, alternative: marriage. Her plea was aimed at avoiding the permanent, irremediable shame that rape brought upon a woman in that society.
Verse 14
Amnon’s action is defined by force, not love. This brutal act is the first major internal tragedy that fulfills the 'sword' that would never depart from David’s house (2 Sam. 12:10).
Verse 15
The transition from obsessive lust to extreme hatred is a stark psychological commentary on selfish desire. Amnon’s hatred was greater than his prior lust, revealing that his motivation was purely self-gratification, not affection.
Verse 16
Tamar recognizes that the public dismissal and forced removal (treating her like a common prostitute) amplified her disgrace, confirming to the household that she was defiled and rejected.
Verse 18
The 'garment of divers colours' (an ornate, long-sleeved robe) was a sign of a king’s daughter and confirmed her status as a virgin. Tearing it in v. 19 was a public symbol of her violated purity and shame.
Verse 21
David was 'very wroth' but took no punitive action against Amnon. This failure to administer justice, likely compounded by Amnon being the crown prince, allowed Absalom’s resentment to harden into a demand for vengeance.
Verse 22
Absalom’s silence is ominous; he neither spoke 'good nor bad.' This calculated quietness allowed him to nurse his hatred for two years, demonstrating a premeditated, deep-seated plan for revenge rather than a rash emotional response.
Verse 23
The two-year interval shows Absalom’s meticulous planning. The sheepshearing festival was a traditional time of feasting, drinking, and abandonment of solemnity, making it an optimal setting for murder.
Verse 26
Absalom’s insistence that Amnon attend confirms that the entire feast was a carefully orchestrated trap specifically designed to isolate and execute Amnon.
Verse 28
Absalom commands his servants to commit the murder while Amnon is drunk. This reveals Absalom’s ruthless leadership and his willingness to use subordinates to carry out his acts of vengeance, much like David used Joab to kill Uriah.
Verse 32
Jonadab, the cunning counselor, now uses his shrewdness to clarify the facts (only Amnon died). He demonstrates he had foreseen this outcome since the day of Tamar's assault, confirming the clear motivation behind Absalom’s actions.
Verse 37
Absalom fled to Geshur, a foreign kingdom ruled by his maternal grandfather, Talmai. This provided him with secure political asylum outside of David’s immediate jurisdiction.
Verse 39
David’s eventual comfort concerning Amnon’s death allowed his heart to turn toward Absalom. This longing reveals the agonizing conflict between David’s role as king (administering justice) and his role as a father (seeking reconciliation).
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