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2 Samuel Chapter 13
Amnon and Tamar
- 2Samuel 13:1 And it
came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a
fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David
loved her.
- 2 And Amnon was so
vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a
virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to
her.
This is the a continuation of the
prophecy that was given to David showing him what was to come as a
result of his sin with Bethsheba the wife of Uriah the Hittite. His sin was
forgiven and he was not removed from being king but the results of
that sin began to happen starting with the death of the baby from
David's sin with Bathsheba. Now we see lust in Amnon against his own
sister.
The law in Leviticus 18, forbade sexual
relations with relatives that were too close. This causes genetic
diseases for one. Including mental illness. It was necessary only at
the beginning of creation before the fall of man caused genetic gene
pool to be corrupted eventually by inheriting the same genes causing
inherited disease to increase. It does not matter the reason for
that change though,
it was the law of God whose law is always for the good of mankind.
God didn't make laws just to make people miserable. God loves us.
Amnon was David's son by Ahinoam,
Absalom and Tamar was David's kids by a different mother so they
were all brother and sister but Absalom and Tamar were by the same
mom so they were closer. Tamar was Amnon's half sister. Still she
was considered to be his sister so there was no excuse for this. All
of them had the same father.
This would be his cousin and I would
say not a real friend. A real friend cares about their friends and
would never advise them to do things that will cause them trouble.
We don't need friends like this.
- 2Samuel 13:4 And he
said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day
to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love
Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.
- 5 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.
How sneaky and evil. This was not real
love by any means. It is what we call lust. He later hates the poor
girl. We call people like this creeps. We've seen a few in our
society who molest their own nieces, daughters and now even sons and
other male relatives. We have become a sick society corrupted
by sin. Young virgins especially of kings and well to do people,
were not allowed to be alone in the company of men. I can see why.
- 2Samuel 13:6 So
Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was
come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let
Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight,
that I may eat at her hand.
- 7 Then David sent
home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and
dress him meat.
David was being used and deceived by
his own son. He was fooled into thinking Amnon was really sick and
didn't think he was a danger to his daughter.
- 2Samuel 13:8 So
Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down.
And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight,
and did bake the cakes.
- 9 And she took a
pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And
Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every
man from him.
If only Tamar had of dumped all the
food on his head and walked out with the men.
- 2Samuel 13:10 And
Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I
may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had
made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.
- 11 And when she had
brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto
her, Come lie with me, my sister.
- 12 And she answered
him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought
to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.
- 13 And I, whither
shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as
one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak
unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.
- 14 Howbeit he would
not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced
her, and lay with her.
- 15 Then Amnon hated
her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was
greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said
unto her, Arise, be gone.
- 16 And she said unto
him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater
than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken
unto her.
- 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.
- 18 And she had a
garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the
king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant
brought her out, and bolted the door after her.
What an awful thing to happen to her.
She now had no hope of a marriage and a future. Back then it marked
a woman for life. No one would want her. This destroyed her
happiness for a lifetime.
- 2Samuel 13:19 And
Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers
colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went
on crying.
- 20 And Absalom her
brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee?
but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not
this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's
house.
- 21 But when king
David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.
- 22 And Absalom spake
unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated
Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
This is the start of a bitter war
between David and Absalom that ended tragically. David was angry at
Amnon but did not do anything about this allowing Amnon to get by
with it so Absalom does something about it but he waits until just
the right time when everyone probably thought he forgot about it.
-
Levitcus 20:17 And if a
man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his
mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his
nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in
the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister's
nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.
Tamar would not suffer from this law.
It would only apply to Amnon but nothing was done.
Absalom Murders Amnon
- 2Samuel 13:23 And it
came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had
sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom
invited all the king's sons.
- 24 And Absalom came
to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath
sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go
with thy servant.
Why he plotted and waited two years is
a mystery unless he wanted to make sure everything went smoothly and
he was successful. If he had of taken vengenance immediately perhaps
Amnon would have been expecting it and be able to hide. This way
everyone was taken off guard.
-
2Samuel 13:25 And the king
said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be
chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not
go, but blessed him.
For some reason David didn't want to go
perhaps he may have been too busy with the business of being king.
-
2Samuel 13:26 Then said Absalom,
If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king
said unto him, Why should he go with thee?
Absalom being able to deceive and
pretend goodwill toward his brother was able to convince David to
allow him to go to the feast. Maybe David was hoping this would
unite the brothers again. Amnon was the firstborn and heir to the
throne also.
- 2 Samuel 13:27 But
Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons
go with him.
- 28 Now Absalom had
commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart
is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then
kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and
be valiant.
- 29 And the servants
of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the
king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and
fled.
The other sons of the kings probably
feared for their own lives so they fled. In the modern times
especially in the United States; if we are servants and work for
those over us, we have a right to refuse to do something we think is
wrong. Back then people followed orders because it was the only way
to make a living.
-
2Samuel 13:30 And it came to
pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David,
saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one
of them left.
Now this I can see in this day and age
where the media exaggerates and even tell lies to further whatever
political agenda they have. I stopped listening to the news myself
because it is no longer reporting just news but someone's opinion
and interpretation of the news. They spread gossip, cause division
and just report what they want people to believe. That is not true
news. We see it here. Someone anxious to be heard and get attention
just reported what they wanted to believe instead of waiting for the
facts.
These false reports caused David much
grief.
- 2Samuel 13:32 And
Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said,
Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men
the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment
of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced
his sister Tamar.
- 33 Now therefore let
not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that
all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.
At least Jonadab did the right thing
here but he was the one to caused Amnon to trick David into sending
Tamar to him in the first place, even suggesting that Amnon pretend
to be sick. He probably knew Absalom was going to get even with Amnon for
what he did to his sister. Perhaps Jonadab didn't know Amnon was
going to reject Tamar after the deed was done and cast her out of
his sight. I'm speculating here but maybe that caused Jonadab to
change loyalties and support Absalom. Then too perhaps Jonadab felt
guilty about the whole thing and wanted to appear innocent in the
eyes of David.
This is more of the prophecy concerning
violence in David's household because of the sin involving the death
of Uriah the Hittite told to us in 2 Samuel chapter 12. David did
not get away with that sin as some may assume.
Absalom Flees to Geshur
- 2Samuel 13:34 But
Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up
his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the
way of the hill side behind him.
- 35 And Jonadab said
unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as thy servant
said, so it is.
- 36 And it came to
pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold,
the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and
the king also and all his servants wept very sore.
All the sons of David mourned for the
one that had died. I wonder why more of them didn't mourn for what
happened to Tamar. That was a terrible thing to do to any woman,
even more so in those days when rape would cause a woman to not have
any chance of a good marriage and family. Men did evil at times but
they wanted a pure wife even when they were not pure themselves.
- 2Samuel 13:37 But
Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of
Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
- 38 So Absalom fled,
and went to Geshur, and was there three years.
- 39 And the soul of
king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted
concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
David mourned for Amnon but got over it
apparently. Now he mourned for the absence of Absalom. However
Absalom's rebellion against his father increased. He went to live
with his grandfather on his mother's side of the family for safety.
The grandfather was the king of Geshur. He was only there 3 years.
If only he would have stayed away and not come back, things would
have gone better for Absalom. David mourned for both of his sons.
DC
2 Samuel Chapter 14
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