2 Samuel 13

2Sa 13:1-5.

AMNON

LOVES

TAMAR.

1. Tamar--daughter of David by Maachah

(2Sa 3:3).

2. for she was a virgin--Unmarried daughters were kept in close

seclusion from the company of men; no strangers, nor even their

relatives of the other sex, being permitted to see them without the

presence of witnesses. Of course, Amnon must have seen Tamar, for he

had conceived a violent passion for her, which, though forbidden by the

law

(Le 18:11),

yet with the sanction of Abraham's example

(Ge 20:12),

and the common practice in neighboring countries for princes to marry

their half sisters, he seems not to have considered an improper

connection. But he had no means of making it known to her, and the pain

of that disappointment preying upon his mind produced a visible change

in his appearance and health.

3. Jonadab, the son of Shimeah--or Shammah

(1Sa 16:9).

devised for obtaining an unrestricted interview with the object of his

attachment.

4. my brother Absalom's sister--In Eastern countries, where polygamy

prevails, the girls are considered to be under the special care and

protection of their uterine brother, who is the guardian of their

interests and their honor, even more than their father himself

(see on

Ge 34:6-25).

2Sa 13:6-27.

HE

DEFILES

HER.

6-8. Amnon lay down, and made himself sick--The Orientals are great

adepts in feigning sickness, whenever they have any object to

accomplish.

let Tamar my sister come and make me a couple of cakes--To the king

Amnon spoke of Tamar as "his sister," a term artfully designed to

hoodwink his father; and the request appeared so natural, the delicate

appetite of a sick man requiring to be humored, that the king promised

to send her. The cakes seem to have been a kind of fancy bread, in the

preparation of which Oriental ladies take great delight. Tamar,

flattered by the invitation, lost no time in rendering the required

service in the house of her sick brother.

12-14. do not force me--The remonstrances and arguments of Tamar were

so affecting and so strong, that had not Amnon been violently goaded on

prevailed with him to desist from his infamous purpose. In bidding him,

however, "speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from thee," it

is probable that she urged this as her last resource, saying anything

she thought would please him, in order to escape for the present out of

his hands.

15. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly--It is not unusual for persons

instigated by violent and irregular passions to go from one extreme to

another. In Amnon's case the sudden revulsion is easily accounted for;

the atrocity of his conduct, with all the feelings of shame, remorse,

and dread of exposure and punishment, now burst upon his mind,

rendering the presence of Tamar intolerably painful to him.

17. bolt the door after her--The street door of houses in the East is

always kept barred--the bolts being of wood. In the great mansions,

where a porter stands at the outside, this precaution is dispensed

with; and the circumstance, therefore, of a prince giving an order so

unusual shows the vehement perturbation of Ammon's mind.

18. garment of divers colours--As embroidery in ancient times was the

occupation or pastime of ladies of the highest rank, the possession of

these parti-colored garments was a mark of distinction; they were worn

exclusively by young women of royal condition. Since the art of

manufacturing cloth stuffs has made so great progress, dresses of this

variegated description are now more common in the East.

19, 20. Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers

colours . . . laid her hand on her head, and went on crying--that is,

sobbing. Oriental manners would probably see nothing beyond a strong

sense of the injury she had sustained, if Tamar actually rent her

garments. But, as her veil is not mentioned, it is probable that Amnon

had turned her out of doors without it, and she raised her hand with

the design to conceal her face. By these signs, especially the rending

of her distinguishing robe, Absalom at once conjectured what had taken

place. Recommending her to be silent about it and not publish her own and

her family's dishonor, he gave no inkling of his angry feelings to

Amnon. But all the while he was in secret "nursing his wrath to keep

it warm," and only "biding his time" to avenge his sister's wrongs, and

designs.

20. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house--He was

her natural protector, and the children of polygamists lived by

themselves, as if they constituted different families.

23-27. Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside

Ephraim--A sheep-shearing feast is a grand occasion in the East.

Absalom proposed to give such an entertainment at his estate in

Baal-hazor, about eight miles northeast of Jerusalem near a town called

Ephraim

(Jos 11:10).

He first invited the king and his court; but the king declining, on

account of the heavy expense to which the reception of royalty would

subject him

[2Sa 13:25],

Absalom then limited the invitation to the king's sons

[2Sa 13:26],

which David the more readily agreed to, in the hope that it might tend

to the promotion of brotherly harmony and union.

2Sa 13:28-36.

AMNON

IS

SLAIN.

28. Absalom had commanded his servants, saying . . . when Amnon's

heart is merry with wine . . . kill him, fear not--On a preconcerted

signal from their master, the servants, rushing upon Amnon, slew him at

the table, while the rest of the brothers, horror-struck, and

apprehending a general massacre, fled in affrighted haste to Jerusalem.

29. every man gat him up upon his mule--This had become the favorite

equipage of the great. King David himself had a state mule

(1Ki 1:33).

The Syrian mules are, in activity, strength, and capabilities, still

far superior to ours.

30, 31. tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the

king's sons--It was natural that in the consternation and tumult

caused by so atrocious a deed, an exaggerated report should reach the

court, which was at once plunged into the depths of grief and despair.

But the information of Jonadab, who seems to have been aware of the

plan, and the arrival of the other princes, made known the real extent

of the catastrophe.

2Sa 13:37-39.

ABSALOM

FLEES TO

TALMAI.

37. Absalom fled, and went to Talmai--The law as to premeditated

murder

(Nu 35:21)

gave him no hope of remaining with impunity in his own country. The

cities of refuge could afford him no sanctuary, and he was compelled to

leave the kingdom, taking refuge at the court of Geshur, with his

maternal grandfather, who would, doubtless, approve of his conduct.