2 Samuel 13:1-39 Ammon Takes Advantage of Tamar, His Half-Sister

Amnon Takes Advantage of Tamar, His Half-Sister

2 Samuel 13:1-39       The Book of 2 Samuel [in Smaller Chunks]

It [happened] after this, that [David’s] son, Absalom, had a [pretty] sister, whose name was Tamar & Amnon, [David’s] [other] son, loved her. And Amnon was so [distressed,] that he [became lovesick] for his sister, Tamar, for she was [an innocent maiden.]

And Amnon thought it [would be] [difficult] for him to do anything to her. But Amnon had a friend, [named] Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. And Jonadab was a very [clever & crafty] man.

[Jonadab asked Amnon,] Why [are] you, the king’s son, [becoming] thinner] day [after] day? [Won’t] you tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love my brother, Absalom’s sister, Tamar.

And Jonadab said to him, Lay [yourself] down on your bed, & [pretend to be] sick, & when your father, [a.k.a. king David, comes] to see you, say to him, I pray [that] you let my sister, Tamar, come, & give me meat, [a.k.a. food, & prepare the food] in my sight, [so] I may see it, & eat it [from] her hand.

So, Amnon lay down & made himself sick, & when the king [came] to see him, Amnon said to king [David,] I pray [that] you, let Tamar, my sister, come, & make me a couple of cakes in my sight, [so] I may eat [it] [from] her hand.

Then, David sent [word] home to Tamar, saying, Go now, to your brother, Amnon’s house, & [prepare food for] him. So, Tamar went to her brother, Amnon’s house & he was [lying] down.

She took flour, kneaded it, & made cakes in his sight, & [baked] the cakes. She took [the] pan & poured them out [in front of] him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, [Send] out all [the] men from me, & [they left.]

And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring me the [food] into the [bedroom, so] I may eat [it from] your hand. And Tamar took the cakes she had made, & brought them into the [bedroom] to Amnon, her [half] brother.

And when she brought them to him to eat, [Amnon] took hold of her, & said to her, Come lie, [a.k.a. intimately,] with me, my sister. And [Tamar] answered, [No,] my brother. Don’t force me; for [nothing] [like this] [should] be done in Israel. [Don’t] do this [foolish thing.]

You [shall] be [like] one of the fools in Israel, [but] [where] [would] I go [in] all my shame? Therefore, I pray [that] you now [ask] the king; for he won’t withhold me from you. [But Amnon] wouldn’t [listen] to her.

[Since Amnon] [was] stronger than she [was, he] forced, [a.k.a. raped,] her & lay, [a.k.a. intimately,] with her. Then, Amnon hated [Tamar, so much] that the hatred, [with which] he hated her, was [even] greater than the love [with which] he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Arise, & [go away.]

And she said to [Amnon,] There’s no cause [for] this evil in sending me away is [worse] than the other [evil] that you [did] to me. But he wouldn’t [listen] to her.

Then, [Amnon] called his servant [who counseled] him, & said, Now, [take] this woman out from me, & bolt the door after her. [Tamar] had a [robe of various] colors on her, [that] the king’s daughters, [who] were innocent maidens, wore.]

Then, his servant [took] her out, & bolted the door after her. And Tamar put ashes on her head, & [tore] her [robe] of [many] colors that was on her, & laid her hand on her head, & [continued] on, crying.

And Absalom, her brother, [asked] her, [Has] Amnon, your brother, been with you, [a.k.a. intimately?] But hold your peace [for] now, my sister, [since] he’s your brother. [Try not to think of] this thing.

So, Tamar remained desolate, [a.k.a. like a widow,] in her brother Absalom's house. But when king David heard all of these things, he was very [angry.] And Absalom [didn’t] [speak either] good nor bad to his brother, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced, [a.k.a. raped,] his sister, Tamar.

It [happened] after 2 full years, that Absalom had sheep shearers in Baal Hazor, which is [next to] Ephraim, & Absalom invited all the king’s sons. And Absalom came to king [David] & said, [Look,] now, [I,] your servant [have] sheep shearers.

I [beg] you [to] let the king & his servants go with [me,] your servant. The king said, [No,] my son. Let’s not all go now, lest we [are a burden] to you. And  [Absalom pressured king David, & [although] he wouldn’t go, [he] blessed [Absalom.]

Then, Absalom said, If [you’re] not [going,] I pray [that] you let my brother, Amnon, go with us. And king [David] [asked,] Why should he go with you? But Absalom [pressured] him, [so] that he let Amnon & all the king’s sons go with him.

Now, Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Now, you [need to] [note] when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, & when I say to you, [Strike down,] Amnon; then kill him, & [don’t be fearful.] Haven’t I commanded you? Be: courageous & valiant.

Now, [Absalom’s] servants [did] to Amnon, as Absalom had commanded. Then, all the king’s sons arose, & [each] man [got himself] up on his mule, & fled. It [happened,] while they were [on] the [road,] that [the news] came to David, saying, Absalom has [killed] all the king’s sons, & not 1 of them is left there.

Then, King [David] arose, & [tore] his [clothes,] & lay on the [ground.] [Genesis 37:34 And Jacob [tore]his clothes, & put on sackcloth [around his waist] & mourned for his son many days.]

And all his servants stood by with their clothes [torn.] And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered & said, [Don’t] let my lord, suppose that they’ve [killed] all the king's young sons, for only Amnon is dead.

For this [has been done at Absalom’s command,] & [has] been [planned] from the day [Amnon] forced, [a.k.a. raped,] his sister, Tamar. Therefore, [don’t] let my lord, the king, now take [this] thing to heart, to think all the king’s sons are dead, for only Amnon is dead.

But Absalom fled. And the young man, [who] kept watch [looked up,] & saw [many] people [coming] there by the [road] of the hill side, behind him. And Jonadab said to king [David,] [Look,] the king’s sons [are] [coming] as [I,] your servant said & so it is.

And it [happened,] as soon as he [finished] speaking, [he] [saw,] the king’s sons [coming,] & [they] lifted up their [voices] & wept. And the king, & all his servants, also wept very [bitterly.] But Absalom fled, & went to Talmai, [Ammihud’s] son, king of Geshur.

And David mourned for his son every day. So, Absalom fled, & went to Geshur, & was there [for] 3 years. And the soul of king David longed to go [out] to Absalom: [because] he was comforted [about] Amnon, [since] he was dead.