New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
2 Samuel 13
1
Some time later, David's son Amnon fell in love with Tamar. She was the beautiful sister of Absalom. He was another one of David's sons.
Reference
People
Love
2 Samuel 13:15
Genesis 29:20
Genesis 29:18
Genesis 34:3
Parallel theme
1 Chronicles 3:2
2 Samuel 14:27
Proverbs 6:25
Proverbs 31:30
Genesis 6:2
References David
1 Chronicles 3:9
2
Amnon's sister Tamar was a virgin. It seemed impossible for him to do what he wanted to do with her. But he wanted her so much it almost made him sick.
3
Amnon had a friend named Jonadab. He was the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very clever man.
Reference
People
Parallel theme
1 Samuel 16:9
4
He asked Amnon, "You are the king's son, aren't you? So why do you look so worn out every morning? Won't you tell me?" Amnon answered, "I'm in love with Tamar. She's the sister of my brother Absalom."
5
"Go to bed," Jonadab said. "Pretend to be sick. Your father will come to see you. When he does, tell him, 'I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food right here in front of me where I can watch her. Then she can feed it to me.' "
6
So Amnon went to bed. He pretended to be sick. The king came to see him. Amnon said to him, "I would like my sister Tamar to come here. I want to watch her make some special bread. Then she can feed it to me."
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 18:6
7
David sent a message to Tamar at the palace. It said, "Go to your brother Amnon's house. Prepare some food for him."
8
So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon. He was lying in bed. She got some dough and mixed it. She shaped the bread right there in front of him. And she baked it.
9
Then she took the bread out of the pan and served it to him. But he refused to eat it. "Send everyone out of here," Amnon said. So everyone left him.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 45:1
10
Then he said to Tamar, "Bring the food here into my bedroom. Please feed it to me." So Tamar picked up the bread she had prepared. She brought it to her brother Amnon in his bedroom.
11
She took it to him so he could eat it. But he grabbed hold of her. He said, "My sister, come and have sex with me."
12
"Don't do this, my brother!" she said to him. "Don't force me to have sex with you. An evil thing like that should never be done in Israel! Don't do it!
Reference
Parallel theme
Leviticus 20:17
Judges 19:23
Leviticus 18:11
Leviticus 18:9
References Israel
Judges 20:6
Genesis 34:7
13
What about me? How could I ever get rid of my shame? And what about you? You would be as foolish as any evil person in Israel. Please speak to the king. He won't keep me from getting married to you."
14
But Amnon refused to listen to her. He was stronger than she was. So he raped her.
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Samuel 12:11
15
Then Amnon was filled with deep hatred for Tamar. In fact, he hated her now more than he had loved her before. He said to her, "Get up! Get out!"
16
"No!" she said to him. "Don't send me away. That would be worse than what you have already done to me." But he refused to listen to her.
17
He sent for his personal servant. He said, "Get this woman out of here. Lock the door behind her."
18
So his servant threw her out. Then he locked the door behind her. Tamar was wearing a beautiful robe. It was the kind of robe the virgin daughters of the king wore.
Reference
19
She put ashes on her head. She tore the beautiful robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went away. She was sobbing out loud as she went.
Reference
20
When her brother Absalom saw her, he spoke to her. He said, "Has Amnon, that brother of yours, forced you to have sex with him? My sister, don't let it upset you. Don't let it bother you. He's your brother." After that, Tamar lived in her brother Absalom's house. She was very lonely.
21
King David heard about everything that had happened. So he became very angry.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 34:7
22
Absalom never said a word of any kind to Amnon. He hated Amnon because he had brought shame on his sister Tamar.
Reference
23
Two years later, Absalom invited all of the king's sons to come to Baal Hazor. It was near the border of Ephraim. The workers who clipped the wool off Absalom's sheep were there.
Reference
📍 Baal-hazor
Parallel theme
1 Samuel 25:4
24
Absalom went to the king. He said, "I've had my workers come to clip the wool. Will you and your officials please join me?"
25
"No, my son," the king replied. "All of us shouldn't go. It would be too much trouble for you." Although Absalom begged him, the king still refused to go. But he gave Absalom his blessing.
26
Then Absalom said, "If you won't come, please let my brother Amnon come with us." The king asked him, "Why should he go with you?"
Reference
27
But Absalom begged him. So the king sent Amnon with him. He also sent the rest of his sons.
28
Absalom ordered his men, "Listen! When Amnon has had too much wine to drink, I'll say to you, 'Strike Amnon down.' When I do, kill him. Don't be afraid. I've given you an order, haven't I? Be strong and brave."
Reference
29
So Absalom's men killed Amnon, just as Absalom had ordered. Then all of the king's sons got on their mules and rode away.
Reference
30
While they were on their way, a report came to David. It said, "Absalom has struck down all of your sons. Not one of them is left alive."
31
The king stood up and tore his clothes. Then he lay down on the ground. All of his servants stood near him. They had also torn their clothes.
Reference
32
Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah, spoke up. He said, "You shouldn't think that all of the princes have been killed. The only one who is dead is Amnon. Absalom had planned to kill him ever since the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar.
33
You are my king and master. You shouldn't be concerned about this report. It's not true that all of your sons are dead. The only one who is dead is Amnon."
Reference
Kingdom
2 Samuel 19:19
34
While all of that was taking place, Absalom ran away. The man on guard duty at Jerusalem looked up. He saw many people coming on the road west of him. They were coming down the side of the hill. He went and spoke to the king. He said, "I see men coming down the road from Horonaim. They are coming down the side of the hill."
35
Jonadab said to the king, "See, your sons are coming. It has happened just as I said it would."
36
As he finished speaking, the king's sons came in. They were sobbing out loud. The king and all of his servants were also sobbing very bitterly.
37
When Absalom ran away, he went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud. Talmai was king of Geshur. King David sobbed over his son every day.
Reference
People
38
So Absalom ran away and went to Geshur. He stayed there for three years.
Summary of 2 Samuel 13
2 Samuel 13 narrates one of the saddest episodes in David’s family life. It starts with Amnon, David’s oldest son, falling in love with his half-sister Tamar and ends with Absalom killing Amnon and fleeing the country.
Amnon was David’s son, and Tamar was the daughter of David and Maacah. Her full brother was Absalom, David’s son, and Amnon became obsessed with Tamar and made himself ill. As Tamar was single and dwelled in a separate house, Amnon knew that he could not reach her without her father’s permission.
Amnon’s friend Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, was David’s brother’s son. He asked Amnon if he was distressed and wanted him to tell him what was wrong. Amnon responded that he loved Tamar. Jonadab advised Amnon to pretend to be sick and tell his father to send Tamar to him so that she could prepare food for him. Amnon followed his friend’s advice.
David came to Amnon and told him to send Tamar to him to prepare food, and she obeyed. Tamar came to Amnon and prepared food in his sight. However, the first time she brought him food, Amnon refused to eat and sent the servants away and told Tamar to bring the food to his chamber. Alone together, Amnon abused her and tried to make her his wife. Tamar rejected him, explaining that the situation was indecent and that such an act would bring shame on them both.
She reminded him that he could talk to his father about marriage, but Amnon refused to listen. He raped her and afterwards, his feelings towards her changed to hatred. Amnon told Tamar to go away, saying that things would not change, but she begged him not to dismiss her since her disgrace was enough for one day, and he ordered his servants to send her away.
Tamar fled away in deep grief, wearing the long train distinctive of an unmarried daughter of the house. She put ashes on her head and tore her hair and garment and went away mourning. She laid her hand on her head and went away; her brother Absalom comforted her and told her to stay with him. Tamar stayed with her brother, mourning.
The king was furious when the incident was reported to him, but it seems not to have taken any action against Amnon. This becomes significant when Absalom begins to plot revenge against his brother.
Amnon had dishonored his sister Tamar, and Absalom had borne it for two whole years. One day, Absalom held a feast in Baal-hazor, and he invited all his brothers to come and celebrate with him. He also sent for his father, but he refused to come, saying that it was too much for him to bear. David asked him why Amnon should be invited. Absalom asked him to let them invite him.
Absalom told his servants to keep watch over Amnon. They waited until he was drunk, and then they killed him. The other sons of David fled at the sight of the murder. When the king heard these words, he tore his clothes and lay on the ground in grief. Jonadab told the king that Absalom had probably killed all his brothers for what Amnon had done to Tamar, saying that he had waited two years. Soon, David’s sons arrived, telling him that only Amnon had been killed, and the king and his servants mourned for him.
Absalom escaped to Geshur, and he was there for three years with Talmai, the king of Geshur, his maternal grandfather. David mourned for Amnon, but time passed, and his grief for him began to subside. The chapter ends with the words that David’s heart was bound up for Absalom.
This chapter contains one of the saddest episodes in David’s family history. Amnon’s crime, followed by Absalom’s revenge and flight, marks the beginning of the long and bitter family feud that led to great family tragedy. The chapter shows the disastrous effects of one person’s sin – Amnon’s lust. This sin resulted in Tamar’s grief, Absalom’s revenge, and the further alienation of David’s sons.
It also reveals the sad state of affairs in David’s family. There is a contrast between David’s youth and his years as a father and ruler. David was undoubtedly a courageous and strong man when he fought his enemies. However, when his daughter complained of Amnon’s harassment, David did not punish Amnon. This shows that the old king had lost some of the strength and courage that characterized him earlier. In addition, Absalom took matters into his own hands, showing that he was quite ruthless in exacting his revenge. Amnon, who dishonored his sister, died as a consequence of his sin. David mourned his death, but it seems that the guilt and sorrow were not enough to correct the wrong.
Tamar is one of the most pitiful characters in this story. She spoke out against Amnon’s harassment and sin, tried to avoid becoming his wife, and did not want to disgrace her family. However, she did not have the strength to stop Amnon.
Although her victimization by Amnon is not described in detail, her grief and suffering after what happened are severe. The Bible does not hide the tragedy of her life and the pain caused by Amnon’s sin.
This chapter also shows Absalom’s growing resentment towards Amnon. It begins with him inviting all his brothers to his sheep-shearing feast. He is cool and methodical in planning Amnon’s death – he knows that it will cause his father great pain but decides that it is a lesser evil.
In revenge for Amnon’s sin, Absalom kills him and flees the country when David refuses to let him stay with him in Israel. This move gives him a reputation for being a murderer and shows that he has become even more estranged from his father.
2 Samuel 13 describes one of the saddest episodes in David’s family life and marks the beginning of the long family feud between Amnon, Absalom, and David. It shows the disastrous consequences of one person’s sin, the weakness of the father’s authority, and the difficult position of his children. The episode also illustrates how quickly hatred can turn into a crime. It reveals the inner world of the main characters involved in the feud and the difficult life that people in royal families have to live.
Amnon’s lust, the reason for the feud, led to his humiliation and death. The sin committed by Amnon caused bitter grief for David and his children. David’s grief for his son was short-lived, but the grief for his daughter Tamar was severe and lifelong. This confirms the words of Christ that “woe to the one who sins against the Son of Man – it will be better for them in this world, and the kingdom is prepared for them.” It also confirms the words of the prophet Jeremiah that “the sword will not be turned away from sons and daughters.”
God promised David that he would build a house for him and establish his kingdom, but it seems that these words have lost their meaning. The family feud between David and Absalom begins with the sin committed by Amnon and will lead to the further destruction of David’s family. It is interesting to note that the sword, which was to punish David for his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite, was now turned against his sons. However, this punishment was not enough to free David’s family from sin, and the further downfall of the family was inevitable.
Amnon was David’s son, and Tamar was the daughter of David and Maacah. Her full brother was Absalom, David’s son, and Amnon became obsessed with Tamar and made himself ill. As Tamar was single and dwelled in a separate house, Amnon knew that he could not reach her without her father’s permission.
Amnon’s friend Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, was David’s brother’s son. He asked Amnon if he was distressed and wanted him to tell him what was wrong. Amnon responded that he loved Tamar. Jonadab advised Amnon to pretend to be sick and tell his father to send Tamar to him so that she could prepare food for him. Amnon followed his friend’s advice.
David came to Amnon and told him to send Tamar to him to prepare food, and she obeyed. Tamar came to Amnon and prepared food in his sight. However, the first time she brought him food, Amnon refused to eat and sent the servants away and told Tamar to bring the food to his chamber. Alone together, Amnon abused her and tried to make her his wife. Tamar rejected him, explaining that the situation was indecent and that such an act would bring shame on them both.
She reminded him that he could talk to his father about marriage, but Amnon refused to listen. He raped her and afterwards, his feelings towards her changed to hatred. Amnon told Tamar to go away, saying that things would not change, but she begged him not to dismiss her since her disgrace was enough for one day, and he ordered his servants to send her away.
Tamar fled away in deep grief, wearing the long train distinctive of an unmarried daughter of the house. She put ashes on her head and tore her hair and garment and went away mourning. She laid her hand on her head and went away; her brother Absalom comforted her and told her to stay with him. Tamar stayed with her brother, mourning.
The king was furious when the incident was reported to him, but it seems not to have taken any action against Amnon. This becomes significant when Absalom begins to plot revenge against his brother.
Amnon had dishonored his sister Tamar, and Absalom had borne it for two whole years. One day, Absalom held a feast in Baal-hazor, and he invited all his brothers to come and celebrate with him. He also sent for his father, but he refused to come, saying that it was too much for him to bear. David asked him why Amnon should be invited. Absalom asked him to let them invite him.
Absalom told his servants to keep watch over Amnon. They waited until he was drunk, and then they killed him. The other sons of David fled at the sight of the murder. When the king heard these words, he tore his clothes and lay on the ground in grief. Jonadab told the king that Absalom had probably killed all his brothers for what Amnon had done to Tamar, saying that he had waited two years. Soon, David’s sons arrived, telling him that only Amnon had been killed, and the king and his servants mourned for him.
Absalom escaped to Geshur, and he was there for three years with Talmai, the king of Geshur, his maternal grandfather. David mourned for Amnon, but time passed, and his grief for him began to subside. The chapter ends with the words that David’s heart was bound up for Absalom.
This chapter contains one of the saddest episodes in David’s family history. Amnon’s crime, followed by Absalom’s revenge and flight, marks the beginning of the long and bitter family feud that led to great family tragedy. The chapter shows the disastrous effects of one person’s sin – Amnon’s lust. This sin resulted in Tamar’s grief, Absalom’s revenge, and the further alienation of David’s sons.
It also reveals the sad state of affairs in David’s family. There is a contrast between David’s youth and his years as a father and ruler. David was undoubtedly a courageous and strong man when he fought his enemies. However, when his daughter complained of Amnon’s harassment, David did not punish Amnon. This shows that the old king had lost some of the strength and courage that characterized him earlier. In addition, Absalom took matters into his own hands, showing that he was quite ruthless in exacting his revenge. Amnon, who dishonored his sister, died as a consequence of his sin. David mourned his death, but it seems that the guilt and sorrow were not enough to correct the wrong.
Tamar is one of the most pitiful characters in this story. She spoke out against Amnon’s harassment and sin, tried to avoid becoming his wife, and did not want to disgrace her family. However, she did not have the strength to stop Amnon.
Although her victimization by Amnon is not described in detail, her grief and suffering after what happened are severe. The Bible does not hide the tragedy of her life and the pain caused by Amnon’s sin.
This chapter also shows Absalom’s growing resentment towards Amnon. It begins with him inviting all his brothers to his sheep-shearing feast. He is cool and methodical in planning Amnon’s death – he knows that it will cause his father great pain but decides that it is a lesser evil.
In revenge for Amnon’s sin, Absalom kills him and flees the country when David refuses to let him stay with him in Israel. This move gives him a reputation for being a murderer and shows that he has become even more estranged from his father.
2 Samuel 13 describes one of the saddest episodes in David’s family life and marks the beginning of the long family feud between Amnon, Absalom, and David. It shows the disastrous consequences of one person’s sin, the weakness of the father’s authority, and the difficult position of his children. The episode also illustrates how quickly hatred can turn into a crime. It reveals the inner world of the main characters involved in the feud and the difficult life that people in royal families have to live.
Amnon’s lust, the reason for the feud, led to his humiliation and death. The sin committed by Amnon caused bitter grief for David and his children. David’s grief for his son was short-lived, but the grief for his daughter Tamar was severe and lifelong. This confirms the words of Christ that “woe to the one who sins against the Son of Man – it will be better for them in this world, and the kingdom is prepared for them.” It also confirms the words of the prophet Jeremiah that “the sword will not be turned away from sons and daughters.”
God promised David that he would build a house for him and establish his kingdom, but it seems that these words have lost their meaning. The family feud between David and Absalom begins with the sin committed by Amnon and will lead to the further destruction of David’s family. It is interesting to note that the sword, which was to punish David for his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite, was now turned against his sons. However, this punishment was not enough to free David’s family from sin, and the further downfall of the family was inevitable.