2 SAMUEL CHAPTER 13 Ammon loveth his sister Tamar; ravisheth her; then hateth and driveth her away, 2 SAMUEL 13:1. Absalom entertaineth and revengeth her with Amnon's death, 2 SAMUEL 13:20. David is grieved: Absalom fleeth to Geshur, 2 SAMUEL 13:30. A FAIR SISTER; his sister by father and mother: se... [ Continue Reading ]
HE FELL SICK; the passion of his mind disturbed his body, as is usual. She was a virgin, and therefore diligently kept, so as he could not get private converse with her; and withal modest, and abhorring any compliance with his lustful desires, both from her inclination and interest.... [ Continue Reading ]
Shimeah, called also Shammah, 1 SAMUEL 16:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM DAY TO DAY, Heb. _from morning to morning_; for whereas in the day he had many diversions and refreshments, in the night he was pestered with tormenting thoughts and passions; the effects whereof appeared in his countenance in the morning. WILT THOU NOT TELL ME, thy sure friend and faithful ser... [ Continue Reading ]
LET MY SISTER TAMAR COME; so he calls her, to prevent the suspicion of any dishonest design upon so near a relation, whom neither nature nor respect and affection would permit him to vitiate. EAT IT AT HER HAND; pretending that his stomach was so nice that he could eat nothing but what he saw dresse... [ Continue Reading ]
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It is strange that so wise and sagacious a person as David did not see through so vain a pretence; but that must be ascribed partly to the instincts of nature, which generally preserve near relations from such monstrous actions; and partly to God's providence, which blinded David's mind, that he mig... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WAS LAID DOWN UPON HIS BED, or rather his couch.... [ Continue Reading ]
POURED THEM OUT; out of the frying-pan into the dish.... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO THE CHAMBER; an inner chamber; either, 1. That wherein he lay sick upon his bed, where also Tamar made the cakes in his sight, who then carried them out into the next room, to bring them in again when he called for them. Or rather, 2. Another chamber; Ammnon lying upon his couch in one chambe... [ Continue Reading ]
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NAY, MY BROTHER, whom nature both teacheth to abhor such thoughts, and obligeth to defend me from such a mischief with thy utmost hazard if another should attempt it. DO NOT FORCE ME: thou shouldst abhor it, if I were willing; but to add violence to thy filthiness is abominable. IN ISRAEL; among God... [ Continue Reading ]
WHITHER SHALL I CAUSE MY SHAME TO GO? how can I either endure or avoid the shame and reproach of it? AS ONE OF THE FOOLS IN ISRAEL, i.e. loathsome and contemptible to all the people, whereas now thou art in great reputation, and heir apparent of the crown. HE WILL NOT WITHHOLD ME FROM THEE: this she... [ Continue Reading ]
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THEN AMNON HATED HER EXCEEDINGLY; partly because, his lust being now satisfied, his mind and conscience had a true and clear prospect and deep sense of the natural turpitude and baseness of the action, and of that shame, and contempt, and loss, and mischief which was likely to follow it, and consequ... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS NO CAUSE, to wit, given thee by me. THIS EVIL IS GREATER THAN THE OTHER: this she might truly say, because though the other was in itself a greater sin, yet this was an act of greater inhumanity and barbarous cruelty, and a greater wrong and calamity to her, (which she means by evil,) becau... [ Continue Reading ]
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OF DIVERS COLOURS; of embroidered work. Compare GENESIS 37:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
PUT ASHES ON HER HEAD, AND RENT HER GARMENT; to signify her grief for some calamity which had befallen her, and what that was concurring circumstances did easily discover. LAID HER HAND ON HER HEAD, in token of grief and shame, as if she were unable and ashamed to show her face. See JEREMIAH 2:37. W... [ Continue Reading ]
BEEN WITH THEE, i.e. lain with thee. Behold, and imitate the modesty of Scripture expressions. HE IS THY BROTHER; therefore thou must forgive and forget the injury; therefore thy disgracing of him will be a blot to us all; therefore thou wilt not get right from David against him, because he is as ne... [ Continue Reading ]
To wit, with Amnon; whom yet he did not punish, at least so severely as he should; either from the conscience of his own guilt in the like kind; or from that foolish indulgence which he oft showed to his children; or because the case was perplexed; for if he had been put to death for the fact, by vi... [ Continue Reading ]
Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad, i. e. he said nothing at all to him, to wit, about that business. It is a synecdochical expression, used in like manner, GENESIS 31:24. He neither debated it with him, nor threatened him for it; but seemed willing to cover it, and pass it by... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER TWO FULL YEARS: this circumstance of time is noted, partly as an aggravation of Absalom's malice, which was so inveterate and implacable; and partly as an act of Absalom's policy, that both Amnon and David might more securely comply with his desires, as being now free from all suspicion of rev... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE FEAST, which was usual upon those occasions. See GENESIS 38:12 1 SAMUEL 25:7,11.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE PRESSED HIM; pretending great desire of his presence there, to prevent any jealousies, which otherwise he thought would arise in the breast of a king so wise and experienced, and under the expectation of God's dreadful judgments to be inflicted upon his family. BLESSED HIM; dismissed him with tha... [ Continue Reading ]
LET MY BROTHER AMNON GO WITH US; for the king designed (as the following words show) to keep him at home with him, as being his eldest son, and heir of his kingdom; otherwise Absalom would never have made particular mention of him, which now he was forced to do. Nor did this desire of Amnon's presen... [ Continue Reading ]
It is strange that his urgent desire of Amnon's company raised no suspicion in so wise a king; but God blinded his mind, that he might execute his judgments upon David, and bring upon Amnon the just punishment of his lewdness.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN AMNON'S HEART IS MERRY WITH WINE; when he least suspects, and will be most unable to prevent the evil. HAVE NOT I COMMANDED YOU; I who am the king's son, and, when Amnon is gone, his heir; who therefore shall easily obtain pardon for you, and will liberally reward you?... [ Continue Reading ]
Mules were in use amongst the Israelites. See 1 KINGS 1:33. For though they might not promote such mixed kinds of procreation, LEVITICUS 19:19, yet they might use creatures so engendered.... [ Continue Reading ]
Which was not improbable, when the sword was once drawn among them, and one of them killed, which might provoke the rest to draw their swords, both to defend themselves, and to revenge their brother's death, and thereby occasion the death of all. And God suffered this false report to be spread for D... [ Continue Reading ]
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JONADAB was a man of great craft and subtlety, and one that had exact knowledge of Amnon's fact, and of Absalom's temper. BY THE APPOINTMENT, or, _by the command_; Heb. _mouth_, put for _command_, NUMBERS 3:16. From the day; it was resolved from that time in his breast; but the word of command was n... [ Continue Reading ]
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ABSALOM FLED; he who had undertaken to defend his servants flees or his own life. BEHIND HIM; behind the watchman; for it seems they did not come in the direct road, where the watchman looked for them, but (for some reason or fancy they had) fetched a compass, and came that way which he least expect... [ Continue Reading ]
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TALMAI, THE SON OF AMMIHUD; his mother's father, 2 SAMUEL 3:3; that he might have present protection and sustenance from him; and that by his mediation he might obtain his father's pardon and favour.... [ Continue Reading ]
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TO GO FORTH UNTO ABSALOM, to wit, to visit him, or to send for him. And thus this word the _soul_ is here understood, partly from the Hebrew verb, which being of the feminine gender, agrees not with David, but with David's soul; and partly by comparing this with other places, where the same verb is... [ Continue Reading ]