2 Samuel 13:1-22. Amnon's shameful outrage This chapter relates how the doom pronounced on David's house began to receive its fulfilment (1) by Amnon's shameful outrage on Tamar, (2) by Absalom's murder of Amnon in revenge for that outrage. The events here related probably occurred soon after Davi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Tamar_ Tamar and Absalom were the children of Maacah daughter of Talmai king of Geshur (ch. 2 Samuel 3:3). Tamar means _palm-tree_. The Arabs still frequently give their daughters the names of trees distinguished for their grace, beauty, or fruitfulness. See Van Lennep's _Bible Lands_, II. 501. _A... [ Continue Reading ]
_Amnon thought it hard_ IT SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE TO AMNON. Tamar lived a secluded life in the women's apartments, where Amnon could not obtain access to her.... [ Continue Reading ]
_a friend_ This narrative is a strong warning against the danger of evil companions. The clever but unprincipled friend is more likely to provide means for gratifying evil passions than help in resisting them. _Jonadab, the son of Shimeah Shimeah_is called _Shammah_in 1 Samuel 16:9. He had another... [ Continue Reading ]
_Why_, &c. WHY ART THOU SO WASTED, O KING'S SON, MORNING BY MORNING? His cousin Jonadab either lived in the same house with Amnon as his companion, or noticed his worn looks when he came to visit him at his morning levee.... [ Continue Reading ]
_make thyself sick_ FEIGN THYSELF SICK, and so in 2 Samuel 13:6. _to see thee_ To visit in sickness, as in Psalms 41:6; 2 Kings 8:29.... [ Continue Reading ]
_cakes_ The word occurs here only, and may denote some special delicacy suited for an invalid.... [ Continue Reading ]
_home_ INTO THE HOUSE: the inner part of the palace, where the women's apartments were. _to thy brother Amnon's house_ Cp. 2 Samuel 13:20. Each of the royal princes evidently had a separate house.... [ Continue Reading ]
_flour_ THE DOUGH.... [ Continue Reading ]
_a pan_ THE PAN in which the cakes or puddings had been cooked.... [ Continue Reading ]
_no such thing ought to be done in Israel_ Israel was a holy nation, sanctified by the peculiar presence of Jehovah among them; and therefore all acts of unchastity were an offence against the true character and calling of the nation. Such acts might be common among heathen nations, but to Israel th... [ Continue Reading ]
_as one of the fools in Israel_ "Fool" denotes not merely one who is stupid and ignorant, but one who has abandoned the fear of God, and cast off the restraints of decency and morality. Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 3:33; Psalms 14:1. "Folly" is a term specially applied to unchastity. _he will not withhold me f... [ Continue Reading ]
_hated her exceedingly_ "Proprium humani ingenii est odisse quem laeseris." "It is characteristic of human nature to hate one whom you have injured." Tac. _Agric._c. 42.... [ Continue Reading ]
There is _no cause_ The Heb. text cannot be so translated, and is certainly corrupt. The Sept. is also confused, but its original reading as indicated by the Old Latin Version gives an excellent sense, thus; "_And she said unto him, Nay, my brother, for greater will be this latter wrong, in sending... [ Continue Reading ]
_a garment of divers colours_ The expression is used elsewhere only of Joseph's "coat of many colours" (Genesis 37:3; Genesis 37:23), and probably means A LONG TUNIC WITH SLEEVES, worn, it would seem, as an outer garment in place of the usual mantle. The fact of her wearing this distinctive dress is... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Tamar put ashes_, &c. The ashes and the torn garments (1 Samuel 4:12; Esther 4:1), and the hands clasped above the head (Jeremiah 2:37), were all marks of grief and shame. _went on crying_ WENT AWAY SHRIEKING AS SHE WENT; not lamenting with silent tears, but with loud passionate shrieks and wa... [ Continue Reading ]
_Amnon_ The Heb. form here, and here only, is _Aminon_, which has been explained as a diminutive intended to express contempt, but may possibly be only an accidental variation. _hold now thy peace_ Absalom urged her to bear the outrage patiently, and avoid a public scandal; feeling sure that David... [ Continue Reading ]
_was very wroth_ The Sept. and the ordinary text of the Vulgate add, "and he vexed not the spirit of Amnon his son, because he loved him, because he was his firstborn," i.e. in spite of his anger he did not punish or even rebuke the offence, though the legal penalty of his crime was death. David's i... [ Continue Reading ]
_neither good nor bad_ He made no allusion whatever to the matter, in order to quiet Amnon's suspicions. For the phrase cp. Genesis 24:50; Genesis 31:24.... [ Continue Reading ]
Absalom's vengeance 23. _Absalom had sheepshearers_ Sheepshearing was and still is an occasion of festivity. Cp. 1 Samuel 25:7 ff. _Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim_ Possibly _Tell Asur_, five miles north-east of Bethel, and two miles north-west of _et-Taiyibeh_, which is supposed to represent... [ Continue Reading ]
_let the king_, &c. A clever plan for removing all suspicion from Amnon's mind.... [ Continue Reading ]
_lest we be chargeable unto thee_ LEST WE BE BURDENSOME UNTO THEE. _Chargeable_is derived from _charge_, in the now obsolete sense of -a load" or -burden," cp. 1 Thessalonians 2:9. It is "the first instance history offers of the ruinous cost of royal visits to those who are honoured with them." Kitt... [ Continue Reading ]
_let my brother Amnon go_ If David would not go himself, at least he might send his eldest son as his representative. David's reluctance to consent shews that he felt some misgivings that Absalom had not forgiven Amnon.... [ Continue Reading ]
At the end of this verse, the Sept. adds, "And Absalom made a feast like the feast of a king." The words may easily have dropped out of the Hebrew text owing to the similar endings of the sentences.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now Absalom had commanded_ AND ABSALOM COMMANDED. Absalom felt himself bound in honour to avenge his sister's wrong, and moreover welcomed the pretext for getting rid of Amnon, who stood between himself and the succession to the throne.... [ Continue Reading ]
_did unto Amnon_, &c. Though the princes were attended by a numerous retinue (2 Samuel 13:34), the blow was struck so suddenly and unexpectedly, that no resistance was possible, and Absalom escaped without difficulty. _upon his mule_ Mules were generally used for riding at this time by persons of d... [ Continue Reading ]
The news brought to David. Absalom's flight 31. _tare his garments_ RENT HIS CLOTHES. The E. V. has introduced a distinction which does not exist in the Hebrew. Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 1:11. _lay on the earth_ Cp. ch. 2 Samuel 12:16. _and all his servants_, &c. The Sept. and Vulg. represent a slightly d... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let not my lord suppose_, &c. A practical illustration of the sagacity for which Jonadab was famous (2 Samuel 13:3). He at once rejects the exaggerations of rumour, and predicts accurately what had really happened. _by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined_ Lit., _upon Absalom's mou... [ Continue Reading ]
_But Absalom fled_ This brief statement of Absalom's escape is inserted here in anticipation of 2 Samuel 13:37, in order to contrast Absalom's flight with the return of the king's sons to Jerusalem. _the young man that kept the watch_ At Jerusalem, probably in the tower over one of the gates. Cp. c... [ Continue Reading ]
_But Absalom fled_, &c. NOW ABSALOM HAD FLED AND GONE TO TALMAI. The narrative goes back to 2 Samuel 13:34. Talmai was Absalom's grandfather. See note on ch. 2 Samuel 3:3. _And David mourned David_has fallen out of the Heb. text, but is found in the Sept. and Vulg., and is clearly necessary to the... [ Continue Reading ]
"If the text of these verses is sound, they afford a curious specimen of Hebrew narrative. In 2 Samuel 13:34 we read _Absalom fled_; in 2 Samuel 13:37, _Absalom fled and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur_; in 2 Samuel 13:38, _Absalom fled and went to Geshur and was there three years... [ Continue Reading ]
_And_the soul of _king David_, &c. The Heb. of this verse is obscure, and has been made to bear almost opposite meanings. (1) The E. V., following the Jewish commentators, supplies _the soul_as the subject of the verb, which is feminine. It describes David as pining for the return of Absalom, after... [ Continue Reading ]