1Amnon, in love with Tamar, by Jonadab's counsel feigneth sickness: 6Tamar attending him at his request, he ravisheth her: 15he hateth her, and turneth her out of his house: 19she retireth in grief to her brother Absalom's house. 21David is wroth, but Absalom concealeth his resentment. 23Absalom inviteth his brethren to a sheepshearing feast, 28where Amnon is murdered by Absalom's command. 30David, alarmed with tidings that all his sons were slain, is told the truth of the matter by Jonadab, whose report is confirmed by the coming of the young men. 37Absalom fleeth to Geshur; David longeth after him.
1AND it came to pass after this, that Absalom the 1son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the 2son of David loved her.
1 By Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur, 2 Sam. 3:3. By this woman David had also Tamar, being both born of one father and of one mother.
2 By Ahinoam, 2 Sam. 3:2.
2And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a 3virgin; and Amnon thought it 4hard for him to do any thing to her.
3 And consequently so closely guarded, that it seemed impossible for Amnon to talk with her in private and to prevail with her. Compare Prov. 30:19.
4 Or, impossible. Hebr. properly: wonderful, hidden. Compare Gen. 18:14.
3But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of 5Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very 6subtil man.
5 See 1 Sam. 16:9; 2 Sam. 21:21.
6 That is in this place, very crafty and cunning to invent evil counsel, as he did here; whereas he ought rather to have reproved and dissuaded Amnon from this act, and if required, to have told the king of it. Compare 2 Sam. 14:2; Psalm 58:5.
4And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king’s son, 7lean 8from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.
7 Hebr. so thin, consumed, wasted away.
8 Hebr. in the morning, in the morning, or, on the morning, on the morning, that is, every morning, every day, from day to day. He wants to say: What ails you that you look so lean every day?
5And 9Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and 10make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me 11meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.
9 Hebr. Jehonadab.
10 Or, feign thyself sick; that is, behave yourself so as if you were sick.
11 That is, as follows, to dress me some meat or victuals.
6¶So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of 12cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.
12 Or, make pancakes. There are two words in the Hebrew, both derived from one word, which signifies the heart; as if he would say: heartily make, or, dress heartily cakes; that is, bake some cakes (for which the Hebrew word is taken) so, as that the baking and dressing may please me and cherish my heart as well as the food itself.
7Then David sent home to Tamar, 13saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him meat.
13 That is, he sent her word.
8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was 14laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.
14 Namely, upon his couch or bed, as in verse 5.
9And she took a pan, and 15poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.
15 Or, shook them.
10And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.
11And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.
12And she answered him, Nay, my brother, 16do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in 17Israel: do not thou this folly.
16 See Gen. 34 on verse 2.
17 Being an holy people, and making profession of piety.
13And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will 18not withhold me from thee.
18 It is perceived that she spoke this to get away from Amnon for the present, not doubting but that the king would afterward find out a means to hinder such marriage, which was forbidden in the law of God, Lev. 18:9, 11.
14Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.
15¶Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.
16And she said unto him, 19There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.
19 Other, let there be no causes, that is, give no cause for a new evil to arise, from which more evil would ensue then from the previous one; seeing that the matter still could be kept a secret but if you openly thrust me away from you with shame, God’s Name will be blasphemed by the enemies, His people offended, you and I publicly disgraced, the king angered, and my brother Absalom provoked to be avenged on you. Unto this request of Tamar, the following agrees suitably, while Amnon rejects her supplication.
17Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now 20this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.
20 Spoken in hatefulness and contemptibleness.
18And she had a garment of 21divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.
21 See Gen. 37 on verse 3.
19¶And Tamar 22put 23ashes on her head, and 24rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her 25hand on her head, and 26went on crying.
22 That is, she took and cast or strewed.
23 Compare 2 Sam. 1 on verse 2.
24 See Gen. 37 on verse 29.
25 After the manner of mourning women. See Jer. 2:37.
26 Hebr. going went (namely, to her brother Absalom, as follows) and cried; that is, going and crying. Compare 2 Sam. 16:5.
20And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath 27Amnon thy 28brother been with thee? but 29hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; 30regard not this thing. So Tamar remained 31desolate in her brother Absalom's house.
27 Absalom uses here the Hebrew word Aminon. Some perceive that Absalom here thus changes his brother’s name in contempt; for his name was Amnon.
28 That is, half-brother. See on verse 1.
29 For the honor of our house.
30 That is, take it not too much to heart, do not vex about it.
31 As being ashamed, shunning the company of people and being visited by none; or, dismayed.
21¶But when king David heard of all these things, he was 32very wroth.
32 Hebr. it kindled greatly to him, namely, the wrath. See Gen. 4 on verse 5.
22And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon 33neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
33 Hebr. from evil to the good. Compare Gen. 24:50; 31:24. The meaning is, that although Absalom was exceedingly incensed against Amnon, he did not yet let it appear, but waited for an opportunity of revenge.
23¶And it came to pass after 34two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in 35Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: 36and Absalom invited all the king's sons.
34 Hebr. two years of days.
35 Hebr. Baal-Chatsor. Other, in the level or the plains of Hazor, being situated at the borders of Ephraim and Benjamin, where the city Ephraim is also located, otherwise called Ephren, as the maps show.
36 As they were accustomed in those times to make great feasts at the shearing of the sheep. See Gen. 38 on verse 12; 1 Sam. 25:2, 4, 7, 36.
24And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his 37servants go with 38thy servant.
37 That is, officers, courtiers.
38 That is with me.
25And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be 39chargeable unto thee. And 40he pressed him: howbeit 41he would not go, but 42blessed him.
39 Because the presence of the king and his officers or courtiers would have been very chargeable and burdensome to Absalom.
40 Absalom.
41 The king.
42 That is, wished him all happiness. As 2 Sam. 6:20, etc.
26Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?
27But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.
28¶Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is 43merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: 44have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be 45valiant.
43 Hebr. good. See Judges 16 on verse 25.
44 Or, is it not so that I have commanded, etc., that is, you do it not out of your own accord, but by my command and appointment; therefore shall I answer for it and not you. Therefore, fear not.
45 Hebr. unto children or sons of courage or valor. See 2 Sam. 3 on verse 34.
29And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.
30¶And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.
31Then the king arose, and 46tarea his garments, and 47lay on the earth; and all his servants 48stood by with their clothes rent.
46 As verse 19.
a 2 Sam. 1:11.
47 As 2 Sam. 12:16.
48 Or, all his servants, that stood there, had rent garments, or, all his servants, that stood there, rent their clothes. Hebr. were rent or were rent in clothes.
32And 49Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, 50answered and said, 51Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: for 52by the 53appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.
49 See verse 3.
50 That is, spoke, began to speak. See Judges 18 on verse 14.
51 Namely, within himself, that is, let him not think, imagine.
52 Other, by Absalom’s mouth, that is, word, saying or command.
53 Or, it was done by Absalom’s command; that was arranged or intended; or, has it been by design.
33Now therefore let not my lord the king 54take the thing to his heart, 55to think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.
54 Hebr. infer, put, set.
55 Hebr. saying, namely, by himself, that is, thinking, as verse 32.
34But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the 56watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind 57him.
56 And when he perceived anything, he gave a sign thereof with the trumpet, or came and told it, or told him who asked him what he saw.
57 Namely, Absalom, who was gone that way to Baal-hazor and now fled from there to Geshur.
35And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as 58thy servant said, so it is.
58 That is, as I have said, so it is. See verse 32.
36And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.
37¶But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of 59Ammihud, king of 60Geshur. And 61David mourned for his son 62every day.
59 Hebr. Ammichur. This Talmai was Absalom’s grandfather on the mother’s side. See 2 Sam. 3:3.
60 See 2 Sam. 3 on verse 3; 2 Sam. 15:8.
61 Or, he, namely, David.
62 That is, many days, namely, the three years that Absalom was at Geshur, as follows; for, after the king left mourning. Otherwise this is generally understood of all the days of his life, which words of his life are oftentimes added to it.
38So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.
39And the soul of king David 63longed to 64go forth unto Absalom: for he was 65comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
63 Or, fainted, was consumed, likewise the desire of lusting, or, longing consumed David. The Hebrew word is put in the feminine gender, so that it agrees not to David, but rather to his soul, which word is here inserted out of Psalm 84:2; 119:81, where the same phrase is found thus full and complete. See also Job 19 on verse 27.
64 This may be understood of causing to go forth, that is, to send somebody forth to bring Absalom back again.
65 That is, he had laid aside the mourning for Amnon’s death. See Gen. 37:35; 38:12.