Amnon and Tamar

2 Samuel 13

1 Now w Absalom, David's son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was x Tamar. And after a time Amnon, David's son, loved her. 2 And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of y Shimeah, David's brother. And Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4 And he said to him, "O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?" Amnon said to him, "I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister." 5 Jonadab said to him, "Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.'" 6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, "Please let my sister Tamar come and z make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand."

7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, "Go to your brother Amnon's house and prepare food for him." 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, where he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes. 9 And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, a "Send out everyone from me." So everyone went out from him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand." And Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11 But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, "Come, lie with me, my sister." 12 She answered him, "No, my brother, do not violate 1 me, for b such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this c outrageous thing. 13 As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of d the outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you." 14 But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, "Get up! Go!" 16 But she said to him, "No, my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me." 2 But he would not listen to her. 17 He called the young man who served him and said, "Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her." 18 Now she was wearing e a long robe 3 with sleeves, for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. 19 And Tamar f put ashes on her head and g tore the long robe that she wore. And h she laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.

20 And her brother Absalom said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this to heart." So Tamar lived, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom's house. 21 When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. 4 22 But Absalom spoke to Amnon i neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar.

  1. Cross References
    2 Samuel 3:2 - 3
    And sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel.
    1 Chronicles 3:2
    The third, Absalom, whose mother was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith.
  2. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 3:9
    All these were David's sons, besides the sons of the concubines, and Tamar was their sister.
  3. Cross References
    1 Chronicles 2:13
    Jesse fathered Eliab his firstborn, Abinadab the second, Shimea the third.
    1 Samuel 16:9
    Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, "Neither has the Lord chosen this one.
    1 Samuel 17:13
    The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
  4. Cross References
    Genesis 18:6
    And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, "Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.
  5. Cross References
    Genesis 45:1
    Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, "Make everyone go out from me." So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.
  6. Cross References
    Leviticus 18:9
    You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, your father's daughter or your mother's daughter, whether brought up in the family or in another home.
    Leviticus 18:11
    You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father's wife's daughter, brought up in your father's family, since she is your sister.
    Leviticus 20:17
    If a man takes his sister, a daughter of his father or a daughter of his mother, and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace, and they shall be cut off in the sight of the children of their people. He has uncovered his sister's nakedness, and he shall bear his iniquity.
  7. Cross References
    Genesis 34:7
    The sons of Jacob had come in from the field as soon as they heard of it, and the men were indignant and very angry, because he had done an outrageous thing in Israel by lying with Jacob's daughter, for such a thing must not be done.
    Judges 19:23
    And the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, "No, my brothers, do not act so wickedly; since this man has come into my house, do not do this vile thing.
    Judges 20:6
    So I took hold of my concubine and cut her in pieces and sent her throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel, for they have committed abomination and outrage in Israel.
  8. Cross References
    2 Samuel 3:33
    And the king lamented for Abner, saying, "Should Abner die as a fool dies?
  9. Cross References
    Genesis 37:3
    Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.
    Judges 5:30
    'Have they not found and divided the spoil? - A womb or two for every man; spoil of dyed materials for Sisera, spoil of dyed materials embroidered, two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?'
    Psalms 45:14
    In many-colored robes she is led to the king, with her virgin companions following behind her.
  10. Cross References
    Joshua 7:6
    Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads.
  11. Cross References
    2 Samuel 1:11
    Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him.
  12. Cross References
    Jeremiah 2:37
    From it too you will come away with your hands on your head, for the Lord has rejected those in whom you trust, and you will not prosper by them.
  13. Cross References
    Genesis 24:50
    Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, "The thing has come from the Lord ; we cannot speak to you bad or good.
    Genesis 31:24
    But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night and said to him, "Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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