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2 Samuel
Chapter Thirteen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 13
This
chapter relates some of the evils that were to arise out of David's house, and
which were similar to the evils committed by him; the deflowering of his
daughter, and the murder of his eldest son: the story is this; Amnon falls in
love with Tamar, his sister, and grew thin upon it, which being observed by a
friend of his, inquires the reason of it, which having got out of him, forms a
scheme for obtaining his desire, and which succeeded; for by it he had the
opportunity of ravishing his sister, 2 Samuel 13:1; the
consequences of which were extreme hatred of her, hurrying her out of doors,
lamentation and mourning on her part, grief to David, and enmity in the heart
of Absalom to Amnon, which put him upon meditating his death, 2 Samuel 13:15; and
which was brought about after this manner. Absalom had a sheep shearing, to
which he invited the king and all his sons, and to which they all came
excepting the king, 2 Samuel 13:23;
when Absalom gave orders to his servants to observe Amnon when he was merry,
and at his word smite him and kill him, as they did, 2 Samuel 13:28;
tidings of which soon came to the ears of David, and these aggravated, that all
the king's sons were killed, which threw the king into an agony; but Jonadab
endeavoured to pacify him, by assuring him that only Amnon was dead, the truth
of which soon appeared by the coming of the king's sons, 2 Samuel 13:30; but
Absalom fled to Geshur, where he remained three years, when David's heart began
to be towards him, and to long for him, who was to bring more evil against him,
2 Samuel 13:37.
2 Samuel 13:1 After
this Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was Tamar;
and Amnon the son of David loved her.
YLT
1And it cometh to pass
afterwards that Absalom son of David hath a fair sister, and her name [is]
Tamar, and Amnon son of David loveth her.
And it came to pass after this,.... After the sin of
David with Bathsheba, his repentance for it, and pardon of it, and the birth of
Solomon as a token of reconciliation; yet after all this the divine
threatenings must take place; they had begun already in the death of the child
begotten in adultery, and others here follow:
that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was
Tamar; she was his sister both by father and mother's side; the mother
o, f them was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; she was a very
comely person, her name signifies a palm tree:
and Amnon the son of David loved her; not in an
honourable way, to make her his wife, but in a lustful manner, to make an
harlot of her; he was David's eldest son by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, 2 Samuel 3:2.
2 Samuel 13:2 2 Amnon was so distressed
over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it
was improper for Amnon to do anything to her.
YLT
2And Amnon hath distress --
even to become sick, because of Tamar his sister, for she [is] a virgin, and it
is hard in the eyes of Amnon to do anything to her.
And Amnon was so vexed,.... Distressed,
straitened, and perplexed in his mind through unruly and unbridled lusts that
raged in him:
that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; as Antiochus
son of Seleucus did for his mother in law Stratonice, who, to cure him of it,
was delivered to him by his fatherF19See the Universal History, vol.
3. p. 519. Ed. fol. :
for she was a virgin; and so kept very recluse
from the company of men, that he could not come at her; so PhiloF20In
Flaccum, p. 977. , speaking of the Jewish women, and particularly virgins,
says, that they were shut up in their chambers, and through modesty shun the sight
of men, even those of their own house; hence they are called עלמות, from a word which signifies to hide; and PhocylidesF21Poem.
admon. v. 203,204. the poet advises to the shutting of them up in like manner:
and Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything to her; that it was
difficult to have access to her, almost impossible, what he despaired of, and
what, if attained to, would be wonderful and amazing; he was at his wits' end
how to contrive any scheme to get at her, and obtain his desire.
2 Samuel 13:3 3 But Amnon had a friend
whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Now Jonadab was
a very crafty man.
YLT
3And Amnon hath a friend,
and his name [is] Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David's brother, and Jonadab [is] a
very wise man,
But Amnon had a friend,.... Though in the issue
his friendship proved his ruin:
whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother; so that they
were own cousins, the same with Shammah, 1 Samuel 16:9,
and Jonadab was a very subtle man; a very
penetrating man into the dispositions of men, and could judge by their
countenances what they were, and the affections of their minds, and had a
talent in forming schemes; he was wise to do evil and was wickedly cunning.
2 Samuel 13:4 4 And he said to him, “Why are
you, the king’s son, becoming thinner day after day? Will you not tell me?” Amnon
said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”
YLT
4and saith to him,
`Wherefore [art] thou thus lean, O king's son, morning by morning? dost thou
not declare to me?' And Amnon saith to him, `Tamar -- sister of Absalom my
brother -- I am loving.'
And he said unto him, why art thou, being the king's
son,
lean from day today?.... Or "morning by
morning",F23בבקר בבקר,
"in mane in mane", Montanus. ; he was the king's eldest son, heir to
the crown, fed at his table, had everything to make him gay and cheerful, and
yet pined away; his flesh wastedF24"Fecit amor maciem
-----". Ovid Metamorph. l. 11. Fab. 11. v. 793. , his countenance waxed
wan and pale, and especially in the mornings; in the daytime he met with
diversions which, in some measure, took off his thoughts from the object his
mind was impressed with, but in the night season they were continually employed
about it; so that he could have no rest and sleep, which made him look ruefully
in the morning; and this man had a suspicion of his case, and therefore put
this and the following question to him:
wilt thou not tell me? who am so nearly related
to thee, and who have such a particular value and affection for thee:
and Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister; he does not
call her his sister, but Absalom's sister, to lessen his sin of unlawful love
to her, which, being thus closely pressed, and by a friend, he could not
conceal.
2 Samuel 13:5 5 So 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, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare
the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’”
YLT
5And Jonadab saith to him,
`Lie down on thy couch, and feign thyself sick, and thy father hath come in to
see thee, and thou hast said unto him, `Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come
in and give me bread to eat; and she hath made the food before mine eyes so
that I see [it], and have eaten from her hand.'
And Jonadab said unto him,.... Being a subtle man,
he presently formed a scheme to relieve him, and open a way for the enjoyment
of what he desired:
lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick; feign thyself
sick, pretend that thou art so, by lying down on the bed, and making complaints
of one kind or another:
and when thy father cometh to see thee; as he quickly
would, after hearing of his illness, being very affectionate to his children:
say unto him, I pray thee let, my sister Tamar come, and give me
meat; here he is directed to call her not Absalom's sister, but his
own, the more to cover his ill design upon her:
and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it
at her hand; pretending that his stomach was very weak and squeamish, that he
could not eat anything which his servants dressed for him, and which he did not
see done with his own eyes.
2 Samuel 13:6 6 Then Amnon lay down and
pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king,
“Please let Tamar my sister come and make a couple of cakes for me in my sight,
that I may eat from her hand.”
YLT
6And Amnon lieth down, and
feigneth himself sick, and the king cometh in to see him, and Amnon saith unto
the king, `Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come, and she maketh before mine
eyes two cakes, and I eat from her hand.'
So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick,.... Took the
advice of his cousin Jonadab, and acted according to it:
and when the king was come to see him; as he quickly
did, after he had heard of his illness:
Amnon said unto the king; who perhaps inquired of
his appetite, whether he could eat anything, and what:
I pray thee let my sister Tamar come; he calls her
sister, as Jonadab had directed, the more to blind his design; though it is
much that so sagacious a man as David was had not seen through it; but the
notion he had of his being really ill, and the near relation between him and
Tamar, forbad his entertaining the least suspicion of that kind:
and make me a couple of cakes in my sight; heart cakes,
as the word may be thought to signify; called so either from the form of them,
such as We have with us, or from the effect of them, comforting and refreshing
the heart:
that I may eat at her hand; both what is made by her
hand, and received from it.
2 Samuel 13:7 7 And David sent home to
Tamar, saying, “Now go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for
him.”
YLT
7And David sendeth unto
Tamar, to the house, saying, `Go, I pray thee, to the house of Amnon thy
brother, and make for him food.'
Then David sent home to Tamar,.... Who perhaps was not
in the king's palace, but at her brother Absalom's house, 2 Samuel 13:20,
saying, go now to thy brother Amnon's house; who also had
a separate house and equipage, being the king's son, and his eldest son:
and dress him meat; such as he may desire, and his stomach will
bear.
2 Samuel 13:8 8 So Tamar went to her
brother Amnon’s house; and he was lying down. Then she took flour and kneaded it,
made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.
YLT
8And Tamar goeth to the
house of Amnon her brother, and he is lying down, and she taketh the dough, and
kneadeth, and maketh cakes before his eyes, and cooketh the cakes,
So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house,.... In
obedience to the king's commands, and in affection to her brother, with an
innocent breast, having no suspicion of any design upon her chastity:
(and he was laid down); upon a couch or bed in
his chamber, as being sick as was pretended, into which she was introduced:
and she took flour, and kneaded it; made it into
a paste:
and made cakes in his sight; a kind of fritters of
them, as in the TalmudF25T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 21. 1. :
and did bake the cakes: or fried them in a
frying pan, in oil.
2 Samuel 13:9 9 And she took the pan and
placed them out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said,
“Have everyone go out from me.” And they all went out from him.
YLT
9and taketh the frying-pan,
and poureth out before him, and he refuseth to eat, and Amnon saith, `Take ye
out every one from me;' and they go out every one from him.
And she took a pan, and poured them out before him,.... Out of
the frying pan, in which they were, into another dish; and all this was done in
his presence, that he might see and know of what, and in what manner it was
made, that his stomach might not recoil at it:
but he refused to eat: for that was not what he
wanted:
and Amnon said, have out all men from me; as if company
was troublesome to him, and he wanted rest, &c.
and they went out every man from him; at his
orders, that he might get some sleep, as he seemed desirous of it.
2 Samuel 13:10 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar,
“Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar
took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother
in the bedroom.
YLT
10And Amnon saith unto Tamar,
`Bring the food into the inner chamber, and I eat from thy hand;' and Tamar
taketh the cakes that she hath made, and bringeth in to Amnon her brother, into
the inner chamber,
And Amnon said unto Tamar, bring the meat into the chamber,.... An inner
chamber, at a greater distance, where they might be more secret, and out of the
reach of the hearing of any of his domestics:
that I may eat of thine hand; this he pretended,
though his design was of another kind:
and Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them
into the chamber to Amnon her brother; being quite innocent
herself, and having no suspicion of a brother having any ill design upon her,
she made no scruple of going into an inner chamber alone with him.
2 Samuel 13:11 11 Now when she had brought them
to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my
sister.”
YLT
11and she bringeth nigh unto
him to eat, and he layeth hold on her, and saith to her, `Come, lie with me, my
sister.'
And when she had brought them unto him to eat,.... Not only
into the chamber, but to the side of the bed or couch where he had laid
himself, or sat, in a proper position to answer his purpose:
he took hold of her; by the arm, or threw his
hands about her:
and said unto her, come, lie with me, my sister; one would
think the relation he observes she stood in to him would have checked him from
making so vile a motion.
2 Samuel 13:12 12 But she answered him, “No,
my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not
do this disgraceful thing!
YLT
12And she saith to him, `Nay,
my brother, do not humble me, for it is not done so in Israel; do not this
folly.
And she answered him, nay, my brother,.... Which
carried in it a reason sufficient for her denial, that he was her brother, and
she his sister, and therefore should not offer such an indignity to her:
do not force me; which was another forbidding expression,
signifying she would never freely yield to his will; and to force her, to
defile her against her will, to commit a rape upon her, would be very criminal
indeed:
for no such thing ought to be done in Israel; among God's
professing people, who were better taught and instructed; and to give into such
impure practices would bring a dishonour upon them, and upon the religion they
professed; she urges the honour of religion, and the reputation of Israel, and
the glory of the God of Israel:
do not thou this folly: as all sin is,
especially such an impure and indecent action as this.
2 Samuel 13:13 13 And I, where could I take
my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now
therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.”
YLT
13And I -- whither do I cause
my reproach to go? and thou -- thou art as one of the fools in Israel; and now,
speak, I pray thee, unto the king; for he doth not withhold me from thee.'
And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go?.... She
desires him to consider hey reputation, which would be lost; was she to go into
a corner, into a place the most private and retired, yet she would blush at the
thought of the crime committed; and still less able would she be to lift up her
face in any public company; nor could she ever expect to be admitted into the
matrimonial state; in short, her character would be entirely ruined:
and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel; as the vilest
and basest and most abandoned in the nation; who ought of all men to be most
careful of his reputation, being a prince in Israel, and heir apparent to the
throne:
now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king: to give me to
thee in marriage:
for he will not withhold me from thee; this she
said, either as ignorant of the law, which forbids such marriages, or as
supposing the king had a power to dispense with it, and, rather than he should
die for love, would; though she seems to say this, and anything that occurred
to her mind, to put him off of his wicked design for the present, holding then
she should be delivered from him; besides, she was not his sister by the
mother's side, and, as the Jews say, was born of a captive woman before she was
proselyted and married to David, and so was free for AmnonF26Maimon.
Hilchot Melacim, c. 8. sect. 8. Kimchi in 2Sam. xiii. 1. ; and others sayF1R.
Moses Kotzensis, pr. affirm. 122. she was the daughter of Maacah by a former
husband, and not by David.
2 Samuel 13:14 14 However, he would not heed
her voice; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.
YLT
14And he hath not been
willing to hearken to her voice, and is stronger than she, and humbleth her,
and lieth with her.
Howbeit, he would not hearken unto her voice,.... His lust
was so inflamed and enraged, that he could not attend to any arguments, though
ever so forcible, that were offered to him:
but being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her; whether she
cried out or not, as the law directs in such cases, Deuteronomy 22:25;
is not said; she might, and nobody hear her and come to her assistance; or she
might not choose to expose her brother to his servants.
2 Samuel 13:15 15 Then Amnon hated her
exceedingly, 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, “Arise, be gone!”
YLT
15And Amnon hateth her -- a
very great hatred -- that greater [is] the hatred with which he hath hated her
than the love with which he loved her, and Amnon saith to her, `Rise, go.'
Then Amnon hated her exceedingly,.... Having gratified his
lust, his conscience stung him for it, that he could not bear the sight of the
object that had been the instrument of it; and it may be the sharp words she
had used, representing him as one of the fools in Israel, and perhaps she used
sharper words still after he had abused her, filled him with hatred to her:
so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than
the love wherewith he had loved her; a like instance of love
being changed into hatred, after the gratification of lust, we have in Honorius
towards his sister PlacidiaF2Olympiodorus apud Grotium in loc. :
and Amnon said unto her, arise, be gone; without
calling her by her name, or owning the relation she bore to him, using her as
the basest and vilest of creatures. This conduct was very brutish, as well as
imprudent, and foolish to the last degree; had he had any regard to his own reputation,
he would never have turned her out of doors so soon, and in such a public
manner; but so it was ordered by divine Providence, that his sin might be made
known, and so the murder of him for it by Absalom was brought on, and both were
suffered as a correction and chastisement to David for his sins of adultery and
murder, 2 Samuel 12:11.
2 Samuel 13:16 16 So she said to him, “No,
indeed! This evil of sending me away is worse than the other that you
did to me.” But he would not listen to her.
YLT
16And she saith to him,
`Because of the circumstances this evil is greater than the other that thou
hast done with me -- to send me away;' and he hath not been willing to hearken
to her,
And she said unto him, there is no cause,.... For such
treatment as this:
this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that
thou didst unto me; not that this was a greater sin, but it was a greater evil or
injury to her, that being done secretly, this openly; being turned out in that
open manner, it might look as if she was the aggressor, and had drawn her
brother into this sin, or however had consented to it; had it been kept a
secret, she would not have been exposed to public shame and disgrace, and she
might have been disposed of in marriage to another; it would not have been
known to the grief of her father, to the revenge of Absalom, and to the
dishonour of religion; besides, the sin of Amnon might have been more easily
excused, if any excuse could be made for it, as that it arose from the force of
lust, and a strong impure affection, but this from barbarity and inhumanity:
but he would not hearken unto her; but insisted upon her
immediate departure.
2 Samuel 13:17 17 Then he called his servant
who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and
bolt the door behind her.”
YLT
17and calleth his young man,
his servant, and saith, `Send away, I pray thee, this one from me without, and
bolt the door after her;'
Then he called his servants that ministered unto him,.... His
domestic servants that waited on him:
and said, put now this woman out from me; she not
willing to depart at once, he ordered her to be put out immediately by force;
using her and speaking of her in a very rude and scandalous manner, calling her
this, leaving it to be supplied, as they would understand it, this base woman,
this strumpet, &c.
and bolt the door after her; that she might not
return; this was more disgraceful still.
2 Samuel 13:18 18 Now she had on a robe of
many colors, for the king’s virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant
put her out and bolted the door behind her.
YLT
18-- and upon her [is] a long
coat, for such upper robes do daughters of the king who [are] virgins put on,
-- and his servant taketh her out without, and hath bolted the door after her.
And she had a garment of divers colours upon her,.... Of
embroidered work, which made her the more observable, and her shame the more
manifest. Whether this was interwoven with threads of various colours, or
embroidered with figures of flowers, animals, &c. and wrought with the
needle, or was painted with different colours, or made up of pieces of various
colours, is not certain. See Gill on Genesis 37:3; but
according to BrauniusF3De Vest. Sacerdot. Heb. l. 1. c. 17. sect.
21. it was neither, and so the coat of Joseph, but was a garment with sleeves,
reaching down to the ankles, and pieced at the borders with fringe; and,
indeed, garments of flowers and various colours were such as in other nations,
as in Athens, harlots woreF4Suidas in voce εταιραν.
and not virgins, as follows:
for with such robes were the king's daughters that were
virgins apparelled; which they wore to distinguish them both from common people, and
from married persons of the same quality:
then the servants brought her out, and bolted the door after her; laid hold on
her, and brought her out by main force; thrust her out of doors, and turned the
key upon her.
2 Samuel 13:19 19 Then Tamar put ashes on
her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and laid her
hand on her head and went away crying bitterly.
YLT
19And Tamar taketh ashes for
her head, and the long coat that [is] on her she hath rent, and putteth her
hand on her head, and goeth, going on and crying;
And Tamar put ashes on her head,.... In token of sorrow
and distress; see Joshua 7:6,
and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her; signifying
that her virginity was rent from her in a forcible manner, or that she was
ravished:
and laid her hand on her head; through grief and shame;
see Jeremiah 2:37,
and went on crying; from Amnon's house to her brother
Absalom's, as one abused and injured.
2 Samuel 13:20 20 And Absalom her brother
said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my
sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar
remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.
YLT
20and Absalom her brother
saith unto her, `Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? and now, my sister,
keep silent, he [is] thy brother; set not thy heart to this thing;' and Tamar
dwelleth -- but desolate -- in the house of Absalom her brother.
And Absalom her brother said unto her,.... Either
meeting her in the street, or rather when come to his house:
hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? been rude
with thee, and lain with thee, which is the meaning of this modest expression;
which he guessed at, having heard of her being sent to his house, and knowing
his lustful disposition, and seeing her in such a forlorn condition: he calls
him Aminon, for so it is in the Hebrew text, and not Amnon, by way of contempt,
as Kimchi observes:
but hold now thy peace, my sister; be silent, take no
notice of this matter, say nothing of it to the king, nor any other, keep it in
thine own breast, and make thyself easy:
he is thy brother, regard not this thing; it is thy
brother that has done it, and not so disgraceful as a meaner person, done in
the heat of lust, and a youthful one, and should be forgiven; besides, to
divulge it would bring disgrace upon the whole family, and no recompence would
be obtained by telling the king of it, since he was his son, his firstborn, and
heir to the crown; this he said not out of love of Amnon, but as desirous of
gratifying private revenge upon him for it when opportunity should serve.
So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house; not seeing
any company, being filled with grief and shame, and none applying to her as a
suitor, knowing she was vitiated; how long she continued here, or lived after
this, is not certain; no mention is made of her afterwards.
2 Samuel 13:21 21 But when King David heard
of all these things, he was very angry.
YLT
21And king David hath heard
all these things, and it is very displeasing to him;
But when King David heard of all these things,.... Of
Amnon's ravishing Tamar, and turning her out of doors in that inhuman manner he
did, and of her distress upon it:
he was very wroth; with Amnon; but we read not of any reproof
he gave him, nor of any punishment inflicted on him by him. Abarbinel thinks
the reason why he was not punished was because his sin was not cognizable by a
court of judicature, nor was punishable by any way, or with any kind of death
inflicted by the sanhedrim, as stoning, burning, &c. nor even by scourging,
because there were no witnesses; but the punishment of it was cutting off, i.e.
by the hand of God. The Jews sayF5T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 21. 1. a
law was made on this, that virgins or unmarried persons should not be alone;
for if this was done to the daughter of a king, much more might it be done to
the daughter of a private man; and if to a modest person, much more to an
impudent one.
2 Samuel 13:22 22 And Absalom spoke to his
brother Amnon neither good nor bad. For Absalom hated Amnon, because he had
forced his sister Tamar.
YLT
22and Absalom hath not spoken
with Amnon either evil or good, for Absalom is hating Amnon, because that he
humbled Tamar his sister.
And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad,.... That is,
said nothing at all to him about the rape of his sister; not that he was sulky
with him, and would not converse with him at all; for then Amnon would have
mistrusted that he was meditating revenge, and therefore would have been upon
his guard; but on the contrary he talked freely, and in appearance friendly, on
other things, the better to conceal his hatred of him, and his design to avenge
the injury of his sister:
for Absalom hated Amnon; or, "though"F6כי, "quamvis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator,
Pool, & Patrick. he hated him, yet he behaved in this manner towards him:
because he had forced his sister Tamar: who was so by
father and mother's side, and so near and dear unto him, and therefore resented
the injury done her.
2 Samuel 13:23 23 And it came to pass, after
two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is
near Ephraim; so Absalom invited all the king’s sons.
YLT
23And it cometh to pass,
after two years of days, that Absalom hath shearers in Baal-Hazor, which [is]
with Ephraim, and Absalom calleth for all the sons of the king.
And it came to pass after two full years,.... Two
complete years after the rape was committed; so long Absalom kept it in his
mind, and was contriving how to avenge it; he let it alone so long, that it
might be thought by the king and Amnon, and all the family, that it was quite
worn out of his mind, and entirely forgotten by him, and therefore might the
more safely confide in him:
that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is
beside Ephraim; though a prince, the son of a king, he had his flocks, and
attended to the care of them, and had shearers to shear them at the proper time
of the year, which it now was. The Chinese shear their sheep three times a
year, the spring, summer, and autumn; but the first time of shearing yields the
best woolF7Semedo's History of China, part 1. ch. 3. . The place of
shearing them was, no doubt, near where they were kept in Baalhazor, in the
plain of Hazor, as the Targum, and so some versions; which was a city in the
tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:25; and
near to Ephraim; not that it was a city in the tribe of Ephraim, as Josephus
saysF8Antiqu. l. 7. c. 8. sect. 2. ; but it was near to another city
called Ephraim, perhaps the same as in 2 Chronicles 13:19
and in John 11:54; it lay
to the northeast of Jerusalem, as you go to Jericho, and is thought by RelandF9Palestina
Illustrat. tom. 1. p. 377. to lie between Bethel and Jericho; and, according to
EusebiusF11Apud Reland, ib. & p. 490. & tom. 2. p. 765. , it
was eight miles from Jerusalem; though JeromF12De loc. Heb. fol. 91.
A. , through mistake, says twenty; and both these places, according to BuntingF13Travels,
&c. p. 143, 363. , were eight miles from Jerusalem; it seems to be the same
place that was spoken of in the MisnahF14Menachot, c. 8. sect. l. ,
called Ephraim in the valley, and which is said to be the second place in the
land of Israel for fine flour, and might have its name from its fruitfulness:
and Absalom invited all the king's sons; to the
sheepshearing: that is, to the feast which was usually made at such times, and
still is; see Genesis 38:12.
2 Samuel 13:24 24 Then Absalom came to the
king and said, “Kindly note, your servant has sheepshearers; please, let the
king and his servants go with your servant.”
YLT
24And Absalom cometh unto the
king, and saith, `Lo, I pray thee, thy servant hath shearers, let the king go,
I pray thee, and his servants, with thy servant.'
And Absalom came to the king,.... At Jerusalem, to
invite him in person:
and said, behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; persons
employed in shearing his sheep: and this being a time of entertainment and joy:
let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants, go with thy
servant; he invited the king and the whole royal family to go with him to
Baalhazor, and partake of the sheepshearing feast; for by "his servants"
are not meant the king's domestic servants, his guard and retinue, but his
sons, as appears by what follows.
2 Samuel 13:25 25 But the king said to
Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go now, lest we be a burden to you.” Then
he urged him, but he would not go; and he blessed him.
YLT
25And the king saith unto
Absalom, `Nay, my son, let us not all go, I pray thee, and we are not too heavy
on thee;' and he presseth on him, and he hath not been willing to go, and he
blesseth him.
And the king said to Absalom, nay, my son, let us not all now go,.... He did
not object to the invitation entirely, he was willing some of the family should
go, but not all; it seems probable that he particularly excepted himself and
his eldest son, the heir to his crown, for the reason following:
lest we be chargeable unto thee; one or two persons more,
supposing them to be private persons, would have added but little to the
expense, if any; but as David was a king, he must have come with the retinue of
a king, with a large number of servants and guards, and must be entertained as
such; and Amnon, his eldest son, and heir apparent to the crown, must make a
figure suitable to his quality, which would have considerably raised the
expense; and perhaps Absalom's estate he had to live upon might be but small,
which David knew, and therefore chose not to be burdensome to him:
and he pressed him; urged him to go; not that he expected he
would, or really desired he should, but this he did to hide his intention, that
he might have no suspicion of his design against Amnon; or otherwise he might
think he would not have been so pressing upon him to go with him:
howbeit he would not go, but blessed him; thanked him
for the invitation he gave him, and wished him much happiness and pleasure at
his entertainment with his friends.
2 Samuel 13:26 26 Then Absalom said, “If
not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why
should he go with you?”
YLT
26And Absalom saith, `If not
-- let, I pray thee, Amnon my brother go with us;' and the king saith to him,
`Why doth he go with thee?'
Then said Absalom, if not,.... If it is not thy
pleasure to go with me, if I cannot have the honour of thy company:
I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us; let me have
the next mark of honour that can be given me, the presence of the king's eldest
son, and heir to the crown; he seems to express affection for him, and a
particular desire of his company, as if all ill will towards him was removed
from him, and this would be a public declaration of reconciliation between
them:
and the king said unto him, why should he go with thee? he
particularly, he more than any other; David seems to have suspected some
design, and it is strange he should not; and yet if he had, it is much,
notwithstanding the pressing arguments used, he should let him go; or he might
think it would be more expensive to have him than the rest, and therefore asks
why he should desire his company above all others.
2 Samuel 13:27 27 But Absalom urged him; so
he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.
YLT
27and Absalom urgeth on him,
and he sendeth with him Amnon, and all the sons of the king.
But Absalom pressed him,.... Which one would
think would have increased his suspicion, if he had any, or have raised it in
him; but his mind was blinded, that Amnon's incest might be punished and the
threatening to David and his house be fulfilled on account of the affair of
Uriah and Bathsheba:
that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him; if he had any
suspicion at all, he might choose they should all go, that they might protect
and defend him, if any attempt was made upon him; or, as others think, that no
exceptions might be taken, as might be, if Amnon had gone alone.
2 Samuel 13:28 28 Now Absalom had commanded
his servants, saying, “Watch now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and
when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon!’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not
commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.”
YLT
28And Absalom commandeth his
young men, saying, `See, I pray thee, when the heart of Amnon [is] glad with
wine, and I have said unto you, Smite Amnon, that ye have put him to death;
fear not; is it not because I have commanded you? be strong, yea, become sons
of valour.'
Now Absalom had commanded his servants,.... Before he
and his guests were set down to the entertainment:
saying, mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; as he was
determined to make him if possible, and as he supposed he would be, knowing his
inclination to drink:
and when I say unto you, smite Amnon, then kill him; smite him
that he die, and be sure he is dead before you leave him:
fear not, have not I commanded you? who am your lord, the
king's son, and will then be heir to the crown; fear not, I will protect you;
let all the blame be laid to me, if any; I will be answerable for it, you have
nothing to do but to obey my commands:
be courageous, and be valiant; show yourselves to be
men of courage and valour, not fearing the king's sons, or any in company, or
what will be the consequences of it; do your business effectually, and leave
all with me; it is very reasonably supposed that Absalom had not only in view
to revenge the rape of his sister, but to get himself next heir to the crown.
2 Samuel 13:29 29 So the servants of Absalom
did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each
one got on his mule and fled.
YLT
29And the young men of
Absalom do to Amnon as Absalom commanded, and rise do all the sons of the king,
and they ride, each on his mule, and flee.
And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had
commanded,.... They smote him, and killed him, when he gave the word:
then all the king's sons arose; from the feast,
imagining they were all designed to be slain:
and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled; creatures
much used in Judea instead of horses, which, though they might not be bred,
might be usedF15Vid. Misn. Celaim, c. 8. sect. 1. .
2 Samuel 13:30 30 And it came to pass, while
they were on the way, that news came to David, saying, “Absalom has killed all
the king’s sons, and not one of them is left!”
YLT
30And it cometh to pass --
they [are] in the way -- and the report hath come unto David, saying, `Absalom
hath smitten all the sons of the king, and there is not left of them one;'
And it came to pass while they were in the way,.... On their
road homewards, before they got to Jerusalem:
that tidings came to David; perhaps brought by one
who was at the entertainment, who upon seeing Amnon smitten, immediately rose
up and fled with the news of it to David:
saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not
one of them left; which he might suppose was the design of Absalom, and was done
before that time; however, so it was ordered in Providence, that David, that
rejoiced at the news of the death of Uriah, might be terrified with the tidings
of the death of all his sons; and for a while it was as if it was really so,
which occasioned the following behaviour in him.
2 Samuel 13:31 31 So the king arose and tore
his garments and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their
clothes torn.
YLT
31and the king riseth, and
rendeth his garments, and lieth on the earth, and all his servants are standing
by [with] rent garments.
Then the king arose, and tore his garments,.... In token
of extreme grief and sorrow, as Jacob did when he was shown the coat of Joseph,
supposing him to have been slain, as David thought all his sons were, Genesis 37:34,
and lay on the earth; on the bare ground,
another token of mourning; so Job did on hearing the death of his sons, Job 1:20,
and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent: did as David
did, in imitation of him, joining with him in expressions of sorrow; these were
his courtiers, ministers of state, and principal officers in his household.
2 Samuel 13:32 32 Then Jonadab the son of
Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, “Let not my lord suppose they have
killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for only Amnon is dead. For by the
command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his
sister Tamar.
YLT
32And Jonadab son of Shimeah,
David's brother, answereth and saith, `Let not my lord say, The whole of the
young men, the sons of the king, they have put to death; for Amnon alone [is]
dead, for by the command of Absalom it hath been appointed from the day of his
humbling Tamar his sister;
And Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother,.... The same
that advised Amnon to feign himself sick, to get Tamar sent to him, that he
might enjoy her, 2 Samuel 13:3,
answered and said; said in answer to the report brought to the
king, which threw him into such an agony:
let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young
men the king's sons; he did not believe it himself, and would not have the king
entertain such a thought, and distress himself with it:
for Amnon only is dead; he is very positive, and
speaks with great assurance; it looks as if he was in the secret, and knew of
the plot against Amnon's life; and, if so, he must be a very wicked man, first
to form a scheme whereby Amnon might come at Tamar to ravish her, and then be
accessory to the murder of him, as he must, if he knew of the design against
his life, and did not acquaint him and the king of it; and this seems to be
confirmed by what follows:
for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined, from
the day that he forced his sister Tamar; that is, the slaying of
Amnon; the meaning is, either that Absalom had given orders to his servants to
slay him, whenever they had an opportunity; or it was "in the mouth of
Absalom"F16על פי
אבשלום "in ore Absalom", V. L. Vatablus. ,
as it may be rendered; he used to declare it to his intimate friends, that it
was the purpose and resolution of his heart to kill Amnon some time or another;
and this he had taken up from the time of his sister Tamar's being forced, and
because of that, of which Jonadab had intelligence by some means or another;
and who speaks of this rape without any seeming emotion, as if he had no
concern at all in it.
2 Samuel 13:33 33 Now therefore, let not my
lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons
are dead. For only Amnon is dead.”
YLT
33and now, let not my lord
the king lay unto his heart the word, saying, All the sons of the king have
died, for Amnon alone [is] dead.'
Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart,.... Neither
suppose it, nor be troubled for it:
to think that all the king's sons are dead: which was not
to be thought, nor could any good reason be given for such a supposition
for Amnon only is dead; he repeats it again with
great assurance, which seems to confirm the suspicion of him before suggested;
though some think he said this not from certain knowledge, but by conjecture.
2 Samuel 13:34 34 Then Absalom fled. And the
young man who was keeping watch lifted his eyes and looked, and there, many
people were coming from the road on the hillside behind him.[a]
YLT
34And Absalom fleeth, and the
young man who is watching lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, much people
are coming by the way behind him, on the side of the hill.
But Absalom fled,.... He who promised his servants protection
could not protect himself, and who no doubt fled with him; he knew what he had
done was death by law, and that there was no city of refuge for such sort of
murder as this, and he had no reason to hope the king would suffer so foul a
crime as this to pass unpunished:
and the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and
looked: to the way that led from Absalom's house to Jerusalem, to see if
he could spy any other messenger on the road from thence:
and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side
behind him; that is, behind the watchman, who, looking round him, saw them;
these people were the king's sons and their attendants, who, being at some
distance, the young man could not discern who they were; they did not come the
direct road from Absalom's house, but came a round about way, for fear, as R.
Isaiah rightly conjectures, lest Absalom should pursue, or send pursuers after
them, and slay them; though others, as Kimchi, think this refers to the hill,
and that the sense is, that the watchman saw them coming from the way which was
behind the hill, and began to see them when they came to the side of it, which
was the way that led to the city, surrounded by mountains, see Psalm 125:2.
2 Samuel 13:35 35 And Jonadab said to the
king, “Look, the king’s sons are coming; as your servant said, so it is.”
YLT
35And Jonadab saith unto the
king, `Lo, the sons of the king have come; as the word of thy servant, so it
hath been.'
And Jonadab said to the king, behold, the king's sons come,.... For as
they came nearer, it was plainly discovered that they were the king's sons,
seen on the side of the hill:
as thy servant said, so it is; he seems to applaud
himself, and exult at his penetration and foresight.
2 Samuel 13:36 36 So it was, as soon as he
had finished speaking, that the king’s sons indeed came, and they lifted up
their voice and wept. Also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly.
YLT
36And it cometh to pass at
his finishing to speak, that lo, the sons of the king have come, and they lift
up their voice, and weep, and also the king and all his servants have wept -- a
very great weeping.
And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking,.... As soon
as the above words were out of his mouth:
that, behold, the king's sons came: into the palace, and
into the apartment where the king was:
and lifted up their voice and wept; not being able to tell
the sorrowful news with their mouths, but declared it by gestures:
and the king also and all his servants wept very sore; they joined
the king's sons in weeping, and were the more moved to it by their weeping, and
the rather, since hereby the news of Amnon's murder was confirmed.
2 Samuel 13:37 37 But Absalom fled and went
to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his
son every day.
YLT
37And Absalom hath fled, and
goeth unto Talmai, son of Ammihud, king of Geshur, and [David] mourneth for his
son all the days.
But Absalom fled,.... As before related, but here repeated
for the sake of what follows:
and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur: his mother's
father, see 2 Samuel 3:3, where
he might hope for protection and safety:
and David mourned for his son every day; or "all
the days"F17כל הימים
"cunctis diebus", V. L. "omnibus diebus", Pagninus,
Montanus. , i.e. of the three years Absalom was in Geshur, about the end of
which he was comforted concerning Amnon, as the following verses show. Some
think it was for Absalom he mourned, but rather for Amnon. The reason why he
mourned for him, when he did not for his child by Bathsheba, who died, because
that was an infant, this a grown man, and heir to his crown, and was slain by
the sword of his brother, and so fulfilled a threatening to himself on account
of his own sin, which, hereby no doubt, was brought fresh to his mind.
2 Samuel 13:38 38 So Absalom fled and went
to Geshur, and was there three years.
YLT
38And Absalom hath fled, and
goeth to Geshur, and is there three years;
So Absalom fled,.... This is the third time it is mentioned,
and the reason of it here Abarbinel thinks is, that when he first fled to his
grandfather, he used to stand openly in the court of his palace, and go with
him wherever he went from place to place; but when he understood that his
father mourned so for the death of Amnon, he was afraid he would send some
person to lay hold on him, and take vengeance on him; and therefore he would go
no more with the king from place to place, but went and abode in Geshur always,
which was a fortified city, as it follows:
and went to Geshur, and was there three years: and never
went out of it, until he was fetched by Joab, as 2 Samuel 14:23
relates; nor is there anything in 2 Samuel 13:37
disturbed and mutilated, as SpinosaF18Tractat. Theolog. Politic. c.
9. p. 176. intimates, but the whole is very expressive and emphatic.
2 Samuel 13:39 39 And King David[b] longed to
go to[c] Absalom.
For he had been comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead.
YLT
39and [the soul of] king
David determineth to go out unto Absalom, for he hath been comforted for Amnon,
for [he is] dead.
And the soul of King David longed to go forth unto Absalom,.... In like
manner it is supplied and paraphrased in the Targum, because the word rendered
"longed" is feminine; though it may be used to denote the effeminateness
of David's disposition and carriage on this occasion. Aben Ezra thinks the word
"wife", should be supplied, and then the sense is, that the wife of
King David, the mother of Absalom, made supplication to him to send forth one
of the young men to fetch Absalom, and that by her importunity to him she
stirred up a longing desire in David after him. Abarbinel observes, from
another writer of theirs, that all the three years David was mourning for his
son, he went out continually to seek to take vengeance on Absalom; but after
that time, the mother of Absalom, or Tamar his sister, or his daughter, was
importunate with the king, and restrained him from going forth to seek
vengeance on Absalom; and when he was comforted concerning Amnon, that woman
found means to restrain him from going out, and he restrained his servants from
going forth against Absalom; and so he observes the word is used for withholding
or restraining in Psalm 40:10; and
this agrees with several ancient versions, as the Vulgate Latin,"King
David ceased to persecute Absalom;'and the Septuagint,"King David ceased
to go out to Absalom;'and the Syriac version,"and King David abstained
from going out after Absalom:"
for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead; and could not
be brought back from the grave, though Absalom might be from his exile, to
which he had an inclination; but he knew not how to do it, consistent with
justice and his own honour.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)