Chapter Thirteen

The dishonoring of Tamar by Amnon. The death of Amnon.

2 Samuel 13:1. And it came to pass after this: Absalom son of David had a fair sister whose name was Tamar; and Amnon son of David loved her. Absalom was the son of David by Maacah, daughter of the Geshurite king Talmai; Amnon – the firstborn of David by Ahinoam of Jezreel (2 Sam 3:2-3).

2 Samuel 13:25. But the king said to Absalom: No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you. And Absalom pressed him, but he would not go; but he blessed him. “And he blessed him” – to celebrate his feast in the king’s absence.

2 Samuel 13:32. But Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said: Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men, David’s sons; Amnon alone is dead, for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined since the day when he dishonored his sister Tamar; “Jonadab” – the former friend of the slain Amnon and his accomplice in crime (2 Sam 13:3-5). “It seems strange how the sad news could have outrun the fleeing royal sons in fear, and it seems that it did not come from the place of the event, but arose independently at court, and not without intention in distorted form. Jonadab was “very cunning”, says the chronicler, that is, a skillful court intriguer, ready for anything, as is already evident from his service to Amnon. One may conjecture that, not having received proper gratitude from Amnon for his services, he abandoned him and went over to the side of Absalom, whose great ambition was known to him and who needed helpers more than Amnon to carry out his bold designs. And so, when almost all the court went to the feast at Absalom’s, Jonadab remained with the king in a premeditated role. At the appointed time, he secretly spreads a false rumor that all the king’s children have been killed. The king is in despair and curses Absalom. But immediately a comforter arrives and says: “Let not the lord the king think that all the king’s sons are dead; Amnon alone is dead because he dishonored the sister of Absalom.” At that moment, and this could have seemed the greatest comfort to David: his children were resurrected; only one remained dead, and because he was indeed a criminal who had remained unpunished thus far. Absalom avenged him” (Y. Bogorodsky, “Hebrew Kings”, p. 209–211).