2 Samuel 13:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, "Send out everyone from me." So everyone went out from him.

NIV: Then she took the pan and served him the bread, but he refused to eat. "Send everyone out of here," Amnon said. So everyone left him.

NASB: Then she took the tray and served them to him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, 'Have everyone leave me.' So everyone left him.

CSB: She brought the pan and set it down in front of him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, "Everyone leave me!" And everyone left him.

NLT: But when she set the serving tray before him, he refused to eat. 'Everyone get out of here,' Amnon told his servants. So they all left.

KJV: And she took a pan, and poured 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.

NKJV: 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.

Tamar is the only daughter of David named in Scripture. Her only full brother is Absalom. She has as many as eighteen other half-brothers from David's different wives, in addition to his concubines' sons (1 Chronicles 3:1–9). Each wife seems to have her own house where she raises her children. As a young woman, almost ready to marry, Tamar wouldn't necessarily spend a lot of time with her half-brothers.

That doesn't mean they don't see her. David's oldest son, Amnon, certainly has. He thinks he's in love with his half-sister. In truth, it's only lust, but the obsession is so fierce he's in torment. He can't do anything. The Mosaic law should hold him in check: she's forbidden to her because they're half-siblings (Leviticus 20:17). His only real obstacle, however, is that he can't get her alone (2 Samuel 13:1–2).

Jonadab, Amnon's cousin, sees Amnon's state and comes up with a plan. If Amnon appears sick enough, David will grant his request to send Tamar to his house to prepare bread. Jonadab's right, and the bread is now ready (2 Samuel 13:3–8).

Amnon doesn't eat. Perhaps he pretends to be too weak even to feed himself. He orders all his servants to leave the room, since he doesn't want anyone to see what he plans to do next. Alone with his sister, he grabs her and rapes her (2 Samuel 13:14).

Commentators understand the "bread" prepared by Tamar to be more like modern dumplings. It may have been a meal thought to be easier on the stomach and able to strengthen someone who was weak. The word sometimes translated as "baked" in the previous verse may be better understood as "boiled." Now the word used for emptying out the pan might be better translated as "poured," indicating that the dumplings were poured into a bowl, perhaps with some of the broth. This fits well with the idea of a meal for one who is sick.

Second Samuel 13:7–19 explains how Amnon makes himself a fulfillment of a curse God placed on David (2 Samuel 12:10—11). Using the ruse of being sick, Amnon has his half-sister Tamar alone and vulnerable (2 Samuel 13:1–6). She tries to reason with him, but he's far stronger. Once he's satisfied himself at her expense, he finds her disgusting and sends her away in shame. To her, the rejection is even more painful than the is a crime worse than the rape: she has been violated and will never marry or have children. Her brother Absalom will avenge her by murdering the rapist (2 Samuel 13:22, 28).

In this chapter, God's curse that the sword will strike David's house (2 Samuel 12:10) begins to emerge. David's firstborn son Amnon lusts over half-sister Tamar. Tamar fights back, but Amnon first rapes her and then rejects her. David is angry but does nothing. Two years later, Tamar's full brother Absalom murders Amnon. Three years after that, Absalom returns and becomes the enemy in David's house who takes his wives in public (2 Samuel 12:11–12; 15:1–16; 16:21–23).

This begins fulfillment of some of God's curses against David (2 Samuel 12:10), and sets the scene for others (2 Samuel 12:11–12). David's oldest son, Amnon, rapes his own half-sister, Tamar. Her full brother Absalom murders Amnon, starting a five-year campaign of vengeance against David. By the end, two of David's sons will be dead, his daughter will be desolate, and David will be deeply humbled (2 Samuel 14—19).