2 Samuel 13

1 After some time [following this event, afterwards], David’s son Amnon [faithful one, a son of David] fell in love [to have affection, strong desire] with Tamar [palm tree], the beautiful [fair, lovely, pleasant] sister [biological sibling, close relative] of David’s son Absalom [father of peace, a son of David]. word study 2 Amnon was [deeply distressed, vexed] sick with frustration [sick with love, infatuated] over his sister [biological sibling, close relative] Tamar, for she was a [pure, untouched] virgin, and it seemed [hard] implausible for him to do anything [make any move, take any action] to her. word study 3 Now Amnon [a son of King David, known for his tragic story] had a friend [neighbor, companion] named Jonadab [a very cunning man], the son [descendant, male child] of David’s brother [male sibling, close relative] Shimeah [Shimah, an Israelite from the tribe of Judah]. Jonadab [a wise and crafty man] was a very [exceedingly, greatly] shrewd [wise, skilled, cunning] man [male person, individual], word study 4 so he asked Amnon, “Why [for what reason] are you, the son [descendant, male child] of the king [ruler, monarch], so depressed [lean, pining] morning after morning [day by day, daily]? Won’t you tell [declare, reveal] me?” Amnon replied, “I am in love [having affection, loving] with Tamar [palm tree], my brother [male sibling, close relative] Absalom’s sister [female sibling, close relative].” word study 5 Jonadab told him, “Lie down [feign sickness, pretend to be ill] on your bed [place of rest, couch] and pretend [make yourself appear, act as if] you are ill [weak, sick]. When your father [parent, patriarch] comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please [I pray, I ask] let my sister [close relative, half-sister] Tamar [palm tree] come and give me something to eat [food, bread, nourishment]. Let her prepare [make, dress] it in my sight [before my eyes, in my presence] so I may watch [see, observe] her and eat it from her hand [from her own hand, personally].’” word study 6 So Amnon [pretended to be sick, feigned illness] lay down and [made himself weak, became feeble] feigned illness. When the king [the ruler, monarch] came to see him, Amnon said, “Please [I pray thee, I ask] let my sister [biological sibling, close relative] Tamar come and make a couple [two, a pair] of cakes [fried bread, baked goods] in my sight [before my eyes, in my presence], so that I may eat [take food, receive nourishment] from her hand [from her direction, under her care].” word study 7 Then David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] sent word [a message, to command] to Tamar [the name means palm tree, a woman of beauty] at the palace [the house, a dwelling place]: “Please [I pray, a polite request] go [to walk, to move] to the house [a dwelling place, the home] of Amnon [faithful, a son of King David] your brother [a male sibling, a close relative] and prepare [to make, to dress] a meal [food, something to eat] for him [as an act of service, to show care].” word study 8 So Tamar [the palm tree] went to the house [dwelling place, family home] of her brother [male sibling, close relative] Amnon, who was lying down [resting, sleeping, or in a state of weakness]. She took some dough [unleavened bread mixture], kneaded it [working the dough, preparing for baking], made cakes [fried or turned bread] in his sight [before his eyes, in his presence], and baked [cooked, ripened] them. word study 9 Then she brought the pan [a common household dish] and set it down before him, but he refused [to accept, to say no] to eat. “Send [have out, cause to leave] everyone away [from my presence, out of my sight]!” said Amnon [faithful, a son of King David]. And everyone [all men, every individual] went out [departed, left his presence]. word study 10 Then Amnon [the son of King David, known for his tragic story] said to Tamar [meaning palm tree], “Bring the food [meat, provisions] into the bedroom [chamber, private room], so that I may eat [feed, partake] it from your hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share].” Tamar took the cakes [little messes, fried bread] she had made [prepared, created] and went to her brother Amnon’s [faithful, yet flawed] bedroom [inner chamber]. word study 11 And when she had brought them to him [to present, to offer] to eat [to devour, to consume], he took hold [seized, grasped] of her and said, “Come [approach, draw near] lie [rest, have sexual relations] with me [together, in intimacy], my sister [close relative, kin]!” word study 12 “No, my brother [relative, close kin]!” she cried. “Do not [absolutely not, under no circumstances] humiliate [treat with contempt, oppress] me, for such a thing [this act, this behavior] should never [not ever, under no condition] be done [practiced, committed] in Israel [the community of God’s people]. Do not [refrain from, abstain] do this [commit, perform] disgraceful [shameful, wicked] thing [act, deed]! word study 13 Where [in what place or situation] could I ever take my [deep, personal] shame [reproach, disgrace]? And you would be [considered, regarded as] like one of the fools [senseless, wicked] in Israel [the people of God, descendants of Jacob]! Please [I pray, I implore] speak to the king [the ruler, authority], for he will not withhold [refuse, deny] me from you [as his daughter, under his care].” word study 14 But Amnon refused [would not hearken] to listen to her [her voice, the sound of her speaking], and being [having more physical power, stronger than she] stronger, he [forcibly, overpowered her] violated [forced, humbled] her and lay [had sexual relations, rested with] with her. word study 15 Then Amnon hated [with intense hostility, exceedingly] Tamar with such intensity [great, very strong] that his hatred [a deep-seated aversion] was greater [more, exceedingly] than the love [affection, tender regard] he previously had [shown, demonstrated]. “Get up [rise, stand]!” he said to her. “Be gone [depart, leave]!” word study 16 “No,” she replied, “sending me away [in disgrace, to put me forth] is worse than this great [moral or natural] wrong [evil, adversity] you have already done to me [with me, unto me]!” But he refused [would not, was not willing] to listen [to hear, obey] to her. word study 17 Instead, he called [to summon, to cry out] to his attendant [young servant, minister] and said, “Throw [send away, put out] this woman [namely, Tamar] out [outside, away from me] and bolt [lock, shut] the door [gate, entrance] behind her [after she has gone]!” word study 18 So Amnon’s attendant [servant, minister] threw her out [brought her out, put her outside] and bolted [locked] the door [gate, entrance] behind her. Now Tamar was wearing [clothed in, dressed with] a robe [tunic, long garment] of many colors [divers colors, long-sleeved], because this is what [for, since] the king’s [royal, sovereign] virgin [unmarried, untouched] daughters [women, girls] wore [were clothed, apparelled]. word study 19 And Tamar [the daughter of King David] put ashes on her head and tore [rent, ripped apart] her robe [long, shirt-like garment, tunic of divers colors]. And putting her hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] on her head, she went away [walked, moved from one place to another] crying [to cry out, lament] bitterly [aloud, with intense sorrow]. word study 20 Her brother Absalom [a son of King David] said to her, “Has your brother Amnon [faithful one, son of King David] been with you? Be quiet [hold your peace, do not speak] for now [at this time], my sister [close relative, female sibling]. He is your brother [male sibling, close relative]. Do not take [set your heart, consider] this thing [matter, event] to heart [your inner being, emotions].” So Tamar [palm tree] lived as a desolate [devastated, ruined] woman in the house [dwelling place, home] of her brother Absalom. word study 21 When King [the ruler, monarch] David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] heard [to listen, pay attention] all [everything, the whole] this [these events, circumstances], he was [became, felt] furious [very angry, incensed, exceedingly grieved]. word study 22 And Absalom never said a word [spoke neither good nor bad] to Amnon, either [in a positive or negative way] good [pleasant, beneficial] or bad [evil, harmful], because he hated [felt intense dislike, hostility] Amnon for disgracing [humbling, forcing] his sister [biological sibling, close relative] Tamar. word study 23 Two years [a couple of full years, after the time of two years] later, when Absalom’s [a son of King David, Abi] sheepshearers [those who cut the wool of sheep, having a sheep farm] were at Baal-hazor [the Lord of the village, a town on the border of Ephraim and Benjamin] near Ephraim [doubly fruitful, referring to Joseph’s son and the tribe that descended from him], he invited [called out to, summoned] all [every single one, everything] the sons [descendants, children, or male offspring] of the king [the ruler, the monarch, King David]. word study 24 And he [Absalom, the king’s son] went to the king [the royal person, King David] and said, “Your servant [slave, one who serves] has just hired [employed, engaged] shearers [those who cut the wool of sheep]. Will the king [the ruler, sovereign] and his servants [attendants, those who serve] please [I pray, I beseech] come with me [accompany me, join me]?” word study 25 “No, my son [beloved child],” the king [royal ruler, monarch] replied, “we should not all go [travel together, as a group], or we would be a burden [weighty, troublesome] to you [causing you undue stress].” Although Absalom [son of King David, Abi] urged him [pressed him, insisted], he was not willing [unwilling, reluctant] to go [proceed, journey], but gave him his blessing [praise, divine favor, to bless]. word study 26 “If not,” said Absalom [the son of King David], “please [I pray thee] let my brother [male sibling, close relative] Amnon [faithful, but tragically flawed] go with us [accompany, join].” “Why [what reason, for what purpose] should he go with you [walk together, accompany]?” the king [royal ruler, sovereign] asked [said, spoke]. word study 27 But Absalom [pressed] urged him, so the king sent Amnon [the unfaithful son] and the rest [all] of his sons [children, descendants]. word study 28 Now Absalom [the son of King David] had ordered [commanded, given a charge to] his young men [servants, attendants], “Watch [be aware of, observe] Amnon until his heart [inner being, emotions] is merry [cheerful, glad] with wine [intoxicating drink], and when I order [command, give the signal] you to strike [hit, smite] Amnon down, you are to kill [put to death, slay] him. Do not be afraid [fearful, intimidated]. Have I not commanded [given orders to] you? Be courageous [strong, brave] and valiant [mighty, powerful]!” word study 29 So Absalom’s young men [servants, attendants] did to Amnon [the king’s son, faithless] just as Absalom [the king’s son] had ordered [commanded, given charge]. Then all [every one, the entire group] the other sons of the king [royal descendants, princes] got up, and each one fled [quickly departed, escaped] on his mule [donkey-horse hybrid, beast of burden]. word study 30 While they [on their way back] were on the way, a report [tidings, news] reached David: “Absalom [a son of King David] has struck down [slain, smitten] all [every single one] the sons [descendants, male children] of the king; not [none, no] one of them is left [remains, survived]!” word study 31 Then the king [arose] stood up, tore [rent, ripped apart] his clothes, and lay down [stretched himself out, rested] on the ground [earth, land]; and all [every one of] his servants [attendants, officials] stood by [stood beside, stationed themselves] with their clothes [garments, robes] torn [rent, ripped apart]. word study 32 But Jonadab, the son [descendant, male child] of David’s brother [close relative, male sibling] Shimeah, spoke up: “My lord [master, ruler] must not think [suppose, assume] they have killed [slain, put to death] all [every, the whole] the sons [young men, male children] of the king, for [because, since] only [alone, solely] Amnon [faithful, trustworthy] is dead [has died, has perished]. In fact [truly, indeed], Absalom [father of peace, peaceful] has planned [determined, appointed] this [the death of Amnon] since [from the day, at the time] the day [period of time, occasion] Amnon [faithful, trustworthy] violated [forced, humbled] his sister [female sibling, close relative] Tamar [palm tree, date palm]. word study 33 So now [at this time, in this moment], my lord [master, ruler] the king, do not take to heart [do not be troubled, grieved] the report [news, message] that all [every, the entire] the sons [children, descendants] of the king are dead [have died, perished]. Only Amnon [faithful, trustworthy] is dead [has died, alone].” word study 34 Meanwhile, Absalom [the son of King David] had fled [run away quickly]. When the young man [youth, a young person] standing watch [to observe, to wait] looked up, he saw many people [a large crowd, a multitude] coming down the road [way, path] west of him, along the side [slope, hillside] of the hill [mountain, a high place]. And the watchman [the one who keeps watch, the observer] went and reported to the king, “I see men [people, individuals] coming from the direction [way, path] of Horonaim [a place, a location], along the side [slope, hillside] of the hill [mountain, a high place].” word study 35 So Jonadab [the son of Rechab] said to the king [the ruler, King David], “Look [behold, see], the sons [descendants, children] of the king [the monarch, royal person] have arrived [come, entered]! It is just as [exactly like, in accordance with] your servant [attendant, slave] said [spoken, uttered].” word study 36 And as he finished [came to an end, completed] speaking, the sons [descendants, children] of the king [royal person, monarch] came in, wailing [crying, lifting up their voice] loudly [with great sorrow]. Then the king [ruler, sovereign] and all [everything, every one of] his servants [attendants, slaves] also wept [cried, shed tears] very [exceedingly, greatly] bitterly [with intense grief, sorrow]. word study 37 Now Absalom [the son of King David, a man of great beauty] fled [to escape, ran away quickly] and went [traveled, journeyed] to Talmai [the king of Geshur, a Canaanite and Syrian] son of Ammihud [my kinsman is majesty, a name signifying relationship and royalty], the king [a monarch, ruler] of Geshur [a district in Syria, a land in north Transjordania]. But David mourned [to lament, express sorrow] for his son [a child, a descendant] every day [all the time, continually]. word study 38 After Absalom [the son of King David] had fled [run away quickly, escaped] and gone to Geshur [a district in Syria, a land in north Transjordania], he stayed [remained, was present] there [in that place, at that time] three [a period of thrice, a set of three years] years [a cycle of time, a period of 12 months]. word study 39 And King David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] longed [had a strong desire, yearned] to go to Absalom [his son, who had several half-brothers], for he had been consoled [comforted, shown pity] over Amnon’s [faithful, but tragically flawed] death [the end of life, to die]. word study