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. read more
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... read more
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... read more
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. read more
Nay , my brother - There is something exceedingly tender and persuasive in this speech of Tamar; but Amnon was a mere brute, and it was all lost on him. read more
Speak unto the king - So it appears that she thought that the king, her father, would give her to him as wife. This is another strong mark of indelicacy in those simple but barbarous times. There might have been some excuse for such connections under the patriarchal age, but there was none now. But perhaps she said this only to divert him from his iniquitous purpose, that she might get out of his hands. read more
The firstfruits of iniquity. The facts are: 1 . Amnon entertains an improper affection for his half-sister Tamar, and meditates evil. 2 . Making known his secret passion to Jonadab, he is prompted to a device for securing a personal interview with her. 3 . The king, visiting Amnon in his pretended sickness, kindly arranges that Tamar should wait upon him with special focal in his chamber. 4 . Seizing an opportunity in the absence of attendants, he accomplishes his purpose... read more
( JERUSALEM .) The crime of Amnon. The chastisements which David experienced came upon him chiefly through his family. The misconduct of his sons was largely due to his own "in the matter of Uriah," and his defective discipline (lSa 2 Samuel 3:13 ; 1 Kings 1:6 ) in connection with polygamy ( 2 Samuel 3:1-5 ). "This institution is the absolutely irrepressible source of numberless evils of this description. It ever furnishes a ready stimulus to unbounded sensual desire in the... read more
Do not force me; literally, do not humble me. It is to be regretted that the word should be changed, as it bears testimony to the nobleness of the Hebrew women, who regarded their chastity as their crown of honour. The word folly is used in the sense of unchastity in Genesis 34:7 and elsewhere, and it is noteworthy that the Jews thus connected crime with stupidity. Vain, that is, empty persons were the criminal part of the population ( 9:4 ), and to call a man "a fool" was to attribute... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 13:1-20
We have here a particular account of the abominable wickedness of Amnon in ravishing his sister, a subject not fit to be enlarged upon nor indeed to be mentioned without blushing, that ever any man should be so vile, especially that a son of David should be so. Amnon's character, we have reason to think, was bad in other things; if he had not forsaken God, he would never have been given up to these vile affections. Godly parents have often been afflicted with wicked children; grace does not... read more