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. 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
Tamar put ashes. There was no concealment of her wrong, but, thrust out of the inner chamber into which Amnon had enticed her ( 2 Samuel 13:10 ), she cast ashes upon her head from the very fire which she had just used in cooking, and, rending her garment, hastened away with her hand on her head, and with cries of lamentation. If David had foreseen this sad sight when giving way to his passion for Bathsheba, he would have felt that sin is indeed "folly," and that its pleasure is followed by... read more
Laid her hand on her head - To hold on the ashes (see the marginal references).Went on crying - i. e. “went away, crying out as she went.” read more
2 Samuel 13:19. Tamar put ashes upon her head To signify her grief for some calamity which had befallen her, and what that was, concurring circumstances easily discovered. And laid her hand on her head In token of shame and sorrow, as if she were unable to show her face. And went on crying To manifest her abhorrence of the fact, and that it was not done by her consent. read more
David’s family troubles begin (13:1-14:33)The first of the foretold disgraces that fell on David’s family followed the same pattern as David’s own sin: sexual immorality followed by murder, with the murderer carefully plotting how to get rid of his victim.Amnon, David’s eldest son, tried to seduce his half-sister Tamar, but when Tamar resisted him he raped her (13:1-14). Cruelly, Amnon then drove Tamar away, and the young princess cried bitterly at the loss of her virginity in such... read more
laid her hand . Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , put for "grieved". read more
19, 20. Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours . . . laid her hand on her head, and went on crying—that is, sobbing. Oriental manners would probably see nothing beyond a strong sense of the injury she had sustained, if Tamar actually rent her garments. But, as her veil is not mentioned, it is probable that Amnon had turned her out of doors without it, and she raised her hand with the design to conceal her face. By these signs, especially the rending of her... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
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