2 Samuel 13:20

ABSALOM'S SMOULDERING HATRED FOR AMNON

"And her brother Absalom said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now hold your peace, my sister; he is your brother. Do not take this to heart." So Tamar dwelt a desolate woman in her brother Absalom's house. When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar."

"Has Amnon your brother been with you" (2 Samuel 13:20)? This question by Absalom is a complete biography of the wicked Amnon. One glance at the heartbroken Tamar with her precious robe torn and with ashes upon her and her hand upon her head said to Absalom, "Your beautiful sister has been raped by the godless Amnon." What a reputation Amnon must have earned for himself by his uncontrolled wickedness! As Henry stated it, "This question by Absalom indicates that Amnon was known for his lewd practices, to the extent that it was dangerous for a modest woman to be with him."[18]

"Tamar dwelt, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom's house" (2 Samuel 13:20). "Absalom was her natural protector. The children of polygamists lived by themselves, as if they constituted separate families."[19]

"When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry" (2 Samuel 13:21). Nevertheless, David did absolutely nothing about it. Did he not know that Amnon deserved to be punished? According to the law in Leviticus 22:28, if Amnon had raped any virgin, he should have been compelled to marry the virgin whom he had raped and also severely fined. However, if the virgin thus raped was a man's sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, then the penalty was death (Leviticus 20:17). But the namby-pamby old king simply did nothing at all, except stew in his own anger. The reason for David's inaction is not far to seek. "He could not do anything because he had committed the same sins; and the circumstances and/or popular sentiment seem to have prohibited his bringing criminals to justice."[20] Young gave the reason for David's lack of action as, "His indulgent affection for his son and his habitual failure to discipline members of his family."[21] Whatever his reasons, David's refusal to punish Amnon led directly to Absalom's murdering him. When justice is thwarted, there always rises up lawless men who will take matters into their own hands.

A number of scholars inject the words of the LXX into this study which declare that, "David did not trouble the spirit of his son Amnon, because he loved him, for he was his first-born." As Keil noted, "That comment is doubtless the truth; but it is only a subjective conjecture on the part of translators and does not deserve any place in the sacred text."[22]

"Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister" (2 Samuel 13:22). This smoldering hatred would ultimately break forth in murder and rebellion against David himself.