2 Samuel 13:19

_AND TAMAR PUT ASHES ON HER HEAD, AND RENT HER GARMENT OF DIVERS COLOURS THAT WAS ON HER, AND LAID HER HAND ON HER HEAD, AND WENT ON CRYING._ Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours ... laid her hand on her head, and went on crying - i:e., sobbing. Oriental manners would probably see nothing beyond a strong sense of the injury she had sustained, if Tamar actually rent her dress. 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 distinguishing robe, Absalom at once conjectured what had taken place. Recommending her to be silent about it, and not publish her own and her family's dishonour, he took no notice of it to Amnon. But all the while he was in secret 'nursing his wrath, to keep it warm,' and only 'bi...

1-20 From henceforward David was followed with one trouble after another. Adultery and murder were David's sins, the like sins among his children were the beginnings of his punishment: he was too indulgent to his children. Thus David might trace the sins of his children to his own misconduct, which must have made the anguish of the chastisement worse. Let no one ever expect good treatment from those who are capable of attempting their seduction; but it is better to suffer the greatest wrong than to commit the least sin....

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.”...

EXPOSITION 2 SAMUEL 13:1 AFTER THIS. This phrase, as we have seen on 2 Samuel 10:1, has little chronological force, but the date of the sad event which formed the second stage in David's punishment can be settled with considerable certainty. Tamar was the daughter of Maacah, a princess of Geshur, and David's marriage with her, while still at Hebron, is mentioned as a proof of his growing power, and consequently some time must have elapsed after his appointment as king before this alliance took place. As Absalom was apparently older than Tamar, if she were now fifteen or sixteen years of age. David would have been king of all Israel at least thirteen or fourteen years, and would have reached the summit of his glory. His wars would be over, Rabbah capt

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....

3. FURTHER CHASTISEMENT: AMNON, TAMAR, AND ABSALOM CHAPTER 13 _ 1. Amnon's wicked desire (2 Samuel 13:1)_ 2. The incest (2 Samuel 13:6) 3. His hatred (2 Samuel 13:15) 4. Amnon murdered (2 Samuel 13:19) 5. Absalom's flight (2 Samuel 13:37) “Behold I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house.” This was Jehovah's sentence and it is now carried out. The evil which he had nourished in his heart, the passion which he had fed now breaks out in his own family. His oldest

2 SAMUEL 13. AMNON, TAMAR, AND ABSALOM (J). 2 SAMUEL 13:1. Amnon, David's eldest son, forces his half-sister, Tamar, the full sister of Absalom. He might have married her (2 Samuel 3:5 *) but did not choose to do so. She rent her royal tunic, probably a garment reaching to the hands and feet (_cf._ Genesis 37:3 *); Joseph's coat of many colours represents the same Heb. word. David was angry, but he did not vex him by punishing him, for he loved him because he was his first-born (so LXX). 2 SAMUEL 13:23. Two years later, Absalom induced Amnon to be his guest at the sheepshearing (p. 101) at Baalhazor

LAID HER HAND. Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Adjunct), App-6, put for "grieved"....

_And Tamar put ashes_, &c. The ashes and the torn garments (1 Samuel 4:12; Esther 4:1), and the hands clasped above the head (Jeremiah 2:37), were all marks of grief and shame. _went on crying_ WENT AWAY SHRIEKING AS SHE WENT; not lamenting with silent tears, but with loud passionate shrieks and wailing....

_Absalom Kills Amnon._ 2 Samuel 13:15-29 15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her _was_ greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. 16 And she said unto him, _There is_ no cause: this evil in sending me away _is_ greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her. 17 Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this _woman_ out from me, and bolt the door after her. 18 And _she had_ a garment of divers colors upon her: for with such robes were the king's daughters _that were_ virgins appareled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her. 19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers _colors_ that _was_ on her, and laid her hand on h