Why did Jonadab know about Amnon's death before others in 2 Samuel 13:32? Historical Setting and Narrative Flow 2 Samuel 13 records a cascade of sin in David’s household: Amnon lusts after his half-sister Tamar, takes Jonadab’s advice, rapes her, and Absalom bides his time for revenge. Two years later, at a Baal-hazor sheep-shearing festival, Absalom murders Amnon and a confused report reaches Jerusalem that “all the king’s sons are dead” (2 Samuel 13:30). At this climax v. 32 says: “Jonadab son of David’s brother Shimeah spoke up: ‘My lord must not think they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons. Only Amnon is dead. This has been Absalom’s intention from the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.’” Why could Jonadab announce details no one else possessed? Several converging lines of evidence answer that question. Jonadab’s Identity and Character 1. Family Proximity – Jonadab is David’s nephew (1 Chronicles 2:13-16). He moves freely in the royal court. 2. Noted Shrewdness – The narrator earlier labels him “a very shrewd man” (2 Samuel 13:3). The Hebrew word ḥākām here carries connotations of craftiness (cf. Genesis 3:1). 3. Prior Complicity – Jonadab scripted the deception that enabled Amnon’s assault (2 Samuel 13:5-6). His meddling implicated him in the family intrigue from the start. Four Complementary Explanations 1. Inside Information through Plot-Sharing • Absalom and Jonadab were cousins close in age. Eastern family honor culture (still observable in modern Druze and Bedouin blood-revenge customs) often includes confidants in vendettas. • The Septuagint preserves the same plain statement, underscoring that the earliest textual tradition saw Jonadab’s certainty as rooted in prior knowledge, not prophecy. 2. Continued Involvement after Tamar’s Violation • Josephus (Antiquities 7.8.9) paraphrases Absalom as “watching his opportunity,” hinting that a circle of conspirators understood the plan. • Jonadab’s earlier role as adviser to Amnon shows he trafficked in family secrets. In palace politics the counselor who facilitated the rape would instinctively track its fallout to shield himself. 3. Access to Eyewitness Runners • Ancient Near-Eastern kings employed relay messengers (e.g., “Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain,” 2 Samuel 18:23). • Given his court status, Jonadab could have intercepted swift footmen arriving ahead of the watchman’s sighting (vv. 34–35). This would let him gather details minutes before David heard the confused first report. 4. Shrewd Deduction Amplified by Prior Knowledge • Amnon alone had drawn Absalom’s ire. Jonadab, already privy to that hostility, needed only the faint rumor of trouble to deduce the obvious target. • Behavioral science affirms that when variables are constrained, inference becomes near-certain; Jonadab’s brain, trained in intrigue, reached the correct conclusion. Theological and Moral Dimensions • Sowing and Reaping – Jonadab’s knowledge underscores Galatians 6:7; concealed sin eventually erupts into public tragedy. • False Wisdom vs. True – His “shrewdness” contrasts with godly wisdom (James 3:13-17). Scripture warns that crafty counsel destroys both counselor and counselee. • Divine Justice – Absalom’s act, while sinful, becomes an instrument of judgment on Amnon. God’s sovereignty weaves even human wickedness into His righteous verdicts (cf. Genesis 50:20). Practical Application Believers today must scrutinize counsel. Jonadab’s life is a cautionary tale: proximity to power plus cleverness without holiness breeds disaster. Seek advisors saturated in Scripture, not schemers versed in expediency (Psalm 1). Summary Answer Jonadab knew about Amnon’s death before others because he was already entangled in the original crime, enjoyed intimate access to both the royal family and incoming messengers, and, possessing prior knowledge of Absalom’s vendetta, could swiftly interpret fragmentary news. His sinister cleverness gave him firsthand or near-firsthand information, enabling him to correct the rumor and specify that only Amnon had fallen. |
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