How does 2 Samuel 13:14 connect with the commandment against coveting in Exodus 20:17? Setting the Scene: Amnon’s Sin 2 Samuel 13:14: “But he refused to listen to her, and because he was stronger, he violated her and lay with her.” Amnon’s crime is shocking, but it did not begin in the bedroom. It began in his heart, long before he forced Tamar. His so-called “love” was a consuming, self-centered craving. The Tenth Commandment Stated Exodus 20:17: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Coveting is a heart-level desire for what God has not given. It is internal, yet it invites every outward sin on the list of commandments. Tracing the Link: Coveting at the Root • Amnon coveted Tamar—she was not his wife, but he fixated on possessing her. • The commandment names “your neighbor’s wife” specifically; Tamar, David’s daughter, was certainly “neighbor” territory to Amnon. • Coveting morphed into scheming (vv. 3-6), deception (v. 6), and finally rape (v. 14). Coveting’s Domino Effect in 2 Samuel 13 1. Desire: “Amnon was so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill” (v. 2). 2. Rationalization: Jonadab’s counsel helped Amnon justify sin (vv. 4-5). 3. Deception: feigned sickness to lure Tamar (v. 6). 4. Force: “he refused to listen” and “violated her” (v. 14). 5. Despising the object: “Amnon hated her with intense hatred” (v. 15). 6. Consequences: Absalom’s vengeance and family devastation (vv. 22-29). Scripture Echoes of the Same Pattern • James 1:14-15—covetous desire “gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” • Matthew 5:28—lustful looking already breaks God’s standard. • Romans 7:7-8—coveting exposes the sin within. • 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6—sexual immorality is “transgression and defrauding” a brother or sister. Lessons for Today • Sinful desire never stays private; it matures into visible acts unless killed early. • Coveting treats people as objects to satisfy self, not as image-bearers to honor. • God’s law shows us the progression: break the Tenth in your heart and you soon break the Seventh, Sixth, and beyond. • The only antidote is a new, Spirit-led heart (Galatians 5:16-24). Final Takeaway Amnon’s violation of Tamar is the tragic illustration of Exodus 20:17 in action: unchecked coveting does not remain a hidden thought; it grows into destructive deeds. Guard the heart, and you guard your neighbor. |
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