2 Samuel 13:11
And when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said, "Come lie with me, my sister!"
And when she had brought them to him to eat,

Tamar’s service fulfilled Amnon’s deceptive request and brought her alone into his chamber. What should have been an act of family care became the occasion for evil. Her isolation exposed the danger created when authority, privilege, and secrecy are used to conceal sin.

1Sa 25:18-19 Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves of bread…
Jdg 19:21-22 So he brought him to his house and fed his donkeys.…
Gen 18:8 Then Abraham brought curds and milk and the calf…

he took hold of her

Amnon abandoned pretense and used physical force against his sister. His action violated Tamar’s trust, her dignity, and God’s command concerning sexual purity within the family (Leviticus 18:9). David’s household now bore the bitter fruit of the sword and disorder foretold after David’s sin (2 Samuel 12:10–11).

Jdg 19:25-26 But the men would not listen to him. So the Levite…
Gen 34:2 When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince…
Deu 22:25-27 But if the man encounters a betrothed woman…

and said, “Come lie with me, my sister!”

Amnon’s appeal joined lust with deliberate contempt for the bond God had established between brother and sister. The word “sister” intensified the wickedness of his demand rather than softening it. Sin often seeks to turn what God has made holy—family, trust, and authority—into an instrument of harm.

Gen 39:7-12 After some time his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph…
Pro 7:18-23 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning.…
Gen 19:31-35 One day the older daughter said to the younger,…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Amnon
The eldest son of King David, who harbors an illicit desire for his half-sister Tamar. His actions in this chapter reveal his moral failings and lack of self-control.

2. Tamar
The daughter of King David and sister of Absalom. She is a victim of Amnon's lust and deceit, representing innocence and vulnerability.

3. David
The King of Israel and father to both Amnon and Tamar. His family dynamics and previous sins have repercussions that affect his children.

4. Jonadab
A cousin to Amnon, who gives him the deceitful advice that leads to Tamar's assault. He represents the influence of ungodly counsel.

5. The Event
The tragic event of Tamar's assault by Amnon, which sets off a chain of events leading to further family strife and violence.
Teaching Points
The Consequences of Sin
Amnon's actions remind us that sin, especially sexual sin, has devastating consequences not only for the sinner but also for those around them. It is crucial to guard our hearts and minds against lust and temptation.

The Importance of Godly Counsel
Jonadab's advice to Amnon highlights the danger of ungodly counsel. We must seek wisdom from those who are grounded in Scripture and can provide guidance that aligns with God's will.

The Role of Family Dynamics
David's family struggles illustrate how unresolved sin and lack of discipline can lead to dysfunction and tragedy. As believers, we are called to address sin within our families and lead with integrity.

The Value of Purity and Respect
Tamar's account underscores the importance of respecting others and valuing purity. We are called to treat each other with dignity and honor, recognizing each person as made in the image of God.

God's Justice and Mercy
While the immediate account is one of injustice, it points to the broader biblical theme of God's ultimate justice and mercy. We can trust that God sees and will right all wrongs in His perfect timing.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Amnon's desire for Tamar reflect the broader biblical warnings against lust and its consequences?

2. In what ways can we ensure that we are receiving godly counsel in our lives, and how can we discern the difference between godly and ungodly advice?

3. How do the events in David's family serve as a warning about the long-term effects of sin and the importance of addressing it promptly?

4. What steps can we take to promote purity and respect in our relationships, both within our families and in the broader community?

5. How can we find comfort in God's justice and mercy when we encounter situations of injustice and suffering in our own lives or in the world around us?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 34
The account of Dinah and Shechem, which similarly involves the violation of a woman and the subsequent family turmoil.

2 Samuel 12
Nathan's prophecy to David about the sword never departing from his house, which begins to unfold with the events of this chapter.

Proverbs 6:32-33
Discusses the consequences of adultery and lack of self-control, which can be related to Amnon's actions and their aftermath.
Absalom and AmnonW. G. Blaikie, D. D.2 Samuel 13:1-29
Amnon and Absalom: -- Examples of Short-Circuited Lives2 Samuel 13:1-29
Parental FailureW. G. Blaikie, D. D.2 Samuel 13:1-29
Purity At All CostNewton Jones.2 Samuel 13:1-29
The Wickedness of AmnonJ. Parker, D. D.2 Samuel 13:1-29
Vengeance Upon the WrongdoerTytler's History2 Samuel 13:1-29
The Crime of AmnonB. Dale 2 Samuel 13:1-33
People
Absalom, Ammihud, Amnon, David, Jonadab, Shimeah, Talmai, Tamar
Places
Baal-hazor, Geshur, Jerusalem
Topics
Arms, Bed, Bringeth, Eat, Grabbed, Hold, Layeth, Lie, Nigh, Presented, Round, Sister
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Samuel 13:11

     5229   bed

2 Samuel 13:1-11

     5920   pretence
     8830   suspicion

2 Samuel 13:1-14

     5940   searching

2 Samuel 13:1-19

     5707   male and female

2 Samuel 13:1-20

     5737   sisters

2 Samuel 13:1-21

     5087   David, reign of

2 Samuel 13:1-22

     8340   self-respect

2 Samuel 13:1-33

     5661   brothers

2 Samuel 13:6-14

     5674   daughters

2 Samuel 13:7-14

     8339   self-control

2 Samuel 13:10-14

     6189   immorality, examples

2 Samuel 13:11-14

     8821   self-indulgence

Library
Saurin -- Paul Before Felix and Drusilla
Jacques Saurin, the famous French Protestant preacher of the seventeenth century, was born at Nismes in 1677. He studied at Geneva and was appointed to the Walloon Church in London in 1701. The scene of his great life work was, however, the Hague, where he settled in 1705. He has been compared with Bossuet, tho he never attained the graceful style and subtilty which characterize the "Eagle of Meaux." The story is told of the famous scholar Le Clerc that he long refused to hear Saurin preach, on the
Grenville Kleiser—The world's great sermons, Volume 3

Blessed are they that Mourn
Blessed are they that mourn. Matthew 5:4 Here are eight steps leading to true blessedness. They may be compared to Jacob's Ladder, the top whereof reached to heaven. We have already gone over one step, and now let us proceed to the second: Blessed are they that mourn'. We must go through the valley of tears to paradise. Mourning were a sad and unpleasant subject to treat on, were it not that it has blessedness going before, and comfort coming after. Mourning is put here for repentance. It implies
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

No Sorrow Like Messiah's Sorrow
Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold, and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow! A lthough the Scriptures of the Old Testament, the law of Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophecies (Luke 24:44) , bear an harmonious testimony to MESSIAH ; it is not necessary to suppose that every single passage has an immediate and direct relation to Him. A method of exposition has frequently obtained [frequently been in vogue], of a fanciful and allegorical cast [contrivance], under the pretext
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

Exhortations to Christians as they are Children of God
1 There is a bill of indictment against those who declare to the world they are not the children of God: all profane persons. These have damnation written upon their forehead. Scoffers at religion. It were blasphemy to call these the children of God. Will a true child jeer at his Father's picture? Drunkards, who drown reason and stupefy conscience. These declare their sin as Sodom. They are children indeed, but cursed children' (2 Peter 2:14). 2 Exhortation, which consists of two branches. (i) Let
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Repentance
Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.' Acts 11: 18. Repentance seems to be a bitter pill to take, but it is to purge out the bad humour of sin. By some Antinomian spirits it is cried down as a legal doctrine; but Christ himself preached it. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent,' &c. Matt 4: 17. In his last farewell, when he was ascending to heaven, he commanded that Repentance should be preached in his name.' Luke 24: 47. Repentance is a pure gospel grace.
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Samuel
Alike from the literary and the historical point of view, the book[1] of Samuel stands midway between the book of Judges and the book of Kings. As we have already seen, the Deuteronomic book of Judges in all probability ran into Samuel and ended in ch. xii.; while the story of David, begun in Samuel, embraces the first two chapters of the first book of Kings. The book of Samuel is not very happily named, as much of it is devoted to Saul and the greater part to David; yet it is not altogether inappropriate,
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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