Synopsis of the Chapter
Amnon does violence to Tamar: wherefore, invited to a banquet by Absalom the brother of Tamar, verse 23, he is killed at it. Then, verse 34, Absalom flees to his maternal grandfather the king of Geshur.
Verse 1: Amnon's Passion for Tamar ¶
1. NOW IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THIS THAT AMNON THE SON OF DAVID FELL IN LOVE WITH THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SISTER OF ABSALOM. -- "Tamar" was a half-sister of Amnon, from the same father David, but from a different mother; for Amnon was born of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess. The same Tamar was a full sister of Absalom from the same father David and the same mother, namely the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur; and therefore Absalom avenged the violation of his full sister by killing his brother Amnon. Now Tamar in Hebrew means the same as palm tree: Absalom means the father's equal; Amnon means faithful and stable: but these names fit the said persons only by antiphrasis. For Amnon was unfaithful and unstable: Absalom disturbed David's kingdom, Tamar suffered a violation, which the unconquered palm does not suffer.
Verse 2: The Sickness of Love ¶
2. SO THAT HE FELL SICK ON ACCOUNT OF HIS LOVE. -- This disease of love is called by physicians eros, that is love, by which a man wholly languishes, wastes away, withers, and pines from the intensity of love.
SINCE SHE WAS A VIRGIN -- who was kept at home by her father David in the women's quarters, among the other virgins and daughters of the king, with great care and guard.
Verse 13: Tamar's Plea ¶
13. SPEAK TO THE KING, AND HE WILL NOT REFUSE ME TO YOU. -- The simple girl, ignorant of the law, thought this could be done; for she believed marriage between brother and sister was permitted if she were only a half-sister from a different mother. But she erred. For the law of Leviticus XVIII expressly forbids under penalty of death all marriage between brothers and sisters, even from only one parent.
Verse 14: The Violation ¶
14. HE VIOLATED HER. -- God permitted this to punish the adultery of his father David. For Amnon was David's firstborn son, and most beloved by him, who following his father's lust violated his own sister. Let parents learn from this to be chaste, that they may teach their children chastity by example more than by word. For if they are unchaste, their children will imitate their unchastity.
Verse 15: Love Turned to Hatred ¶
15. AND AMNON HATED HER WITH AN EXCEEDINGLY GREAT HATRED. -- The natural reason for this hatred, says Cajetan, is given by the philosophers, namely that in so great a love there is a great expenditure, which greatly alters the disposition and temperament; and consequently changes the affections to their opposite, namely love into hatred.
Abulensis adds that this happened by God's particular providence and chastisement, namely that to love which is excessively irrational, an excessive hatred follows; so that a fitting punishment is given to the sinner through opposites. For it is God's decree that those who act very wickedly should be their own punishment. Whence St. Augustine in the Confessions: "You have ordained, O Lord, and so it is, that every disordered soul should be its own punishment."
Verse 16: The Greater Evil of Expulsion ¶
16. SHE ANSWERED HIM: THIS EVIL THAT YOU NOW DO AGAINST ME IS GREATER THAN WHAT YOU DID BEFORE, EXPELLING ME -- both because this expulsion was public and infamous, while the violation had been secret; and because the disgraceful expulsion increased the pain; and because Tamar hoped that Amnon would cover the wrong done to her, either by concealing it or by taking her as his wife: but now, expelled, she saw both the wrong being made public and her marriage being refused.
Verse 21: David's Failure to Punish ¶
21. HE WOULD NOT GRIEVE THE SPIRIT OF HIS SON AMNON. -- David sinned by not correcting or punishing his son Amnon for this most infamous crime, especially since the law commands it. Therefore by God's just judgment so many and such great evils followed: for Amnon was killed and lost his life, David nearly lost both his kingdom and his life, as Absalom avenged the violation of his sister. So Abulensis, who holds that David should have punished Amnon with death, although Cajetan excuses him, on the grounds that the crime was secret and could not be proven by any witness.
Verse 23: Amnon's Death After Two Years ¶
23. NOW IT CAME TO PASS AFTER TWO YEARS. -- From this it is clear that the death of Amnon occurred two years after the violation he had inflicted on Tamar: so quickly did God's vengeance pursue the wicked and incestuous man, and deprived him of life and kingdom.
Verse 37: Absalom's Flight to Geshur ¶
37. ABSALOM FLEEING WENT TO TALMAI THE SON OF AMMIHUD, KING OF GESHUR. -- He therefore fled to his maternal grandfather; for he was the son of the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur. For the grandfather received his grandson and protected him, because he himself had avenged the violation of his granddaughter Tamar by the killing of Amnon the violator.
38. HE WAS THERE THREE YEARS. -- From this is clear the chronology of the events, which I assigned at chapter XII, verse 25.