Sarah
2 Samuel Chapter 13
Once a person cannot control their own desires, and then gets mixed up with the wrong people, the whole family can end up in chaos, broken apart, and completely torn to pieces.
King David had a son named Amnon, and he also had a beautiful daughter named Tamar. Tamar was Absalom’s sister.
Somehow, Amnon became obsessed with Tamar. He thought about her all the time, so much that he was practically making himself sick with it.
He had a friend named Jonadab, and the Bible describes him very clearly—he was extremely crafty.
When Jonadab saw Amnon like this, he asked:
“What’s going on with you? You’re getting thinner and thinner every day. What’s eating you up?”
Amnon said:
“I’m in love with Tamar, my sister.”
Jonadab heard that and gave him a terrible idea:
“Stop messing around with this. Just pretend you’re sick. When your father, King David, comes to see you, tell him you want Tamar to come over and make you some food.”
And Amnon actually did it.
King David came to see his son and saw that he was supposedly “really sick.”
Amnon said:
“Dad, please let Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes. I want to eat something made by her own hands.”
David didn’t think much of it, so he sent Tamar over.
Tamar came to Amnon’s house, mixed the dough, made the cakes, baked them, and brought the food to him.
But then Amnon said:
“Everyone, get out.”
After everyone had left, he called Tamar inside.
And then he did something terribly evil to her.
Tamar immediately pleaded with him:
“Brother, don’t do this! This is not right. This kind of thing should never be done in Israel. It is a shameful thing. If you really want to marry me, you can ask the king. He will not refuse.”
She had already said everything she could say. She had tried everything she could to stop him.
But Amnon simply would not listen.
He forced himself on Tamar and violated her.
And what was even worse was what happened afterward.
His so-called “love” for her suddenly turned into hatred.
In other words:
He didn’t really love her in the first place. He only wanted to satisfy his own desire.
He immediately turned against her and said:
“Get up. Get out!”
Tamar was devastated.
She said:
“Sending me away like this is even worse than what you just did to me!”
But Amnon would not listen.
He called his servant and said:
“Get this woman out of here and lock the door behind her.”
Tamar was wearing the special robe worn by unmarried royal daughters.
After Amnon had her thrown out, she put ashes on her head, tore her robe, covered her head with her hands, and walked away crying.
Can you imagine that scene?
Her brother Absalom saw her and asked:
“What happened? Did Amnon do something to you?”
Then he said:
“My sister, don’t say anything for now. He is your brother. Try not to let this consume you.”
So Tamar went to live in Absalom’s house, alone and broken.
When King David heard what had happened, he was extremely angry.
But here was the problem—
Being angry was one thing, but the situation was never truly dealt with.
From that moment on, Absalom hated Amnon.
He didn’t say a word to him, good or bad. But deep down, he had already made up his mind.
Two whole years passed.
One day, Absalom held a sheep-shearing feast and invited all the king’s sons.
He also specifically invited King David.
David said:
“No, my son. If we all go, we’ll only make things more expensive and troublesome for you.”
Absalom kept asking him.
But David still refused to go.
So Absalom said:
“Then at least let my brother Amnon come with us.”
David thought that was a little strange, but in the end, he agreed.
When they arrived at the feast, Amnon drank and became cheerful.
Absalom had already made his plans.
He told his servants:
“When Amnon has had enough to drink and I give you the order, kill him. Don’t be afraid. I am the one giving you this command.”
And the servants did exactly what Absalom told them.
Amnon was killed.
When the other sons of the king saw what had happened, they quickly got on their mules and fled.
By the time the news reached David, it had already been badly exaggerated:
“King! Absalom has killed all your sons! Not one of them is left!”
When David heard that, he was completely stunned.
He tore his clothes and lay on the ground.
He was absolutely devastated.
But then Jonadab—the very same man who had given Amnon that terrible advice in the first place—said:
“My lord, don’t think that all the king’s sons have been killed. Only Amnon is dead.”
He explained:
“Absalom had already decided to kill Amnon from the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.”
Later, the king’s sons really did return.
Everyone broke down crying.
And Absalom?
He ran away.
He fled to Geshur, where he stayed for three years.
And David?
He mourned for his son day after day.