Amnon Rapes His Sister

The series of narratives that follow (chs. 13 to 21) is an account of misfortunes that overtook David after his sin. Chronicles makes no mention of these calamities, as that record also fails to mention David's sin. After his adultery with Bath—sheba and his murder of Uriah, David was a changed man. He had lost much of his former confidence in himself nor was he longer complete master of his realm. The people no longer had implicit confidence, and thus were slow to listen to his admonitions concerning the rewards of righteousness or the evils of transgression.

When he saw others do the things for which he had set the example, it was difficult to reprove them. His own sons refused to obey him and no longer respected his counsel. Where before he had been strong and courageous, he now became weak and hesitant. A sense of shame constantly hung over him. The following chapters portray the course of events that in part, at least, were consequent upon David's transgression.

Amnon falls in love with his sister Tamar. He wanted her and actually fretted himself sick because of his inability to gratify his wishes in regard to Tamar. His friendship with Jobadab led him down an evil pathway. He suggests Amnon pretends to be ill and asks his sister to bring him food, after which he rapes her. Without anyone else in the house, Tamar had no one to aid her in her attempts to resist her brother's evil and determined purpose. She first tried to reason with him, speaking of the sinfulness of such an act and of its folly.

Tamar tried to bring Amnon to his senses by pointing out that in doing such a deed he would disgrace her, the king's daughter and his sister, for life. If he had any regard for her, certainly he would not wish to bring such a humiliation upon her and upon the king's household. After his cruel deed Amnon hated Tamar. The result was typical. Amnon was moved, not by love, but by passion, and now that his animal lusts were gratified, he had no further regard for his sister, whom he had so cruelly wronged.