Anger Without Justice

This chapter shows Nathan's warning coming true: trouble arose inside David's own house. Amnon, David's son, wanted his half-sister Tamar. With advice from his subtle friend Jonadab, he pretended to be sick so that Tamar would be sent to him. Tamar begged him to stop and said that no such thing ought to be done in Israel. But Amnon would not listen, and he forced her. The blame belonged to Amnon, not to Tamar.

Tamar mourned openly, and Absalom took her into his house, where she remained desolate. King David was very angry, yet the text records no action against Amnon. Absalom said nothing to Amnon, good or bad, but he hated him.

Two years later, Absalom held a sheep-shearing feast and pressed the king to let Amnon come. There Absalom's servants killed Amnon at his command. The news first came to David as a report that all his sons were dead, and he tore his clothes and lay on the ground. Jonadab told him only Amnon had died. Absalom fled to Geshur for three years, and David longed to go out to him.