Amnon and Tamar

Amnon, the son of David, loved his half-sister Tamar, who was the sister of Absalom. Because she was a virgin, it seemed difficult for Amnon to do anything to her, and he became so frustrated that he fell ill (2 Samuel 13:1-2). His friend Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, observed his condition and advised Amnon to pretend to be sick in bed. Jonadab instructed him to ask King David to let Tamar come and prepare food in his sight so that he might eat it from her hand (2 Samuel 13:3-5). When David sent Tamar to Amnon's house, she prepared cakes while he watched, but he refused to eat in the presence of others. After ordering everyone else to leave, Amnon commanded Tamar to bring the food into his bedroom.

When Tamar approached him, Amnon seized her and demanded she lie with him. Tamar refused, citing that such a thing ought not to be done in Israel and noting that she would be as one of the fools while he would face shame; she suggested he speak to the king instead, as the king would not withhold her from him (2 Samuel 13:11-13). However, Amnon would not listen and, being stronger than her, forced her. Following the act, Amnon hated her with a hatred greater than the love he had previously felt and ordered his servant to put her out and bolt the door behind her. Tamar put ashes on her head, rent her garment of divers colors, and went away crying (2 Samuel 13:15-19).

Absalom, her brother, realized what had occurred and told Tamar to remain quiet and dwell in his house. When King David heard of these events, he was very wroth, though the text does not say he took legal action against Amnon. For two full years, Absalom spoke neither good nor bad to Amnon, though he hated him for the forced labor against his sister (2 Samuel 13:20-22). Eventually, during a sheep-shearing festival at Baalhazor, Absalom invited all the king's sons and commanded his servants to kill Amnon when his heart was merry with wine. The servants performed the killing, and the rest of the king's sons fled to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 13:28-29).