2 Samuel 13:1-4
Absalom and Tamar had the same mother, Maacah. Now Amnon was he firstborn and his mother was Ahinoam. As the eldest, Amnon was in line for the throne. But Amnon has a problem; he was lustful towards his half-sister and couldn't seem to get over it. She was a virgin and available for marriage but not to her half brother. That was forbidden and improper.
Jonadab was Amnon's cousin and he was known as a crafty fellow. This means he had a reputation as being very gifted in the art of deception. What a reputation! Amnon shared this secret lust with Jonadab. At some point this must have been an obsession that became fantasy or lust, or both. Sin crouched at the door and Ammon invited it in; he shared his secred looking for a way to fulfill this lustful desire. Where there is a desire for sin, the enemy will provide the means; many times it will look logical and we'll justify our sin in some odd way we wouldn't normally consider.
2 Samuel 13:5-6
Jonadab does what he's known for, devises a deception. Now Amnon could have turned away, recognizing this for what it was. Instead he continued down this path of sin. Our conscience can sometimes hold us back from sin until we get an accomplice; misery loves company.
The devised deception is to pretend something was wrong to play on the compassion and loving care of another member of the family. This deception is cold and calculating; and even though it was Jonadab's plot, Ammon goes along. The deception becomes his; the sin becomes his; and likewise the conswquences are his. The accomplice that led us to our sin disappears and leaves alone to face it.
2 Samuel 13:7-14
Tamar tried desperately to talk Amnon out of doing this and even suggested that he talk to the king since half sister, half brothers were sometimes allowed to be married. But Amnon wasn't interested in getting permission. You get the idea that he didn't want a wife he just wanted to have her; so he raped Tamar. What an ugly and hurtful thing. He stole something from her that couldn't be restored. He dishonored himself and her. She could no longer be viewed as aone of the virgins.
2 Samuel 13:15-18
Amnon's satiated lust turned to hatred for his sister. He was done with her and wanted her out of his sight. She pleaded with him; to put her out now left her with no place to go. This was as bad as the original sin. See Exodus 22:16-17 and Deuteronomy 22:28-29. Amnon didn't wan to hear of the responsibility he bore. He literally had her thrown out like the garbage. Note: in verse 17 the word 'woman' is in parenthesis meaning it wasn't in the orginal language. He said, "Put this out!" as if she were a piece of trash.
2 Samuel 13:19-22
The virgin daughters of the king wore special garments to identify them as such. The tearing the garment signifies she was no longer special, and the crying and ashes were mourning. While Amnon may have thought his sin was hidden and he got away with this, and probably believed he could get away with it, Absalom knew right away. David also heard of this, but there was apparently no discipline of Amnon by David. It appears that David wasn't a disciplinarian at all (1 Kings 1:6). This is likely due to his own guilt. Absalom plays it cool, keeps the rape quiet and begins to plot against Amnon.
2 Samuel 13:23-33
It is two years later when Absalom plots to kill Amnon. This premeditation is a hatred that grows in Absalom that can have no good end. But Absalom is blinded to what this will do; or maybe he also knows this puts him in line for the throne and sees that at there isn't a downside. Absalom looks just like his father in that he draws others into his dieception and sin and gets others to do the dirty work. After Amnon is killed the men head for the hills. This may have looked like a coup where Absalom was making a play for the thone.
Jonadab is a sweetheart; he likes to be where the action is and make himself look good. David had heard that all his sons were killed and he also saw this as a possible play for the throne. If that were true then he was next! But there was Jonadab to comfort him and explain the situation more fully. He probably didn't include that it was his deception that started this entire affair. He was tool of the enemy, always looking out for himself, spinning his web of lies and deceit. As the king, it was David's responsibility to root out these kinds of people. He was to surround him self with godly men, not manipulators and deceivers.
2 Samuel 13:34-39
Absalom fled to Gershur under the protection of the king there, who was his grandfather and the grandfather of Tamar. David finally got over Amnon's death and longed to be reunited with Absalom but didn't do anything about it.
©2016 Doug Ford
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