2 Samuel 13 · Verse 1

2 Samuel 13:1

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
2 Samuel 13:1, King James Version

2 Samuel 13:1 in other translations

BSBAfter some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom.
WEBAfter this, Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
ASVAnd it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
YLTAnd it cometh to pass afterwards that Absalom son of David hath a fair sister, and her name is Tamar, and Amnon son of David loveth her.
DARBYAnd it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David having a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar, Amnon the son of David loved her.
BBENow after this, it came about that Absalom, David's son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and David's son Amnon was in love with her.
WebsterAnd it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

What does 2 Samuel 13:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2Sa 13:1-5. Amnon Loves Tamar. 1. Tamar--daughter of David by Maachah (2Sa 3:3).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Amnon falls in love with his half-sister Tamar, and feigns himself sick, and requests her to attend him, 2Sam 13:1-6. David sends her to him, and he violates her, 2Sam 13:7-14. He then hates her, and expels her from his house, 2Sam 13:15-17, She rends her garments, puts ashes on her head, and goes forth weeping, 2Sam 13:18, 2Sam 13:19. She is met by Absalom her brother, who, understanding her case, determines the death of Amnon, 2Sam 13:20-22. Two years after, he invites all his brothers to a sheep-shearing, when he orders his servants to murder Amnon, 2Sam 13:23-29. Tidings come to David that Absalom has slain all the king's sons, which fill him with the bitterest distress, 2Sam 13:30, 2Sam 13:31. The rest soon arrive, and he finds that Amnon only is killed, 2Sam 13:32-36. Absalom flees to Talmai, king of Geshur, where he remains three years, 2Sam 13:37, 2Sam 13:38. David longs after Absalom, having become reconciled to the death of Amnon, 2Sam 13:39. Verse 1 Whose name was Tamar - Tamar was the daughter of David and Maacah, daughter of the king of Geshur, and the uterine sister of Absalom. Amnon was David's eldest son by Ahinoam. She was therefore sister to Amnon only by the father's side, i.e., half-sister; but whole sister to Absalom.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 13:1-20
From henceforward David was followed with one trouble after another. Adultery and murder were David's sins, the like sins among his children were the beginnings of his punishment: he was too indulgent to his children. Thus David might trace the sins of his children to his own misconduct, which must have made the anguish of the chastisement worse. Let no one ever expect good treatment from those who are capable of attempting their seduction; but it is better to suffer the greatest wrong than to commit the least sin.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

2 Samuel 13:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְהִ֣יvay.Hiand it wasH1961
אַֽחֲרֵי\־'a.cha.rei-afterH310
כֵ֗ןKhenthusH3651
וּלְאַבְשָׁל֧וֹםu.le.'av.sha.Lomand [belonged] to AbsalomH53
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
דָּוִ֛דda.VidDavidH1732
אָח֥וֹת'a.Chota sisterH269
יָפָ֖הya.Faha beautifulH3303
וּשְׁמָ֣הּu.she.Mahand name herH8034
תָּמָ֑רta.Mar[was] TamarH8559
וַיֶּאֱהָבֶ֖הָvai.ye.'e.ha.Ve.haand he loved herH157
אַמְנ֥וֹן'am.NonAmnonH550
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
דָּוִֽד\׃da.VidDavidH1732

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 13:1

  • 1 Chronicles 3:9

    These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the concubines, and Tamar their sister.

  • 2 Samuel 3:2-3

    And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur;

  • 2 Samuel 13:15

    Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.

  • 1 Chronicles 3:2

    The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith:

  • 2 Samuel 14:27

    And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

  • Proverbs 6:25

    Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.

  • 2 Samuel 11:2

    And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

  • Genesis 29:18

    And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.

  • Proverbs 31:30

    Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

  • Genesis 6:2

    That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

  • Genesis 39:6-7

    And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured. And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

  • Genesis 29:20

    And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 Amnon loving Tamar, by Jonadab's counsel feigning himself sick, ravishes her.
15 He hates her, and shamefully turns her away.
19 Absalom entertains her, and conceals his purpose.
23 At a sheep-shearing among all the king's sons, he kills Amnon.
31 David grieving at the news, is comforted by Jonadab.
37 Absalom flies to Talmai at Geshur.

A.M. 2972. B.C. 1032. A. Ex. Is. 459. Absalom.
3:2,3; 1Ch 3:2
a fair sister.
11:2; Ge 6:2; 39:6,7; Pr 6:25; 31:30
Tamar.
14:27; 1Ch 3:9
loved her.
15; Ge 29:18,20; 34:3; 1Ki 11:1

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 13:1

    And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

  • 2 Samuel 13:2

    And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.

Read all of 2 Samuel 13

2 Samuel 13:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		ACONTECIÓ después de esto, que teniendo Absalom hijo de David una hermana hermosa que se llamaba Thamar, enamoróse de ella Amnón hijo de David.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		*Et après cela, Absalom, fils de David, ayant une sœur nommée Tamar, qui était belle, il arriva qu’Amnon, fils de David, l’aima.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es geschah danach: Absalom, der Sohn Davids, hatte eine schöne Schwester, ihr Name war Tamar; und Amnon, der Sohn Davids, liebte sie.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Factum est autem post hæc ut Absalom filii David sororem speciosissimam, vocabulo Thamar, adamaret Amnon filius David,