Now it was after this that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon the son of David was in love with her.
Parallel translations
- WEB After this, Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
- KJV 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.
- BSB After some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom.
- NKJV After this Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
- NLT Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon, her half brother, fell desperately in love with her.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Absalom's beautiful sister Tamar becomes the object of her half-brother Amnon's desire. This opening sets in motion the tragic fulfillment of judgment on David's house.
Overview
The narrative now turns inward to David's family, where the sword Nathan foretold begins its work. Amnon's attraction to his half-sister Tamar introduces a story of lust, violence, and revenge that mirrors David's own sins of adultery and bloodshed. It reminds readers that sin sown in a household often bears bitter fruit in the next generation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- 1 Chr 3:9All these were the sons of David, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.
- 2 Sam 3:2–3Sons were born to David in Hebron. His firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess;
- 2 Sam 14:27Three sons were born to Absalom, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar. She was a woman with a beautiful face.
- 2 Sam 13:15Then Amnon hated her with exceedingly great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!”
- 1 Chr 3:2the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith;
- 2 Sam 11:2At evening, David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. From the roof, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to look at.
- Gen 29:18Jacob loved Rachel. He said, “I will serve you seven years for Rachel, your younger daughter.”
- Prov 31:30Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman who fears Yahweh, she shall be praised.
- Gen 29:20Jacob served seven years for Rachel. They seemed to him but a few days, for the love he had for her.
- Gen 6:2God’s sons saw that men’s daughters were beautiful, and they took any that they wanted for themselves as wives.
- Gen 39:6–7He left all that he had in Joseph’s hand. He didn’t concern himself with anything, except for the food which he ate. Joseph was well-built and handsome.
- 1 Kgs 11:1Now king Solomon loved many foreign women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites;
- Gen 34:3His soul joined to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young lady, and spoke kindly to the young lady.
- Prov 6:25Don’t lust after her beauty in your heart, neither let her captivate you with her eyelids.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 13:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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