And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
Parallel translations
- WEB Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
- BSB And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon for disgracing his sister Tamar.
- NKJV And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor bad. For Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
- NASB But Absalom did not speak with Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.
- NLT And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.
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 says nothing to Amnon, good or bad, while secretly hating him for violating Tamar. His silence masks a calculated plan for revenge.
Overview
Absalom's outward neutrality conceals a deep, smoldering hatred that he will nurse for two years. His refusal to confront Amnon openly, while plotting in secret, reveals a heart given to vengeance rather than justice through proper means. The verse foreshadows the murder to come and the further unraveling of David's household.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Lev 19:17–18Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
- Gen 31:24And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
- Gen 24:50Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
- 1 Jn 2:11But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
- 1 Jn 3:15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
- Eph 4:26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
- Prov 27:4–6Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?
- Matt 18:15Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
- Prov 26:24He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
- Eph 4:31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
- 1 Jn 2:9He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
- Prov 25:9Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another:
- Gen 31:29It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
- Prov 10:18He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.
- Eccl 7:9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 13:22 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.