2 Samuel 13:20

2Sa 13:20 And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he [is] thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.

Ver. 20. And Absalom her brother said unto her.] For to him she addressed herself, and not to her father, against whom haply she was exasperated in her mind, for sending her to Amnon’s house; which was not the wisest act that ever he did. {See Trapp on "2Sa 13:7"}

Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee?] Synechdoehe generis verecunda, a modest expression of an immodest action.

He is thy brother.] Whereby Absalom meant not, that therefore he might do to her as he did - Clodia indeed, that impudent strumpet, to excuse her incest, said, that she lay with Metellus as a husband, but with Clodius as with a brother; this covering was too short - but that the less blame could be laid upon her for being alone with him, and that she had the less cause to suspect him. Besides, by blazoning his folly, she should set a blur upon the whole family. {a}

Regard not this thing.] Do not grieve too much for that which, being now done, cannot be undone; but make the best of an ill matter: let that which is past cure, be past care.

{a} Fratrem sine propria infamia accusare non potes.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Sa 13:20. And Absalom her brother said to her — To whose house she had passed on, in the condition just mentioned, with ashes on her head, &c., oppressed with sorrow, and overwhelmed with shame. Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? — A modest expression for the foul rape he had committed. Thus Absalom covers the gross injury which he suspected she had received, under the veil of the most decent and distant phrase that could hint his suspicion to her. And to save her blushes, and let her see that he understood her distress, he stopped her short from attempting any answer, by begging her to say nothing of the matter, but endeavour to forget the injury, since it was a brother that had done it. Hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother — Therefore thou must forgive and forget the injury; for thy disgracing of him will be a blot to us all; and thou wilt not get right from thy father against him, because he is as near and dear to him as thou; therefore, also, thy dishonour is the less, because thou wast not abused by any mean person, but by a king’s son; and, as this evil cannot be revenged, it must be borne. Thus he covers his design of taking vengeance upon Amnon at the first opportunity. Regard not — So as to torment thyself. So Tamar remained desolate — Through shame and dejection of mind, giving herself up to solitude and retirement. “And, in all probability, she continued so her whole life long; unmarried and undone. And Amnon had the horror of reflecting, that for one moment’s base and brutal indulgence, he had made his nearest kinswoman, an amiable and innocent sister, miserable to the last moment of her life.” Such are generally the sad products of sin!

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

ABSALOM’S REVENGE, 2Sa_13:20-36.

20. Absalom… said unto her — He seems to have met her while in the sad plight described in 2Sa_13:19, and took her at once to his own house.

Regard not this thing — Thus he tried to soothe her troubled spirit, though he himself felt most keenly her disgrace, and planned a deadly purpose of revenge.

Remained desolate — Literally, Tamar remained and was desolate. That is, she stayed at Absalom’s house, and did not go home to her father’s.

Desolate — Was never married.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

13:20 keep quiet for now . . . Don’t you worry about it: Absalom’s words of comfort seem hollow in light of her disgrace and mourning; this toned-down response hid Absalom’s rage (13:22) from the already distraught Tamar. • as a desolate woman: See study note on 13:16.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

For though he conceived sudden vengeance in his heart, yet he dissembled it till occasion served, and comforted his sister.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house--He was her natural protector, and the children of polygamists lived by themselves, as if they constituted different families.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(20) Hath Amnon.—The Hebrew, by a clerical error, has here Aminon. Absalom at once sees how the case stands, comforts his sister, but counsels silence as necessary to the purpose of revenge he had at once formed, and takes his desolate sister to his own house.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. Amnon] The Heb. form here, and here only, is Aminon, which has been explained as a diminutive intended to express contempt, but may possibly be only an accidental variation.

hold now thy peace] Absalom urged her to bear the outrage patiently, and avoid a public scandal; feeling sure that David would not be persuaded to inflict an adequate punishment on Amnon, and intending to watch his own opportunity for revenge. To him, according to Oriental custom, belonged the duty of avenging his sister’s wrongs. Cp. Gen_34:27.

desolate] Ruined and deserted. Cp. Isa_54:1, where “the desolate” is contrasted with the married wife.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Absalom her brother said unto her,.... Either meeting her in the street, or rather when come to his house:

hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? been rude with thee, and lain with thee, which is the meaning of this modest expression; which he guessed at, having heard of her being sent to his house, and knowing his lustful disposition, and seeing her in such a forlorn condition: he calls him Aminon, for so it is in the Hebrew text, and not Amnon, by way of contempt, as Kimchi observes:

but hold now thy peace, my sister; be silent, take no notice of this matter, say nothing of it to the king, nor any other, keep it in thine own breast, and make thyself easy:

he is thy brother, regard not this thing; it is thy brother that has done it, and not so disgraceful as a meaner person, done in the heat of lust, and a youthful one, and should be forgiven; besides, to divulge it would bring disgrace upon the whole family, and no recompence would be obtained by telling the king of it, since he was his son, his firstborn, and heir to the crown; this he said not out of love of Amnon, but as desirous of gratifying private revenge upon him for it when opportunity should serve.

So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house; not seeing any company, being filled with grief and shame, and none applying to her as a suitor, knowing she was vitiated; how long she continued here, or lived after this, is not certain; no mention is made of her afterwards.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Brother. His disgrace will fall upon the whole royal family, and the king will not bring him to punishment, like another. (Calmet) --- Away. Hebrew and Chaldean, "desolate." (Menochius) --- Septuagint, "like a widow."

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Been with thee, i.e. lain with thee. Behold, and imitate the modesty of Scripture expressions.

He is thy brother; therefore thou must forgive and forget the injury; therefore thy disgracing of him will be a blot to us all; therefore thou wilt not get right from David against him, because he is as near and dear to him as thou; therefore thy dishonour is the less, because thou wast not abused by any mean person, but by a king’s son; therefore this evil must be borne, because it cannot be revenged. And thus he covers his design of taking vengeance upon him at the first opportunity.

Regard not this thing, so as to torment thyself.

Desolate; neglected and forsaken by others, none now seeking her in marriage; and through shame and dejection of mind, giving herself up to solitude and retirement.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Hath Amnon? The Hebrew has Aminon, a diminutive, which some authorities regard as expressive of contempt. More probably it is an accidental variety of spelling. Hold now thy peace. We must not suppose that Absalom did not comfort his sister, and make her conscious of his love. He was, in fact, so indignant at her treatment as to have purposed the sternest vengeance. But this he concealed from her, and counselled patience, net merely because she would have dissuaded him from a course so full of danger to himself, but because it was the duty of both to wait and see what course David would take. Where polygamy is permitted, it is the duty especially of the brothers to defend their sisters" honour. (Gen_34:31) But David was both her father and the chief magistrate; and, moreover, he had been made an instrument in his daughter"s wrong. They must be patient, and only if David failed in his duty would Absalom"s turn come. Meanwhile, Tamar dwelt in his house desolate, as one whose honour and happiness had been laid waste.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Been with thee - Behold, and imitate the modesty of scripture expressions. Brother - Wherefore thou must forgive and forgot the injury; therefore thy disgracing of him will be a blot to us all; therefore thou wilt not get right from David against him, because he is as near and dear to him as thou; therefore thy dishonour is the less, because thou wast not abused by any mean person, but by a king's son; therefore this evil must be born, because it cannot be revenged: and thus he covers his design of taking vengeance upon him at the first opportunity. Regard not - So as to torment thyself. Desolate - Through shame and dejection of mind, giving her self up to solitude and retirement.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Has Amnon your brother been with you?

This is a polite way to ask is Amnon has had sexual relations with her. AT: "Has Amnon your brother slept with you?" (See: Euphemism)

keep quiet

This means to not tell anyone about something. AT: "do not tell anyone about this" (See: Idiom)

Do not take this thing to heart

The phrase "take something to heart" means "to worry about it." AT: "Do not worry about what has happened" (See: Idiom)

So Tamar remained alone

This means that she did not marry.

said nothing

"did not speak"

translationWords

Absalom

brother

heart

anger

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.