Lives of Scripture

Amnon was David's firstborn son, born to Ahinoam of Jezreel (2 Samuel 3:2). Scripture records that he became infatuated with his half-sister Tamar, Absalom's full sister, to the point of physical illness (2 Samuel 13:1-2). On the advice of his cunning friend Jonadab, Amnon feigned sickness to lure Tamar into his private quarters under the pretense of wanting her to prepare food for him -- and there, despite her explicit pleas and warning that such an act would be an outrage in Israel, he raped her (13:3-14). Immediately afterward, "Amnon hated her with a very great hatred... greater than the love with which he had loved her," and he had her thrown out and the door bolted behind her (13:15-17). Tamar was left desolate, and though David heard of it and was furious, he took no action against his son (13:21). Absalom, Tamar's full brother, said nothing to Amnon but nursed his hatred silently for two full years, until he arranged a feast and had his servants kill Amnon at his command (13:22-29). Amnon's crime and death mark the beginning of the violent unraveling of David's household that the prophet Nathan had foretold as consequence for David's own sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:10-11).