Poole on 2 Samuel 13:1-19: The Rape of Tamar

[circa 1032 BC]  Verse 1:[1]  And it came to pass after this, (2 Sam. 3:2, 3) that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was (1 Chron. 3:9) Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

[Absalom loved his sister, etc.]  Begotten of the same mother with him (Menochius); their mother was Maacah the daughter of Talmai King of Geshur, 2 Samuel 3:3 (Malvenda, Lapide, Vatablus).  Moreover, Absalom signifies peace of the father;[2] Tamar, a palm;[3] Amnon, one faithful and stable:[4]  hence these names do not agree with them, except by antiphrasis (Lapide).

A fair sister; his sister by father and mother:  see 2 Samuel 3:3.

Verse 2:[5]  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 (Heb. it was marvellous, or, hidden, in the eyes of Amnon[6]) to do any thing to her.

[And he loved her to distraction, etc., ‎וַיֵּ֙צֶר לְאַמְנ֜וֹן לְהִתְחַלּ֗וֹת בַּֽעֲבוּר֙ תָּמָ֣ר]  And Amnon was vexed to such an extent that he was sick because of Tamar (Munster, similarly Montanus, Pagnine, Tigurinus, Septuagint, Jonathan, etc.).  Among the distempers Physicians reckon that which is brought on by love; Pale Orion was wandering in the forest for Side[7] (Grotius).  That vehement love induces languor in bodies, the matter is well-known.  Thus Antiochus, the son of Seleuch, out of love for his stepmother Stratonice falls into illness,[8] Valerius’ Nine Books of Memorable Deeds and Sayings 5:7 (Sanchez).  Love, conceived from form alone, as it is more shameful, so it is wont to be stronger, with human nature pressing toward the forbidden (Grotius).

He fell sick; the passion of his mind disturbed his body, as is usual.

[Since she was a virgin]  That is, she was well kept, as virgins were wont to be.  See on Matthew 1:23 (Grotius, thus Junius, Lyra, Menochius, Piscator):  she was kept at home (Vatablus, Lapide), in the Gynæceum or Parthenon[9] among the other virgins (Lapide).

[It seemed difficult to him]  Or, it was (Septuagint, Jonathan, Pagnine).  It seemed impossible (Tigurinus).  Hebrew:  it was marvelous in the eyes of Amnon (Montanus, Piscator).

[That he might act dishonestly with her]  Hebrew:  to do anything to her:[10]  that is, to lie with her.  A synecdoche of genus (Piscator).  Thus to do is taken both among the Hebrews and the Latins.  Thus Genesis 19:8 (Grotius).

She was a virgin, and therefore diligently kept, so as he could not get private converse with her; and withal modest, and abhorring any compliance with his lustful desires, both from her inclination and interest.

Verse 3:[11]  But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, (see 1 Sam. 16:9) the son of Shimeah David’s brother:  and Jonadab was a very subtil man.

Shimeah, called also Shammah, 1 Samuel 16:9.

[Very prudent]  That is, unto evil; that is, incredibly cunning and crafty (Vatablus, similarly Munster, Estius).  That prudence is a certain natural sagacity, that is, a facility for discovering apt means unto whatever end (Estius).

Verse 4:[12]  And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king’s son, lean (Heb. thin[13]) from day to day (Heb. morning by morning[14])? wilt thou not tell me?  And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.

[O son of the king]  That is to say, who art able to have whatever thou wishest (Menochius).

[Day to day, ‎בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֔קֶר]  In the morning, in the morning (Junius, thus Vatablus).  Even each morning (Junius and Tremellius).  That is, because of excessive cogitation, whereby he was vexed at night, he was appearing thinner (Vatablus).

From day to day; Hebrew, from morning to morning; for whereas in the day he had many diversions and refreshments, in the night he was pestered with tormenting thoughts and passions; the effects whereof appeared in his countenance in the morning.  Wilt thou not tell me, thy sure friend and faithful servant, who am ready to advise and assist thee?

Verse 5:[15]  And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick:  and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.

[Pretend faintness]  An illness somewhat more serious, which confines one to bed; for also previously, but mildly, he was sick (Menochius).  Jonadab was one of those, for whom it was the habit to commend all honest and dishonest things of Princes; as Tacitus says (Grotius).  Royal courts abound with those counselors (Martyr).

Let my sister Tamar come; so he calls her, to prevent the suspicion of any dishonest design upon so near a relation, whom neither nature nor respect and affection would permit him to vitiate.

[And let her make a morsel (thus Pagnine, Vatablus), ‎הַבִּרְיָה [16]]  Food (Montanus, Munster), or refreshment (Munster), broth (Tigurinus), cakes (Syriac), bread and meat (Arabic).

[So that I might eat from her hand]  For, I hope that in this way the food will be more appetizing, when I will have seen how delicately she will have cooked it (Osiander).  It is remarkable, that David, otherwise sagacious, suspected no evil.  But God willed to chastise David:  God often takes the eyes from the wise (Martyr).

Eat it at her hand; pretending that his stomach was so nice that he could eat nothing but what he saw dressed, and that by a person whom he much affected.

Verse 6:[17]  So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick:  and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and (Gen. 18:6) make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.

[Let her make…little cakes, ‎לְבִב֔וֹת—וּתְלַבֵּ֤ב]  So that she might make, or prepare, cakes (Pagnine, Syriac), flat cakes (Jonathan, Vatablus, Junius), agreeable and pleasing, χαρίσια/cakes, Athenæus’ Banquet of the Learned 14 (Junius, Piscator).  Cordials, that is, things refreshing the heart[18] (Piscator), liba/cakes (Tigurinus), little loaves (Munster).  The verby is etymologically connected to the noun; that is to say, laganet lagana (Piscator, thus Montanus), or placentet placentas, he pan-fries pancakes (Piscator).  Both words are derived from לֵב/heart; that is to say, let her cordially make, etc., in such a way that manner of the making, just as much as the bread itself, might make them pleasing to me, and refresh my heart (Dutch).

Verse 7:[19]  Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him meat.

Then David sent home, etc.:  It is strange that so wise and sagacious a person as David did not see through so vain a pretence; but that must be ascribed partly to the instincts of nature, which generally preserve near relations from such monstrous actions; and partly to God’s providence, which blinded David’s mind, that he might bring upon him the designed and threatened judgments.

Verse 8:[20]  So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down.  And she took flour (or, paste[21]), and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.

He was laid down upon his bed, or rather his couch.

[Flour, ‎אֶת־הַבָּצֵק [22]]  Thus it is called flour in this place from its end; for grain is ground so that flour might be made, and then dough from the flour (Vatablus).

[She mixed it (thus Jonathan, Munster, Pagnine, Vatablus), ‎וַתָּלוֹשׁ]  She sprinkled (Montanus, Septuagint), pounded (Jonathan, Arabic), worked into a paste (Syriac, Junius and Tremellius), kneaded (Tigurinus, Castalio, Strigelius).  She threw it into boiling water, so that it might afterwards cool (Vatablus).

Verse 9:[23]  And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat.  And Amnon said, (Gen. 45:1) Have out all men from me.  And they went out every man from him.

[And taking, etc.]  Hebrew:  And she brough the frying-pan, and poured out before him[24] (Munster, Pagnine, Tigurinus, etc.).  That is, from the frying-pan onto a dish, or other vessel (Vatablus).

Poured them out; out of the frying-pan into the dish.

Verse 10:[25]  And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand.  And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

[Into the chamber]  Either a bedroom, understanding, more private (Vatablus), where Amnon was lying; but Tamar at that time was outside the room of Amnon, holding the food, and awaiting the time when Amnon would wish to accept it (Tostatus).

Into the chamber; an inner chamber; either, 1.  That wherein he lay sick upon his bed, where also Tamar made the cakes in his sight, who then carried them out into the next room, to bring them in again when he called for them.  Or rather, 2.  Another chamber; Amnon lying upon his couch in one chamber where the company were with him, where also she made the cakes before him, first sendeth all out of that room, and then riseth from his couch, and, upon some pretence, goes into another secret chamber, where he might have the better opportunity for his intended wickedness.

Verse 11:[26]  And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he (Gen. 39:12) took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.

Verse 12:[27]  And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me (Heb. humble me,[28] Gen. 34:2[29]); for (Lev. 18:9, 11; 20:17) no such thing ought to be done (Heb. it ought not so to be done[30]) in Israel:  do not thou this (Gen. 34:7; Judg. 19:23; 20:6) folly.

[Be unwilling, my brother]  That is to say, Thou art my brother, who art obliged to protect me, should any wish to defile me; thou oughtest not to be the corruptor (Martyr).

Nay, my brother, whom nature both teacheth to abhor such thoughts, and obligeth to defend me from such a mischief with thy utmost hazard if another should attempt it.  Do not force me:  thou shouldst abhor it, if I were willing; but to add violence to thy filthiness is abominable.

[It is not lawful in Israel]  That is, among the holy people, or professing holiness (Piscator); he well knew that they ought to be holier than others (Grotius).

In Israel; among God’s people, who are taught better things; who also will be infinitely reproached for such a base action.

Verse 13:[31]  And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel.  Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; (see Lev. 18:9, 11) for he will not withhold me from thee.

[I shall not be able to bear my reproach]  Hebrew:  And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go, or to depart?  I shall be able to be joined to no one in matrimony (Martyr).

Whither shall I cause my shame to go? how can I either endure or avoid the shame and reproach of it?

[As one of the fools]  Εἷς τῶν ἀφρόνων, one of the fools (Septuagint).  For ἀφροσύνη/aphrosune/folly by a certain propriety of its own is used of matters pertaining to Aphrodite.  Hecuba[32] in Euripides’ The Trojan Women,

Τὰ μῶρα γὰρ πάντ᾽ ἐστὶν Ἀφροδίτη βροτοῖς

Καὶ τοὔνομ᾽ ὀρθῶς ἀφροσύνης ἀρχει θεᾶς,

The cause of all foolishness among mortals is Aphrodite,

And so rightly does the name of the goddess begin the term for folly (Sanchez).

As one of the fools in Israel, that is, loathsome and contemptible to all the people, whereas now thou art in great reputation, and heir apparent of the crown.

[Speak to the king, and he will not withhold me from thee]  Question:   Why does she speak so?  Response:  1.  Rabbi Salomon says that David married Maacah, pregnant by another man, from whom Thamar was begotten (Sanchez).  Now, she is called the sister of Absalom by common custom (Mariana).  2.  Thamar was begotten from the first intercourse with a woman taken in war:  but thus there was no blood relationship (Hebrews in Vatablus).  3.  Perhaps she thought it was lawful, being ignorant of the law (Menochius, similarly Grotius).  She supposed that the prerogative of the King was such, that he could permit incestuous marriage not allowed by the law of nations; or she even thought that not were forbidden the marriages of Brothers and Sisters, who were not ὁμομήτριοι (of the same mother [Grotius]).  Such marriages were not esteemed illegitimate among the Gentiles (Tirinus out of Tostatus).  4.  Cast into confusion through fear, she without deliberation speaks that which first occurs to her mind (certain interpreters in Malvenda).  She said whatever might be conducive to removing herself from the present danger (Grotius).  With the promise of marriage she wanted either to escape, or to delay, the madness of her brother (Tirinus out of Sanchez, similarly Menochius, Martyr, Lapide, Serarius out of Josephus).  But why did she not cry out, in accordance with Deuteronomy 22?  Response:  Perhaps lest she expose her brother to extreme disgrace and punishment; perhaps she did cry out, and no one was near to deliver her; or perhaps she hoped that she would be his spouse (Martyr).

He will not withhold me from thee:  this she spake, either because she did not understand or not remember that the law of God prohibited such marriages between a brother and his half-sister; or because she thought her royal father could or would dispense with it, upon this extraordinary occasion, to save his firstborn son’s life; or that by this pretence she might free herself from her present and most urgent danger, knowing she should have opportunity enough to prevent other mischiefs.

Verse 14:[33]  Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice:  but, being stronger than she, (Deut. 22:25; see 2 Sam. 12:11) forced her, and lay with her.

Verse 15:[34]  Then Amnon hated her exceedingly (Heb. with great hatred greatly[35]); 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.

[And he held her as hateful]  Thus terrible hatreds often arise from a disgraceful affair.  Semiramis cruelly many of her lovers, and among them also her own son[36] (Tirinus out of Lapide).  Thus Medea in Seneca[37] so hates her lover, Jason, that she kills their common sons for vengeance upon him[38] (Lapide).  Concerning love turned into hatred after the satisfying of lust, Olympiodorus narrates the same of Honorius against his sister Placidia; we have excerpts from him by the help of Photius[39] (Grotius).  But what is the cause of this?  Response:  1.  The sharp reproofs, wherewith Thamar had wounded him, calling him a fool, etc. (certain interpreters in Martyr).  2.  From confusion and perturbation of conscience (Martyr, similarly Menochius), and the shame of the following infamy (Menochius).  3.  It was the just vengeance of God, which thus punishes even brief indulgence in lust (Tirinus).  4.  A Demon did this, so that, with the virgin cast out, and the crime made manifest, uproars at home, hatreds, and murders might arise (Menochius).  5.  This hatred did not come naturally (or necessarily, for we discern the contrary effect in Shechem, Genesis 34:2, 3 [English Annotations[40]]), but by the peculiar providence of God, that in this manner congruent punishment might be visited upon the one sinning (Lapide out of Tostatus).  God willed the deed to be know, and in this way David to be punished in his children (Martyr).

Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; partly because, his lust being now satisfied, his mind and conscience had a true and clear prospect and deep sense of the natural turpitude and baseness of the action, and of that shame, and contempt, and loss, and mischief which was likely to follow it, and consequently an utter aversion from her who had been the instrument and occasion of his sin; and principally by the just judgment of God, both upon Amnon and David, that so the sin might be made public, and way made for the succeeding tragedies; for otherwise it would probably produce love and kindness to her, as it did in another, Genesis 34:2, 3; especially, in him, whom both nature, and interest, and even lust itself, obliged to allay her grief and shame by all possible demonstrations of kindness.

[Arise, go]  He does not call her sister, nor by her proper name (Martyr).

Verse 16:[41]  And she said unto him, There is no cause:  this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me.  But he would not hearken unto her.

There is no cause, to wit, given thee by me.

[Greater is this evil, etc.,אַל־אוֹדֹ֞ת הָרָעָ֤ה הַגְּדוֹלָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את מֵאַחֶ֛רֶת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֥יתָ עִמִּ֖י לְשַׁלְּחֵ֑נִי]  For this reason greater is this evil thn that which thou didst with me, in sending me out (Pagnine, similarly the Septuagint and Vulgate according to Dieu):  it does not satisfy; in this expression the adjective [‎הַגְּדוֹלָה, the great] neither ought to have had the Emphatic ה, nor was to have been placed after its substantive, but was to have been expressed, הָרָעָה גְדוֹלָה (Dieu).  For this reason this evil is great above that which thou didst with me, thou sayest that I should be sent out (Jonathan, Vulgate), and Jonathan read עַל/for/upon in the place of אַל/no/not (Vatablus).  For what reason? this evil is greater than the other, which thou didsturge upon me, that thou art driving me out (Tigurinus).  Let not reasons be given (there are no reasons [Dieu], there is not occasion [Junius and Tremellius]:  Please, let there be no occasion [Piscator]) of this evil greater (that is, which is going to be greater [Vatablus]:  of the great evil, or of this greatest evil, or greater [Junius and Tremellius, Piscator]) than the other, which thou didst commit against me, in casting me out; that is, which thou shalt commit if thou wilt have cast me out:  for it is joined with what precedes (Vatablus).  Or, that thou art sending me out (Dieu, similarly Junius and Tremellius); that thou art driving me out (Piscator).  Not (that is, seek thou) cases of evil (that is, this evil); this is greater, etc.  There are no reasons for thee to expel me; would not this evil be greater than the other that thou didst to me? (Dutch).  There is no cause; this evil, that is, my expulsion, is greater than the other, that thou didst perpetrate with me (English).  [But the Dutch and the English transfer the ‎לְשַׁלְּחֵנִי, to send me away, to the beginning of the verbs.]  She was able rightly to say this (English Annotations), although rape is in itself worse (Tirinus).  1.  For, that violation flowed forth from natural lust, which her beauty had excited:  But this expulsion from barbarous inhumanity and beastly cruelty (English Annotations).  2.  Perhaps the first crime has a remedy, that it might be concealed, but not the second.  For, once the crime is made known publicly, she is made unsuitable for marriage (Martyr).  This was making her disreputable openly and before all (Tirinus), like a harlot (Martyr), and driven out by Amnon on account of some blemish found in her (Lapide out of Sanchez).  3.  Because grievous consequences were threatened against a violated virgin (Sanchez).  4.  Thus the name of God would be exposed to the blasphemies of enemies; David would be most grievously vexed; and Absalom would be stirred to exact vengeance from his brother.  All which things could have been avoided, if the fact had been concealed (English Annotations, similarly the Dutch).  [Others translate the passage otherwise:]  Thou hast no cause of so great an evil after those things that done with me, that thou now sendest me away (Osiander).  [‎מֵאַחֶרֶת, which others translate, than another or above the other, Osiander translates after those things, as מֵאַחַר is sometimes taken as after.  And thus the Arabic and Syriac appear to take it.  After so enormous an evil plotted against me, dost thou cast me out? (Arabic).  Now, when thou hast inflicted so heinous an evil upon me, dost thou send me away? (Syriac).]

This evil is greater than the other:  this she might truly say, because though the other was in itself a greater sin, yet this was an act of greater inhumanity and barbarous cruelty, and a greater wrong and calamity to her, (which she means by evil,) because it exposed her to public infamy and contempt, as if she had been an impudent strumpet, and had either enticed him to the sin, or at least consented to it; and besides, it turned a private offence into a public scandal, to the great dishonour of God and of his people Israel, and especially of all the royal family, and was likely to cause direful passions, and breaches, and mischiefs among them.

Verse 17:[42]  Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.

Verse 18:[43]  And she had (Gen. 37:3; Judg. 5:30; Ps. 45:14) a garment of divers colours upon her:  for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled.  Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

[With a tunic reaching to the ankles[44]]  Or embroidered.  Concerning which see Genesis 37:3[45] (Martyr).  Thence her shame is made more evident (Menochius out of Sanchez).

Of divers colours; of embroidered work.  Compare Genesis 37:3.

[The king’s daughters]  Hence it is evident that she was the daughter of Maacah by David, and not by her other husband (Sanchez).

Verse 19:[46]  And Tamar put (Josh. 7:6; 2 Sam. 1:2; Job 2:12) ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and (Jer. 2:37) laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

[Sprinkling ashes, etc.]  These things were wont to be done in great grief, both among the Hebrews, and also among the Heathen.  See Job 2; Jeremiah 36:24; Ezekiel 27 (Sanchez).

Put ashes on her head, and rent her garment; to signify her grief for some calamity which had befallen her, and what that was concurring circumstances did easily discover.

[With her hands placed upon her head]  This is a of grief, and of shame, Jeremiah 2:37, even indeed a natural sign.  For children, when something happens that shames or grieves them, and they are not able to hide, they are wont to cover their face, or even their whole head, with their hands (Tirinus).

Laid her hand on her head, in token of grief and shame, as if she were unable and ashamed to show her face.  See Jeremiah 2:37.

[Crying]  Lest, should she in the matter now manifest appear to bear the injury lightly, she be believed to have been defiled willingly, not by force (Menochius).  She cries now after the fact, but was not crying in the incestuous act (Martyr).

Went on crying, to manifest her abhorrency of the fact, and that it was not done by her consent.

[1] Hebrew:  ‎וַיְהִ֣י אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֗ן וּלְאַבְשָׁל֧וֹם בֶּן־דָּוִ֛ד אָח֥וֹת יָפָ֖ה וּשְׁמָ֣הּ תָּמָ֑ר וַיֶּאֱהָבֶ֖הָ אַמְנ֥וֹן בֶּן־דָּוִֽד׃

[2] אָב/ab signifies father; שָׁלוֹם/shalom, peace.

[3] תָּמָר/tamar signifies a palm tree.

[4] אָמַן/aman signifies to confirm or support.

[5] Hebrew:  ‎וַיֵּ֙צֶר לְאַמְנ֜וֹן לְהִתְחַלּ֗וֹת בַּֽעֲבוּר֙ תָּמָ֣ר אֲחֹת֔וֹ כִּ֥י בְתוּלָ֖ה הִ֑יא וַיִּפָּלֵא֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י אַמְנ֔וֹן לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לָ֖הּ מְאֽוּמָה׃

[6] Hebrew:  ‎וַיִּפָּלֵא֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י אַמְנ֔וֹן.

[7] Ovid’s Art of Love 1:731.  In Greek mythology, Orion’s first wife, Side, was thrown into Hades by Hera for rivaling her beauty.  Here, Orion is presented as a love-sick sufferer.

[8] Seleucus I Nicator (c. 358-281 BC), the founder of the Seleucid Empire, married Stratonice in 300 BC to secure ties with Demetrius I Poliorcetes of the Antigonid dynasty.  Seleucus’ son, Antiochus, was lovesick for his stepmother; so, in 294 BC, Seleucus gave us his marriage to Stratonice to save the life of his son.  Antiochus consequently married her.

[9] That is, the women’s quarters.  Parthenon is derived from παρθένος/maiden.

[10] Hebrew:  ‎לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לָ֖הּ מְאֽוּמָה׃.

[11] Hebrew:  ‎וּלְאַמְנ֣וֹן רֵ֗עַ וּשְׁמוֹ֙ יֽוֹנָדָ֔ב בֶּן־שִׁמְעָ֖ה אֲחִ֣י דָוִ֑ד וְי֣וֹנָדָ֔ב אִ֥ישׁ חָכָ֖ם מְאֹֽד׃

[12] Hebrew: ‎וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ מַדּ֣וּעַ אַ֠תָּה כָּ֣כָה דַּ֤ל בֶּן־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֔קֶר הֲל֖וֹא תַּגִּ֣יד לִ֑י וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אַמְנ֔וֹן אֶת־תָּמָ֗ר אֲח֛וֹת אַבְשָׁלֹ֥ם אָחִ֖י אֲנִ֥י אֹהֵֽב׃

[13] Hebrew:  ‎דַּל.

[14] Hebrew:  ‎בַּבֹּ֣קֶר בַּבֹּ֔קֶר.

[15] Hebrew: ‎וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ יְה֣וֹנָדָ֔ב שְׁכַ֥ב עַל־מִשְׁכָּבְךָ֖ וְהִתְחָ֑ל וּבָ֧א אָבִ֣יךָ לִרְאוֹתֶ֗ךָ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֡יו תָּ֣בֹא נָא֩ תָמָ֙ר אֲחוֹתִ֜י וְתַבְרֵ֣נִי לֶ֗חֶם וְעָשְׂתָ֤ה לְעֵינַי֙ אֶת־הַבִּרְיָ֔ה לְמַ֙עַן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶרְאֶ֔ה וְאָכַלְתִּ֖י מִיָּדָֽהּ׃

.

[17] Hebrew: ‎וַיִּשְׁכַּ֥ב אַמְנ֖וֹן וַיִּתְחָ֑ל וַיָּבֹ֙א הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לִרְאֹת֗וֹ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר אַמְנ֤וֹן אֶל־הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ תָּֽבוֹא־נָ֞א תָּמָ֣ר אֲחֹתִ֗י וּתְלַבֵּ֤ב לְעֵינַי֙ שְׁתֵּ֣י לְבִב֔וֹת וְאֶבְרֶ֖ה מִיָּדָֽהּ׃

[18] לֵב signifies heart (cor in Latin).

[19] Hebrew:  ‎וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח דָּוִ֛ד אֶל־תָּמָ֖ר הַבַּ֣יְתָה לֵאמֹ֑ר לְכִ֣י נָ֗א בֵּ֚ית אַמְנ֣וֹן אָחִ֔יךְ וַעֲשִׂי־ל֖וֹ הַבִּרְיָֽה׃

[20] Hebrew:  ‎וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ תָּמָ֗ר בֵּ֛ית אַמְנ֥וֹן אָחִ֖יהָ וְה֣וּא שֹׁכֵ֑ב וַתִּקַּ֙ח אֶת־הַבָּצֵ֤ק וַתָּ֙לוֹשׁ֙ וַתְּלַבֵּ֣ב לְעֵינָ֔יו וַתְּבַשֵּׁ֖ל אֶת־הַלְּבִבֽוֹת׃

[21] Hebrew:  ‎הַבָּצֵק.

[22] בָּצֵק signifies to swell.

[23] Hebrew:  ‎וַתִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הַמַּשְׂרֵת֙ וַתִּצֹ֣ק לְפָנָ֔יו וַיְמָאֵ֖ן לֶאֱכ֑וֹל וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַמְנ֗וֹן הוֹצִ֤יאוּ כָל־אִישׁ֙ מֵֽעָלַ֔י וַיֵּצְא֥וּ כָל־אִ֖ישׁ מֵעָלָֽיו׃

[24] Hebrew:  ‎וַתִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הַמַּשְׂרֵת֙ וַתִּצֹ֣ק לְפָנָ֔יו.

[25] Hebrew: ‎וַיֹּ֙אמֶר אַמְנ֜וֹן אֶל־תָּמָ֗ר הָבִ֤יאִי הַבִּרְיָה֙ הַחֶ֔דֶר וְאֶבְרֶ֖ה מִיָּדֵ֑ךְ וַתִּקַּ֣ח תָּמָ֗ר אֶת־הַלְּבִבוֹת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔תָה וַתָּבֵ֛א לְאַמְנ֥וֹן אָחִ֖יהָ הֶחָֽדְרָה׃

[26] Hebrew:  ‎וַתַּגֵּ֥שׁ אֵלָ֖יו לֶֽאֱכֹ֑ל וַיַּֽחֲזֶק־בָּהּ֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָ֔הּ בּ֛וֹאִי שִׁכְבִ֥י עִמִּ֖י אֲחוֹתִֽי׃

[27] Hebrew:  ‎וַתֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ אַל־אָחִי֙ אַל־תְּעַנֵּ֔נִי כִּ֛י לֹא־יֵֽעָשֶׂ֥ה כֵ֖ן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אַֽל־תַּעֲשֵׂ֖ה אֶת־הַנְּבָלָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃

[28] Hebrew:  ‎אַל־תְּעַנֵּנִי.

[29] Genesis 34:2:  “And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her (‎וַיְעַנֶּהָ).”

[30] Hebrew:  ‎לֹא־יֵֽעָשֶׂ֥ה כֵ֖ן.

[31] Hebrew: ‎וַאֲנִ֗י אָ֤נָה אוֹלִיךְ֙ אֶת־חֶרְפָּתִ֔י וְאַתָּ֗ה תִּהְיֶ֛ה כְּאַחַ֥ד הַנְּבָלִ֖ים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְעַתָּה֙ דַּבֶּר־נָ֣א אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּ֛י לֹ֥א יִמְנָעֵ֖נִי מִמֶּֽךָּ׃

[32] Hecuba was the wife of King Priam of Troy.

[33] Hebrew:  ‎וְלֹ֥א אָבָ֖ה לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ בְּקוֹלָ֑הּ וַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק מִמֶּ֙נָּה֙ וַיְעַנֶּ֔הָ וַיִּשְׁכַּ֖ב אֹתָֽהּ׃

[34] Hebrew: ‎וַיִּשְׂנָאֶ֣הָ אַמְנ֗וֹן שִׂנְאָה֙ גְּדוֹלָ֣ה מְאֹ֔ד כִּ֣י גְדוֹלָ֗ה הַשִּׂנְאָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׂנֵאָ֔הּ מֵאַהֲבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֲהֵבָ֑הּ וַֽיֹּאמֶר־לָ֥הּ אַמְנ֖וֹן ק֥וּמִי לֵֽכִי׃

[35] Hebrew:  ‎שִׂנְאָה֙ גְּדוֹלָ֣ה מְאֹ֔ד.

[36] The legendary Semiramis (c. 800 BC) was a semi-divine queen of Assyria.  Many of the great works around the Euphrates were ascribed to her.  Tradition remembers her as famously promiscuous, including an incestuous relationship with her son.  Sammur-amat, wife of Shamshi-Ada V, who ruled briefly after her husband’s death, may be the historical person behind the mythology.

[37] Medea.

[38] Medea was the niece of Circe and the daughter of King Æëtes of Colchis.  Like her aunt, she was also a skilled enchantress.  She marries Jason and bears him two sons, but when he leaves her, she takes vengeance by killing the boys.

[39] Olympiodorus of Thebes (flourished early fifth century) was a Roman historian, poet, and philosopher.  His twenty-two volume History, written in Greek, covered events in the Western Roman Empire from 407 to 425.  It survives only in fragments preserved in the Bibliotheca of Photius (c. 820-893), Patriarch of Constantinople, most remembered for his controversies with Rome.  Olympiodorus reports that the people were scandalized by the intimacy of Honorius (Emperor from 393 to 423) with his paternal half-sister, Placidia; but this affection soon gave way to opposition and hostility.

[40] The English Annotations were the product of some notable members of the Westminster Assembly, but, although they are often referred to as the “Westminster Annotations,” they were not in fact an official production of that Assembly.  The English Annotations are more accurately described as a production commissioned by Parliament which included the work of some members of that august Assembly.

[41] Hebrew: וַתֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ אַל־אוֹדֹ֞ת הָרָעָ֤ה הַגְּדוֹלָה֙ הַזֹּ֔את מֵאַחֶ֛רֶת אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֥יתָ עִמִּ֖י לְשַׁלְּחֵ֑נִי וְלֹ֥א אָבָ֖ה לִשְׁמֹ֥עַֽ לָֽהּ׃

[42] Hebrew:  ‎וַיִּקְרָ֗א אֶֽת־נַעֲרוֹ֙ מְשָׁ֣רְת֔וֹ וַיֹּ֕אמֶר שִׁלְחוּ־נָ֥א אֶת־זֹ֛את מֵעָלַ֖י הַח֑וּצָה וּנְעֹ֥ל הַדֶּ֖לֶת אַחֲרֶֽיהָ׃

[43] Hebrew: וְעָלֶ֙יהָ֙ כְּתֹ֣נֶת פַּסִּ֔ים כִּי֩ כֵ֙ן תִּלְבַּ֧שְׁןָ בְנוֹת־הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ הַבְּתוּלֹ֖ת מְעִילִ֑ים וַיֹּצֵ֙א אוֹתָ֤הּ מְשָֽׁרְתוֹ֙ הַח֔וּץ וְנָעַ֥ל הַדֶּ֖לֶת אַחֲרֶֽיהָ׃

[44] Hebrew:  ‎כְּתֹ֣נֶת פַּסִּ֔ים.

[45] Genesis 37:3:  “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age:  and he made him a coat of many colours (‎כְּתֹ֥נֶת פַּסִּֽים׃).”  פַּס may signify the palm of the hand or the sole of the foot; therefore, a tunic of palms or soles might be a garment that reaches unto these body parts, or one composed of pieces or scraps.  Or it could be derived from פָּסַס, to run short.

[46] Hebrew: וַתִּקַּ֙ח תָּמָ֥ר אֵ֙פֶר֙ עַל־רֹאשָׁ֔הּ וּכְתֹ֧נֶת הַפַּסִּ֛ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָלֶ֖יהָ קָרָ֑עָה וַתָּ֤שֶׂם יָדָהּ֙ עַל־רֹאשָׁ֔הּ וַתֵּ֥לֶךְ הָל֖וֹךְ וְזָעָֽקָה׃