Keraia
People

Tamar

Tamar was David's daughter who was raped by her half-brother Amnon, leading to tragic consequences.

The name Tamar means “palm; palm-tree”

FemaleDavid's daughterTribe of JudahUnited Monarchy eraOld Testament2 books22 verses

Summary

A woman from the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2 Samuel 13:1; only referred to as Tamar (תָּמָר); daughter of David and Maacah; a sister of Amnon, Chileab, Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, Ithream, Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, Eliphelet, Elpelet, Nogah and Jerimoth.

Glossary entries

Tamar (Person)

Family members

Father

David

Mother

Maacah

Siblings

Absalom Adonijah Amnon Chileab Eliada Eliphelet Elishama Elishua Elpelet Ibhar Ithream Japhia Jerimoth Nathan Nepheg Nogah Shammua Shephatiah Shobab Solomon

Alternative names

Mentions

Includes 9 verses that refer to Tamar without naming them, as “he”, “she”, or the subject of a verb.

  1. 2 Samuel 13:1
    After some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom.
  2. 2 Samuel 13:2
    Amnon was sick with frustration over his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed implausible for him to do anything to her.
  3. 2 Samuel 13:4
    …and he asked Amnon, “Why are you, the son of the king, so depressed morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon replied, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”
  4. 2 Samuel 13:5
    Jonadab told him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare it in my sight so I may watch her and eat it from her hand.’”
  5. 2 Samuel 13:6
    So Amnon lay down and feigned illness. When the king came to see him, Amnon said, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.”
  6. 2 Samuel 13:7
    Then David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare a meal for him.”
  7. 2 Samuel 13:8
    So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked them.
  8. 2 Samuel 13:9Referred to, not named
    Then she brought the pan and set it down before him, but he refused to eat. “Send everyone away!” said Amnon. And everyone went out.
  9. 2 Samuel 13:10
    Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, so that I may eat it from your hand.” Tamar took the cakes she had made and went to her brother Amnon’s bedroom.
  10. 2 Samuel 13:11Referred to, not named
    And when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said, “Come lie with me, my sister!”
  11. 2 Samuel 13:12Referred to, not named
    “No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not violate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!
  12. 2 Samuel 13:13Referred to, not named
    Where could I ever take my shame? And you would be like one of the fools in Israel! Please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”
  13. 2 Samuel 13:14Referred to, not named
    But Amnon refused to listen to her, and being stronger, he violated her and lay with her.
  14. 2 Samuel 13:15Referred to, not named
    Then Amnon hated Tamar with such intensity that his hatred was greater than the love he previously had. “Get up!” he said to her. “Be gone!”
  15. 2 Samuel 13:16Referred to, not named
    “No,” she replied, “sending me away is worse than this great wrong you have already done to me!” But he refused to listen to her.
  16. 2 Samuel 13:17Referred to, not named
    Instead, he called to his attendant and said, “Throw this woman out and bolt the door behind her!”
  17. 2 Samuel 13:18Referred to, not named
    So Amnon’s attendant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a robe of many colors, because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore.
  18. 2 Samuel 13:19
    And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying aloud.
  19. 2 Samuel 13:20
    Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.
  20. 2 Samuel 13:22
    And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon for violating his sister Tamar.
  21. 2 Samuel 13:32
    But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, spoke up: “My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.
  22. 1 Chronicles 3:9
    These were all the sons of David, besides the sons by his concubines. And Tamar was their sister.