2 Samuel 13:1–11 (ESV)

Now Absalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar. And after a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her. And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. And Jonadab was a very crafty man. And he said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”

Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.” So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes. And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Send out everyone from me.” So everyone went out from him. Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”

The Hebrew word for love (אֱהַ֥ב, ah-hav) is imprecise and can refer to a wide range of affections. Amnon’s “love” for his beautiful half-sister is anything but what we would call love. And, just to be clear, Leviticus 18:11 absolutely prohibits union between siblings, half-siblings, or even step-siblings.

You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, brought up in your father’s family, since she is your sister. — Leviticus 18:11 (ESV)

This whole thing is an elaborate scheme to evade the protections around Tamar. As a virgin of marriageable age, she would be kept under close watch. Jonadab’s scheme is for Amnon to fake illness and maneuver Tamar into his room alone.

The plan works—to the extent that any evil plans work.

This is the dawning of Nathan’s prophesies coming true. David’s family will soon be a royal mess.

It’s fitting that lust is at the heart of the action here. Lust was at the heart of the evil that gave rise to this nightmare in the first place.

David’s chickens are coming home to roost.

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Scripture taken from the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.