2 Samuel 13:11 kjv
And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.
2 Samuel 13:11 nkjv
Now when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, "Come, lie with me, my sister."
2 Samuel 13:11 niv
But when she took it to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, "Come to bed with me, my sister."
2 Samuel 13:11 esv
But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, "Come, lie with me, my sister."
2 Samuel 13:11 nlt
But as she was feeding him, he grabbed her and demanded, "Come to bed with me, my darling sister."
2 Samuel 13 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 19:8 | "...do nothing to these men, since they have come under the shelter of my roof." | Lot offering daughters; reflects cultural vulnerabilities. |
| Gen 34:2 | "When Shechem saw her, he took her and violated her and humiliated her." | Similar act of sexual violence and humiliation. |
| Gen 35:22 | "Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine..." | Example of incest within Abraham's family. |
| Lev 18:9 | "‘You must not have sexual relations with your sister, your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter..." | Direct prohibition against incest in Mosaic Law. |
| Lev 20:17 | "‘If a man marries his sister... it is a disgrace. They must be cut off in the sight of their people." | Stricter punishment for incest; legal background. |
| Deut 22:25 | "But if a man meets a betrothed woman in the open country and rapes her, only the man who raped her is to die." | Mosaic Law on rape, punishable by death. |
| Judg 19:24-25 | "Look, here is my virgin daughter... Do to them what seems good to you..." | Horrific account of sexual violence and abuse. |
| 2 Sam 11:4 | "David sent messengers to get her... and he lay with her..." | Echoes David's own sexual sin, leading to similar family breakdown. |
| 2 Sam 12:11-12 | "‘Out of your own household I will bring calamity on you... your wives will be given to one who is close to you...’" | Prophecy of judgment on David's house, directly linking to this event. |
| 2 Sam 16:21-22 | "...he went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel." | Absalom fulfilling Nathan's prophecy through a public act of shame. |
| Prov 6:27-29 | "Can a man scoop fire into his lap... take hot coals and not be burned? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife..." | Warning about destructive nature of sexual sin. |
| Prov 7:22-23 | "All at once he follows her like an ox going to the slaughter..." | Describes foolishness and destructive path of lust. |
| Rom 1:29-32 | "...filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity... they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death..." | Depravity of unrighteousness, including sexual immorality. |
| 1 Cor 5:1 | "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: a man is sleeping with his father’s wife." | Paul's condemnation of incest within the church, illustrating its severity. |
| 1 Cor 6:18 | "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually sins against their own body." | Call to flee immorality, highlighting its personal defilement. |
| Heb 13:4 | "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." | God's judgment on sexual sin. |
| Jas 1:14-15 | "But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire... After desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." | Progression from desire to sin and death, perfectly illustrates Amnon. |
| Matt 5:28 | "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." | Christ's teaching on internal lust, preceding Amnon's action. |
| Gen 6:5 | "The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become..." | Human depravity leading to widespread sin. |
| Hos 4:2 | "There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery..." | Listing moral corruptions. |
| Ps 73:6 | "Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence." | Describes those given to violence and arrogance. |
| Luke 12:2 | "There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known." | Truth about hidden sin will come to light. |
2 Samuel 13 verses
2 Samuel 13 11 Meaning
This verse tragically details the moment of sexual assault, where Amnon, King David’s son, physically seizes his half-sister Tamar and commands her to lie with him, immediately before committing incestuous rape. It marks the violent culmination of his deceptive plot to satisfy his lust, violating familial bonds, divine law, and Tamar's purity and dignity.
2 Samuel 13 11 Context
2 Samuel 13:11 is the dark culmination of Amnon’s premeditated scheme to assault his half-sister Tamar. The verses prior describe Amnon feigning illness and, on Jonadab's wicked advice, requesting Tamar to prepare food for him in his private chambers. Tamar, oblivious to his true intent and demonstrating loving sisterly care, brings the prepared cakes. The broader chapter context reveals the profound moral decay within David's royal household, mirroring David's own moral failing with Bathsheba (2 Sam 11). This act of incest and rape by Amnon sets in motion a chain of tragic events—Absalom's burning hatred and revenge, his murder of Amnon, and eventually, his rebellion against David—plunging the royal family into civil war and fulfilling Nathan's prophecy of calamity (2 Sam 12:11). Historically and culturally, such an act violated stringent Israelite purity laws and carried severe penalties, making Amnon's action not merely a private sin but a public defiance of God's covenant and law, deeply shaming the victim and dishonoring the royal family. It stands as a stark polemic against any pagan practices of sexual violence or incest being acceptable.
2 Samuel 13 11 Word analysis
But as she was bringing them to him to eat,
- But: Introduces a stark contrast, an immediate shift from Tamar’s innocent service to Amnon's predatory act.
- as she was bringing them: Emphasizes Tamar’s active obedience and dutiful care towards her supposed sick brother, highlighting her complete vulnerability and lack of suspicion. It’s an act of hospitality and kindness, tragically exploited.
- to him to eat: Specifies the benevolent purpose of her actions, underlining the deception. Her sole intention was to nourish him, unaware of his malicious intent. This sets up the complete betrayal of trust.
he caught hold of her
- he caught hold of her: Hebrew: וַיֶּחֱזַק־בָּהּ (wa-yyeḥezak-bāh). חָזַק (chazaq) implies seizing, grasping firmly, or strengthening. Here, it denotes forceful restraint or overpowering. This is the precise moment of physical aggression; it is not a gentle touch or a playful grab, but a forceful assertion of physical dominance and control, making it clear this is not consensual interaction but a violent act of seizing.
- caught hold of: Directly conveys a sudden, forceful, and non-consensual physical act. It is an act of aggression, instantly shattering any illusion of fraternal concern.
and said, "Come lie with me, my sister."
- and said, A chilling transition from physical violence to a direct verbal command. The words amplify the terror and complete lack of choice for Tamar.
- "Come lie with me," Hebrew: שִׁכְבִי עִמִּי (shikhvī immī). שָׁכַב (shakav) is a common euphemism for sexual intercourse, but given the preceding action ("caught hold"), it is clearly a forced command for sexual assault, not an invitation. It is an imperative, not a request, underscoring Amnon's dominance and disregard for Tamar’s will or the sacredness of her person.
- "my sister." Hebrew: אֲחֹתִי (achotī). This address, usually one of endearment or familial recognition, here serves as the ultimate violation. It underscores the incestuous nature of the crime, exploiting the most intimate and sacred family relationship. It adds a layer of betrayal, indicating a perversion of the very bond that should have offered her protection. This address transforms an already heinous crime into an utterly shocking act against nature and God's law. It's an intentional subversion of affection for an act of pure, selfish lust and abuse of power.
He caught hold of her and said, "Come lie with me, my sister."
- This phrase vividly captures the swift and horrifying sequence of physical domination immediately followed by an illicit demand, all intensified by the perversion of the familial bond ("my sister"). It highlights Amnon's deliberate and complete disregard for Tamar's personhood, purity, and their familial relationship, exposing his utter depravity and the abuse of his royal status and physical strength.
2 Samuel 13 11 Bonus section
Amnon’s brazen declaration "my sister" after physically seizing her highlights a horrifying level of psychological manipulation alongside the physical assault. It reveals a twisted sense of entitlement and an attempt to normalize the abhorrent act within the confines of his "relationship" to her, even though that relationship is what made the act so grievous. The lack of an immediate public outcry or swift justice from David's court, a consequence of David's own past moral failures, indirectly implies the fragility of justice in power structures where the king fails to embody righteous leadership, further isolating Tamar in her suffering and emphasizing her profound vulnerability. This specific act directly mirrors the "calamity from your own household" prophesied against David by Nathan in 2 Sam 12:11-12, serving as a chilling initial fulfillment of that divine judgment.
2 Samuel 13 11 Commentary
2 Samuel 13:11 exposes the profound depravity of Amnon, revealing his actions as premeditated, forceful, and incestuous sexual assault. Tamar's unsuspecting act of kindness and hospitality is ruthlessly exploited, leading to a direct physical seizure that transforms a familial interaction into a moment of terror and violence. Amnon's subsequent command, using the twisted intimacy of "my sister," demonstrates a complete breakdown of moral and familial boundaries. This verse is pivotal, encapsulating not merely a personal sin but a grave breach of God's law and a severe act of family betrayal, laying the foundation for further violence and breakdown within King David’s household as divine judgment unfolds.