2 Samuel 13 13

2 Samuel 13:13 kjv

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; for he will not withhold me from thee.

2 Samuel 13:13 nkjv

And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you."

2 Samuel 13:13 niv

What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you? You would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from being married to you."

2 Samuel 13:13 esv

As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you."

2 Samuel 13:13 nlt

Where could I go in my shame? And you would be called one of the greatest fools in Israel. Please, just speak to the king about it, and he will let you marry me."

2 Samuel 13 verses

2 Samuel 13 13 Meaning

This verse captures Tamar's desperate and discerning plea to her half-brother Amnon, imploring him to desist from raping her. She articulates the catastrophic and irreversible dishonor that would befall her ("whither shall I cause my shame to go?") and the moral disgrace that would forever mark him ("thou, thou wilt be as one of the fools in Israel"). In a last attempt to avert the impending transgression, she proposes an appeal to King David for a lawful marriage arrangement, implying that David would not prevent a union if it could legally or exceptionally avert such an abominable act, thereby preserving some measure of honor for both.

2 Samuel 13 13 Context

This verse occurs at the climax of Amnon's deceitful plot to rape his half-sister Tamar. After feigning illness to draw Tamar to his chambers, he has just dismissed his attendants. Tamar's words here are her last desperate appeal to Amnon, reflecting her deep understanding of the irreversible social disgrace of sexual violation for a woman in ancient Israel, as well as the moral condemnation that Amnon would face as a "fool" for such an act. The plea to "speak... unto the king" highlights David's patriarchal authority and legal jurisdiction, implicitly offering a route to prevent the defilement, however unlikely a sanctioned marriage between half-siblings from the same father might be under the strictest interpretations of Israelite law (Lev 18:9, 11). Tamar's proposal reveals her quick thinking and a desperate attempt to appeal to a sense of order and law, contrasted with Amnon's overwhelming, illicit desire. This event, born from Amnon's unchecked lust and enabled by Jonadab's wicked advice, further exposes the dysfunction and moral decay within David's household, setting the stage for Absalom's subsequent vengeful acts.

2 Samuel 13 13 Word analysis

• And I (וַאֲנִ֕י - va'ani): The emphatic "I" highlights Tamar's personal fate and perspective. She foregrounds her impending suffering.
• whither (אָ֣נָה - 'anah): An interrogative adverb meaning "where?" or "whither?". It emphasizes her immediate sense of displacement and future hopelessness.
• shall I cause my shame to go (אֽוֹלִיךְ אֶת־חֶרְפָּתִ֑י - olykh 'et-cherpatiy):
  • אֽוֹלִיךְ (olykh): The Hiphil imperfect of 'yalakh' (to go, walk), meaning "to cause to go, lead, carry." Tamar emphasizes the active, lasting consequence of this act: her shame will forever accompany her, or be "carried" with her throughout her life. It’s not a fleeting emotion but a public mark.
  • חֶרְפָּתִ֑י (cherpatiy): From ḥerpāh (חרפה), meaning "reproach, shame, disgrace, dishonor." In ancient Near Eastern cultures, a woman's honor and worth were inextricably linked to her virginity and sexual purity within the bounds of marriage. To be raped meant indelible, permanent disgrace, making her unmarriageable and socially outcast. It affects her entire being and future.
• and thou (וְאַתָּ֗ה - ve'attah): Again, the emphatic "thou," contrasting Amnon's role with hers, directing attention to his moral culpability.
• thou wilt be (תִּֽהְיֶה - tihyeh): From hayah (to be, become). Indicates a future state, a consequence he will inescapably face.
• as one of the fools (כְּאַחַ֥ד הַנְּבָלִ֖ים - ke'akhad hannebalim):
  • נְבָלִ֖ים (nevalim): From nabal (נָבָל). This term signifies not merely intellectual deficiency, but a moral and spiritual depravity, a wickedness that disregards God, His laws, and honorable conduct. A "nabal" is one who despises wisdom, acts godlessly, and whose life leads to ruin (Ps 14:1, Prov 1:7). Amnon's act would brand him with this deepest form of ethical and religious degeneracy, distinct from simply being foolish or unintelligent. It connects to the story of Nabal in 1 Samuel 25, who was both rich but "churlish and evil in his doings."
  • This emphasizes Amnon’s moral turpitude, showing that his act is not merely impulsive but deeply wicked and without regard for divine or human law.
• in Israel (בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל - b'yisrael): Highlights that this is not just personal disgrace but a public defilement within the covenant community of Israel, where God's law should reign supreme and righteous conduct is expected.
• Now therefore (וְעַתָּ֗ה - ve'attah): A transitional phrase, meaning "and now" or "so now," introducing her immediate proposal to avoid the disaster.
• speak, I pray thee (דַּבֶּר־נָא - dabber-na): The imperative "speak" followed by na, an appeal for an earnest action. Tamar is actively trying to de-escalate the situation and provide an alternative.
• unto the king (אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ - el-hammelekh): Implies appeal to legitimate authority and proper legal channels. David, as king, was the ultimate arbiter of justice.
• for he will not withhold me (לֹֽא־יִמְנָעֵ֖נִי - lo'-yimna'eni):
  • לֹֽא־יִמְנָעֵ֖נִי (lo'-yimna'eni): From mana' (מָנַע), meaning "to hold back, restrain, withhold." Tamar suggests David would not deny her hand to Amnon if approached properly and legally, possibly seeing it as a desperate measure to salvage honor and prevent greater scandal or crime. This indicates her faith in David's commitment to justice, even if such a marriage was culturally or legally ambiguous (given they shared a father). This line highlights the incredible legal and social pressure Tamar was under, attempting to find any lawful recourse in a horrifying situation. It underscores the perversion of the act – a formal request could have potentially averted it, or at least provided a more legitimate claim than outright rape.
• from thee (מִמֶּֽךָּ - mimmekka): From min (from) + atta (you), specifying David would not withhold Tamar from Amnon, highlighting Amnon's presumed desire and status.

2 Samuel 13 13 Bonus section

Tamar's specific choice of the word nabal for Amnon (translates as "fools") is incredibly poignant. It aligns Amnon's impending act with a pattern of conduct that is fundamentally antithetical to God's ways and wise living, characterizing him not as merely stupid, but morally perverse and devoid of understanding concerning ethical behavior. This aligns his actions with spiritual rebellion against divine order. Furthermore, her willingness to suggest a marriage (despite the severe incest laws related to a full sister, with a slight ambiguity for a half-sister from the same father but different mothers in some legal discussions) shows the cultural importance of a structured union to preserve a woman's social standing. It also highlights her strategic desperation to avert violence and irreversible dishonor through any means, however remote the legal justification might be. The King's role in her suggested solution (implied consent for marriage) indicates that in extreme cases, royal authority might have intervened to regularize an irregular situation to avoid greater chaos and shame within the ruling family.

2 Samuel 13 13 Commentary

2 Samuel 13:13 is a powerful expression of Tamar's quick thinking, dignity, and acute awareness of the devastating cultural consequences of rape in ancient Israel. Her words reveal her understanding of not only her own irreparable personal shame but also Amnon's deep moral turpitude and the societal disgrace he would incur. By offering to appeal to King David for a formal, albeit unusual, marriage arrangement (a desperate, final attempt to appeal to legal and familial structures to avoid the violation), Tamar tries to activate Amnon's sense of duty, public reputation, and his fear of the law, suggesting that the king might even permit such a union to prevent a greater horror and preserve dynastic honor. This demonstrates her remarkable resilience and strategic thinking in the face of imminent violation. Her plea underscores the immense value placed on a woman's purity and highlights the severe legal and social ramifications of such an act for both the victim and the perpetrator within the community of Israel. Tragically, Amnon, driven by uncontrolled lust, disregards all reason, law, and familial ties, confirming his classification as a "fool" who prioritizes immediate gratification over righteousness and future consequences. The verse also implicitly critiques King David's later failure to administer justice justly in response to this atrocity, a contributing factor to the subsequent unraveling of his household.