2 Samuel 13 15

2 Samuel 13:15 kjv

Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; 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.

2 Samuel 13:15 nkjv

Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, "Arise, be gone!"

2 Samuel 13:15 niv

Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, "Get up and get out!"

2 Samuel 13:15 esv

Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, "Get up! Go!"

2 Samuel 13:15 nlt

Then suddenly Amnon's love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her. "Get out of here!" he snarled at her.

2 Samuel 13 verses

2 Samuel 13 15 Meaning

2 Samuel 13:15 describes Amnon's immediate and extreme revulsion toward Tamar after he had violated her. His lust, which he had mistaken for love, transformed into a powerful hatred, so intense that it far surpassed his prior affections. This verse powerfully illustrates the destructive and self-loathing nature of sin, specifically unlawful desire, which leaves only emptiness, disgust, and the violent expulsion of the very object of its former pursuit.

2 Samuel 13 15 Context

2 Samuel chapter 13 details a tragic event within King David's household. Amnon, David's eldest son, becomes infatuated with his half-sister, Tamar, who is Absalom's full sister. Under the guidance of his manipulative friend Jonadab, Amnon feigns illness to lure Tamar to his chambers, where he then overpowers and rapes her. Verse 15 immediately follows this horrific act, marking a dramatic turning point. The preceding verses build the tension of Amnon's desire and his scheme, and this verse shows the immediate, stark psychological consequence of his fulfilled lust. It sets the stage for the family vengeance and conflict that will dominate the remainder of David's reign, fulfilling Nathan's prophecy from 2 Samuel 12 concerning the "sword not departing" from David's house and evil arising from within it.

2 Samuel 13 15 Word analysis

• Then Amnon hated her (וַיִּשְׂנָאֶהָ אַמְנוֹן - vayyiśnāʾehā Amnôn):

  • וַיִּשְׂנָאֶהָ (vayyiśnāʾehā): A waw-conversive perfect of the verb שָׂנֵא (śānēʾ), meaning "to hate." The waw-conversive indicates immediate sequential action. This emphasizes the sudden, instantaneous nature of his revulsion. His desire for her turned to loathing the very moment his lust was satiated. The Hebrew stresses an instantaneous, visceral response, showing no lingering pleasure or satisfaction, but profound disgust.

• with a very great hatred (שִׂנְאָה גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד - śinʾâ gəḏōlâ məʾōḏ):

  • שִׂנְאָה (śinʾâ): The noun for "hatred," intensifying the verb "to hate." This is a strong, visceral aversion.
  • גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד (gəḏōlâ məʾōḏ): "Great" (feminine singular adjective matching the noun) "exceedingly/very." The repetition and the adverb "meʾōd" underscore the extreme intensity of this hatred. It's not just a dislike, but an overwhelming, profound loathing.

• so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her (כִּי גְדוֹלָה הַשִּׂנְאָה אֲשֶׁר שְׂנֵאָהּ מֵאַהֲבָה אֲשֶׁר אֲהֵבָהּ - kî gəḏōlâ haśśinʾâ ʾăšer śənēʾāh mēʾahavâ ʾăšer ʾăhēväh):

  • כִּי (kî): Often translates "for" or "because," here indicating result: "so that" or "indeed."
  • הַשִּׂנְאָה (haśśinʾâ): "the hatred."
  • מֵאַהֲבָה (mēʾahavâ): "than the love" (from ʾahavâ, "love"). This explicit comparison is crucial. It reveals that what Amnon felt before was not genuine love, but a self-centered lust. True love endures; lust, once sated, often leaves disgust and contempt. His "love" was only for the pursuit and conquest, not for Tamar herself.

• And Amnon drove her out (וַיְגָרְשֶׁהָ אַמְנוֹן - vayyəgāršehā Amnôn):

  • וַיְגָרְשֶׁהָ (vayyəgāršehā): Waw-conversive imperfect from the verb גָּרַשׁ (gārash), meaning "to drive out, divorce, banish." This signifies an act of forceful expulsion and complete rejection. It reflects her reduced status, akin to a divorced woman or a banished outcast. This is not just telling her to leave; it is actively, contemptuously casting her out.

• and bolted the door after her (וְנָעַל הַדֶּלֶת אַחֲרֶיהָ - wə nāʿal haddelet ʾaḥărêhā):

  • וְנָעַל (wə nāʿal): Waw-conversive perfect from נָעַל (nāʿal), meaning "to lock, bolt, shut." This physical act underscores the finality and harshness of his rejection. It symbolizes her absolute dismissal, ensuring no return and no reconciliation. He shut her out of his presence and life completely.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred": This phrase employs a common Hebrew literary device called cognate accusative (using the verb and its noun form, e.g., "hated with hatred") to emphasize the intensity and totality of the emotion. It highlights the pathological shift in his mind, immediately post-act.
  • "so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her": This comparative clause powerfully exposes the deceptive nature of his "love." It reveals it was a hollow, selfish obsession rather than true affection, leading directly to overwhelming disdain once his base desire was satisfied. The use of "love" is ironic; it was merely a veneer for lust.
  • "And Amnon drove her out and bolted the door after her": This action-oriented phrase conveys total, humiliating expulsion. It signifies not just removal from his physical space but also from any place in his concern or responsibility. The bolting of the door ensures a complete separation and represents the sealed off nature of his heart to any compassion for his victim.

2 Samuel 13 15 Bonus section

• The sudden onset of Amnon's hatred speaks to the ephemeral and self-defeating nature of gratification derived from sinful actions. It provides no lasting peace or joy, only remorse and disgust.
• The psychological shift can also be interpreted as Amnon trying to externalize his inner torment. Tamar becomes a living embodiment of his guilt, and by casting her out, he attempts to cast out his own defilement, an act of futile self-purification through the suffering of another.
• The contrast between Amnon's 'love' and his ensuing 'hatred' serves as a stark biblical warning: true love builds up and sustains, while lust tears down and despises, ultimately destroying both the perpetrator and the victim.

2 Samuel 13 15 Commentary

2 Samuel 13:15 vividly portrays the aftermath of sinful gratification. Amnon's intense hatred immediately following the rape is a profound psychological and spiritual commentary on the nature of lust. What appears as "love" (though merely physical craving) quickly morphs into intense loathing because lust is inherently self-centered; it uses another person as an object for personal gratification. Once the fleeting pleasure is gone, guilt, shame, and self-disgust project onto the object of desire. This "hatred" often springs from Amnon's own awareness of his monstrous sin, leading him to detest the one who reminds him of it, rather than himself. The severity of the hatred, "greater than the love," underscores the emptiness and destructive power of sin. The act of "driving her out and bolting the door" is not merely physical; it signifies total abandonment, denial of responsibility, and complete disregard for Tamar's dignity and brokenness. This pivotal moment underscores that sin, far from bringing fulfillment, leaves a desolate and corrupted wake, fostering hatred where beauty was meant to reside and fracturing relationships irrevocably.