2 Samuel 13 18

2 Samuel 13:18 kjv

And she had a garment of divers colors upon her: for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

2 Samuel 13:18 nkjv

Now she had on a robe of many colors, for the king's virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.

2 Samuel 13:18 niv

So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. She was wearing an ornate robe, for this was the kind of garment the virgin daughters of the king wore.

2 Samuel 13:18 esv

Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves, for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her.

2 Samuel 13:18 nlt

So the servant put her out and locked the door behind her. She was wearing a long, beautiful robe, as was the custom in those days for the king's virgin daughters.

2 Samuel 13 verses

2 Samuel 13 18 Meaning

The verse describes a specific kind of tunic or garment, a "variegated robe," worn by virgin daughters of the king as a distinctive mark. It then states that after Tamar was violated by Amnon, her half-brother, she put ash on her head and tore this very robe, signifying her devastation and defiled status, and left the scene weeping aloud. The garment, once a symbol of her royal virginity and honor, became a visual testament to her defilement.

2 Samuel 13 18 Context

This verse is central to the tragic narrative of Amnon's rape of his half-sister Tamar and the subsequent revenge taken by their brother Absalom. Chapter 13 begins with Amnon's consuming lust for Tamar, encouraged by his manipulative cousin Jonadab. Amnon feigns illness to get Tamar to his chamber alone, under the guise of her preparing a special meal for him. Despite her pleas and reasoned arguments against such a heinous act, Amnon overpowers and rapes her. The instant his lust is satisfied, his affection turns to violent hatred, and he has her expelled from his house with utter contempt. It is immediately after this expulsion that verse 18 depicts Tamar's state, highlighting the cultural significance of her clothing as a virgin princess and the symbolic act of tearing it, along with applying ash, to express her deep shame, defilement, and anguish. Her distress is public and palpable, as she goes away "crying aloud." The shame brought upon her is not just personal but deeply impacts her royal family, leading to dire consequences within David's household.

2 Samuel 13 18 Word analysis

• Now she had a variegated robe (וּכְתֹ֣נֶת פְּסִ֔ים הִ֖י לָהּ – uchethoneth pesim hî lāh):
  • Variegated robe (כְּתֹ֥נֶת פְּסִ֖ים – ketonet pesim): This Hebrew phrase is famously associated with Joseph's "coat of many colors" (Gen 37:3, 23). The term "פסים" (pesim) specifically suggests a long garment with sleeves or reaching to the extremities, indicating a full-length, perhaps richly decorated or embroidered, and valuable tunic. Its association with Joseph implies distinction, favor, or status. In Tamar's case, scholars and cultural commentators note that such a robe was the traditional attire for unmarried, virgin daughters of the king, symbolizing their high status, purity, and honor within the royal household. This garment likely distinguished them from married women or commoners and emphasized their value and protectiveness. The "pesim" here denotes royalty and maidenly status.
  • Her (הִ֖י – hi): This pronoun reinforces that this was specifically her distinctive garment, signaling her unique identity and status as a royal virgin.
• for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed:
  • This clause directly explains the significance of the "variegated robe." It was the standard attire for "virgin daughters of the king" (בְתוּלֹ֥ת הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לְבֻשׁ֥וֹ – betulot hammelekh leḇuŝho). This cultural detail highlights the gravity of Amnon's act. Tamar's defilement isn't just personal; it’s a public disgrace that tears apart a sacred, divinely instituted social order—specifically the honor and protection afforded to royal virgins. Their dress signifies their unblemished state and future value in political marriages.
• Then Tamar tore the robe that was on her (וַתִּקְרַ֤ע תָּמָר֙ אֶת־הַכְּתֹּ֙נֶת֙ הַפְּסִ֣ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָלֶ֔יהָ – vattīqra‘ tāmār ‘et-hakkettonet happesîm ’ašek ‘ālêhā):
  • Tore (וַתִּקְרַע – vattīqra‘): Tearing garments was a common and powerful non-verbal expression of extreme grief, mourning, distress, shame, horror, or even repentance in the ancient Near East. It was a visible and unambiguous sign of internal turmoil or calamity (Gen 37:34; Job 1:20; Ezra 9:3; Acts 14:14). Here, it specifically denotes defilement and irreparable loss of honor, mourning the loss of her virginity and her future. This act transformed the symbol of her purity into a public declaration of her defiled state.
• and put ashes on her head (וַתַּ֤עַל יָדֶיהָ֙ עַל־רֹאשָׁ֔הּ וְאֵ֖פֶר עַל־רֹאשָׁ֑הּ – vatta‘al yādeyhā ‘al-rōšāhh wĕ’ēpher ‘al-rōšāhh):
  • Ashes (אֵ֖פֶר – ’ēpher): Putting ashes on one's head was another widespread ancient practice signifying deep sorrow, humiliation, penitence, or affliction (1 Sam 4:12; 2 Sam 1:2; Est 4:1, 3; Job 2:8; Dan 9:3; Jon 3:6). For Tamar, it symbolizes utter devastation, a loss of dignity, and deep mourning for her shattered life. It underscores the severity of her trauma and her descent from royal honor to utter disgrace.
• and went away crying aloud (וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ הָל֥וֹךְ וְקָרֹֽא – vattēlekh hālōkh wĕqārō’).
  • Crying aloud (וְקָרֹֽא – wĕqārō’): The repetitive verbal construct ("halok v'karoh") intensifies the action, meaning she walked and continually cried aloud. Her loud cries were a public appeal, a desperate wail of protest, a cry for justice, and a lament for her violation. It ensures that her shame is not private, but becomes a scandal for the entire court to witness, forcing awareness of Amnon's atrocity. This public display amplifies the family's dishonor and creates a powerful dramatic scene for the biblical narrative.

2 Samuel 13 18 Bonus section

The description of Tamar's garment as "ketonet pesim" (כְּתֹ֥נֶת פְּסִ֖ים) holds significant intertextual weight. Its parallel to Joseph's "coat of many colors" in Genesis 37 is not accidental. Both Joseph and Tamar, though distinct in their narratives, wear this garment that marks them as set apart and favored within their respective families. For Joseph, it signified paternal favoritism that provoked jealousy. For Tamar, it denoted royal purity and distinct honor. The stripping and tearing of this garment, in both cases, marks a moment of profound degradation and suffering inflicted by a close relative. While Joseph's tearing leads to his betrayal and journey to Egypt, Tamar's tearing publicly exposes a horrific sin, foreshadowing deeper division and revenge within David's household, a pattern that ultimately impacts the kingship and family legacy. This repeated imagery suggests that distinctive favor, when unrighteously treated, often leads to tragedy.

2 Samuel 13 18 Commentary

This verse profoundly communicates Tamar's immediate and devastating response to her violation. The "variegated robe" serves as a powerful symbol; it is not merely clothing but a cultural emblem of her high birth, status, and, crucially, her virginity. By detailing this specific garment as belonging to "virgin daughters of the king," the text underscores the sacrilege of Amnon's act, not just as a sexual assault but as a profound assault on royal honor, family purity, and societal norms. Her tearing of this unique garment, applying ashes to her head, and going away crying aloud are all established ancient Near Eastern mourning rituals, yet in Tamar's context, they are expressions of a specific kind of defilement: the irreversible loss of honor and the profound public shame endured by a royal virgin after sexual violation. Her actions transform her private trauma into a public spectacle, implicitly calling for justice and condemning Amnon's egregious sin before God and men. It showcases that a royal lineage, no matter how distinguished, could not protect against sin from within, highlighting the deep moral corruption permeating David's house.