2 Samuel 13 19

2 Samuel 13:19 kjv

And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

2 Samuel 13:19 nkjv

Then Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly.

2 Samuel 13:19 niv

Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornate robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went.

2 Samuel 13:19 esv

And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe that she wore. And she laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.

2 Samuel 13:19 nlt

But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying.

2 Samuel 13 verses

2 Samuel 13 19 Meaning

2 Samuel 13:19 describes the immediate, visible, and profound reaction of Tamar after being defiled by her half-brother Amnon. Her actions—putting ashes on her head, tearing her distinctive ornate robe, covering her head with her hand, and crying aloud as she departed—are all culturally significant expressions of deep grief, overwhelming shame, irreparable defilement, and public lamentation for a grievous injustice suffered. This verse marks her complete devastation and public declaration of her violated state.

2 Samuel 13 19 Context

2 Samuel chapter 13 details the deplorable act of incestuous rape committed by Amnon, King David's eldest son, against his half-sister Tamar, at the manipulative suggestion of Jonadab. Tamar's defilement shatters her innocence and her future prospects, as defiled virgins typically could not marry or would have significantly diminished status. Verse 19 directly follows Amnon's brutal rejection of Tamar after the act, where he forces her out of his house. Tamar's public display of grief and shame is her immediate response, designed to make her plight known and potentially seek justice. This tragic event ignites Absalom's fury, leading to his eventual revenge on Amnon and a long chain of tragic consequences within David's royal household. It marks a profound breakdown in David's family and leadership, foreshadowing further calamities for the kingdom.

2 Samuel 13 19 Word analysis

• And Tamar (וְתָמָר, ve-tamar): "Tamar" means "palm tree," symbolizing grace and beauty. Here, her name tragically contrasts with her ravaged state. The immediate naming signifies the focus on the victim's plight.
• put (שִׂים, sim): A strong verb implying a deliberate action. She consciously and overtly chose these traditional actions to express her distress, rather than simply reacting impulsively. This verb is repeated three times, emphasizing her intentional acts of public lamentation.
• ashes (אֵפֶר, 'epher): Symbolizes profound mourning, grief, humiliation, and repentance in the ancient Near East (e.g., Job 42:6, Dan 9:3). It represented deep spiritual and emotional distress. Tamar's action makes her internal desolation outwardly visible.
• on her head (עַל־רֹאשָׁהּ, 'al-ro'shah): Direct application of ashes to the most visible part of the body, signifying overwhelming sorrow and humiliation.
• and tore (וַתִּקְרַע, va-tiqra'): The act of tearing clothes was a widespread custom to express extreme grief, sorrow, anger, or despair. It's a spontaneous and violent rupture that visually portrays a broken spirit (Gen 37:34). For Tamar, it symbolizes the violent tearing of her honor and future.
• her ornate robe (כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים, ketonet passim): Lit. "a long tunic" or "a tunic of strips." This was a distinctive garment, often richly ornamented or multi-colored, worn by royal virgins, symbolizing their status, purity, and privilege (cf. Joseph's "coat of many colors," Gen 37:3). Its destruction signifies the irreparable loss of her virginity, honor, social standing, and purity. It also subtly suggests a rejection of the outward signs of her royal status after being treated worse than a common woman.
• that she was wearing (אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיהָ, asher 'aleha): Emphasizes that this was her specific, identifying garment that immediately broadcast her royal status and virginity, now deliberately ruined.
• And she put her hand (וַתָּשֶׂם יָדָהּ, va-tasem yadah): Another deliberate act of placement, highlighting her agency in conveying her distress.
• on her head (עַל־רֹאשָׁהּ, 'al-ro'shah): Similar to the ashes, this is a distinct gesture of great despair, shame, and overwhelming sorrow. In some contexts, it can also signify desolation or ruin, or even the loss of protection and support (cf. Jer 2:37 where Judah goes away with hands on head in shame). It signifies deep humiliation and hopelessness.
• and went away (וַתֵּלֶךְ, va-telekh): Indicates movement and departure from the place of her violation.
• crying aloud as she went (הָלוֹךְ וְזָעָק, haloḵ we-za'aq): A continuous and intensifying participle structure, meaning "going and crying out." `Za'aq` (זָעַק) refers to a loud cry, often an urgent appeal or shriek for help or justice, not merely weeping silently. This signifies her public protest, an intentional and sustained lament to draw attention to the grievous injustice, making the private crime a public outcry.

• "put ashes on her head and tore her ornate robe": This combination of actions marks a public declaration of defilement and utter desolation. The defiling of her person is mirrored in the public defacing of her distinctive royal attire.
• "put her hand on her head and went away crying aloud as she went": These gestures reinforce profound grief and shame, indicating total emotional collapse. Her sustained crying out (a repeated action in the Hebrew) means she was not merely weeping but loudly protesting the violation, making it impossible for the crime to remain hidden or for Amnon's house to simply discard her without public acknowledgement of her profound trauma. It is a demand for justice in an ancient Near Eastern culture.

2 Samuel 13 19 Bonus section

• The deliberate actions conveyed by the repeated use of the verb שׂים (to put/place) emphasize Tamar's agency, despite being utterly violated. She chooses to publicly lament and display her grief, refusing to suffer in silent shame.
• The raw portrayal of Tamar's anguish contrasts sharply with the earlier attempts to manage or conceal Amnon's sin. Her actions ensure that the gravity of the deed is brought into the open.
• The absence of an immediate intervention or condemnation from David for Amnon's actions following Tamar's public display of distress speaks volumes about the societal and family dysfunctions that allowed such a crime to occur and go unpunished, directly contributing to the subsequent tragedy of Absalom's revenge.

2 Samuel 13 19 Commentary

2 Samuel 13:19 presents a powerful and heart-wrenching image of Tamar's profound trauma and subsequent public declaration of her defilement. Her immediate actions—covering her head with ashes, ripping her royal maiden's robe, pressing her hand to her head, and her piercing cries—are not mere emotional outbursts but deeply symbolic, culturally mandated expressions of grief, shame, and utter ruin in ancient Israel. The destruction of her "ornate robe" (ketonet passim), a mark of her virginity and royal status, underscores the irreparable loss of her honor and future, a wound more severe in her culture than physical harm alone. Her continuous "crying aloud" publicly exposed Amnon's heinous act, effectively shaming him and David's court by making what should have been a private transgression a stark public spectacle of injustice. This verse highlights the devastating impact of unchecked lust and sin, leaving a profound and indelible mark on its victim and setting the stage for devastating retributions within David's royal house.