Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. XIII.

Vers. 1. ABsalom the sonne of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the sonne of David loved her.] Tamar was Amnons si∣ster as well as Absaloms (for they were all Davids children) but she is called pecu∣liarly Absaloms sister, because she was his sister both by father and mother; for both Absalom and Tamar, were born to David of his wife Maacha the daughter of Tal∣mai king of Geshur; and observable it is, how much sorrow David had in both these his children, which he had by the daughter of an heathenish idolatrous king, the ince∣stuous rape of the one, and the unnaturall rebellion of the other, were a fair evidence to let him see that his matching himself with such a wife was not pleasing to God.

Vers. 2. For she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.] That is, being a virgin, and so strictly kept, and looked to, he thought it would be an impossible thing for him, ever to get an opportunity of satis∣fying his lust with her.

Vers. 4. Why art thou, being the kings sonne, lean from day to day?] Two rea∣sons may be given why Jonadab, wondring that Amnon should so droop and pine away as he did, amplified his wonder from this, that he was the kings sonne: to wit, first, because he thought the happinesse of being the kings sonne, might easily over∣weigh any cause of sorrow he could possibly pretend: and secondly, because there was nothing almost which he could desire, which he might not have; Why art thou, being the kings sonne, lean from day to day? as if he should have said, Being the kings sonne, thou mayest command what thou wilt; and wherefore then dost thou vex and afflict thy self?

And Amnon said, I love Tamar, my brother Absaloms sister.] He calls her here, not his sister, but Absaloms, thereby seeking to palliate, or extenuate his sinne in lusting after her; by intimating that she was his sister onely by the half-bloud, and not his sister by father and mother, as she was Absaloms, and yet afterward he calls her his sister, the better to hide his purpose from his father, vers. 6. Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, &c.

Vers. 6. The king was come to see him.] No sooner did Amnon pretend him∣self sick; but presen••ly his father came to see him. No doubt his late loosing of his child, that he had by Bathsheba made him the more fearfull of his loosing this sonne too; and being also his eldest sonne, he could not but lay it the more to heart; and yet how well had it been for David, if he had been sick indeed, yea sick unto death; considering how much b••tter sorrow, he immediately brought upon him, by that unnaturall villany of his in ravishing his own sister.

Vers. 7. Then David sent home to Tamar, saying Go now to thy brother Am∣nons house. &c.] This doubtlesse did afterwards much adde to Davids sorrow, that himself was made an instrument to further such an execrable fact and that by his command, he had cost his poore child into the snare of so greivous a mischief.

Vers 10. And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber &c.] He calls her into a more inward room, that if she should cry out, yet she might not be heard.

Vers. 12. And she answered him, Nay my brother, do not force me, &c.] By

many severall arguments Tamar endeavours here to disswade Amnon, from seeking to satisfie his lust upon her, to wit, first, by putting him in mind that he was her bro∣ther▪ Nay my brother; for hereby she gives him a hint, what a high degree of wick∣ednesse this was which he went about, no lesse then incest in a high degree: being her brother he was bound by the law of nature, to be a refuge to her against any o∣ther that should seek to defile her, and for him therefore to defile her himself his own sister, was a most hainous wickednesse: secondly, by pressing that aggravating circumstance of humbling her by violence and force, Nay my brother do not force me, though it were bad enough to commit uncleannesse with one that consents to it, yet to force a poore woman, that had rather loose her life then her puritie, in this re∣gard if she knew how to avoid it, is farre worse: thirdly, by alledging what a di∣shonour such sinnes brought upon the whole people of God, and the Religion they professed, which is implyed in those words, for no such thing ought to be done in Israel, and fourthly by alledging the shame that this would bring upon them; And I, saith she, whether shall I cause my shame to go? that is, I never shall be able to free my self from shame and reproch, I shall be ashamed to shew my face any where, as long as I live▪ and thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel: that is, every body will account thee a gracelesse wretch, and judge the unworthy to succeed thy Father in the throne.

Vers. 13. I pray thee, speak unto the king, for he will not with-hold me from thee.] When nothing else would prevail with him, being in a streight, she adviseth him to desire her of his father for his wife, not as thinking that this could be done; but onely as desiring by any means to put him off for the present, from the prosecuting of this his wicked purpose.

Vers. 15. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, &c.] Those pangs of grief and re∣morse of conscience, which men usually feel after an act of uncleannesse committed, do naturally alienate the affections of men, from those that have been the occasions of their sinne, and make them oft-times to loath them more then before they loved them: and so it seems it was with Amnon, but then besides there was no doubt a spe∣ciall hand of God in this, whereby way was made to the publishing of this sinne for the punishment of David.

And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.] It is a wonder that Amnon should thus put her forth, even because of the respect he might have had to his own credit and safety; had he kept her a while with him, by many entreaties, and tendring what satisfaction could be made her, he might have perswaded her to conceal what he had done, whereas her blubber'd eyes, and such other signes of the force done to her, be∣ing presently thrust out of doors, must needs make that wickednesse which had been secretly done, either vehemently suspected, or manifestly known, and so expose him to the wrath of his father, the punishment of the law, (which in case of a rape was death) and shame amongst all that should heare of it: but God infatuated him, and why? he meant by this incest of Amnon, and Absaloms murthering his brother in revenge of this rape, to punish David for his adultery with Bathsheba, and murther of Uriah, and therefore by occasion of this mad rage of Amnon, it must be pub∣lished and known.

Vers. 16. This evil in sending me away, is greater then the other that thou didst

unto me.] To wit, because this turning her our in such a condition, would expose her to so much shame and reproch, and not onely discover that she had been defiled, but perhaps also raise an opinion in some, that she had consented, and thereupon was ha∣ted and cast off by Amnon, as strumpets use to be by those whom they have invei∣gled to commit folly with them; and withall because hereby the name of God would be blasphemed amongst his enemies, when they should heare of such a fact commit∣ted amongst his people, the people of God would be scandalized, and the heart of their father deeply and sorely wounded. It is true indeed, that if by evil here, onely sinne be meant, she might well say in that sense in some regard, that the evil in send∣ing her away, was greater then that of defiling her: to wit, in regard this was an act so full of inhumanity and cruelty, and for which there could not be pleaded such an over-bearing temptation as there was in the other: but yet there is little question I think to be made, that by evil here is meant the evil of injury, or mischief done to her, and so it is no wonder that she should say, that the evil in sending her away, was greater then that of his defiling her: for however the ravishing her was an incompa∣rable wrong, yet considering how grievous the shame necessarily following the dis∣covery hereof, would be to her, she might well judge this, in her passion especially, farre worse then the former evil.

Vers. 18. And she had a garment of divers colours upon her, &c.] That is, a gar∣ment of wrought, or embroidered work; and that which is added, that with such robes were the kings daughters, that were virgins apparelled, is to shew, that the rending of her virgin attire, vers. 19. And Tamar put ashes on her head and rent her garment of divers coulours: did as it were secretly discover, that her virginity had been by force rent from her.

Vers. 19. And Tamar put ashes on her head.] See the note, Josh. 7.6.

And laid her hand on her head, and went on, crying.] Which was the usuall custome of women in extremitie of sorrow, seeking as it were to cover and hide themselves, Jer. 2.37. Thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the Lord hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.

Vers. 20. He is thy brother, regard not this thing.] It seems when Tamar was turned out of doors she went not to her father, as being happely most ashamed to see him, and sensible what an exceeding grief it would be to him, but to her brother Absalom, who was near and dearer to her then the rest of her brethren, because he was her brother both by father and mother, who thereupon did what he could to pa∣cifie her: Hold now thy peace, saith he, my sister; he is thy brother, regard not this thing, as if he should have said, his shame will be the shame of us all, and therefore be silent: and thus he endeavoured to say something to appease her sorrow for the present, though himself were even at the same time highly enraged at what his bro∣ther had done, and fully resolved to be revenged on him.

Vers. 21. But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.] This is noted, as an inexcusable weaknesse in David: when he heard how Amnon had ravished his sister, and considered that he had made use of him to get his sister into his hands, that he might defile her, he was highly enraged at it, but for all this his anger, he let him passe unpunished; for what a poore punishment was the cheeks or frowns of a father, for such a foul abomination?

Vers. 22. And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad, &c.] To wit, concerning this abuse of his sister, as knowing this to be the best way to accomplish the revenge he intended. Had he quarrelled with Ammon, or shown himself discontented, this would have made Amnon the more jealous and wary of him; whereas now by carrying the matter so smoothly as he did, Amnon feared no∣thing, and so fell easily into the snare he had laid.

Vers. 23. And it came to passe after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshear∣ers, &c.] When Absalom, after two years waiting, saw well there would be no course taken against Amnon, by David their father (the Lord having in this given him up to the inordinate love of his children, that Absalom provoked hereby, Da∣vid might be now punished with the sword also) and hoped, that now they might think that Absalom had forgotten that which Amnon had done to his sister, he re∣solved to take this occasion of his sheep-shearing feast, to invite his brother home to his house, intending there to kill Amnon.

Vers. 24. Behold now thy servant hath sheep-shearers: Let the king I beseech thee, and his servants, go with thy servants.] Doubtlesse the chief reason why Absalom invited all his brothers to his sheep-shearing feast, yea and his father too, was, that Amnon might not suspect any thing; yet it may well be also (as some ex∣positours have noted) that he desired his father should have been an eye witnesse of the tragicall execution of his incestuous darling, because he had all this while for∣born to punish him: and yet at this time was David so tender over this his ungra∣cious sonne, that he would not go with his servants to his feast, onely lest they should be too chargeable to him, as it is expressed in the following words, Nay my sonne, saith he, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee.

Vers, 25. And he pressed him, howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.] That is, he desired the Lord to be with him, and so sought to dismisse him.

Vers. 27. But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon, and all the kings sonnes go with him.] It vvas strange, that neither Amnon nor David should suspect any thing▪ vvhen Absalom vvas so earnest to have Amnon come to his house, that he would not take a deniall of his father, but pressed him till at last he consented to it: but when the Lord means to correct his children, or to punish wicked men, he is wont thus to take away their wisdome and understanding from them, so that they shall not see the danger approching, though never so evident, but shall go on, as blind men into a trap; when any body that had their eyes in their heads, might easi∣ly discern it.

Vers. 28. Mark ye now, when Amnons heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon, then kill him, &c.] David by making Uriah drunk, sought to hide his sinne, and now Absalom by causing Amnon to drink, sought to accom∣plish the murther of his brother, because he had formerly defiled his sister; for doubtlesse the revenging of his sister Tamars rape, was the chief thing that drew on Absalom to this bloudy fact, though withall, his ambitious desire of the Crown might help forward this resolution of cutting off his elder brother.

Vers. 29. And every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.] Hereby it ap∣pears, though the Israelites were forbidden to suffer the cattel of divers kinds to en∣gender together Lev, 19.19. yet they might use the cattel so engendred; for such mules were, of which see the note Gen. 36.24.

Vers. 32. And Jonadab the sonne of Shimeah, Davids brother, answered and said, Let not my Lord suppose, that they have slain all the young men the kings sonnes, &c.] This Jonadab was the main cause of Amnons ravishing his sister, and consequently also of Absaloms murdering Amnon, as is noted in the beginning of this chapter: yet we see here how smoothly and impudently he could now talk of Amnons forcing his sister Tamar, which he had plotted and contrived, as if he had no way been concerned in the businesse.

Vers. 37. And went to Talmai, &c.] His mothers father, chap. 3.3.

Vers. 39. And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom, &c.] That is, he began to desire his return again, and had it not been for shame, he could have found in his heart to have gone himself, and fetched him home: because his conscience told him it was not fit he should shew such favour to his own child be∣ing guilty of so foul a murder, he was ashamed and afraid to do it; but in the mean season his heart yearned after him, his grief for his other sonne▪ time by degrees had worn away, and so now he began to wish, that he had his Absalom at home again with him; onely he knew not how he should with his credit bring it about.