What the Bible says about Tamar and Amnon
(From Forerunner Commentary)
Here we have the story of the lust-driven affair of Amnon, one of David's sons, and Tamar, one of David's daughters, a half-sister of Amnon. Amnon was sick with love for Tamar, but the fruit of the relationship shows it was not love but lust. He greatly desired to take her to bed, so much so that he deceitfully conspired with his cousin Jonadab to arrange matters. He then compounded that sin by lying to his father to be alone with her and raping her when he finally was. The fruit of his shameful deed was further defiled when his feelings for her reversed to a hatred against her that was greater than his former "love." Two years later Amnon was dead at the hand of Absalom, Tamar's full brother.
What piling of sin on sin coveting produced! It destroyed Tamar's virginity and possibly a future marriage. It destroyed the cohesiveness of David's family. It produced burning hatred, and everyone felt great sorrow. All of this blossomed from an uncontrolled desire in the mind of one person. Its effects impacted on David's family for many generations.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Tenth Commandment (1998)Related Topics: Amnon and Tamar | Coveting | Covetousness | Incest | Lust | Lust and Hatred | Sexual Immorality | Sexual Sins | Sin Begins as a Thought | Sin Begins in the Heart | Sin Begins in the Mind | Tamar and Amnon | Tenth Commandment | The Tenth Commandment
He did not love her; he was lusting after her. Notice the initial fruit—distress! The story continues, eventually revealing that his lust produced rape. It did not end there but produced more evil fruit: "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!'" (verse 15). So much for lust producing good fruit! How many teen and/or young adult lives have been severely damaged by unwed pregnancy resulting from coveting?
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Tenth CommandmentRelated Topics: Amnon and Tamar | Coveting | Covetous Thoughts | Covetousness | Lust | Lust and Hatred | Tamar and Amnon | Tenth Commandment | The Tenth Commandment