It was lust not love that make Amnon sick.
He lusted after his half-sister Tamar who
was very beautiful and a virgin. It seemed
hopeless for him to do anything about his
lust for her. After finding out what was troubling
him, Amnon’s friend came up with an idea.
idea. He advised Amnon to: “Lie down on your
bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father
comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar
come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food
in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’”
This sounded good to Amnon and the answer to his
problem. He did as Jonadab told him. He pretended
to be sick and when his father, the king came to see
him, he repeated what his friend told him to say.
Unsuspecting, Tamar came to him and she prepared
the food before him. She took the food for him to eat
but he refused. He sent everyone else away. He wanted
to make sure that the coast was clear for his plan to
work.
When they were alone, he bade Tamar to go into his
chamber so that he could eat the food out of her hand.
Still trusting and unsuspecting, Tamar went near to him
to give him the food and he took hold of her and said to her,
“Come, lie with me, my sister.”
Tamar, horrified, protested. “No, my brother, do not violate
me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this
outrageous thing. As for me, where could I carry my shame?
And as for you, you would be as one of the outrageous fools
in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will
not withhold me from you.”
But Amnon did not heed her cry. It was lust not love that
filled him and being stronger than she, he forced himself
on her. It was lust that drove him to rape the girl he claimed
he loved. And after the deed was done, that love he professed
turned to hate. And great was that hatred. It was greater than
the lust and the love. He wanted her out of his sight. His face
was probably filled with disgust too as he looked at her,
ordering her to, “Get up! Go!”
Poor, violated and shaken Tamar. She had been violated and
now she was being thrown out. She pleaded with him. “No,
my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than
the other that you did to me.” But he refused to listen to her.
He ordered his servant, “Put this woman out of my presence
and bolt the door after her.”
Tamar was put out of the room and the door bolted after her.
Weeping, and grief-stricken, she put ashes on her head and
tore her robe. She lay her hand on her head and went away,
crying loudly.
It wasn’t love but lust that reared its ugly head that day. Love
is patient and kind. It does not insist on its own way.
Sources: 2 Samuel 13; 1 Corinthians 13:4, 5
