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Tamar תָּמָר

Female Tribe of Judah H8559H 2 books

David's daughter, raped by her half-brother Amnon

Biography

Tamar was the beautiful daughter of King David and full sister of Absalom (2Sa.13.1; 1Ch.3.9). She was raped by her half-brother Amnon, who then rejected her (2Sa.13.1-19). Tamar's tragedy led to Absalom's murder of Amnon and eventual rebellion against David (2Sa.13.20-39). Her story illustrates the dysfunctional relationships and violence within David's family.

Family

Parents

Siblings

In Scripture

2 biblical books
2 Samuel 5 verses
  • 2 Samuel 13:1

    "After this, Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her."

  • 2 Samuel 13:2

    "Amnon was so troubled that he became sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her."

  • 2 Samuel 13:4

    "He said to him, “Why, son of the king, are you so sad from day to day? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”"

  • 2 Samuel 13:5

    "Jonadab said to him, “Lay down on your bed, and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, tell him, ‘Please 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.’ ”"

  • 2 Samuel 13:6

    "So Amnon lay down and faked being sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”"

1 Chronicles 1 verse
  • 1 Chronicles 3:9

    "All these were the sons of David, in addition to the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister."

Names & Aliases

Form Language Script Strong's
Named Hebrew תָּמָר H8559H
Encyclopedia Article

Tamar (2)

ISBE 1915 (Public Domain)

8:28). The Dead Sea is the eastern border; and the southern boundary runs from Tamar as far as the waters of Meriboth-kadesh to the Brook of Egypt and the Great Sea. The place therefore lay somewhere to the Southwest of the Dead Sea. "Hazazon-tamar (the same is En-gedi)" (2Ch 20:2) is of course out of the question, being much too far to the North. Eusebius (in Onomasticon) mentions Asasonthamar, with which Thamara was identified. This place was a village with fortress and Roman garrison, a day's journey from Mampsis on the way from Hebron to Elath. It is the Thamaro mentioned by Ptolemy (v.16, 8), as a military station on the road from Hebron to Petra. It is named also in the Peutinger Tables. Neither Mampsis nor Thamaro has been identified.

(2) Among the towns "built" or fortified by Solomon, named in 1Ki 9:18, is Tamar (the Revised Version (British and American) following Kethibh), or Tadmor (the King James Version following Qere; compare 2Ch 8:4). Gezer, Beth-horon and Baalath, named along with it, are all in Southern Palestine, while Tamar is described as in the wilderness in the land, pointing to the Negeb or to the Wilderness of Judah. It was probably intended to protect the road for trade from Ezion-geber to Jerusalem. We may with some confidence identify it with (1) above. It is interesting to note that the Chronicler (2Ch 8:4) takes it out of connection with the other cities (2Ch 8:5), and brings its building into relation with Solomon's conquest of Hamath-zobah. Clearly in his mind it denoted the great and beautiful city of Palmyra, which has so long been known as "Tadmor in the Wilderness."

W. Ewing

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(1) 'eshel (Ge 21:33, the King James Version "grove," margin "tree"; 1Sa 22:6, the King James Version "tree," margin "grove

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