Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 13:32

And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose [that] they have slain all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

32. Let not my lord suppose, &c.] A practical illustration of the sagacity for which Jonadab was famous ( 2Sa 13:3). He at once rejects the exaggerations of rumour, and predicts accurately what had really happened.

by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined ] Lit., upon Absalom’s mouth hath it been set; that is, Absalom’s sinister looks have all along betrayed his determination to kill Amnon; or, his purpose has been obvious from his words; but the latter explanation is less likely, as Absalom seems to have dissembled his revenge in order to disarm Amnon’s suspicion.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

The history supplies another (compare 2Sa 13:3) instance of Jonadabs subtlety and sagacity. He at once gave the true explanation of the catastrophe at Baal-hazor, in spite of the false rumour.

By the appointment of Absalom … – Meaning that Absaloms resolution to slay Amnon had been formed at the time, and only waited an opportunity to give expression to it.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 32. And Jonadab – said – Amnon only is dead] This was a very bad man, and here speaks coolly of a most bloody tragedy, which himself had contrived.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Jonadab was a man of great craft and subtlety, and one that had exact knowledge of Amnons fact, and of Absaloms temper.

By the appointment, or, by the command; Heb. mouth, put for command, Num 3:16. From the day; it was resolved from that time in his breast; but the word of command was not then given to others, for that would probably have hindered his design. But all this he seems to have spoken from a probable conjecture, rather than of certain knowledge, as appears by the sequel.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

And Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother,…. The same that advised Amnon to feign himself sick, to get Tamar sent to him, that he might enjoy her, 2Sa 13:3;

answered and said; said in answer to the report brought to the king, which threw him into such an agony:

let not my lord suppose [that] they have slain all the young men the king’s sons; he did not believe it himself, and would not have the king entertain such a thought, and distress himself with it:

for Amnon only is dead; he is very positive, and speaks with great assurance; it looks as if he was in the secret, and knew of the plot against Amnon’s life; and, if so, he must be a very wicked man, first to form a scheme whereby Amnon might come at Tamar to ravish her, and then be accessory to the murder of him, as he must, if he knew of the design against his life, and did not acquaint him and the king of it; and this seems to be confirmed by what follows:

for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined, from the day that he forced his sister Tamar; that is, the slaying of Amnon; the meaning is, either that Absalom had given orders to his servants to slay him, whenever they had an opportunity; or it was “in the mouth of Absalom” p, as it may be rendered; he used to declare it to his intimate friends, that it was the purpose and resolution of his heart to kill Amnon some time or another; and this he had taken up from the time of his sister Tamar’s being forced, and because of that, of which Jonadab had intelligence by some means or another; and who speaks of this rape without any seeming emotion, as if he had no concern at all in it.

p “in ore Absalom”, V. L. Vatablus.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then Jonadab, the same person who had helped Amnon to commit his crime, said, “Let not my lord say (or think) that they have slain all the young men the king’s sons, but Amnon alone is dead; for it was laid upon the mouth of Absalom from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.” The meaning is either “they might see it (the murder of Amnon) by his mouth,” or “they might gather it from what he said.” : it was a thing laid down, i.e., determined (vid., Exo 21:13). The subject, viz., the thing itself, or the intended murder of Amnon, may easily be supplied from the context. is undoubtedly used in the sense of “no but.” The negation is implied in the thought: Let the king not lay it to heart, that they say all the king’s sons are dead; it is not so, but only Amnon is dead. Jonadab does not seem to speak from mere conjecture; he is much too sure of what he says. He might possibly have heard expressions from Absalom’s lips which made him certain as to how the matter stood.

2Sa 13:34

“And Absalom fled.” This statement follows upon 2Sa 13:29. When the king’s sons fled upon their mules, Absalom also took to flight.

2Sa 13:30-33 are a parenthesis, in which the writer describes at once the impression made upon the king and his court by the report of what Absalom had done. The apparently unsuitable position in which this statement is placed may be fully explained from the fact, that the flight of Absalom preceded the arrival of the rest of the sons at the king’s palace. The alteration which Bttcher proposes to make in the text, so as to remove this statement altogether on account of its unsuitable position, is proved to be inadmissible by the fact that the account of Absalom’s flight cannot possibly be left out, as reference is made to it again afterwards (2Sa 13:37, 2Sa 13:38, “Absalom had fled”). The other alterations proposed by Thenius in the text of 2Sa 13:34, 2Sa 13:37, 2Sa 13:38, are just as arbitrary and out of place, and simply show that this critic was ignorant of the plan adopted by the historian. His plan is the following: To the account of the murder of Amnon, and the consequent flight of the rest of the king’s sons whom Absalom had invited to the feast (2Sa 13:29), there is first of all appended a notice of the report which preceded the fugitives and reached the king’s ears in an exaggerated form, together with the impression which it made upon the king, and the rectification of that report by Jonadab (2Sa 13:30-33). Then follows the statement that Absalom fled, also the account of the arrival of the king’s sons (2Sa 13:34-36). After this we have a statement as to the direction in which Absalom fled, the king’s continued mourning, and the length of time that Absalom’s banishment lasted (2Sa 13:37, 2Sa 13:38), and finally a remark as to David’s feelings towards Absalom (2Sa 13:39).

Jonadab’s assertion, that Amnon only had been slain, was very speedily confirmed (2Sa 13:34). The young man, the spy, i.e., the young man who was looking out for the return of those who had been invited to the feast, “lifted up his eyes and saw,” i.e., saw as he looked out into the distance, “much people (a crowd of men) coming from the way behind him along the side of the mountain.” , (lxx), per iter devium (Vulg .), is obscure; and , “behind,” is probably to be understood as meaning “to the west:” from the way at the back of the spy, i.e., to the west of his station. The following words, , also remain obscure, as the position of the spy is not given, so that the allusion may be to a mountain in the north-west of Jerusalem quite as well as to one on the west.

(Note: The lxx have very comprehensive additions here: first of all, after , they have the more precise definition , and then the further clause, “and the spy came and announced to the king,” (?) , partly to indicate more particularly the way by which the king’s sons came, and partly to fill up a supposed gap in the account. But they did not consider that the statement in 2Sa 13:35, “and Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king’s sons are coming,” does not square with these additions; for if the spy had already informed the king that his sons were coming, there was no necessity for Jonadab to do it again. This alone is sufficient to show that the additions made by the lxx are nothing but worthless glosses, introduced according to subjective conjectures and giving no foundation for alterations of the text.)

When the spy observed the crowd of men approaching, Jonadab said to the king (2Sa 13:35), “Behold, the king’s sons are coming: as thy servant said, so has it come to pass.”

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

(32) Jonadab.The same subtle counsellor who had led Amnon into his sin, now at once divined how the case really stood and reassured the king.

By the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined.Literally, upon Absaloms mouth it hath been set, an expression which has given rise to much variety of interpretation. The Authorised Version expresses the sense accurately.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

32. Jonadab said That subtle busybody, who is posted on all the secrets of the royal family, (2Sa 13:3-5,) now coolly explains the matter as only a thing that had long been determined.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2Sa 13:32. This hath been determined, &c. What unparalleled impudence and effrontery was this! to speak with such calmness and unconcern of a horrid villany, which he himself had contrived, and of which he now saw the dreadful consequences! Could there be a more miscreant minister?

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

(32) And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. (33) Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.

Reader! remark the friendship of this Jonadab to Amnon. He knew, it seems, that Absalom had intended the death of Amnon for two full years together, and yet had never communicated the matter to his friend Amnon. Such is the world’s friendship!

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

2Sa 13:32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose [that] they have slain all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

Ver. 32. And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah. ] This cunning pated man, seeking somewhat to mitigate his uncle David’s extreme sorrow, which he had caused by his wicked counsel to Amnon, guesseth at the truth, and hitteth upon the right: whereunto, perhaps, he might be at some time by Absalom made privy. He had advised Amnon how to compass his unlawful lust: and now that he was slain, he could tell what was become of him: the devil can do the like. Great pity it was that David did no further sift him hereupon, to find out the bottom of the business, and to give him his due payment.

For by the appointment of Absalom. ] Heb., By the mouth, i.e., by the purpose of his exulcerate heart, breaking forth haply some time at his lips.

From the day that he forced his sister Tamar. ] So the Lacedemonian commonwealth was utterly overturned at Leuctra, for a rape there committed on the two daughters of Scedasus. So when a certain monk had ravished the sister of Zisca, that noble Bohemian, he took up arms against the monks, and those that favoured them; casting to the ground three hundred monasteries, and doing many great exploits against the Papists in Bohemia and Germany. But what an impenitent and impudent man was this Jonadab, that he could speak of the rape of Tamar, which he had contrived, together with the sad consequents, without any remorse or regret! And what sots are some Rabbis for saying that this Jonadab here was Nathan the prophet, who knew by the Spirit what was done at Baalhazor!

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Jonadab: 2Sa 13:3-5

Shimeah: 1Sa 16:9, Shammah

David’s brother: This was a very bad man: he had given his cousin Amnon the most detestable advice; and here speaks coolly of a most bloody tragedy of which he had been the cause.

appointment: Heb. mouth

determined: or, settled, Gen 27:41, Psa 7:14, Pro 24:11, Pro 24:12

Reciprocal: 1Sa 17:13 – Shammah Ecc 7:9 – anger

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge