Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 13:16
And she said unto him, [There is] no cause: this evil in sending me away [is] greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.
16. There is no cause ] The Heb. text cannot be so translated, and is certainly corrupt. The Sept. is also confused, but its original reading as indicated by the Old Latin Version gives an excellent sense, thus; “ And she said unto him, Nay, my brother, for greater will be this latter wrong, in sending me away, than the former that thou didst unto me.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The sense of the passage probably is, And she spake with him on account of this great wrong in sending me away, greater than the other wrong which thou hast done me (said she), but he hearkened not unto her. The Hebrew text is probably corrupt, and the writer blends Tamars words with his own narrative.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
There is no cause, to wit, given thee by me.
This evil is greater than the other: this she might truly say, because though the other was in itself a greater sin, yet this was an act of greater inhumanity and barbarous cruelty, and a greater wrong and calamity to her, (which she means by evil,) because it exposed her to public infamy and contempt, as if she had been an impudent strumpet, and had either enticed him to the sin, or at least consented to it; and besides, it turned a private offence into a public scandal, to the great dishonour of God and of his people Israel, and especially of all the royal family, and was likely to cause direful passions, and breaches, and mischiefs among them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And she said unto him, [there is] no cause,…. For such treatment as this:
this evil in sending me away [is] greater than the other that thou didst unto me; not that this was a greater sin, but it was a greater evil or injury to her, that being done secretly, this openly; being turned out in that open manner, it might look as if she was the aggressor, and had drawn her brother into this sin, or however had consented to it; had it been kept a secret, she would not have been exposed to public shame and disgrace, and she might have been disposed of in marriage to another; it would not have been known to the grief of her father, to the revenge of Absalom, and to the dishonour of religion; besides, the sin of Amnon might have been more easily excused, if any excuse could be made for it, as that it arose from the force of lust, and a strong impure affection, but this from barbarity and inhumanity:
but he would not hearken unto her; but insisted upon her immediate departure.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(16) There is no cause.The Hebrew is elliptical and difficult; various interpretations are suggested, among which that given in the Authorised Version expresses very well the sense, although not an accurate translation. Amnon was now doing her a greater wrong than at first, because he was now bound, in consequence of that, to protect and comfort her.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
16. No cause For this additional violence and rage. The passage should be rendered thus: There is not cause for this greater evil than the other which thou hast done with me, to thrust me away.
This evil is greater than the other For it would publish their shame to all the city, and make it appear that their incest had been brought about by some lewd proposal of hers.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(16) And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her. (17) Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her. (18) And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her. (19) And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.
The renting of her garments was doubtless intending, not only as a token of grief, but of the injury she had sustained. It was an ancient custom in the loss of somewhat important, to rend the garment. Thus Samuel, on Saul’s loss of the kingdom. 1Sa 15:27-28 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Sa 13:16 And she said unto him, [There is] no cause: this evil in sending me away [is] greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.
Ver. 16. There is no cause, ] sc., Of adding this inhumanity to thy former impiety. I have given thee no just occasion for so serving me. She had not therefore exasperated him, either by railing upon him, or hurting him in the bustle. We read a of a certain seamster who thrust her scissors into the belly of Walter, bishop of Hereford, who would have ravished her, A.D. 1060; but here was no such violence offered, whatever the Rabbins here feign.
This evil is greater than the other] Because done in cold blood, and not without public notice; whereas else, the rape might have been concealed, and the matter taken up, by repentance, in the judge’s privy chamber of mercy, to the stopping of all open judicial proceedings in court.
a Godw. Catal., 452.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
no cause. Hebrew “[Give] no ground for talk”.
evil. Hebrew. ra`a `. App-44.