pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and
make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I
may eat at her hand. Then David sent home
to Tamar, saying, go now to thy brother
Amnon’s house, and dress him meat. So,
Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house;
and he was laid down. And she took flour,
and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight,
and did bake the cakes. And she took a pan,
and poured them out before him; but he
refused to eat. And Amnon said, have out
all men from me. And they went out every
man from him. And Amnon said unto Tamar,
bring the meat into the chamber, that I may
eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes
which she had made, and brought them
into the chamber to Amnon her brother.
And when she had brought them unto him
to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto
her, come lie with me, my sister. And she
answered him, nay, my brother, do not force
me; for no such thing ought to be done in
Israel: do not thou this folly. And I, whither
shall I cause my shame to go? and as for
thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in
Israel. Now, therefore, I pray thee, speak
unto the king; for he will not withhold me
from thee. Howbeit he would not hearken
unto her voice: but, being stronger than she,
forced her, and lay with her. Then Amnon
hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred
wherewith he hated her was greater than
the love wherewith he had loved her. And
Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. 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. Then he called his
servant that ministered unto him, and said,
put now this woman out from me, and bolt
the door after her. 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. 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. And Absalom her brother said unto
her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with
thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister:
he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So,
Tamar remained desolate in her brother
Absalom’s house.”
LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE
STORY OF TAMAR
1.
Tamar became a broken and desolate
woman, not only because of the incidence
but because her father did nothing to
redeem her or punish the perpetrator. The
matter was swept under the carpet. Tamar
was left to deal with her circumstances.
Without healing progress was inevitable;
DOZ Magazine | April 2020
Tamar was lost and could find no way out
of her predicament. There are so many
Tamars out there, women who are not only
broken because of what happened but
bitter because their families did nothing
to protect them and nothing to punish the
wrongdoer.
10