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2 Samuel 13 · a question people ask

David was very angry. Why didn't he do anything?

In the text

The chapter says, "But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry" (13:21). It records no word or act of David's toward Amnon, and it doesn't say why. The next verse turns to Absalom: "Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon" (13:22). Two years later, when Absalom asked for Amnon to come to the sheep shearing, the king asked, "Why should he go with you?" (13:26), and then "he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him" (13:27). The chapter gives no reason for what David did or didn't do, and this answer doesn't supply one. It says what David did after Amnon's death: he "tore his garments, and lay on the earth" (13:31), "David mourned for his son every day" (13:37), and "King David longed to go out to Absalom" (13:39).

The verses

“But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.”
2 Samuel 13:21-22 · World English Bible
“Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.”
2 Samuel 13:26-27 · World English Bible
“Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.”
2 Samuel 13:31 · World English Bible
“But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son every day.”
2 Samuel 13:37 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of 2 Samuel 13

2 Samuel 13: No such thing in Israel

Tamar answers in words Israel had heard before: "no such thing ought to be done in Israel" and "folly" (13:12) are, in Hebrew, the words of Genesis 34:7, and her "garment of various colors" (13:18) is the Hebrew of Joseph's tunic (Genesis 37:3), whose father also "mourned for his son" (Genesis 37:34).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions