A character from the Hebrew Bible/ Old Testament. Tamar married Er the oldest of the sons of Judah, but Er was wicked in the sight of the Lord and so he was killed. Then Tamar married Onan the second son of Judah who God also struck down. After the death of her second husband she went to remain a widow in the house of her father untill Judah's youngest son Sheleh grew up. But when he had, Judah did not give Tamar to him. Instead Tamar ended up sleeping with her father-in-law (though he did not know who she was) and getting with child. When Judah heard she was pregnant he went to have her burnt, but she proved to him that he was the father and so he spared her. She bore him twins Pharez and Zarah.

A river 40 mi (64 km) long in Australia in north Tasmania flowing north to Bass Strait.

Tamar »

Tamar's name comes up 24 times in the Good Book. The first are: Genesis 38:6, 38:11 (twice), 38:13 and 38:24. This Tamar (the wife of Er) is not who I am going to be talking about. I will be talking about Tamar, the one described in 2 Samuel 13. The other times Tamar is mentioned are in: Ruth 4:12, 1 Chronicles 2:4, 3:9, Ezekiel 47:19 and 48:28. But most of these concern either Tamar of Er or the place called Tamar. In any case I will be talking about Tamar the daughter of David. This girl Tamar was beloved by her brother, but not in any kind of good way. For Amnon, Tamar's brother, wanted to seduce Tamar; not play Jenga with her.

2nd Samuel 13
The history starts in 2 Samuel 13:1. It states that Amnon was kindled with a desire to be with his sister. In 2 Samuel 13:2 it says: "Amnon became frustrated to the point of illness on account of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her". Let us imagine. David becomes accursed because of his sin against Uriah through lying with Beth-Sheba, Uriah's wife. He is told that his children will be unblessed and it turns out true. For one, his first child dies (2 Samuel 12:18) for another his other son Absalom goes to war against him and third his other son Amnon tries to brew incest into the line of David. And here we see it unfold. Amnon, a slithery one, had obviously tried many times before to touch and bruise fair Tamar, since in 2 Samuel 13:2 it says that it seemed impossible to do anything to her. Either it was too risky to take advantage of Tamar or that she was just so stubborn. Either way Amnon seemed to suckle happily on the shadowy curse of David because he was wax lusty after his own sister. While Amnon was sore about this dilemma his cousin Jonadab gave him advice (2 Samuel 13:5). He told Amnon to fain sickness and to bid Tamar to be his nurse. As it turned out, it worked. He faked illness and was given attention from his father David, the great psalmist (2 Samuel 13:6). After he got Father's attention he asked him to get Tamar for him so that she could lovingly feed him, her brother. And it was done (2 Samuel 13:7-8). While she was making him the bread and preparing the food Amnon used his forked tongue to ask the question (2 Samuel 13:11). For Tamar was a kind girl, I would guess, and she was a pure one. She loved her brother and she wanted to see him healthy. This was not a good thing that he did, this was a rotten ploy and Amnon was a morally blind human being.

Upon 2 Samuel 13:12 the sweaty Amnon was refuted by Tamar. She begged him, don't do this my brother. This would be an unclean thing, she told him. But he paid no mind. His pulsing stupidity rushed hands against arms. He opened her up, broke out the quiet areas and he ruined her blessed virginity. He was a fierce man, being stronger than she and as sad as this is, he raped her (2 Samuel 13:14). I can imagine the screaming in the chambers, the scary thought of a son who's father was a vile man, the sweat of both of them, the lid-less open-eyed history of life as a human being, the sand of Israel, the long journey of a chosen people, the man Moses, the Ark of the Covenant and this; a brother humping lust on his God-fearing sister. What horror, what sin. and yet it seems that humanity has not evolved out of this. Technology grows with time, but morality does not.

In the end Absalom, Tamar's brother, seeks revenge upon his slutty brother. He sends men and they kill Amnon (2 Samuel 13:23-30). After this Absalom is unfortunately banished from the kingdom, but not put to death. But best of all Absalom does something I find wonderous.

2 Samuel 14:27
"Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. The daughter's name was Tamar and she became a beautiful woman".

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