The Meaning of 2 Samuel 13:12 Explained

2 Samuel 13:12

KJV: 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.

YLT: And she saith to him, 'Nay, my brother, do not humble me, for it is not done so in Israel; do not this folly.

Darby: And she said to him, No, my brother, do not humble me; for no such thing is done in Israel: do not this infamy.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Samuel 13:12 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 13:1-14 - Sin In David's Household
The law of Moses clearly forbade the union which Amnon sought, Leviticus 18:11. It was an infamous passion, and the suggestion of Jonadab, if it was any reflection of his father's character, would show why the Lord had said of Shammah, "Neither hath the Lord chosen this," 1 Samuel 16:9. Passion is deaf to the remonstrances and pleadings of its victim, and strangles pity and honor. Let us walk in the Spirit, that he may save us from ourselves; for there is no knowing to what lengths we may go if not kept by the grace of God.
It seems difficult to believe that this was the home-life of the man that wrote the Psalms. It had been better to remain in the valley of the wild goat than amid the luxury of Jerusalem, which made so great an inroad upon the peace and purity of his home. We prosper better amid the bleak climate of the mountains than in the enervating atmosphere of the plains.
Thus David's sin began to bear the entail of misery to his own household. None of us can limit the far-reaching harvests of the seeds that we drop upon the flowing stream. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 13

1  Amnon loving Tamar, by Jonadab's counsel feigning himself sick, ravishes her
15  He hates her, and shamefully turns her away
19  Absalom entertains her, and conceals his purpose
23  At a sheep-shearing among all the king's sons, he kills Amnon
31  David grieving at the news, is comforted by Jonadab
37  Absalom flies to Talmai at Geshur

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 13:12 mean?

And she answered him No my brother not do force me for no should be done such thing in Israel do not do - disgraceful thing this
וַתֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ אַל־ אָחִי֙ אַל־ תְּעַנֵּ֔נִי כִּ֛י לֹא־ יֵֽעָשֶׂ֥ה כֵ֖ן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אַֽל־ תַּעֲשֵׂ֖ה אֶת־ הַנְּבָלָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר  And  she  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אַל־  No 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
אָחִי֙  my  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
תְּעַנֵּ֔נִי  do  force  me 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: עָנָה 
Sense: (Qal) to be occupied, be busied with.
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יֵֽעָשֶׂ֥ה  should  be  done 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
כֵ֖ן  such  thing 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  in  Israel 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
אַֽל־  do  not 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַל  
Sense: not, no, nor, neither, nothing (as wish or preference).
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַנְּבָלָ֥ה  disgraceful  thing 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נְבָלָה  
Sense: senselessness, folly.
הַזֹּֽאת  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: זׄאת  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, such.