The Meaning of 2 Samuel 13:22 Explained

2 Samuel 13:22

KJV: And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

YLT: and Absalom hath not spoken with Amnon either evil or good, for Absalom is hating Amnon, because that he humbled Tamar his sister.

Darby: And Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had humbled his sister Tamar.

ASV: And Absalom spake unto Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Absalom  spake  unto his brother Amnon  neither good  nor bad:  for Absalom  hated  Amnon,  because  he had forced  his sister  Tamar. 

What does 2 Samuel 13:22 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 13:15-27 - Absalom Executes Judgment
When men yield to irregular passion, they go from one extreme to the other-from wicked love to wicked hate. If women would but realize this, how often it would save them from lives of misery. To yield to a man's impulse is not to secure his loyalty, but to alienate and perhaps destroy it.
Absalom was Tamar's own brother and, since her father had failed her, was therefore her natural protector. Recommending her to hold her peace, Absalom quietly awaited a suitable opportunity for wreaking vengeance; but she, poor girl, had to face a blighted life. The crime of her betrayal would hang over it as a dark cloud which even the vengeance that Absalom was about to take could never remove. How many myriads of girls have had to face the same sad lot!
It was David's duty, as her father, to punish the evildoer. The law enjoined the penalty of death for such an offense, Leviticus 18:9; Leviticus 18:29. But David's hands were not clean. He had himself incurred the same penalty, and could not condemn in another what he had condoned in himself. Besides this, the Septuagint adds, "he loved Amnon, because he was his first-born." How tortuous are the ways of sin! [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 13:22 mean?

And neither spoke Absalom to [his brother] Amnon bad nor good for hated Absalom - Amnon upon because that he had forced - Tamar his sister -
וְלֹֽא־ דִבֶּ֧ר אַבְשָׁל֛וֹם עִם־ אַמְנ֖וֹן לְמֵרָ֣ע וְעַד־ ט֑וֹב כִּֽי־ שָׂנֵ֤א אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ אֶת־ אַמְנ֔וֹן עַל־ דְּבַר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עִנָּ֔ה אֵ֖ת תָּמָ֥ר אֲחֹתֽוֹ פ

וְלֹֽא־  And  neither 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
דִבֶּ֧ר  spoke 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אַבְשָׁל֛וֹם  Absalom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.
אַמְנ֖וֹן  [his  brother]  Amnon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲמִינׄון 
Sense: oldest son of David, rapist of Tamar, slain by Absalom.
לְמֵרָ֣ע  bad 
Parse: Preposition-l, Preposition-m, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
וְעַד־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
ט֑וֹב  good 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
שָׂנֵ֤א  hated 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׂנֵא  
Sense: to hate, be hateful.
אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙  Absalom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.
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.
אַמְנ֔וֹן  Amnon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲמִינׄון 
Sense: oldest son of David, rapist of Tamar, slain by Absalom.
עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
דְּבַר֙  because 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עִנָּ֔ה  he  had  forced 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָנָה 
Sense: (Qal) to be occupied, be busied with.
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
תָּמָ֥ר  Tamar 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: תָּמָר 
Sense: widow of Er, the son of Judah; fiancee of Shelah, another son of Judah; wife of Judah and mother of Pharez and Zerah.
אֲחֹתֽוֹ  his  sister 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָחֹות  
Sense: sister.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation