Reason for Princess Tamar’s 2 Year Disappearance Unveiled

But you,O LORD, are a shield around me; 

you are my glory, the one who holds my head high. 

Psalm 3:3

Princess Tamar hasn’t been seen in the public for two years and we now know it’s because she was raped by her famous brother, who is the successor of their father, King David.

The information was divulged by a bystander, Babgaa (not real name) who had witnessed Tamar wailing and ripping her clothes in shame. According to her, the situation was a typical case of a good deed gone bad. Tamar was only being helpful when she found herself in the ill-fated situation.  Babgaa said she got the details because she heard Tamar loudly recounting the ordeal to her brother, Prince Absalom.

 She said King David had asked Tamar to prepare food for her sick brother, Amnon, even though he had servants and cooks who were delegated to prepare him any meal he wanted. In spite of that, Tamar had seen no reason to be wary of the unusual request.

 Giving a detailed narration to Absalom, Tamar said “I took dough, kneaded it, formed it into dumplings, and cooked them while he watched from his bed. But when I took the cooking pot and served him, he wouldn’t eat.” Before I could ask for an explanation, he demanded that everyone, except me should leave the room. When everyone was out, he said to me, “Bring the food into my bedroom, where we can eat in privacy.”

 Innocently, she took the dumpling she had prepared and took it to him in his bedroom. But when she got ready to feed him, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me, sister!” Tamar refused and begged saying “No, brother! Don’t hurt me! Where could I ever show my face?” She added that she pleaded with him to formally request permission to marry her, but he refused.

 Tamar began to wail profusely again and was drawing attention to them, so Absalom quickly hushed her and ushered her away.

 Judging from the thoroughness of the plan, there are no doubts that Amnon had nursed his wicked idea for a long time. His notorious cousin, Jonadab, allegedly confessed that he had pitched the idea to Amnon, but did not know he would actually carry it out.

Since the brutal rape occurred, Tamar has lived with her brother Absalom, refusing to go outside, because she’s so ashamed.

Have You Been Abused? Get support here: Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network