2 Samuel 13:17 Meaning: The Ugly End of Sin's Lie
Then he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, “Now put this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.”
Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.
Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.
and calleth his young man, his servant, and saith, `Send away, I pray thee, this one from me without, and bolt the door after her;'
Then he called his young man that attended upon him, and said, Put now this [woman] out from me, and bolt the door after her.
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Amnon bolt the door after Tamar? This verse shows the cruel aftermath of sin and the depth of hatred that replaces love.
Context
In 2 Samuel 13, the royal family of David begins to fracture from within. Amnon, David's eldest son, has forced himself on his half-sister Tamar. In an instant, the infatuation he called love curdles into something far uglier. He tells her to get out. When she protests that sending her away is a worse wrong than what he has already done, he refuses to listen. Instead, he calls his personal servant and gives a chilling order: throw this woman out, and bolt the door behind her. The chapter shows the bitter fruit of unchecked desire and the silence of a father who will not act.
Key Words
The Hebrew verb behind put out from me is shalach, to send away, dismiss, even to cast out. In Amnon's mouth it becomes a command of forced expulsion. He does not ask her to leave; he orders her thrown out. The phrase this woman uses the simple demonstrative zot. But here, as commentator John Gill notes, it is deliberately degrading: 'this base woman,' 'this strumpet,' he implies. Amnon will not even speak her name.
Then he says bolt the door after her. The word na'al means to lock or fasten, to make the door impassable. This is not about privacy; it is about finality. He bars her return, and he seals his own sin inside with him. Three small words in Hebrew shatter what peace Tamar might have hoped for. They show how sin, once committed, hardens into cruelty. What began as a consuming 'love' now refuses even to see her as a person.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians reading this verse across traditions see it as a stark witness to the depth of human sin. The Geneva Bible Notes (1599) simply record the command, letting the coldness speak for itself. John Gill's Exposition (1748) draws attention to Amnon's degrading language, calling her 'this' and leaving the insult to be supplied, 'this base woman.' The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary (1871) notes that in the East, street doors are usually barred, and the order for a prince to personally bolt the door is unusual, revealing the 'vehement perturbation' of his mind. Matthew Henry's Commentary (1710) places the whole episode in the context of the unraveling of David's house. All readers agree: this is not a private failure but a public shame, and one that will have consequences for the kingdom.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume that when Amnon bolts the door after Tamar, he is simply trying to avoid further scandal or protect his reputation. In fact, the text emphasizes his hatred: 'the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her.' Bolting the door is not an act of shame but of contempt. He wants her out and gone for good. The door is not locked to keep others out, but to seal her exclusion. It is the final gesture of a heart that has turned utterly cold.
Main takeaway: Sin's second cruelty is the cold heart it leaves behind, locking the door on its victim.
Questions People Ask
Why did Amnon hate Tamar after raping her?
The text says his hatred was greater than his love. This reveals how lust, once satisfied, often turns to disgust. Amnon's supposed love was actually selfish desire. When the object of that desire became a person who confronted him with his sin, his response was to blame and reject her.
What does 'bolt the door after her' mean in this context?
Bolting the door was a deliberate act to prevent Tamar from returning. In the ancient Near East, doors were usually kept barred by a porter, but here Amnon gives a personal order. It shows his vehement anger and final rejection. The door is not locked for safety but for exclusion.
Why does Amnon refer to Tamar as 'this woman' instead of by name?
The Hebrew word 'zot' simply means 'this,' but in context it is contemptuous. As John Gill notes, Amnon leaves the insult to be supplied: 'this base woman,' 'this strumpet.' Refusing to name her dehumanizes her and distances himself from his crime.
How does this verse fit into the larger story of David's family?
This chapter is the beginning of the unraveling of David's house. Amnon's sin, followed by David's failure to discipline him, sets off a chain of violence. Absalom eventually kills Amnon for what he did to Tamar. The verse shows how sin does not stay hidden.
Is the door bolting literal or symbolic?
It is both. Literally, Amnon orders a physical bolt to secure the door. Symbolically, it represents the hardening of his heart and the impossibility of reconciliation. The door he locks does not just keep Tamar out; it seals him inside his own guilt.
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