2 Samuel 13:15Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnon said to her, "Arise, be gone!"
The setting
Jerusalem palace, ~1000 BC. King David's son Amnon has just raped his half-sister Tamar. The 'love' turns instantly to disgust and hatred, revealing it was never love but selfish lust.
The emotion here: horrified at recording such evil in the royal family
The original word
sane' (שָׂנֵא) — visceral hatred, often used for covenant-breaking rejection
Why it matters
This event triggered Absalom's rebellion that nearly cost David his throne
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Samuel 13:15
The Hebrew emphasizes the GREATNESS of his hatred - it wasn't just disgust, it was consuming rage at his own actions projected onto his victim
Common misconceptionPeople think this shows that love can turn to hate, but the text reveals this was never love - it was selfish lust that turned to self-hatred projected onto the victim.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Samuel 13:15
Bible Genome reading
2 Samuel 13:15 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Samuel 13:15 comes from the book of 2 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. The setting is a royal palace. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 0% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include hatred, self loathing, guilt. Notable phrases: hated her with exceeding great hatred.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does 2 Samuel 13:15 mean to you, today?
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