· Translation: KJV

2 Samuel 13:18She had a garment of various colors on her; for with such robes were the king's daughters who were virgins dressed. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

The setting

Jerusalem, Israel, ~1000 BC. The palace of King David. A young princess is cast out after being assaulted by her half-brother Amnon...

The emotion here: recording horror with careful legal precision

The original word

passîm (פַּסִּים) — ornate, long-sleeved robe indicating royal virgin status

Why it matters

The colorful robe was a legal symbol - removing it publicly declared she was no longer a virgin

Read with care

What most readers miss in 2 Samuel 13:18

The servant bolting the door wasn't just dismissal - it was legal testimony that rape occurred

Common misconceptionPeople focus on the colorful robe as decoration, but it was actually legal evidence - like a wedding ring today. Losing it meant losing legal protection and marriage prospects forever.

Bible Genome reading

2 Samuel 13:18 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerNarrator
EraUnited Kingdom
Primary emotiongrieving
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power10%
Quotability20%
Memorability50%
Crisis relevance40%
Standalone30%
Themes:innocence lostroyal statuspurity

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open 2 Samuel 13

2 Samuel 13:18 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 grieving, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include innocence lost, royal status, purity. Notable phrases: garment of various colors; king's daughters who were virgins.

Your reflection

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