2 Samuel 13:21But when king David heard of all these things, he was very angry.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~1000 BC. King David's palace. The king has just learned his eldest son Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar. David burns with rage but takes no action — perhaps because Amnon is his heir, or because David's own sin with Bathsheba paralyzes him from judging sexual sin.
The emotion here: chronicling a king's moral failure with heavy heart
The original word
charah (חָרָה) — fierce burning anger, like fire kindling in the belly
Why it matters
Ancient Near Eastern law required death for rape, but David — despite his anger — refuses to execute his heir
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Samuel 13:21
David's anger accomplishes nothing — it's rage without justice, which enables more evil
Common misconceptionPeople think David's anger shows he cared about justice. Actually, his anger without action enabled more violence and ultimately led to civil war.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Samuel 13:21
Bible Genome reading
2 Samuel 13:21 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Samuel 13:21 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 20% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include parental anger, inaction, family dysfunction. Notable phrases: David heard; very angry.
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 13:21 mean to you, today?
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