Tamar, in the context of the Hebrew Bible, was wronged by her brother Amnon, who raped her, and later avenged by her brother Absalom.
The story of Tamar is found in the Second Book of Samuel, which is part of the Old Testament. Tamar was the daughter of King David and Maacah, and she had a half-brother named Amnon, who was infatuated with her. Despite Tamar being a virgin and thus protected by customs that dictated she could not be with a man outside of marriage, Amnon became obsessed with her to the point of illness. He was advised by his cousin Jonadab to feign illness and request that Tamar come to care for him. When Tamar did so, Amnon raped her.
After the assault, Amnon’s love turned to intense hate, and he sent Tamar away, which was a great disgrace for her. Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long-sleeved garment that she wore, as it was customary for virgin princesses to wear such garments. She went away crying loudly, as she was now desolate and had little hope for a future, given the cultural context of the time.
Tamar’s full brother, Absalom, took her in but told her to keep quiet about the incident, likely planning his revenge. King David, upon hearing of the incident, was furious but did not punish Amnon, possibly because he was his firstborn and the heir apparent.
Two years later, Absalom invited all the king’s sons to a sheep-shearing feast. There, Absalom had his servants kill Amnon as revenge for what he had done to Tamar. This act of vengeance led to further conflict within David’s family and ultimately contributed to Absalom’s rebellion against his father.
Tamar’s story is a tragic tale of betrayal, injustice, and the complex dynamics of royal family life in ancient Israel. It highlights the vulnerabilities of women in that society and the consequences of unaddressed crimes within a family.