Jonadab

Jonadab is a figure in the Hebrew Bible, appearing in 2 Samuel 13. He is described in verse 3 as the son of Shimeah, who was the brother of David, making Jonadab a cousin to Amnon as well as his friend. He is called "very wise" (ḥākām mĕ'ōd),[1] usually translated as "very shrewd" (NIV) or "very crafty" (ESV).

For the character called Jonadab in the Book of Jeremiah, see Jehonadab.
Jonadab (right) with Amnon in a woodcut by Heinrich Aldegrever, 1540.

2 Samuel 13 describes how Amnon wanted to have Tamar, despite the fact that she was his half-sister. Jonadab advised Amnon to pretend to be sick, and then ask David to send Tamar to him to make him some food. Amnon followed Jonadab's advice, and ended up raping Tamar.

Jonadab appears again at the end of the chapter, when he tells David of Absalom's grudge against Amnon. Pamela Tamarkin Reis notes that he was "privy to the confidence of both brothers", and suggests that he "told Absalom about Amnon's scheme simply because he was a busybody, stirring his spoon in every pot."[2](Although Absalom did avenge his sister's defilement ironically he himself showed himself not to be very much different from Amnon;[3] as Amnon had sought the advice of Jonadab in order to rape Tamar, Absalom had sought the advice of Ahitophel who advised Absalom to have incestuous relations with his father's concubines in order to show all Israel how odious he was to his father [2 Samuel 16:20])

According to the Babylon Talmud: "And Thou should not associate with a sinner:....And so we find with Amnon, who associated with Jonadab, the son of Shim'ah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very sensible man--sensible in wickedness, as it is written [Jer. Iv .22]: Wise are they to do evil." According to others, it is meant that one shall not associate with the wicked, even to study the Torah."[4]

Keith Bodner suggests that "among the numerous minor characters in 2 Samuel 11–19, Jonadab remains among the most enigmatic, and his malignancy marks a key juncture in the story."[5]

References
  1. Campbell, Antony F. (2004). Joshua to Chronicles: An Introduction. Westminster John Knox Press. p. 165. ISBN 9780664257514. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  2. Reis, Pamela Tamarkin (1997). "Cupidity and Stupidity: Woman's Agency and The "Rape" of Tamar" (PDF). JANES. No. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  3. As Amnon had brought two curses upon himself for incest and failing to fulfill the Torah Law; Absalom brought three curses upon himself for dishonoring his father; relations with his father's wife and failing to fulfill the Torah Law (27 Deuteronomy 22 and 26)
  4. Rodkinson, Michael Levi (December 15, 1900). "New Edition of the Babylonian Talmud: Tracts Aboth (fathers of the synagogue), with Aboth of R. Nathan, Derech Eretz Rabba, and Zuta". New Talmud Publishing Company – via Google Books.
  5. Bodner, Keith (2013). The Rebellion of Absalom. Routledge. ISBN 9781317963523. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  • Media related to Jonadab at Wikimedia Commons
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