Voice for the Voiceless

The saddest story in the Bible to me is one about Tamar, a daughter of David which has been recorded in 2 Samuel chapter13. Tamar became a victim of lust to her own half-brother Amnon. To me, it looks like a film story, because I can never ever imagine such a thing happening in reality to a woman. Amnon cheated and raped his sister in the vilest manner. This poor girl pleaded and protested, but in vain. The cruellest part of the story is the way he treated her after that. He hated her more than the mad love he had for her. He did not hear her final plea, but only pushed her out of the house using his servant. The story to me is an illustration of highest forms of arrogance from a male and vulnerability of a female.

The one thing which I hate to read is the way King David, the children’s father reacted to it. He only gets angry, but did not punish Amnon (v.21).  One translation of the Bible says, he did not punish because he was his first born. In my understanding, David was dysfunctional also because of his own lustful and arrogant act with Bathsheba. That shameful episode had just then been over. The rape incident of Tamar  sparked a series of serious fights within David's family. Absalom, the brother of Tamar murdered Amnon in an act of vengeance. This would not have happened if only David had punished Amnon appropriately.  Absalom then went to the extent of killing his own dad and to capture his kingdom. In that wrong pursuit, he himself was killed by the army of David. David’s sons were priestly leaders earlier (2 Samuel 8:18 NRSV). But after David’s reckless attitude in letting loose the lustful Amnon, his sons turned beastly.

Absalom named his own daughter as Tamar, which was what he could do in honour of his sister whose prospective future was lost (2 Samuel 14:27).  Tamar's sad story is a lesson to parents to be role-models to children. Amnon followed the lustful behavior of his dad. If parents keep failing, they keep losing their children. Priestly children can turn beastly when parents loose respect themselves. It is families that make up our society.

Tamar's is a shameful incident which happened to a woman in a royal cadre. Much more is happening to women of all statuses in life today. When these happen we cannot remain silent. We need to work for justice for such victims to prevent vengeance and further damages that can happen in our society. I want to be a voice to the voiceless. Will you be one too?

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." (A mother’s teaching to her son in Proverbs 31:8-9)