ellauri171.html on line 1102: David had a number of wives, but one of the most high-ranking was Maacah, the daughter of King Talmai of the neighboring kingdom of Geshur. Maacah had two children, both of them extraordinarily good-looking. The first was her son Absalom, a favorite of his father’s, the other her daughter Tamar, whose looks stood out even in this family of beautiful children.
ellauri171.html on line 1160: Absalom waited, biding his time. For two years he said nothing, did nothing, but then he set his trap. He gave a feast for all David’s sons. At the height of the festivities when Amnon was half-drunk, Absalom had his half-brother killed, stabbed to death in a scene reminiscent of a Mafia killing. In the ensuring turmoil Absalom escaped, fleeing for sanctuary to Geshur, his grandfather’s territory.
ellauri171.html on line 1164: It is to be hoped that Tamar did not accompany her brother to Geshur, since her status there would have been even worse that in Israel. Instead, Maacah may have used what little influence she now had to see that her daughter returned to David’s harem. In either place Tamar’s position would have been lowly, little better than a servant. Tamar means ‘date palm’; the name suggests a date palm.
ellauri370.html on line 98: In 1 Samuel 27:8–9, David and his men conduct raids against the Amalekites and their Geshurite and Gezirite allies. He kills every man and woman but takes sheep, cattle, donkey, camels and clothing. These Amalekites were theorized to be refugees who fled from Saul or a separate Amalekite faction that dwelt to the south of Israel. Gili Kluger believes these narratives were anti-Saul propaganda, designed to make him appear weak compared to David, since no losses were attributed to David.
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