“She was wearing a long-sleeved robe (this was how they used to dress the king’s daughters who were virgins). His servant took her out and locked the door after her. Tamar put ashes on her head, tore her long-sleeved robe that she was wearing, laid her hand on her head, and went off, crying aloud as she went.”-2 Samuel 13:18-19
When Tamar was thrown out of Amnon’s sleeping chambers, we’re told she poured ashes on her head and then tore her long-sleeved virgin robe.
In ancient Hebrew society, her appearance would have been a clear sign that she was in mourning.
Now, I wanna show you an interesting pattern here.
We need to examine the Hebrew word used to refer to Tamar’s virgin robe.
That word is KETONETH or כְּתֹנֶת.
It’s a word rarely used.
For example, take a look at Exodus 28:4:
“The garments they are to make are these: a breastplate, a ritual vest, a robe, a checkered tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make holy garments for your brother Aharon and his sons, so that he can serve me in the office of Cohen.”-Exodus 28:4
The “checkered tunic” that appears here is KETONETH.
However, there’s another key spot where this word appears in the Scriptures…
And this is where a Biblical pattern emerges.
Take a look at Genesis 37:3:
“Now Israel loved Yosef the most of all his children,
because he was the son of his old age;
and he made him a long-sleeved robe.”
Okay, so you’re probably thinking, “How is this a pattern, homie?”
Well, hold your horses.
I’m getting to that.
Remember what happened to Joseph’s coat?
After his brothers sold him to slave traders, they needed to come up with a plausible story to explain his disappearance to their father, Jacob.
So they dipped his coat in goat’s blood, gave it to Jacob, and told him, “He was attacked and killed by a wild animal!”
The Biblical author is hinting at something deeper by using the word KETONETH to refer to both Joseph’s and Tamar’s robes.
Again, this is another one of those places where Hebrew speakers have an edge in understanding the Scripture.
The word KETONETH is a clue meant to grab your attention.
The point is, similar to what happened to Joseph, we have another heartbreaking scene here in 2nd Samuel.
Tamar had just been violated and rejected…
And what was she wearing?
She was wearing a KETONETH.
She tore it and threw ashes on herself, expressing her devastation.
Now, there was something else on her robe mixed in with the dirt and ashes.
It wasn’t explicitly mentioned…
But it was there nonetheless.
There was blood.
Remember, Tamar was a young virgin
And she was still wearing the tunic when Amnon attacked her.
In the Biblical era, this held special significance.
Here’s why.
In those days, when a couple got married, they’d lay a clean white cloth on the bed.
After the wedding night, the parents hoped to see blood on that cloth.
It was their way of proving the bride had been a virgin.
That cloth was so important, it could even be used in court later on.
If the husband ever tried to back out of the marriage by claiming, “She wasn’t a virgin!”…
Her parents would bring out the cloth as proof.
So Tamar’s bloody robe?
It said everything without saying a word.
It was public evidence that her purity had been violated.
What should’ve been a precious wedding keepsake became a painful reminder of what had been stolen from her…
And the shame she’d carry for the rest of her life.
The same kind of robe that once marked Joseph as beloved became a symbol of Tamar’s deepest sorrow.
One ketoneth was stained with goat’s blood to fake a tragedy.
The other?
Stained with real blood…
A sign of a tragedy no one could deny.
Let’s transition over to the takeaway.
Tamar’s story is more than just sad…
It’s a solemn reminder of how deeply virginity was valued in the Bible.
Her torn ketoneth wasn’t just clothing.
It was a symbol of purity, honor, and hope for marriage.
And when that was taken from her…
The robe became a painful and public reminder of what had been lost.
God included this story in Scripture for a reason…
Not to shame…
But to show how sacred purity is…
And how devastating it is when that gift is stolen or thrown away.
It’s a quiet call to treat our bodies…
And the bodies of others with honor.
Ya feel me here?
I sure hope so.
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