Songs for Tamar

Chapter One

A Preview of the Story.

Tamar, the daughter of King David of Israel, got a raw deal in her life. Her half-brother Amnon pretended he was sick in order to lure her to his house where he forced himself on her. Although the Bible says her brother Absalom avenged her, it only says she lived "devastated" in his house. While I cannot reverse a tragedy in history, I cannot help hoping that Tamar's life turned out better following her brutal mistreatment?

Here I offer in fiction what I wish could have been in the life of Tamar.

Since her childhood, she has loved Jesse Ben Ezra, son of a shepherd. After Jesse joins the king's bodyguard, the young man is assigned to protect Absalom's house. As a young girl, she had not understood her mother's pleasure in the occasional visits by King David her father to her bed chamber. Then one day she looks down on a hot day at Absalom and Jesse Ben Ezra training only in loin cloths with practice swords. As she sees sweat gathered on Jesse, her mother's longing for the king's visits are no longer a mystery.

Seeing huge welts on Absalom and Jesse, she takes great pleasure to treat their pain by rubbing their chests with a soothing blam from Gilead. How her heart pounds as her hands linger far longer than she needs on Ben Ezra's back and arms. Here is the man she wants to  join her in mutual love on her marriage bed. She wants his comforting hands on her and the pleasure of his loins to bring her the joy of children. Absalom cannot help notice that Tamar's feelings for Jesse have gone far beyond childhood friendship to a nearly uncontrolled desire for him.

Although Jesse is Absalom's best friend, he rejects him as a future brother-in-law. He makes Jesse take an oath not to approach Tamar as a future husband would. Tamar is furious to learn to details of the oath.

Later, when she is ravaged by her half-brother Amnon, Absalom regrets his binding oath and asks Tamar to forgive his rashness. Tamar looks with certainty into Absalom's eyes and swears that she will not live another minute unless he agrees to her demands. Absalom loves his sister too much to refuse.

If Jesse Ben Ezra cannot become her husband, Absalom must agree that his duties as body guard must guarantee her the comfort of his presence. He will guard her from danger, comfort her in her loneliness, and sustain her in her present grief with his songs--just as they gave her so much delight as a child. Amid the stormy days of the reign of King David and Absalom's challenge to his father's rule, Tamar has Jesse as her constant companion.

Absalom's oath is not binding on Tamar. She knows it left her free to seduce Jesse. It's a constant temptation that she fights for years, and she might have let the affection she shares with Jesse get the better of her. But she will not bring disgrace to the king, her brother, and the man she loves. But there is something more dangerous Tamar must keep secret.

Early on Tamar realizes both her brother Absalom and Jesse overlooked still something else about the oath. For the safety of both men that she loves, she must keep it secret until the very end--if necessary.

Chapter 1

King David Brings the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem

Tamar held tight to Jesse as the festive Shofar sounded.  There was something so special about her friend Jesse, whom she could not do without.  To her supreme delight,  her brother Absalom joined them to watch their father King David dance before the priests bearing the Ark of Israel's Covenant to Jerusalem. 

How safe Tamar felt with Jessie on her right and her brother Absalom on her left. They pleased her above all of the king's other sons and daughters.

"Here he comes, Jesse!"