Tamar (3) is the daughter of Absalom. She is most beautiful. That’s all we know about her.
We can assume Absalom named her after her Aunt Tamar, her father’s sister whom her Uncle Amnon raped. This aunt was taken in by her dad, where she lived in desolation.
By sharing her aunt’s name, Absalom’s daughter Tamar is linked to the tragedy that befell her aunt. We’re left to wonder if this defines her or impacts her life. Yet it must have some ramifications.
Like Tamar, our name may be in memory of someone else, which may or may not have positive implications.
Yet our name—what it means or who it’s connected to—need not dictate our future. We can pursue our own path.
Regardless of what our life is now, it need not limit what we become.
How can we live our own life, regardless of the labels people give us?
How can we overcome our circumstances to become all God wants us to be?
[Read about Tamar in 2 Samuel 14:27. Discover other beautiful women in Job 42:14–15 and Esther 2:7.]
Learn about 100 more biblical characters in More Old Testament Sinners and Saints, available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover. Get your copy today.
More Old Testament Sinners and Saints is part of the Bible Character Sketches series.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront a status quo faith and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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