* Ahinoam is mentioned in the following passages: 1 Sam. xxv. 43, xxvii. 3, xxx. 5; 2 Sam. ii. 2, iii. 2; cf. also 1 Chron. iii. 1; Maacah in 2 Sam. iii. 3; 1 Chron. iii. 2; Haggith in 2 Sam. iii. 4; 1 Kings i. 5, 11, ii. 13; 1 Chron. iii. 2; Abital in 2 Sam. iii. 4; 1 Chron. iii. 3; Eglah in 2 Sam. iii. 5; 1 Chron. iii. 3. For the concubines, see 2 Sam. v. 13, xv. 15, xvi. 21, 22; 1 Chron. iii. 9, xiv. 3. ** 2 Sam. xi., xii. 7-25. *** 2 Sam. ix., xvi. 1-4, xix. 25-30, where the name is changed into Mephibosheth; the original name is given in 1 Chron. viii. 34. **** Sam. xvi. 5-14, xix. 16-23; 1 Kings ii. 8, 9, 36-46. The eldest son of Ahinoam, Amnon, whose priority in age seemed likely to secure for him the crown, had fallen in love with one of his half-sisters named Tamar, the daughter of Maacah, and, instead of demanding her in marriage, procured her attendance on him by a feigned illness, and forced her to accede to his desires. His love was thereupon converted immediately into hate, and, instead of marrying her, he had her expelled from his house by his servants. With rent garments and ashes on her head, she fled to her full-brother Absalom. David was very wroth, but he loved his firstborn, and could not permit himself to punish him. Absalom kept his anger to himself, but when two years had elapsed he invited Amnon to a banquet, killed him, and fled to his grandfather Talmai, King of Geshur.* * It is to be noted that Tamar asked Amnon to marry her, and that the sole reproach directed against the king’s eldest son was that, after forcing her, he was unwilling to make her his wife. Unions of brother and sister were probably as legitimate among the Hebrews at this time as among the Egyptians.