The tragic story of Tamar, Amnon, and Absalom (2 Samuel 13), contrasted with the longing call of the bride in Song of Solomon, reveals how assumption either becomes divine union or desecration—depending on whether imagination is honoured or violated.
Tamar: The Receptive Imaginative State Awaiting Union
Tamar (meaning palm tree) represents the receptive, fertile ground of imagination—the feminine aspect of “I AM” waiting for a true assumption. She is not an outer figure but an inner condition of spiritual readiness. This is the state within us that says, “I AM ready to receive; I AM willing to become.”
In Song of Solomon, this receptivity is beautifully honoured:
“Sustain me with cakes of raisins, refresh me with apples: for I am sick of love.”
—Song 2:5
This is a soul yearning for fulfilment—not forcing, but waiting, trusting, assuming union through love.
Amnon: The Egoic “I Am” That Forces Assumption
Amnon symbolises the corrupted outer self—the egoic ‘I AM’ that tries to take imagination by violence, not by inner transformation.
“Amnon said to the king, ‘I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.’”
—2 Samuel 13:6
This isn’t just narrative—it’s symbolic:
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Feigning illness is a false state, a manipulated assumption.
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“In my sight” reflects the outer man demanding evidence before belief.
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Eating from her hand is the attempt to take from imagination what has not yet been assumed in truth.
Amnon tries to force the result without entering the state. He desires the fruit of assumption—manifestation—without the marriage of consciousness and imagination.
This is what Neville means when he warns:
“To force a desire is to confess it is not real.”
The Cakes: Communion vs. Coercion
| Passage | Song of Solomon 2:5 | 2 Samuel 13:6 |
|---|---|---|
| Who asks? | The soul (receptive “I AM”) | The egoic “I AM” pretending weakness |
| Why are cakes requested? | To sustain love and faith | To trap and dominate imagination |
| What do they symbolise? | Communion, surrender, loving assumption | Coercion, violence, false assumption |
| Underlying tone | Longing in faith | Lust in lack |
| Outcome | Readiness for union | Violation and collapse |
In Song of Solomon, the cakes sustain the one who knows union is coming. In 2 Samuel, the cakes become a means of seizing what hasn’t been assumed.
Tamar’s Garment Torn: What Happens When Assumption Is Desecrated
“And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours…”
—2 Samuel 13:19
Tamar’s garment, symbol of rich imaginative potential, is torn when the outer self (Amnon) forces what should be received through reverent assumption. This is what happens when the I AM tries to “grab” a state without entering it fully in feeling. Imagination is desecrated—and so, the result is pain, shame, and fragmentation.
Absalom: The Subconscious Reckoning
Absalom, Tamar’s full brother, represents the subconscious memory of injustice. Neville often speaks of how the subconscious does not forget what is impressed upon it, whether by love or violence.
“Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.”
—2 Samuel 13:22
This hatred grows silently until it erupts into vengeance. This shows the inevitable correction that follows when imagination is wrongfully used. You cannot deceive the subconscious for long. What you force without faith, you lose.
Final Summary: Assumption Must Be Honoured, Not Hijacked
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Tamar: The pure, fertile inner condition of imagination—I AM ready.
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Amnon: The impatient ego—the false assumption that demands without transformation—I WANT but do not BECOME.
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The cakes: Symbols of nourished desire or manipulative taking, depending on whether assumption is true or false.
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Absalom: The subconscious force that eventually acts to restore balance—I remember.
Conclusion: How Do You Assume?
Neville Goddard teaches that assumption is creation. But assumption must be honest, felt, and aligned with love. You cannot fake your state or trick your imagination. The story of Tamar and Amnon shows what happens when we try.
If you feel the need to “grab,” to prove, to coerce—pause. You are Amnon in that moment.
Instead, return to the state of Tamar: I AM willing. I AM receptive. I AM one with that which I seek.
As Neville said:
“Dare to assume you are what you want to be, and you will compel the world to reflect it.”
But if you force imagination with fear or impatience, the garment will tear—and so will you.
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