2 صَمُوئيل 13

١ 1 وَكَانَ لأَبْشَالُومَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ أُخْتٌ جَمِيلَةٌ تُدْعَى ثَامَارَ، فَأَحَبَّهَا أَخُوهَا غَيْرُ الشَّقِيقِ أَمْنُونُ.

David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. Another of David’s sons, Amnon, was attracted to Tamar.

٢ 2 وَعَانَى أَمْنُونُ مِنْ سُقْمِ الْحُبِّ، لأَنَّ ثَامَارَ أُخْتَهُ كَانَتْ عَذْرَاءَ وَتَعَذَّرَ عَلَيْهِ تَحْقِيقُ مَأْرَبِهِ مِنْهَا.

He wanted [to have sex with] [EUP] his half-sister very much, with the result that he made himself sick [thinking about her all the time]. But it was not possible for Amnon to get her, because she was a virgin, [so they kept men away from her].

٣ 3 وَكَانَ لأَمْنُونَ صَدِيقٌ رَاجِحُ الْعَقْلِ، هُوَ ابْنُ عَمِّهِ، يُونَادَابُ بْنُ شِمْعَى،

But Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, who was the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty/shrewd man.

٤ 4 فَسَأَلَهُ: «مَالِي أَرَاكَ سَقِيماً يَا ابْنَ الْمَلِكِ يَوْماً بَعْدَ يَوْمٍ؟ أَلا تُخْبِرُنِي؟» فَأَجَابَهُ أَمْنُونُ: «إِنِّي أُحِبُّ ثَامَارَ أُخْتَ أَبْشَالُومَ أَخِي».

[One day] Jonadab said to Amnon, “You are the king’s son, but every day I see that [RHQ] you seem very depressed/sad. What is your problem?” Amnon replied, “I (am in love/want to sleep) [EUP] with Tamar, my half-brother Absalom’s sister.”

٥ 5 فَقَالَ يُونَادَابُ: «تَمَارَضْ فِي سَرِيرِكَ. وَعِنْدَمَا يَجِيءُ أَبُوكَ لِيَزُورَكَ قُلْ لَهُ: دَعْ ثَامَارَ أُخْتِي تَأْتِي لِتُطْعِمَنِي. دَعْهَا تُعِدُّ الطَّعَامَ أَمَامِي فَأَرَى مَا تَفْعَلُ وَآكُلُ مِنْ يَدِهَا».

Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed, and pretend that you are sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Allow my half-sister Tamar to come and give me some food to eat. She can prepare the food while I am watching her. Then she can serve it to me herself.’”

٦ 6 فَاضْطَجَعَ أَمْنُونُ وَتَمَارَضَ، وَقَالَ لأَبِيهِ عِنْدَمَا جَاءَ لِيَزُورَهُ: «دَعْ ثَامَارَ تَأْتِي لِتَصْنَعَ أَمَامِي كَعْكَتَيْنِ، فَآكُلَ مِنْ يَدِهَا».

So Amnon lay down, and pretended that he was sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, “[I am sick; ] please allow my half-sister Tamar to come and make a couple scones/dumplings for me while I am watching, and then she can serve them to me.”

٧ 7 فَأَرْسَلَ دَاوُدُ مَنْ يَدْعُو ثَامَارَ مِنْ بَيْتِهَا قَائِلاً: «اذْهَبِي إِلَى بَيْتِ أَخِيكِ أَمْنُونَ وَاصْنَعِي لَهُ طَعَاماً».

So David sent a message to Tamar in the palace, saying “Amnon [is sick and he wants you to] go to his house and prepare some food for him.”

٨ 8 فَمَضَتْ ثَامَارُ إِلَى بَيْتِ أَخِيهَا أَمْنُونَ الرَّاقِدِ فِي سَرِيرِهِ، فَعَجَنَتْ أَمَامَهُ الْعَجِينَ وَصَنَعَتْ كَعْكاً وَخَبَزَتْهُ.

So Tamar went to Amnon’s house, where he was lying in bed. She took some dough and kneaded it, and formed it into some scones/dumplings while he was watching her. Then she baked them.

٩ 9 ثُمَّ أَخَذَتِ الْمِقْلاةَ وَسَكَبَتِ الطَّعَامَ أَمَامَهُ. لَكِنَّهُ أَبَى أَنْ يَأْكُلَ قَائِلاً: «أَخْرِجُوا كُلَّ مَنْ هُنَا». فَانْصَرَفَ جَمِيعُ مَنْ عِنْدَهُ.

She took them out of the pan and put them [on a plate] in front of him, but he refused to eat them. Then he said to everyone else in the room, “All the rest of you, leave me now!” So all the others left his [room].

١٠ 10 ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمْنُونُ لِثَامَارَ: «أَحْضِري الطَّعَامَ إِلَى السَّرِيرِ وَأَطْعِمِينِي». فَأَحْضَرَتْ ثَامَارُ الْكَعْكَ الَّذِي صَنَعَتْهُ إِلَى أَمْنُونَ أَخِيهَا الرَّاقِدِ فِي سَرِيرِهِ.

Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into my room and serve it to me.” So Tamar took into his room the scones/dumplings that she had made.

١١ 11 وَمَا إِنْ قَدَّمَتْهُ لَهُ حَتَّى أَمْسَكَهَا وَقَالَ لَهَا: «تَعَالَيِ اضْطَجِعِي مَعِي يَا أُخْتِي».

But when she brought them close for him to eat them, he grabbed her and said to her, “Come to bed with me!”

١٢ 12 فَأَجَابَتْهُ: «لا يَا أَخِي. لَا تُذِلَّنِي. لأَنَّهُ لَا يُقْتَرَفُ مِثْلُ هَذَا الْعَمَلِ الشَّنِيعِ فِي إِسْرَائِيلَ. أَرْجُوكَ لَا تَرْتَكِبْ هَذِهِ الْقَبَاحَةَ،

She replied, “No, do not force me to do such a disgraceful thing! We never do things like that in Israel! That would be awful/terrible!

١٣ 13 إِذْ كَيْفَ أُوَارِي عَارِي؟ أَمَّا أَنْتَ فَتَكُونُ بِتَصَرُّفِكَ هَذَا كَوَاحِدٍ مِنَ السُّفَهَاءِ فِي إِسْرَائِيلَ. خَاطِبِ الْمَلِكَ بِشَأْنِي فَإِنَّهُ لَنْ يَمْنَعَنِي مِنَ الزَّوَاجِ مِنْكَ».

As for me, if I did that, I would not be able to [RHQ] endure being disgraced by having done that. And as for you, everyone in Israel would condemn you for having done such a disgraceful deed. So I plead with you, talk to the king. I am sure that he will allow me to marry you.”

١٤ 14 فَأَبَى أَنْ يَسْتَمِعَ لِتَوَسُّلاتِهَا، بَلْ تَغَلَّبَ عَلَيْهَا وَاغْتَصَبَهَا.

But he would not listen to her. He was stronger than she was, so he forced her to have sex with him.

١٥ 15 ثُمَّ تَحَوَّلَ حُبُّ أَمْنُونَ لِثَامَارَ إِلَى بُغْضٍ شَدِيدٍ فَاقَ مَحَبَّتَهُ لَهَا. وَقَالَ لَهَا: «قُومِي انْطَلِقِي».

Then Amnon hated her very much. He hated her much more than he had desired her. He said to her, “Get up and get out of here!”

١٦ 16 فَأَجَابَتْ: «لا! إِنَّ طَرْدَكَ إِيَّايَ جَرِيمَةٌ أَشْنَعُ مِنَ الْجَرِيمَةِ الَّتِي اقْتَرَفْتَهَا». لَكِنَّهُ أَبَى أَنْ يَسْمَعَ لَهَا،

But she said to him, “No! It would be very wrong for you to send me away. It would be worse than what you just did to me!” But he would not listen to her.

١٧ 17 وَاسْتَدْعَى خَادِمَهُ الْخَاصَّ وَقَالَ: «اطْرُدْ هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةَ خَارِجاً، وَأَغْلِقِ الْبَابَ وَرَاءَهَا».

He summoned his personal servant and said to him, “Take this woman outside, away from me, and lock the door [so that she cannot come in again]!”

١٨ 18 فَطَرَدَهَا الْخَادِمُ وَأَغْلَقَ الْبَابَ خَلْفَهَا. وَكَانَتْ ثَامَارُ تَرْتَدِي ثَوْباً مُلَوَّناً كَعَادَةِ بَنَاتِ الْمُلُوكِ الْعَذَارَى فِي تِلْكَ الأَيَّامِ،

So the servant put her outside and locked the door. Tamar was wearing a long robe with long sleeves, which was the clothing that was usually worn by the unmarried daughters of the king at that time.

١٩ 19 فَمَزَّقَتِ الثَّوْبَ الْمُلَوَّنَ وَعَفَّرَتْ رَأْسَهَا بِالرَّمَادِ وَوَضَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ يَدَهَا وَمَضَتْ بَاكِيَةً.

But Tamar tore the long robe that she was wearing, and put ashes on her head [to show that she was very sad]. Then she put her hands on her head [to show that she was grieving], and she went away, crying.

٢٠ 20 وَعِنْدَمَا رَآهَا أَخُوهَا أَبْشَالُومُ سَأَلَهَا: «هَلِ اغْتَصَبَكِ أَمْنُونُ؟ اسْكُتِي الآنَ يَا أُخْتِي، فَإِنَّهُ أَخُوكِ وَلا تَحْمِلِي وِزْرَ هَذَا الأَمْرِ فِي قْلبِكِ». فَأَقَامَتْ ثَامَارُ فِي بَيْتِ أَخِيهَا أَبْشَالُومَ فِي عُزْلَةٍ وَحُزْنٍ.

Her brother Absalom [saw her and] said to her, “Has your half-brother Amnon [DOU] forced you to have sex with him [EUP]? Please, my sister, do not tell anyone, and do not become depressed/sad.” So Tamar went to live in Absalom’s house, and she was very sad and lonely.

٢١ 21 وَنَمَا الْخَبَرُ إِلَى الْمَلِكِ دَاوُدَ فَاغْتَاظَ جِدّاً.

When King David heard about all that, he became very angry.

٢٢ 22 أَمَّا أَبْشَالُومُ فَلَمْ يُخَاطِبْ أَمْنُونَ بِخَيْرٍ أَوْ شَرٍّ، لَكِنَّهُ أَضْمَرَ لَهُ بُغْضاً شَدِيداً لأَنَّهُ انْتَهَكَ حُرْمَةَ أُخْتِهِ ثَامَارَ.

And Absalom hated Amnon, because he had raped his sister, so he would not speak to Amnon about anything.

٢٣ 23 وَبَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بِعَامَيْنِ، وَجَّهَ أَبْشَالُومُ دَعْوَةً لِجَمِيعِ أَبْنَاءِ الْمَلِكِ لِحُضُورِ جَزِّ غَنَمِهِ فِي بَعْلِ حَاصُورَ عِنْدَ أَفْرَايِمَ.

Two years later, Absalom’s servants were shearing sheep at Baal-Hazor, which is near [a town named] Ephraim. [When they finished shearing the sheep, they celebrated], and Absalom invited all the king’s sons [to come and celebrate].

٢٤ 24 وَعِنْدَمَا مَثَلَ أَبْشَالُومُ فِي حَضْرَةِ أَبِيهِ قَالَ لَهُ: «هَذَا مَوْسِمُ جَزِّ غَنَمِ عَبْدِكَ، فَلْيَذْهَبِ الْمَلِكُ مَعَ رِجَالِ حَاشِيَتِهِ بِرِفْقَةِ عَبْدِهِ».

Absalom went to the king and said to him, “Sir, my servants have been shearing my sheep. Please come with your officials [to celebrate] with us!”

٢٥ 25 فَأَجَابَ الْمَلِكُ أَبْشَالُومَ: «لا يَا ابْنِي. لَا نَذْهَبُ كُلُّنَا لِئَلّا نَكُونَ عِبْئاً عَلَيْكَ». وَرَغْمَ إِلْحَاحِ أَبْشَالُومَ، اعْتَذَرَ أَبُوهُ وَبَارَكَهُ.

But the king replied, “No, my son, it would not be good for all of us to go, because it would cause you to do a lot of work and spend a lot of money for food.” Absalom continued urging him, but the king would not go. Instead, he said that he hoped/desired that God would bless them [while they celebrated].

٢٦ 26 فَقَالَ أَبْشَالُومُ: «إذاً دَعْ أَخِي أَمْنُونَ يَذْهَبُ مَعَنَا» فَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ: «وَلِمَاذَا يَذْهَبُ أَمْنُونُ مَعَكَ؟»

Then Absalom said, “If you will not go, please allow my half-brother Amnon to go with us.” But the king replied, “Why [do you want] him to go with you?”

٢٧ 27 فَأَلَحَّ عَلَيْهِ أَبْشَالُومُ حَتَّى رَضِيَ أَنْ يَذْهَبَ أَمْنُونُ وَأَبْنَاءُ الْمَلِكِ مَعَ أَبْشَالُومَ.

But Absalom continued to insist, so finally the king permitted Amnon and all David’s other sons to go with Absalom.

٢٨ 28 وَأَوْصَى أَبْشَالُومُ رِجَالَهُ: «مَتَى ذَهَبَتِ الْخَمْرُ بِعَقْلِ أَمْنُونَ وَقُلْتُ لَكُمُ اضْرِبُوا أَمْنُونَ وَاقْتُلُوهُ، فَلا تَخَافُوا. أَلَسْتُ أَنَا الَّذِي أَمَرْتُكُمْ بِذَلِكَ؟ تَشَجَّعُوا وَتَصَرَّفُوا كَأَبْطَالٍ».

[So they all went. And at the celebration], Absalom commanded his servants, “Notice when Amnon has become a bit drunk from the wine. Then when I signal to you, kill him. Do not be afraid; you will be doing this [only] because I told you [RHQ] to do it. So be courageous and do it!”

٢٩ 29 فَنَفَّذَ رِجَالُ أَبْشَالُومَ أَوَامِرَهُ وَقَتَلُوا أَمْنُونَ، فَهَبَّ جَمِيعُ أَبْنَاءِ الْمَلِكِ وَامْتَطَوْا بِغَالَهُمْ وَهَرَبُوا.

So Absalom’s servants did what Absalom told them to do. [They killed Amnon]. All the rest of David’s sons [saw what happened and] fled, riding on their mules.

٣٠ 30 وَفِيمَا هُمْ فِي الطَّرِيقِ بَلَغَ الْخَبَرُ دَاوُدَ وَقِيلَ لَهُ: «قَتَلَ أَبْشَالُومُ جَمِيعَ أَبْنَاءِ الْمَلِكِ وَلَمْ يَسْلَمْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ».

While they were on their way home, someone [went quickly and] reported to David, “Absalom has killed all of your other sons; none of them is still alive!”

٣١ 31 فَقَامَ الْمَلِكُ وَمَزَّقَ ثِيَابَهُ وَانْطَرَحَ عَلَى الأَرْضِ، يُحِيطُ بِهِ جَمِيعُ رِجَالِ حَاشِيَتِهِ مُمَزَّقِي الثِّيَابِ.

The king stood up, tore his clothes [because he was extremely sad], and then he threw himself down on the ground. All the servants who were there also tore their clothes.

٣٢ 32 وَلَكِنَّ يُونَادَابَ بْنَ شِمْعَي أَخِي دَاوُدَ قَالَ: «لا يَظُنَّ سَيَّدِي أَنَّهُمْ قَتَلوا جَمِيعَ أَبْنَاءِ المَلِكِ. إِنَّمَا أَمْنُونُ وَحْدَهُ هُوَ الَّذِي مَاتَ، لأَنَّ أَبْشَالُومَ قَدْ أَضْمَرَ لَهُ هَذَا الشَّرَّ مُنْذُ أَنِ اغْتَصَبَ أُخْتَهُ ثَامَارَ.

But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “Your Majesty, [I am sure that] they have not killed all your sons. [I am sure that] only Amnon is dead, because Absalom has determined to do this ever since the day that Amnon raped [EUP] his half-sister Tamar.

٣٣ 33 فَلا يُخَالِجْ قَلْبَ الْمَلِكِ أَنَّ جَمِيعَ أَبْنَائِهِ قَدْ قُتِلَوا، إِنَّمَا أَمْنُونُ وَحْدَهُ هُوَ الَّذِي اُغْتِيلَ».

So, your majesty, do not believe the report that all your sons are dead. [I am sure that] only Amnon is dead.”

٣٤ 34 وَهَربَ أَبْشَالُومُ. وَشَاهَدَ الرَّقِيبُ الْمُكَلَّفُ جَمْعاً غَفِيراً قَادِماً فِي الطَّرِيقِ الْمُوَازِي لِلْجَبَلِ،

In the meantime, Absalom ran away. Just then, the soldier/sentry [who was standing on the city wall] saw a large crowd of people coming down the hill along the road from Horonaim. [He ran and told the king what he had seen].

٣٥ 35 فَقَالَ يُونَادَابُ لِلْمَلِكِ: «هَا أَبْنَاءُ الْمَلِكِ قَدْ جَاءُوا. تَمَاماً كَمَا قَالَ عَبْدُكَ».

Jonadab said to the king, “Aha! What I told you is true. Your other sons [are alive and] have come!”

٣٦ 36 وَمَا إِنْ فَرَغَ مِنْ حَدِيثِهِ حَتَّى جَاءَ بَنُو الْمَلِكِ نَائِحِينَ، وَكَذَلِكَ بَكَى الْمَلِكُ وَرِجَالُ حَاشِيَتِهِ بُكَاءً مُرّاً.

And as soon as he said that, David’s sons came in. They all started crying, and David and all his officials also cried very much.

٣٧ 37 وَعِنْدَمَا هَرَبَ أَبْشَالُومُ لَجَأَ إِلَى تِلْمَايَ بْنِ عَمِّيهُودَ مَلِكِ جَشُورَ. وَنَاحَ دَاوُدُ عَلَى أَمْنُونَ طَوَالَ أَيَّامِ الْمَنَاحَةِ.

But Absalom had fled. He went to stay with the king of [the] Geshur [region], who was Talmai the son of Ammihud. Absalom stayed there for three years. David mourned for his son Amnon for a long time,

٣٨ 38 وَمَكَثَ أَبْشَالُومُ فِي جَشُورَ ثَلاثَ سَنَوَاتٍ.

٣٩ 39 وَمَا لَبِثَ أَنْ تَعَزَّى دَاوُدُ عَنْ أَمْنُونَ الْمُتَوَفَّى، فَاشْتَاقَتْ نَفْسُهُ لِلِقَاءِ أَبْشَالُومَ.

but after that, he desired very much to see Absalom, because he was no longer grieving about Amnon being dead.