2 Samuel 13

1 After some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom.

David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and another of David's sons, Amnon, fell in love with her.

2 Amnon was sick with frustration over his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed implausible for him to do anything to her.

Amnon became so infatuated with his sister Tamar that he felt sick. She was a virgin, and Amnon saw it was impossible for him to have her.

3 Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man,

However, Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, and he was the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very cunning man.

4 so he asked Amnon, “Why are you, the son of the king, so depressed morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon replied, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

He asked Amnon, “Why are you, the king's son, so down every morning? Why don't you tell me what's wrong?” “I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister,” Amnon replied.

5 Jonadab told him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare it in my sight so I may watch her and eat it from her hand.’”

“Lie down on your bed and pretend you're sick,” Jonadab told him. “When your father comes to see you, tell him, ‘Please have my sister Tamar come and give me some food to eat. She can make it as I watch and she can hand it to me.’”

6 So Amnon lay down and feigned illness. When the king came to see him, Amnon said, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.”

So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon asked him, “Please have my sister Tamar come and make a couple of pancakes as I watch, and she can hand them to me to eat.”

7 Then David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare a meal for him.”

Then David sent a message to Tamar at the palace: “Please be so kind as to go to the house of your brother Amnon and make him some food.”

8 So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked them.

So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon to where he was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, and cooked the pancakes as he watched.

9 Then she brought the pan and set it down before him, but he refused to eat. “Send everyone away!” said Amnon. And everyone went out.

Then she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. “Everybody leave me!” Amnon shouted. Everyone left.

10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, so that I may eat it from your hand.” Tamar took the cakes she had made and went to her brother Amnon’s bedroom.

Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food here into my bedroom so you can hand it to me to eat.” So Tamar took the pancakes she had made to her brother Amnon in his bedroom.

11 And when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said, “Come lie with me, my sister!”

But as she handed him the food, he grabbed hold of her, and said, “Come to bed with me, my sister!”

12 “No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not humiliate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!

“No, you're my brother!” she exclaimed. “Don't rape me! That's not what we do in Israel! Don't do something so shameful!

13 Where could I ever take my shame? And you would be like one of the fools in Israel! Please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”

Stop and think about me! How could I bear such a disgrace? Think about yourself too! You'd be treated with contempt as a complete fool in Israel! Please talk with the king, for he won't stop you marrying me.”

14 But Amnon refused to listen to her, and being stronger, he violated her and lay with her.

But Amnon wouldn't to listen to her, and because he was stronger than she was, he raped her.

15 Then Amnon hated Tamar with such intensity that his hatred was greater than the love he previously had. “Get up!” he said to her. “Be gone!”

Then Amnon hated Tamar with immense hatred. His hatred was so strong that it was greater than the love he'd had before. “Get up! Get lost!” he told her.

16 “No,” she replied, “sending me away is worse than this great wrong you have already done to me!” But he refused to listen to her.

“No! Don't do this!” she answered. “Sending me away in disgrace would be an even greater evil than what you've already done to me.” But he wouldn't listen to her.

17 Instead, he called to his attendant and said, “Throw this woman out and bolt the door behind her!”

He called for his servant and said, “Get rid of this woman and lock the door behind her!”

18 So Amnon’s attendant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a robe of many colors, because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore.

So his servant threw her out and locked the door behind her. Tamar was wearing the long robe of a princess, which is what the king's virgin daughters wore.

19 And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying bitterly.

Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her long robe. She put her hands on her head, she went away crying loudly.

20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.

Her brother Absalom found her and asked, “Has brother Amnon been with you? Keep quiet for the moment, my sister. He's your brother. Don't be so upset about it.” So Tamar lived as a ruined and abandoned woman in her brother Absalom's home.

21 When King David heard all this, he was furious.

When King David heard about it, he was very angry.

22 And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon for disgracing his sister Tamar.

Absalom didn't talk to Amnon at all because he hated Amnon for raping his sister Tamar.

23 Two years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, he invited all the sons of the king.

Some two years later, when his sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king's sons to join the celebrations.

24 And he went to the king and said, “Your servant has just hired shearers. Will the king and his servants please come with me?”

He went to the king and said, “I, your servant, have hired shearers. Would the king and his servants please join me?”

25 “No, my son,” the king replied, “we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you.” Although Absalom urged him, he was not willing to go, but gave him his blessing.

“No, my son,” the king replied, “we can't all go. We would be a burden to you.” Even though Absalom went on asking, he was not willing to go, but he did give Absalom his blessing.

26 “If not,” said Absalom, “please let my brother Amnon go with us.” “Why should he go with you?” the king asked.

“Well then, at least let my brother Amnon join us,” Absalom responded. “Why do you want him to go?” the king asked.

27 But Absalom urged him, so the king sent Amnon and the rest of his sons.

But Absalom kept on asking, so the king sent Amnon and his other sons.

28 Now Absalom had ordered his young men, “Watch Amnon until his heart is merry with wine, and when I order you to strike Amnon down, you are to kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant!”

Absalom gave orders to his men, saying, “Pay attention! When Amnon is feeling happy from drinking wine and I tell you, ‘Attack Amnon!’ then kill him. Don't be afraid. I myself am giving you this order. Be strong and be brave.”

29 So Absalom’s young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had ordered. Then all the other sons of the king got up, and each one fled on his mule.

So Absalom's men did what Absalom had ordered and killed Amnon. Then all the rest of the king's sons jumped up, got on their mules, and ran away.

30 While they were on the way, a report reached David: “Absalom has struck down all the sons of the king; not one of them is left!”

While they were on their way back, David received a message, “Absalom has killed all the king's sons—there's not a single one left!”

31 Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

The king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground. All his officials stood beside him with their clothes torn.

32 But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, spoke up: “My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.

But Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah, told them: “Your Majesty must not think they have killed all the king's sons—only Amnon is dead. Absalom has been planning ever since the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar.

33 So now, my lord the king, do not take to heart the report that all the sons of the king are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”

So, Your Majesty, please don't believe the report that all the king's sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”

34 Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man standing watch looked up, he saw many people coming down the road west of him, along the side of the hill. And the watchman went and reported to the king, “I see men coming from the direction of Horonaim, along the side of the hill.”

In the meantime, Absalom had run away. When the watchman in Jerusalem looked out, he saw a large crowd coming along the road west of him, down the side of the hill.

35 So Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the sons of the king have arrived! It is just as your servant said.”

Jonadab told the king, “Can you see? The king's sons are arriving! It's exactly as your servant said.”

36 And as he finished speaking, the sons of the king came in, wailing loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

As he finished speaking, the king's sons came in, crying and wailing. Then the king and all his officials also cried loudly.

37 Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But David mourned for his son every day.

Absalom ran away to Talmai, son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. Every day David mourned for his son Amnon.

38 After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years.

After Absalom had run away to Geshur, he remained there for three years.

39 And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnon’s death.

King David longed to go and see Absalom, for he had finished grieving over the death of Amnon.