2 Samuel 13

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

Now after this so it was, that Absalom the sonne of Dauid hauing a fayre sister, whose name was Tamar, Amnon the sonne of Dauid loued 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.

And Amnon was so sore vexed, that he fell sicke for his sister Tamar: for she was a virgin, and it seemed hard to Amnon to doe any thing to her.

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

But Amnon had a friend called Ionadab, the sonne of Shimeah Dauids brother: and Ionadab was a very subtile 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.”

Who sayde vnto him, Why art thou the Kings sonne so leane from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? Then Amnon answered him, I loue Tamar my brother Absaloms sister.

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.’”

And Ionadab sayd vnto him, Lie downe on thy bed, and make thy selfe sicke: and when thy father shall come to see thee, say vnto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and giue me meate, and let her dresse meate in my sight, that I may see it, and eate it of her hand.

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 downe, and made himselfe sicke: and when the King came to see him, Amnon sayde vnto the King, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may receiue meate at her hand.

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 Dauid sent home to Tamar, saying, Goe now to thy brother Amnons house, and dresse him meate.

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 her brother Amnons house, and he lay downe: and she tooke floure, and knead it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.

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.

And she tooke a pan, and powred them out before him, but he would not eat. Then Amnon saide, Cause ye euery man to goe out from me: so euery man went out from him.

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 vnto Tamar, Bring the meate into the chamber, that I may eate of thine hand. And Tamar tooke the cakes which shee had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

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

And when she had set them before him to eate, he tooke her, and sayd vnto her, Come, lye 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!

But shee answered him, Nay, my brother, doe not force me: for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: commit not this follie.

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.”

And I, whither shall I cause my shame to goe? and thou shalt be as one of the fooles in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, speake to the King, for he will not denie me vnto thee.

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

Howbeit he would not hearken vnto her voyce, but being stronger then she, forced her, and lay with 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 her exceedingly, so that the hatred wherewith he hated her, was greater then the loue, wherewith hee had loued her: and Amnon sayde vnto her, Vp, get thee hence.

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.

And she answered him, There is no cause: this euill (to put mee away) is greater then the other that thou diddest vnto me: but he would not heare her,

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

But called his seruant that serued him, and sayd, Put this woman now out from me, and locke the doore after 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.

(And she had a garment of diuers coulours vpon her: for with such garments were the Kings daughters that were virgins, apparelled) Then his seruant brought her out, and locked the doore after her.

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

And Tamar put ashes on her head and rent the garment of diuers colours which was on her, and layde her hand on her head, and went her way crying.

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.

And Absalom her brother sayd vnto her, Hath Amnon thy brother bene with thee? Now yet be still, my sister: he is thy brother: let not this thing grieue thine heart. So Tamar remayned desolate in her brother Absaloms house.

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

But when King Dauid heard all these things, he was very wroth.

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

And Absalom sayde vnto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced 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.

And after the time of two yeeres, Absalom had sheepesherers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim, and Absalom called all the Kings sonnes.

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?”

And Absalom came to the King and sayd, Beholde now, thy seruant hath sheepesherers: I pray thee, that the King with his seruants would goe with thy seruant.

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.

But the King answered Absalom, Nay my sonne, I pray thee, let vs not goe all, lest we be chargeable vnto thee. Yet Absalom lay sore vpon him: howbeit he would not go, but thanked him.

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

Then sayd Absalom, But, I pray thee, shall not my brother Amnon goe with vs? And the king answered him, Why should he go with thee?

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

But Absalom was instant vpon him, and he sent Amnon with him, and all the Kings children.

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!”

Now had Absalom commanded his seruants, saying, Marke now when Amnons heart is merry with wine, and when I say vnto you, Smite Amnon, kill him, feare not, for haue not I commanded you? be bold therefore, and play the men.

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.

And the seruantes of Absalom did vnto Amnon, as Absalom had commanded: and al the Kings sonnes arose, and euery man gate him vp vpon his mule, and fled.

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!”

And while they were in the way, tydings came to Dauid, saying, Absalom hath slaine al the Kings sonnes, and there is not one of them 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.

Then the King arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the ground, and all his seruants stoode by with their clothes rent.

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.

And Ionadab the sonne of Shimeah Dauids brother answered and sayde, Let not my lord suppose that they haue slayne all the yong men the Kings sonnes: for Amnon onely is dead, because Absalom had reported so, since hee forced 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.”

Nowe therefore let not my lord the King take the thing so grieuously, to thinke that all ye Kings sonnes are dead: for Amnon only 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.”

Then Absalom fled: and the yong man that kept the watch, lift vp his eyes, and looked, and behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behinde him.

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

And Ionadab said vnto the King, Behold, ye Kings sonnes come: as thy seruant sayd, so it is.

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.

And assoone as hee had left speaking, behold, the Kings sonnes came, and lift vp their voyces, and wept: and the King also and all his seruants wept exceedingly sore.

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

But Absalom fled away, and went to Talmai the sonne of Ammihur King of Geshur: and Dauid mourned for his sonne euery day.

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

So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three yeeres.

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

And King Dauid desired to go forth vnto Absalom, because he was pacified concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.