2 Samuel 13

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

And it came to pass after this, that Abshalom the son of David had a handsome sister, whose name was Thamar; and Amnon the son of David loved 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 worried himself so that he fell sick on account of Thamar his sister; for she was a virgin; and it was impossible in the eyes of Amnon to do her the least [harm].

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, whose name was Yonadab, the son of Shim'ah, David's brother; and Yonadab was a very sensible 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.”

And he said to him, Why art thou so wasted, O prince, morning after morning? Wilt thou not tell me? Then said Amnon to him, Thamar the sister of Abshalom my brother do I love.

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 Yonadab said to him, Lie down on thy couch, and feign thyself sick; and when thy father cometh to see thee, thou must say unto him, Let, I pray thee, Thamar my sister come, and give me some food, and prepare the refreshment before my eyes, in order that I may see it, and eat it out 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 down, and feigned himself sick; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Let, I pray thee, Thamar my sister come, and mix up before my eyes a couple of cakes, that I may enjoy them out of 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 did David send home to Thamar, saying, Do go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and prepare for him the refreshment.

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 Thamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, and he was lying down; and she took the dough and kneaded, and mixed it up before his eyes, and baked 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 took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat; and Amnon said, Cause every man to go out from me; and they went out, every man, 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.

And Amnon said to Thamar, Bring the refreshment into the chamber, that I may enjoy it out of thy hand. So Thamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them unto Amnon her brother into the chamber.

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 brought them near unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come, lie 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 she said to him, No, my brother, do not violate me; for such a deed ought not to be done in Israel; do not this scandalous act!

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 should I carry my shame? and as for thee, thou wouldst be like one of the worthless in Israel; but now, O speak, I pray thee, unto the king, for he will not withhold me from thee.

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

Nevertheless, he would not hearken unto her voice; but he overpowered her, and violated 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 did Amnon hate her with a very great hatred; so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her; and Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.

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 said unto him, [Do] not add this yet greater wrong than the other which thou hast done with me, to send me [now] away! But he would not listen to her;

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

And he called his young man, his servant, and said, Do send this woman away from me, into the street, 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.

And she had on a garment of divers colors; for thus were usually appareled the king's daughters when virgins, in robes; and his servant brought her out into the street, and locked the door behind 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 Thamar put ashes on her head, and the garment of divers colors which was on her she rent: and she placed her hand on her head, and went away and cried as she went along.

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.

Then said to her Abshalom her brother, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but now, my sister, keep silence, he is thy brother, take this thing not to thy heart. So Thamar remained, and was secluded in the house of Abshalom her brother.

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

And when king David heard all these things, it displeased him greatly.

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

And Abshalom spoke not with Amnon either bad or good; for Abshalom hated Amnon, because he had violated Thamar his sister.

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

And it came to pass after two full years, that Abshalom had sheep-shearers at Ba'al-chazor, which is near Ephraim; and Abshalom invited all the king's sons.

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 Abshalom came to the king, and said, Behold, now, thy servant hath sheep-shearers; let the king, I pray thee, and his servants go with thy servant.

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.

And the king said to Abshalom, No, my son, do not let us all go now, that we may not be a burden upon thee. And he urged him much, but he would not go, and he blessed him.

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

And Abshalom said, If not, let, I pray thee, Amnon my brother go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee?

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

But Abshalom urged him greatly, and he sent with him Amnon and all the sons of the king.

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 Abshalom commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye, I pray you, when Annon's heart is merry with wine, and I say unto you, Smite Amnon: then kill him, fear not; behold, it is I who command it you; be firm and show yourselves men of valor.

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 servants of Abshalom did unto Amnon as Abshalom had commanded. Then arose all the king's sons, and they rode off, every man on 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 it happened, while they were on the way, that the report came to David, saying, Abshalom hath smitten all the king's sons, 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 arose the king and rent his garments, and laid himself on the earth: and all his servants were standing by with their garments 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.

But Yonadab the son of Shim'ah, David's brother, commenced and said, Let not my Lord suppose that they have slain all the young men, the king's sons; since Amnon alone is dead; for by the command of Abshalom was this ordained from the day that he violated Thamar his sister.

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.”

And now let not my Lord the king take the thing to his heart, thinking, that all the king's sons are dead; for Amnon alone 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.”

And Abshalom flew away. And the young man that was watching lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, many people were coming by the way behind him, by the side of the mount.

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

And Yonadab said to the king, The king's sons are come: according to the word of thy servant, so hath it come to pass.

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 it happened, as he had just finished speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and they lifted up their voice and wept; and also the king and all his servants wept very much.

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

But Abshalom had fled; and he went to Talmai, the son of 'Ammihud, the king of Geshur: and [David] mourned for his son all the time.

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

So did Abshalom fly, and go to Geshur, and he remained there three years.

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

And [the soul of] king David longed to go forth unto Abshalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, that he was dead.