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 Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; 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 was so vexed that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do any thing unto 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, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil 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 unto him, Why, O son of the king, art thou thus lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s 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 Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at 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 was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat 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 David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him 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 her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. And she took dough, and kneaded 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 took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men 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 unto Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she 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 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!

And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.

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 carry my shame? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak 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.

Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but being stronger than she, he 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 with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith 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, Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is [worse] than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.

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

Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door 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 divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door 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 her garment of divers colours that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.

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 said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but now hold thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; take not this thing to heart. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.

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

But when king David heard of 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 spake unto 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 it came to pass after two years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom 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 Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; 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 Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.

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

Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto 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 pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

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!”

And Absalom commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine; and when I say unto you, smite Amnon, then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.

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 Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man gat him up upon 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 came to pass, while they were in the way, that the tidings came to David saying, Absalom hath slain 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 the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood 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 Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he 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.”

Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons 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.”

But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.

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

And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king’s sons are come: as thy servant said, 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 it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very 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, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. And [David] mourned for his son every 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 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 Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.