2 Samuel 13

1 Now after these things, it happened that Amnon, the son of David, was in love with the very beautiful sister of Absalom, the son of David, and she was called Tamar.

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 And he pined for her exceedingly, so much so that, out of love for her, he became ill. For, since she was a virgin, it seemed a difficulty to him that he would do anything dishonest with her.

And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything to her.

3 Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, the brother of David: a very prudent man.

But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtle man.

4 And he said to him: “Why are you becoming so thin from day to day, O son of the king? Why won’t you tell me?” And Amnon said to him, “I am in love with Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.”

And he said to him, Why are you, being the king’s son, lean from day to day? will you not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.

5 And Jonadab said to him: “Lie down upon your bed, and feign sickness. And when your father will come to visit you, say to him: ‘I ask you to let my sister Tamar come to me, so that she may give me food, and may make a small meal, so that I may eat it from her hand.’”

And Jonadab said to him, Lay you down on your bed, and make yourself sick: and when your father comes to see you, say to him, I pray you, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.

6 And so, Amnon lay down, and he began to act as if he were ill. And when the king had come to visit him, Amnon said to the king, “I beg you to let my sister Tamar come to me, and make in my sight two little portions of food, so that I take it from her hand.”

So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said to the king, I pray you, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.

7 Therefore, David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Come to the house of your brother Amnon, and make a small meal for him.”

Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and dress him meat.

8 And Tamar went into the house of her brother Amnon. But he was lying down. And taking flour, she mixed it. And dissolving it in his sight, she cooked little portions of food.

So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.

9 And taking what she had cooked, she poured it out, and she set it before him. But he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Send everyone away from me.” And when they had sent everyone away,

And she took a 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 Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, so that I may eat from your hand.” Therefore, Tamar took the little portions of food that she had made, and she brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom.

And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of your 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 presented the food to him, he took hold of her, and he said, “Come lie with me, my sister.”

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

12 She answered him: “Do not do so, my brother! Do not force me. For no such thing must be done in Israel. Do not choose to do this senseless act.

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

13 For I will not be able to bear my shame. And you will be like one of the foolish in Israel. For it is better to speak to the king, and he will not deny me to you.”

And I, where shall I cause my shame to go? and as for you, you shall be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray you, speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.

14 But he was not willing to agree to her petition. Instead, prevailing by strength, he forced her, and he lay with her.

However, he would not listen to her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

15 And Amnon held hatred for her with an exceedingly great hatred, so much so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her before. And Amnon said to her, “Rise up, and go away.”

Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Arise, be gone.

16 And she answered him, “This evil is greater, which you are now doing against me in driving me away, than what you did before.” But he was not willing to listen to her.

And she said to him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me. But he would not listen to her.

17 Instead, calling the servants who were ministering to him, he said, “Cast this woman out from me, and close the door behind her.”

Then he called his servant that ministered to him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.

18 Now she was clothed with an ankle-length robe. For the virgin daughters of the king made use of this kind of garment. And so, his servant cast her out, and he closed the door behind her.

And she had a garment of divers colors on her: for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins appareled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

19 And she sprinkled ashes upon her head, and she tore her ankle-length robe. And placing her hands upon her head, she went forth, walking and crying out.

And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

20 Then her brother Absalom said to her: “Has your brother Amnon lain with you? But now, sister, be quiet. For he is your brother. And you should not afflict your heart because of this matter.” And so, Tamar remained, wasting away in the house of her brother Absalom.

And Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon your brother been with you? but hold now your peace, my sister: he is your brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.

21 And when king David had heard about these things, he was deeply grieved. But he was not willing to afflict the spirit of his son Amnon. For he loved him, since he was his firstborn.

But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.

22 Yet Absalom did not speak to Amnon, neither good nor evil. For Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.

And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

23 Then, after the time of two years, it happened that the sheep of Absalom were being shorn in Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim. And Absalom invited all the sons of the king.

And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheep shearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

24 And he went to the king, and he said to him: “Behold, the sheep of your servant are being shorn. I ask that the king, with his servants, may come to his servant.”

And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, your servant has sheep shearers; let the king, I beseech you, and his servants go with your servant.

25 And the king said to Absalom: “Do not, my son, do not choose to ask that we may all come and be a burden to you.” Then, after he urged him, and he had refused to go, he blessed him.

And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable to you. And he pressed him: however, he would not go, but blessed him.

26 And Absalom said, “If you are not willing to come, I beg you, at least let my brother Amnon come with us.” And the king said to him, “It is not necessary that he go with you.”

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

27 But Absalom pressed him, and so he sent with him Amnon and all the sons of the king. And Absalom made a feast, like the feast of a king.

But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

28 Then Absalom commanded his servants, saying: “Observe when Amnon will have become drunk with wine. And when I say to you, ‘Strike and kill him!’ do not be afraid. For it is I who commands you. Be strong and valiant men.”

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

29 Therefore, the servants of Absalom acted against Amnon, just as Absalom had commanded them. And all the sons of the king rose up, and each one climbed upon his mule and fled.

And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man got him up on his mule, and fled.

30 And while they were still traveling on the journey, a rumor reached David, saying, “Absalom has struck down all the sons of the king, and there is not one of them remaining.”

And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom has slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left.

31 And so the king rose up, and he tore his garments, and he fell upon the ground. And all his servants, who were standing near him, tore their garments.

Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

32 But Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, responding, said: “My lord the king should not consider that all the sons of the king have been slain. Amnon alone is dead. For he was set against by the mouth of Absalom from the day that he raped his sister Tamar.

And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

33 Now therefore, let not my lord the king set this word in his heart, saying, ‘All the sons of the king have been slain.’ For 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 Now Absalom fled. And the young man keeping watch, lifted up his eyes and gazed out. And behold, many people were arriving along a remote road at the side of the mountain.

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 And Jonadab said to the king: “Behold, the sons of the king are here. In accord with the word of your servant, so it has happened.”

And Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king’s sons come: as your servant said, so it is.

36 And when he had ceased speaking, the sons of the king also appeared. And entering, they lifted up their voice, and they wept. And the king also, and all his servants, wept with an exceedingly great weeping.

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 But Absalom, fleeing, went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. Then David mourned for his son every day.

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

38 Now after he had fled and had arrived in Geshur, Absalom was in that place for three years.

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

39 And king David ceased to pursue Absalom, because he had been consoled over the passing of Amnon.

And the soul of king David longed to go forth to Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.