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 cometh to pass afterwards that Absalom son of David hath a fair sister, and her name [is] Tamar, and Amnon son of David loveth 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 hath distress — even to become sick, because of Tamar his sister, for she [is] a virgin, and it is hard in the eyes of Amnon 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.

And Amnon hath a friend, and his name [is] Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David's brother, and Jonadab [is] a very wise 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 saith to him, 'Wherefore [art] thou thus lean, O king's son, morning by morning? dost thou not declare to me?' And Amnon saith to him, 'Tamar — sister of Absalom my brother — I am loving.'

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 saith to him, 'Lie down on thy couch, and feign thyself sick, and thy father hath come in to see thee, and thou hast said unto him, 'Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come in and give me bread to eat; and she hath made the food before mine eyes so that I see [it], and have eaten from 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.”

And Amnon lieth down, and feigneth himself sick, and the king cometh in to see him, and Amnon saith unto the king, 'Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come, and she maketh before mine eyes two cakes, and I eat from 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.”

And David sendeth unto Tamar, to the house, saying, 'Go, I pray thee, to the house of Amnon thy brother, and make for him food.'

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.

And Tamar goeth to the house of Amnon her brother, and he is lying down, and she taketh the dough, and kneadeth, and maketh cakes before his eyes, and cooketh 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 taketh the frying-pan, and poureth out before him, and he refuseth to eat, and Amnon saith, 'Take ye out every one from me;' and they go out every one 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 saith unto Tamar, 'Bring the food into the inner chamber, and I eat from thy hand;' and Tamar taketh the cakes that she hath made, and bringeth in to Amnon her brother, into the inner chamber,

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 she bringeth nigh unto him to eat, and he layeth hold on her, and saith 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 saith to him, 'Nay, my brother, do not humble me, for it is not done so in Israel; do not 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 — whither do I cause my reproach to go? and thou — thou art as one of the fools in Israel; and now, speak, I pray thee, unto the king; for he doth not withhold me from thee.'

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

And he hath not been willing to hearken to her voice, and is stronger than she, and humbleth her, and lieth 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.”

And Amnon hateth her — a very great hatred — that greater [is] the hatred with which he hath hated her than the love with which he loved her, and Amnon saith to her, 'Rise, go.'

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 saith to him, 'Because of the circumstances this evil is greater than the other that thou hast done with me — to send me away;' and he hath not been willing to hearken 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.”

and calleth his young man, his servant, and saith, 'Send away, I pray thee, this one from me without, 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 upon her [is] a long coat, for such upper robes do daughters of the king who [are] virgins put on, — and his servant taketh her out without, and hath 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 taketh ashes for her head, and the long coat that [is] on her she hath rent, and putteth her hand on her head, and goeth, going on and 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 saith unto her, 'Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? and now, my sister, keep silent, he [is] thy brother; set not thy heart to this thing;' and Tamar dwelleth — but desolate — in the house of Absalom her brother.

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.

And king David hath heard all these things, and it is very displeasing to him;

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 hath not spoken with Amnon either evil or good, for Absalom is hating Amnon, because that he humbled Tamar his sister.

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 cometh to pass, after two years of days, that Absalom hath shearers in Baal-Hazor, which [is] with Ephraim, and Absalom calleth for all the sons of the king.

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 cometh unto the king, and saith, 'Lo, I pray thee, thy servant hath shearers, let the king go, I pray thee, and his servants, with thy 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 saith unto Absalom, 'Nay, my son, let us not all go, I pray thee, and we are not too heavy on thee;' and he presseth on him, and he hath not been willing to go, and he blesseth 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.”

And Absalom saith, 'If not — let, I pray thee, Amnon my brother go with us;' and the king saith to him, 'Why doth he go with thee?'

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.

and Absalom urgeth on him, and he sendeth with him Amnon, and all the sons of the king.

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.”

And Absalom commandeth his young men, saying, 'See, I pray thee, when the heart of Amnon [is] glad with wine, and I have said unto you, Smite Amnon, that ye have put him to death; fear not; is it not because I have commanded you? be strong, yea, become sons of valour.'

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 young men of Absalom do to Amnon as Absalom commanded, and rise do all the sons of the king, and they ride, each on his mule, and flee.

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 cometh to pass — they [are] in the way — and the report hath come unto David, saying, 'Absalom hath smitten all the sons of the king, and there is not left of them one;'

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.

and the king riseth, and rendeth his garments, and lieth on the earth, and all his servants are standing by [with] rent garments.

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 son of Shimeah, David's brother, answereth and saith, 'Let not my lord say, The whole of the young men, the sons of the king, they have put to death; for Amnon alone [is] dead, for by the command of Absalom it hath been appointed from the day of his humbling Tamar his sister;

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.”

and now, let not my lord the king lay unto his heart the word, saying, All the sons of the king have died, for Amnon alone [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.

And Absalom fleeth, and the young man who is watching lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, much people are coming by the way behind him, on the side of the hill.

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 saith unto the king, 'Lo, the sons of the king have come; as the word of thy servant, so it hath been.'

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 cometh to pass at his finishing to speak, that lo, the sons of the king have come, and they lift up their voice, and weep, and also the king and all his servants have wept — a very great weeping.

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

And Absalom hath fled, and goeth unto Talmai, son of Ammihud, king of Geshur, and [David] mourneth for his son all the days.

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

And Absalom hath fled, and goeth to Geshur, and is 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 determineth to go out unto Absalom, for he hath been comforted for Amnon, for [he is] dead.