2 Samuel 13

1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David having a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar, Amnon the son of David loved her.

And it came to pass after this, that Amnon the son of David loved the sister of Absalom the son of David, who was very beautiful, and her name was Thamar.

2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed difficult for Amnon to do the least thing to her.

And he was exceedingly fond of her, so that he fell sick for the love of her: for as she was a virgin, he thought it hard to do any thing dishonestly with her.

3 And Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd man.

Now Amnon had a friend, named Jonadab the son of Semmaa the brother of David, a very wise man:

4 And he said to him, Why dost thou, the king's son, get thinner from morning to morning? Wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.

And he said to him: Why dost thou grow so lean from day to day, O son of the king? why dost thou not tell me the reason of it? And Amnon said to him: I am in love with Thamar the sister of my brother Absalom.

5 And Jonadab said to him, Lay thee down on thy bed and feign thyself sick; and when thy father comes to see thee, say to him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me food, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.

And Jonadab said to him: Lie down upon thy bed, and feign thyself sick: and when thy father shall come to visit thee, say to him: Let my sister Thamar, I pray thee, come to me, to give me to eat, and to make me a mess, that I may eat it at her hand.

6 So Amnon lay down and feigned himself sick; and the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.

So Amnon lay down, and made as if he were sick: and when the king came to visit him, Amnon said to the king: I pray thee let my sister Thamar come, and make in my sight two little messes, that I may eat at her hand.

7 And David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go, I pray thee, to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him food.

Then David sent home to Thamar, saying: Come to the house of thy brother Amnon, and make him a mess.

8 And Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he had lain down. And she took flour and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.

And Thamar came to the house of Amnon her brother: but he was laid down: and she took meal and tempered it: and dissolving it in his sight she made little messes.

9 And she took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Put every man out from me. And they went out every man from him.

And taking what she had boiled, she poured it out, and set it before him, but he would not eat: and Amnon said: Put out all persons from me. And when they had put all persons out,

10 And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the dish into the chamber, that I may eat of thy hand. And Tamar took the cakes that she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

Amnon said to Thamar: Bring the mess into the chamber, that I may eat at thy hand. And Thamar took the little messes which she had made, and brought them in to her brother Amnon in the chamber.

11 And she presented them to him to eat; and he took hold of her, and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister.

And when she had presented him the meat, he took hold of her, and said: Come lie with me, my sister.

12 And she said to him, No, my brother, do not humble me; for no such thing is done in Israel: do not this infamy.

She answered him: Do not so, my brother, do not force me: for no such thing must be done in Israel. Do not thou this folly.

13 And I, whither shall I carry my reproach? and thou wouldest be as one of the infamous in Israel. And now, I pray thee, speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.

For I shall not be able to bear my shame, and thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel: but rather speak to the king, and he will not deny me to thee.

14 But he would not hearken to her voice, and was stronger than she, and humbled her and lay with her.

But he would not hearken to her prayers, but being stronger overpowered her and lay with her.

15 And Amnon hated her with an exceeding great hatred, for 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.

Then Amnon hated her with an exceeding great hatred: so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her before, And Amnon said to her: Arise, and get thee gone.

16 And she said to him, There is no cause for this evil in sending me away, [which] is greater than the other that thou didst to me. But he would not hearken to her.

She answered him: This evil which now thou dost against me, in driving me away, is greater than that which thou didst before. And he would not hearken to her:

17 Then he called his young man that attended upon him, and said, Put now this [woman] out from me, and bolt the door after her.

But calling the servants that ministered to him, he said: Thrust this woman out from me: and shut the door after her.

18 Now she had a vest of many colours upon her; for so were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. And his attendant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

And she was clothed with along robe: for the king’s daughters that were virgins, used such kind of garments. Then his servant thrust her out: and shut the door after her.

19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her vest of many colours which was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went away, crying out as she went.

And she put ashes on her head, and rent her long robe and laid her hands upon her head, and went on crying.

20 And Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon thy brother been with thee? and now, my sister, be still: he is thy brother; take not this thing to heart. And Tamar remained, and [that] desolate, in her brother Absalom's house.

And Absalom her brother said to her: Hath thy brother Amnon lain with thee? but now, sister, hold thy peace, he is thy brother: and afflict not thy heart for this thing. So Thamar remained pining away in the house of Absalom her brother.

21 And king David heard of all these things, and he was very angry.

And when king David heard of these things he was exceedingly grieved: and he would not afflict the spirit of his son Amnon, for he loved him, because he was his firstborn.

22 And Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had humbled his sister Tamar.

But Absalom spoke not to Amnon neither good nor evil: for Absalom hated Amnon because he had ravished his sister Thamar.

23 And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-Hazor, which is beside Ephraim; and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

And it came to pass after two years, that the sheep of Absalom were shorn in Baalhasor, which is near Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons:

24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold, now, thy servant has sheepshearers; let the king, I pray thee, and his servants go with thy servant.

And he came to the king, and said to him: Behold thy servant’s sheep are shorn. Let the king, I pray, with his servants come to his servant.

25 And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to thee. And he urged him, but he would not go; and he blessed him.

And the king said to Absalom: Nay, my son, do not ask that we should all come, and be chargeable to thee. And when he pressed him, and he would not go, he blessed him.

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

And Absalom said: If thou wilt not come, at least let my brother Amnon, I beseech thee, come with us. And the king said to him: It is not necessary that he should go with thee.

27 But Absalom pressed him; and he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

But Absalom pressed him, so that he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. And Absalom made a feast as it were the feast of a king.

28 And Absalom commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, Smite Amnon; then slay him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.

And Absalom had commanded his servants, saying: Take notice when Amnon shall be drunk with wine, and when I shall say to you: Strike him, and kill him, fear not: for it is I that command you: take courage, and be valiant men.

29 And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and they rode each upon his mule and fled.

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

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

And while they were yet in the way, a rumour came to David, saying: Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left.

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

Then the king rose up, and rent his garments: and fell upon the ground, and all his servants, that stood about him, rent their garments.

32 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 humbled his sister Tamar.

But Jonadab the son of Semmaa David’s brother answering, said: Let not my lord the king think that all the king’s sons are slain: Amnon only is dead, for he was appointed by the mouth of Absalom from the day that he ravished his sister Thamar.

33 And now let not my lord the king take the thing to heart, to say, All the king's sons are dead; for Amnon only is dead.

Now therefore let not my lord the king take this thing into his heart, saying: All the king’s sons are slain: for Amnon only is dead.

34 And Absalom fled. And the young man that watched lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there came much people from the way behind him, from the hill-side.

But Absalom fled away: and the young man that kept the watch, lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold there came much people by a by-way on the side of the mountain.

35 And Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as thy servant said, so it is.

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

36 And as soon as he had ended speaking, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept; and the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly.

And when he made an end of speaking, the king’s sons also appeared: and coming in they lifted up their voice, and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very much.

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

But Absalom fled, and went to Tholomai the son of Ammiud the king of Gessur. And David mourned for his son every day.

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

And Absalom after he was fled, and come into Gessur, was there three years.

39 And king David longed to go forth to Absalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

And king David ceased to pursue after Absalom, because he was comforted concerning the death of Amnon.