2 Samuel 13

1 David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and another of David's sons, Amnon, fell in love with her.

And it happened after this that Abessalom the son of David had a very beautiful sister, and her name [was] Themar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

2 Amnon became so infatuated with his sister Tamar that he felt sick. She was a virgin, and Amnon saw it was impossible for him to have her.

And Amnon was distressed even to sickness, because of Themar his sister; for she was a virgin, and it seemed very difficult for Amnon to do anything to her.

3 However, Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, and he was the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very cunning man.

And Amnon had a friend, and his name [was] Jonadab, the son of Samaa the brother of David: and Jonadab [was] a very cunning man.

4 He asked Amnon, “Why are you, the king's son, so down every morning? Why don't you tell me what's wrong?” “I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister,” Amnon replied.

And he said to him, What ails thee that thou art thus weak? O son of the king, morning by morning? wilt thou not tell me? and Ammon said, I love Themar the sister of my brother Abessalom.

5 “Lie down on your bed and pretend you're sick,” Jonadab told him. “When your father comes to see you, tell him, ‘Please have my sister Tamar come and give me some food to eat. She can make it as I watch and she can hand it to me.’”

And Jonadab said to him, Lie upon thy bed, and make thyself sick, and thy father shall come in to see thee; and thou shalt say to him, Let, I pray thee, Themar my sister come, and feed me with morsels, and let her prepare food before my eyes, that I may see and eat at her hands.

6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon asked him, “Please have my sister Tamar come and make a couple of pancakes as I watch, and she can hand them to me to eat.”

So Ammon lay down, and made himself sick; and the king came in to see him: and Amnon said to the king, Let, I pray thee, my sister Themar come to me, and make a couple of cakes in my sight, and I will eat them at her hand.

7 Then David sent a message to Tamar at the palace: “Please be so kind as to go to the house of your brother Amnon and make him some food.”

And David sent to Themar to the house, saying, Go now to thy brother's house, and dress him food.

8 So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon to where he was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, and cooked the pancakes as he watched.

And Themar went to the house of her brother Amnon, and he [was] lying down: and she took the dough and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.

9 Then she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. “Everybody leave me!” Amnon shouted. Everyone left.

And she took the frying pan and poured them out before him, but he would not eat. And Amnon said, Send out every man from about me. And they removed every man from about him.

10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food here into my bedroom so you can hand it to me to eat.” So Tamar took the pancakes she had made to her brother Amnon in his bedroom.

And Amnon said to Themar, Bring in the food into the closet, and I will eat of thy hand. And Themar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to her brother Amnon into the chamber.

11 But as she handed him the food, he grabbed hold of her, and said, “Come to bed with me, my sister!”

And she brought [them] to him to eat, and he caught hold of her, and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister.

12 “No, you're my brother!” she exclaimed. “Don't rape me! That's not what we do in Israel! Don't do something so shameful!

And she said to him, Nay, my brother, do not humble me, for it ought not to be so done in Israel; do not this folly.

13 Stop and think about me! How could I bear such a disgrace? Think about yourself too! You'd be treated with contempt as a complete fool in Israel! Please talk with the king, for he won't stop you marrying me.”

And I, whither shall I remove my reproach? and thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. And now, speak, I pray thee, to the king, for surely he will not keep me from thee.

14 But Amnon wouldn't to listen to her, and because he was stronger than she was, he raped her.

But Amnon would not hearken to her voice; and he prevailed against her, and humbled her, and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated Tamar with immense hatred. His hatred was so strong that it was greater than the love he'd had before. “Get up! Get lost!” he told her.

Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her, for the last wickedness was greater than the first: and Amnon said to her, Rise, and be gone.

16 “No! Don't do this!” she answered. “Sending me away in disgrace would be an even greater evil than what you've already done to me.” But he wouldn't listen to her.

And Themar spoke to him concerning this great mischief, greater, [said she], than the other that thou didst me, to send me away: but Amnon would not hearken to her voice.

17 He called for his servant and said, “Get rid of this woman and lock the door behind her!”

And he called his servant who had charge of the house, and said to him, Put now this [woman] out from me, and shut the door after her.

18 So his servant threw her out and locked the door behind her. Tamar was wearing the long robe of a princess, which is what the king's virgin daughters wore.

And she had on her a variegated robe, for so were the king's daughters that were virgins attired in their apparel: and his servant led her forth, and shut the door after her.

19 Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her long robe. She put her hands on her head, she went away crying loudly.

And Themar took ashes, and put them on her head; and she rent the variegated garment that was upon her: and she laid her hands on her head, and went crying continually.

20 Her brother Absalom found her and asked, “Has brother Amnon been with you? Keep quiet for the moment, my sister. He's your brother. Don't be so upset about it.” So Tamar lived as a ruined and abandoned woman in her brother Absalom's home.

And Abessalom her brother said to her, Has thy brother Amnon been with thee? now then, my sister, be silent, for he is thy brother: be not careful to mention this matter. So Themar dwelt as a widow in the house of her brother Abessalom.

21 When King David heard about it, he was very angry.

And king David heard of all these things, and was very angry; but he did not grieve the spirit of his son Amnon, because be loved him, for he was his first-born.

22 Absalom didn't talk to Amnon at all because he hated Amnon for raping his sister Tamar.

And Abessalom spoke not to Amnon, good or bad, because Abessalom hated Amnon, on account of his humbling his sister Themar.

23 Some two years later, when his sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king's sons to join the celebrations.

And it came to pass at the end of two whole years, that they were shearing [sheep] for Abessalom in Belasor near Ephraim: and Abessalom invited all the king's sons.

24 He went to the king and said, “I, your servant, have hired shearers. Would the king and his servants please join me?”

And Abessalom came to the king, and said, Behold, thy servant has a sheep-shearing; let now the king and his servants go with thy servant.

25 “No, my son,” the king replied, “we can't all go. We would be a burden to you.” Even though Absalom went on asking, he was not willing to go, but he did give Absalom his blessing.

And the king said to Abessalom, Nay, my son, let us not all go, and let us not be burdensome to thee. And he pressed him; but he would not go, but blessed him.

26 “Well then, at least let my brother Amnon join us,” Absalom responded. “Why do you want him to go?” the king asked.

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

27 But Absalom kept on asking, so the king sent Amnon and his other sons.

And Abessalom pressed him, and he sent with him Amnon and all the king's sons; and Abessalom made a banquet like the banquet of the king.

28 Absalom gave orders to his men, saying, “Pay attention! When Amnon is feeling happy from drinking wine and I tell you, ‘Attack Amnon!’ then kill him. Don't be afraid. I myself am giving you this order. Be strong and be brave.”

And Abessalom charged his servants, saying, Mark when the heart of Amnon shall be merry with wine, and I shall say to you, Smite Amnon, and slay him: fear not; for is it not I that command you? Be courageous, and be valiant.

29 So Absalom's men did what Absalom had ordered and killed Amnon. Then all the rest of the king's sons jumped up, got on their mules, and ran away.

And the servants of Abessalom did to Amnon as Abessalom commanded them: and all the sons of the king rose up, and they mounted every man his mule, and fled.

30 While they were on their way back, David received a message, “Absalom has killed all the king's sons—there's not a single one left!”

And it came to pass, when they were in the way, that a report came to David, saying, Abessalom has slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.

31 The king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground. All his officials stood beside him with their clothes torn.

Then the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay upon the ground: and all his servants that were standing round him rent their garments.

32 But Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah, told them: “Your Majesty must not think they have killed all the king's sons—only Amnon is dead. Absalom has been planning ever since the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar.

And Jonadab the son of Samaa brother of David, answered and said, Let not my Lord the king say that he has slain all the young men the sons of the king, for Amnon only of them all is dead; for he was appointed [to death] by the mouth of Abessalom from the day that he humbled his sister Themar.

33 So, Your Majesty, please don't believe the report that all the king's sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”

And now let not my lord the king take the matter to heart, saying, All the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only of them is dead.

34 In the meantime, Absalom had run away. When the watchman in Jerusalem looked out, he saw a large crowd coming along the road west of him, down the side of the hill.

And Abessalom escaped: and the young man the watchman, lifted up his eyes, and looked; and, behold, much people went in the way behind him from the side of the mountain in the descent: and the watchman came and told the king, and said, I have seen men by the way of Oronen, by the side of the mountain.

35 Jonadab told the king, “Can you see? The king's sons are arriving! It's exactly as your servant said.”

And Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king's sons are present: according to the word of thy servant, so has it happened.

36 As he finished speaking, the king's sons came in, crying and wailing. Then the king and all his officials also cried loudly.

And it came to pass when he had finished speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voices and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept with a very great weeping.

37 Absalom ran away to Talmai, son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. Every day David mourned for his son Amnon.

But Abessalom fled, and went to Tholmi son of Emiud the king of Gedsur to the land of Chamaachad: and king David mourned for his son continually.

38 After Absalom had run away to Geshur, he remained there for three years.

So Abessalom fled, and departed to Gedsur, and was there three years.

39 King David longed to go and see Absalom, for he had finished grieving over the death of Amnon.

And king David ceased to go out after Abessalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, touching his death.