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 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 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 so distressed 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 However, Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, and he was the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very cunning 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 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 unto him: 'Why, O son of the king, art thou thus becoming leaner from day to day? wilt thou not tell me?' And Amnon said unto him: 'I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.'

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 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 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 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 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.”

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 to where he was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, and cooked the pancakes as he watched.

So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was lying down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake 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 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 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 unto Tamar: 'Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat of thy hand.' And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

11 But as she handed him the food, he grabbed hold of her, and said, “Come to bed 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, 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 answered him: 'Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel; do not thou this wanton deed.

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 carry my shame? and as for thee, thou wilt be as one of the base men in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.'

14 But Amnon wouldn't to listen to her, and because he was stronger than she was, he raped 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 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 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! 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 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 He called for his servant and said, “Get rid of this woman and lock 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 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.

Now she had a garment of many colours upon her; for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. — And his servant brought her out, and bolted 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 Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of many 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 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 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 about it, he was very angry.

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

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

And Absalom spoke unto Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

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 after two full years, that Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim; and Absalom 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 Absalom came to the king, and said: 'Behold now, thy servant hath sheep-shearers; let the king, I pray thee, 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 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 “Well then, at least let my brother Amnon join us,” Absalom responded. “Why do you want him to go?” 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 kept on asking, so the king sent Amnon and his other sons.

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

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 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 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 Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man got him up upon 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, 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 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 on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

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 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, Your Majesty, please don't believe the report that all the king's sons 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 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.

But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people in a roundabout way by the hill-side.

35 Jonadab told the king, “Can you see? The king's sons are arriving! It's exactly 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 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, 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 Absalom ran away to Talmai, son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. Every day David mourned for his son Amnon.

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

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

So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, 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 the soul of king David failed with longing for Absalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.