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

But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil 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, Why art thou, being the king’s son, pining from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said to 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 to him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and pretend that thou art sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say to him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me food, and prepare 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 pretended that he was sick: and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make for 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 prepare a meal for him.

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 laid down. And she took flour, 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 a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Send 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 to Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from 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 to him to eat, he took 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 answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou 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, where shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak to 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.

However he would not hearken to her voice: but, being stronger than she, 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 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 “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 to him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst to me. But he would not hearken to 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 to 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.

And she had a garment of many colours upon her: for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then 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 tore her garment of many colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

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 to her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. 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 angry.

22 Absalom didn't talk to Amnon at all because he hated Amnon for raping 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 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 sheepshearers in Baalhazor, 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 sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech 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 now go, lest we be burdensome to thee. And he pressed him: yet 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 to 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, that he should 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.”

Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have I not 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 to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man rode 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 report 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 tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

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 slain 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 many people by the way of the hill side behind him.

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 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 finished speaking, that, behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept exceedingly.

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 longed to go forth to Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.