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.

After this, Absalom the son of David had a beautiful 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.

Amnon was so troubled that he became sick because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed hard to 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.

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.

He said to him, “Why, son of the king, are you so sad from day to day? Won’t you tell me?” 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.’”

Jonadab said to him, “Lay down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, tell him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from 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 faked being sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from 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 your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food 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 lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, 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.

She took the pan and poured them out before him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, “Have all men leave me.” Then every man went out 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.

Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the room, that I may eat from your hand.” Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the room 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!”

When she had brought them near 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!

She answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me! For no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Don’t you do 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.”

As for me, where would I carry my shame? And as for you, you will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.”

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

However, he would not listen to 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 exceedingly great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. 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.

She said to him, “Not so, because this great wrong in sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me!” But he would not listen 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 who ministered to him, and said, “Now put 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.

She had a garment of various colours on her, for the king’s daughters who were virgins dressed in such robes. 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.

Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various 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.

Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take 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 angry.

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

Absalom spoke to 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.

After two full years, 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?”

Absalom came to the king and said, “See now, your servant has sheep shearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your 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.

The king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let’s not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.” He pressed him; however 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 Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?”

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.”

Absalom commanded his servants, saying, “Mark now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine; and when I tell you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t 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.

The servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man got up on 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!”

While they were on the way, the news came to David, saying, “Absalom 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 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.

Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered, “Don’t let 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 has 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 don’t let my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead; for only Amnon 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. The young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming by way of the hillside behind him.

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

Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons are coming! It is as your servant said.”

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

As soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voices and wept. The king also and all his servants wept bitterly.

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 Ammihur, king of Geshur. 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.

King David longed to go out to Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.