Kings II 13

1 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.

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 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.

And Amnon was so vexed 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 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.

But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.

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

And he said unto him, Why, O son of the king, art thou thus lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.

5 And Jonadab said to him, Lie upon your bed, and make yourself sick, and your father shall come in to see you; and you shall say to him, Let, I pray you, 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.

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

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

Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him food.

8 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.

So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.

9 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.

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

And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

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

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

And I, whither shall I carry my shame? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

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

And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.

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

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 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 firstborn.

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

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

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

23 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.

And it came to pass after two years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

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

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

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

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

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 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.

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

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

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 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.

And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.

30 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.

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

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

32 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.

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 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.

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 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.

But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.

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

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

36 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.

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 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.

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

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

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

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

And [the soul of] king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.