2 Samuel 13

1 It happened after this, that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

And it came to pass after this, that Abshalom the son of David had a handsome sister, whose name was Thamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

2 Amnon was so troubled that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her.

And Amnon worried himself so that he fell sick on account of Thamar his sister; for she was a virgin; and it was impossible in the eyes of Amnon to do her the least [harm].

3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother. Now Jonadab was a very crafty man.

But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Yonadab, the son of Shim'ah, David's brother; and Yonadab was a very sensible man.

4 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."

And he said to him, Why art thou so wasted, O prince, morning after morning? Wilt thou not tell me? Then said Amnon to him, Thamar the sister of Abshalom my brother do I love.

5 Jonadab said to him, "Lie 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 dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.'"

And Yonadab said to him, Lie down on thy couch, and feign thyself sick; and when thy father cometh to see thee, thou must say unto him, Let, I pray thee, Thamar my sister come, and give me some food, and prepare the refreshment before my eyes, in order that I may see it, and eat it out of her hand.

6 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."

So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Let, I pray thee, Thamar my sister come, and mix up before my eyes a couple of cakes, that I may enjoy them out of her hand.

7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, "Go now to your brother Amnon and prepare food for him."

Then did David send home to Thamar, saying, Do go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and prepare for him the refreshment.

8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was lying down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes while he watched, and baked the cakes.

So Thamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, and he was lying down; and she took the dough and kneaded, and mixed it up before his eyes, and baked the cakes;

9 She took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. Amnon said, "Have all men leave me." Every man went out from him.

And she took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat; and Amnon said, Cause every man to go out from me; and they went out, every man, from him.

10 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.

And Amnon said to Thamar, Bring the refreshment into the chamber, that I may enjoy it out of thy hand. So Thamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them unto Amnon her brother into the chamber.

11 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."

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 She answered him, "No, my brother, do not force me. For no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not do this folly.

But she said to him, No, my brother, do not violate me; for such a deed ought not to be done in Israel; do not this scandalous act!

13 I, 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."

And I, whither should I carry my shame? and as for thee, thou wouldst be like one of the worthless in Israel; but now, O speak, I pray thee, unto the king, for he will not withhold me from thee.

14 However he would not listen to her voice; but being stronger than she was, he overpowered her and raped her.

Nevertheless, he would not hearken unto her voice; but he overpowered her, and violated her, and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred, 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, "Get up, go away."

Then did Amnon hate her with a very great hatred; so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her; and Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.

16 And Tamar said to him, "Don't, my brother, for this latter evil in sending me away is greater than the former thing that you did to me." But he would not listen to her.

And she said unto him, [Do] not add this yet greater wrong than the other which thou hast done with me, to send me [now] away! But he would not listen to her;

17 Then he called the young man who served him, and said, "Send this one away from me, and bolt the door after her."

And he called his young man, his servant, and said, Do send this woman away from me, into the street, and lock the door behind her.

18 Now she was wearing an ornamented robe, for this was what the king's virgin daughters used to wear. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

And she had on a garment of divers colors; for thus were usually appareled the king's daughters when virgins, in robes; and his servant brought her out into the street, and locked the door behind her.

19 And Tamar took ashes and put them on her head, and tore the long robe she was wearing. And she put her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.

And Thamar put ashes on her head, and the garment of divers colors which was on her she rent: and she placed her hand on her head, and went away and cried as she went along.

20 And her brother Absalom said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this too seriously." So Tamar, devastated, lived in her brother Absalom's house.

Then said to her Abshalom her brother, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but now, my sister, keep silence, he is thy brother, take this thing not to thy heart. So Thamar remained, and was secluded in the house of Abshalom her brother.

21 But when king David heard of all these things, he was very angry. But he did not inflict pain on the spirit of his son Amnon, because he loved him, for he was his firstborn.

And when king David heard all these things, it displeased him greatly.

22 Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar.

And Abshalom spoke not with Amnon either bad or good; for Abshalom hated Amnon, because he had violated Thamar his sister.

23 It happened after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

And it came to pass after two full years, that Abshalom had sheep-shearers at Ba'al-chazor, which is near Ephraim; and Abshalom invited all the king's sons.

24 Absalom came to the king, and said, "See now, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant."

And Abshalom 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 The king said to Absalom, "No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you." But he pleaded with him; however he would not go, but blessed him.

And the king said to Abshalom, No, my son, do not let us all go now, that we may not be a burden upon thee. And he urged him much, but he would not go, and he blessed him.

26 Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us." The king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

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

27 But Absalom pleaded with him, and he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. And Absalom prepared a feast like a king's feast.

But Abshalom urged him greatly, and he sent with him Amnon and all the sons of the king.

28 And Absalom commanded his servants, saying, "Watch Amnon until he is in a good mood from the wine, and when I tell you, 'Strike Amnon,' then kill him. Do not be afraid. Haven't I commanded you? Be strong and brave."

Now Abshalom commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye, I pray you, when Annon's heart is merry with wine, and I say unto you, Smite Amnon: then kill him, fear not; behold, it is I who command it you; be firm and show yourselves men of valor.

29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons got up, and each mounted his mule and fled.

And the servants of Abshalom did unto Amnon as Abshalom had commanded. Then arose all the king's sons, and they rode off, every man on his mule, and fled.

30 And it happened, while they were on the way, that the news came to David, saying, "Absalom has struck down all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left."

And it happened, while they were on the way, that the report came to David, saying, Abshalom hath smitten all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.

31 Then the king got up and tore his clothes and lay down on the ground. And all the servants who were standing around him also tore their clothes.

Then arose the king and rent his garments, and laid himself on the earth: and all his servants were standing by with their garments rent.

32 But Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother, said, "My lord the king must not think that they have killed all the young men, the king's sons, for only Amnon is dead. For this has been Absalom's plan since the day that he raped his sister Tamar.

But Yonadab the son of Shim'ah, David's brother, commenced and said, Let not my Lord suppose that they have slain all the young men, the king's sons; since Amnon alone is dead; for by the command of Abshalom was this ordained from the day that he violated Thamar his sister.

33 Now therefore do not let 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."

And now let not my Lord the king take the thing to his heart, thinking, that all the king's sons are dead; for Amnon alone is dead.

34 But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and he saw many men coming on the road behind him from the side of the mountain in the descent. And the watchman came and told the king, and said, "I have seen many men coming from the Horonan road by the side of the mountain."

And Abshalom flew away. And the young man that was watching lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, many people were coming by the way behind him, by the side of the mount.

35 Jonadab said to the king, "Look, the king's sons are coming. It is as your servant said."

And Yonadab said to the king, The king's sons are come: according to the word of thy servant, so hath it come to pass.

36 It happened, as soon as he had finished speaking, that look, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept. The king also and all his servants wept bitterly.

And it happened, as he had just finished speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and they lifted up their voice and wept; and also the king and all his servants wept very much.

37 And David mourned for his son every day.

But Abshalom had fled; and he went to Talmai, the son of 'Ammihud, the king of Geshur: and [David] mourned for his son all the time.

38 And Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur, and was there three years.

So did Abshalom fly, and go to Geshur, and he remained there three years.

39 And the spirit of the king longed to go to Absalom, for he was consoled about the death of Amnon.

And [the soul of] king David longed to go forth unto Abshalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, that he was dead.