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.

David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and another of David's sons, Amnon, fell in love with 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.

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.

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

However, Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, and he was the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very cunning 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."

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.

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.'"

“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.’”

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 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.”

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

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.”

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 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.

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.

Then she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. “Everybody leave me!” Amnon shouted. Everyone left.

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.

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.

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."

But as she handed him the food, he grabbed hold of her, and said, “Come to bed 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.

“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!

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."

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.”

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

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

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.

“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.

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

He called for his servant and said, “Get rid of this woman 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.

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.

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.

Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her long robe. She put her hands on her head, she went away crying loudly.

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.

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.

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.

When King David heard about it, he was very angry.

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

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

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.

Some two years later, when his sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king's sons to join the celebrations.

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."

He went to the king and said, “I, your servant, have hired shearers. Would the king and his servants please join me?”

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.

“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.

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?"

“Well then, at least let my brother Amnon join us,” Absalom responded. “Why do you want him to go?” the king asked.

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 Absalom kept on asking, so the king sent Amnon and his other sons.

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."

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.”

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.

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.

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."

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!”

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.

The king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground. All his officials stood beside him with their clothes torn.

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 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.

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."

So, Your Majesty, please don't believe the report that all the king's sons are dead. Only Amnon 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."

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.

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

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

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.

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

37 And David mourned for his son every day.

Absalom ran away to Talmai, son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. Every day David mourned for his son Amnon.

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

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

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

King David longed to go and see Absalom, for he had finished grieving over the death of Amnon.