2 Samuel 13

1 And it came to pass, after this, that, Absolom, son of David, having a beautiful sister, whose name, was Tamar, Amnon son of David loved her.

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.

2 And it so troubled Amnon, that he made himself ill on account of Tamar his sister, for, a virgin, was she, and it was monstrous in Amnon’s own eyes, to do, anything, unto her.

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.

3 But, Amnon, had a friend, whose name, was Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David’s brother, —and, Jonadab, was a very cunning man.

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.

4 So he said to him, —Why art thou looking so wretched—a king’s son too—morning by morning? Wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said to him, With Tamar, my brother Absolom’s sister, am I in love.

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.

5 And Jonadab said unto him: Take to thy bed, and feign thyself ill, —and, when thy father cometh in to see thee, then shalt thou say unto him—I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, that she may give me food, and let her prepare, before mine eyes, some delicacy, to the end that I may see [it made], and so eat at her hand.

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.

6 So Amnon took to his bed, and feigned himself ill, —and, when the king came in to see him, Amnon said unto the king—I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make ready before mine eyes a couple of cakes, that I may eat at her hand.

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.

7 So David sent unto Tamar, in the house—saying, —Come, I pray thee, to the house of Amnon thy brother, and prepare him enticing food.

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

8 And Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, he having taken to his bed, —and took dough and kneaded it, and folded it before his eyes, and baked the cakes.

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.

9 Then took she the pan and put them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said—Have forth every one from me. And they went out every one from him.

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.

10 Then said Amnon unto Tamar—Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat out of thine own hand. So Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them in to Amnon her brother, in the chamber.

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.

11 And, when she brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, Come lie with me, my sister!

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

12 But she said to him—Nay! my brother, do not force me, for it should not be done so in Israel, —do not commit this vileness.

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.

13 And, I,—whither could I take my reproach? Thou, too, wouldest be as one of the vile fellows, in Israel. Now, therefore, speak, I pray thee, unto the king, for he would not withhold me from thee.

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.

14 But he would not hearken unto her voice, —and, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

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

15 Then did Amnon hate her with a very great hatred, for, greater, was the hatred wherewith he hated her, than the love wherewith he had loved her, —so Amnon said to her—Rise—begone!

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.

16 But she said to him—No occasion for this greater wrong, after what thou hast done with me, to put me away! Nevertheless he would not hearken unto her;

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.

17 but called his young man who waited on him, and said—I pray you, put forth this woman from me, outside, —and bolt the door after her.

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.

18 Now she had upon her a long tunic, for, so, used king’s daughters to apparel themselves, when they were virgins, in robes. And his attendant took her forth, outside, and bolted the door, after her.

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.

19 And Tamar put ashes upon her head, and, the long tunic that was upon her, she rent, —and put her hand upon her head, and went her way, crying out as she went.

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.

20 And Absolom her brother said unto her—Hath, Amnon thy brother, been with thee? Now, therefore, my sister, hold thy peace—thy brother, he is, do not lay to thy heart, this thing. But Tamar remained, and was desolate in the house of Absolom her brother.

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.

21 And, King David, heard all these things, —and it angered him greatly.

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.

22 And Absolom spake not with Amnon, either bad or good, —though Absolom hated Amnon, because he had forced Tamar his sister.

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

23 And it came to pass, after two years of days, that Absolom had, sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephron, —and Absolom invited all the king’s sons.

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.

24 Absolom came also unto the king, and said, See, I pray thee, thy servant hath, sheepshearers, —I pray thee, let the king and his servants go with thy servant.

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.

25 And the king said unto Absolom—Nay! my son, do not, I pray thee, let us all go, lest we be burdensome upon thee. And, though he urged him, he would not go, but blessed him.

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.

26 Then said Absolom, If not, then, I pray thee, let Amnon my brother go with us. And the king said unto him, Wherefore should he go with thee?

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?

27 And Absolom urged him, —so he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

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.

28 Now Absolom had commanded his young men, saying—Mark, I pray you, when the heart of Amnon is merry with wine, and I say unto you—Smite ye Amnon, then shall ye put him to death, do not fear, —have not, I myself, commanded you? Be bold, and show yourselves to be sons of valour.

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.

29 So Absolom’s young men did to Amnon as Absolom had commanded. Then arose all the king’s sons, and rode away—each man on his mule, and fled.

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.

30 And it came to pass, while, they, were yet on the road, that, the report, reached David, saying, —Absolom hath smitten all the king’s sons, and there is not left of them, one.

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.

31 And the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay on the ground, —and all his servants who stood by rent their garments.

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.

32 Then responded Jonadab son of Shimeah David’s brother, and said—Let not my lord say that they have put, all the young men—the king’s sons, to death; for, Amnon alone, is dead; for, by the bidding of Absolom, was it appointed, from the day that he forced Tamar his sister.

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.

33 Now, therefore, let not my lord the king lay to his heart such a thing—to say, All the king’s sons, are dead, —but, Amnon alone, is dead.

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.

34 Now Absolom had fled. And the young man that was watching lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo! much people, coming on the road behind him, on the mountain-side.

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.

35 So Jonadab said unto the king, Lo! the king’s sons, are come, —according to the word of thy servant, so hath it come to pass.

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

36 And so it was, as he made an end of speaking, that lo! the king’s sons, came, and lifted up their voice and wept, —the king also, and all his servants, wept with an exceeding great weeping.

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.

37 But, Absolom, had fled, and had taken his journey unto Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David the king mourned for his son continually,

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.

38 But, Absolom, had fled, and had taken his journey to Geshur, —and it came to pass that he was there three years.

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

39 And the spirit of the king pined to go forth unto Absolom, —for he had consoled himself over Amnon, in that he was dead.

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