2 Samuel 13

1 It came about after this that Amnon son of David was very attracted to his beautiful half-sister Tamar, who was a full sister of Absalom, another of David's sons.

After some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom.

2 Amnon was so frustrated that he became sick because of his sister Tamar. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her.

Amnon was sick with frustration over his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed implausible for him to do anything to her.

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

Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man,

4 Jonadab said to Amnon, “Why, son of the king, are you depressed every morning? Will you not tell me?” So Amnon answered him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.”

so he asked Amnon, “Why are you, the son of the king, so depressed morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon replied, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

5 Then Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, ask him, 'Would you please send my sister Tamar to give me something to eat and cook it before me, so that I may see it and eat it from her hand?'”

Jonadab told him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare it in my sight so I may watch her and eat it from her hand.’”

6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please send my sister Tamar to make some food for my sickness in front of me so that I may eat from her hand.”

So Amnon lay down and feigned illness. When the king came to see him, Amnon said, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.”

7 Then David sent word to Tamar at his palace, saying, “Go now to your brother Amnon's house and prepare food for him.”

Then David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare a meal for him.”

8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house where he was lying down. She took dough and kneaded it and formed bread in his sight, and then she baked it.

So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked them.

9 She took the pan and gave the bread to him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said to the others present, “Send everyone out, away from me.” So everyone went out from him.

Then she brought the pan and set it down before him, but he refused to eat. “Send everyone away!” said Amnon. And everyone went out.

10 So Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into my room that I may eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the bread that she had made, and brought it into the room of Amnon her brother.

Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, so that I may eat it from your hand.” Tamar took the cakes she had made and went to her brother Amnon’s bedroom.

11 When she had brought the food to him, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, sleep with me, my sister.”

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

12 She answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for nothing like this should be done in Israel. Do not do this appalling thing!

“No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not humiliate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!

13 How could I be rid of my shame? What about you? You would be like one of the fools in Israel! Now, please speak to the king, for he would not keep me from you.”

Where could I ever take my shame? And you would be like one of the fools in Israel! Please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”

14 However Amnon would not listen to her. Since he was stronger than Tamar, he seized her and he slept with her.

But Amnon refused to listen to her, and being stronger, he violated her and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated Tamar with extreme hatred. He hated her even more than he had desired her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and go.”

Then Amnon hated Tamar with such intensity that his hatred was greater than the love he previously had. “Get up!” he said to her. “Be gone!”

16 But she responded to him, “No! Because this great evil of making me leave is even worse than what you did to me!” But Amnon did not listen to her.

“No,” she replied, “sending me away is worse than this great wrong you have already done to me!” But he refused to listen to her.

17 Instead, he called his personal servant and said, “Take this woman away from me, and bolt the door after her.”

Instead, he called to his attendant and said, “Throw this woman out and bolt the door behind her!”

18 Then his servant brought her out and bolted the door after her. Tamar was wearing a very decorated robe because the king's daughters who were virgins dressed that way.

So Amnon’s attendant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a robe of many colors, because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore.

19 Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. She put her hands on her head and walked away, crying aloud as she went.

And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying bitterly.

20 Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now keep quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained alone in her brother Absalom's house.

Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.

21 But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.

When King David heard all this, he was furious.

22 Absalom said nothing to Amnon, for Absalom hated him for what he had done to her and how he had disgraced his sister Tamar.

And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon for disgracing his sister Tamar.

23 It came about after two full years that Absalom had sheep shearers working at Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons to visit there.

Two years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, he invited all the sons of the king.

24 Absalom went to the king and said, “Look now, your servant has sheep shearers. Please, may the king and his servants go with me, your servant.”

And he went to the king and said, “Your servant has just hired shearers. Will the king and his servants please come with me?”

25 The king answered Absalom, “No, my son, all of us should not go because we would be a burden to you.” Absalom begged the king, but he would not go, but he gave him his blessing.

“No, my son,” the king replied, “we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you.” Although Absalom urged him, he was not willing to go, but gave him his blessing.

26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” So the king said to him, “Why should Amnon go with you?”

“If not,” said Absalom, “please let my brother Amnon go with us.” “Why should he go with you?” the king asked.

27 Absalom pressed David, and so he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

But Absalom urged him, so the king sent Amnon and the rest of his sons.

28 Absalom commanded his servants saying, “Listen closely. When Amnon begins to be affected by the wine, and when I say to you, 'Attack Amnon,' then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and brave.”

Now Absalom had ordered his young men, “Watch Amnon until his heart is merry with wine, and when I order you to strike Amnon down, you are to kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant!”

29 So Absalom's servants did to Amnon as he had commanded them. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man mounted his mule and fled.

So Absalom’s young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had ordered. Then all the other sons of the king got up, and each one fled on his mule.

30 So it came about, while they were on the road, that the news came to David saying, “Absalom has killed all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.”

While they were on the way, a report reached David: “Absalom has struck down all the sons of the king; not one of them is left!”

31 Then the king arose and tore his clothes, and lay on the floor; all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

32 Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, “Let not my master believe that they have killed all the young men who are the king's sons, for Amnon only is dead. Absalom has planned this from the day that Amnon violated his sister Tamar.

But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, spoke up: “My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.

33 So therefore let not my master the king take this report to heart, so as to believe that all the king's sons are dead, for Amnon only is dead.”

So now, my lord the king, do not take to heart the report that all the sons of the king are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”

34 Absalom fled away. A servant keeping watch raised his eyes and saw many people coming on the road on the hillside west of him.

Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man standing watch looked up, he saw many people coming down the road west of him, along the side of the hill. And the watchman went and reported to the king, “I see men coming from the direction of Horonaim, along the side of the hill.”

35 Then Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king's sons are coming. It is just as your servant said.”

So Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the sons of the king have arrived! It is just as your servant said.”

36 So it came about when he finished speaking, the king's sons arrived and raised their voices and wept. The king and all his servants also wept bitterly.

And as he finished speaking, the sons of the king came in, wailing loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

37 But Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. David mourned for his son every day.

Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But David mourned for his son every day.

38 So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, where he was for three years.

After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years.

39 The mind of King David longed to go out to see Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon and his death.

And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnon’s death.