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.

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 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.

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. Jonadab was a very shrewd 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 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.”

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 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?'”

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

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

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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 When she had brought the food to him, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, sleep 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 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!

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 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.”

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

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

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 Instead, he called his personal servant and said, “Take this woman away from me, 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 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.

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 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 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 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.

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

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

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.

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 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 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 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.

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

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 Absalom pressed David, and 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 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.”

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 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.

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 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.”

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

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.

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 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.”

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

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

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

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

So Abessalom fled, and departed to Gedsur, and was 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 ceased to go out after Abessalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, touching his death.