< 2 Samuel 13 >

1 And it cometh to pass afterwards that Absalom son of David hath a fair sister, and her name [is] Tamar, and Amnon son of David loveth 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 Amnon hath distress — even to become sick, because of Tamar his sister, for she [is] a virgin, and it is hard in the eyes of 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 And Amnon hath a friend, and his name [is] Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David's brother, and Jonadab [is] a very wise 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 and saith to him, 'Wherefore [art] thou thus lean, O king's son, morning by morning? dost thou not declare to me?' And Amnon saith to him, 'Tamar — sister of Absalom my brother — I am loving.'
And he said to him, What ails thee that thou art thus weak? O son of the king, morning by morning? wilt thou not tell me? and Ammon said, I love Themar the sister of my brother Abessalom.
5 And Jonadab saith to him, 'Lie down on thy couch, and feign thyself sick, and thy father hath come in to see thee, and thou hast said unto him, 'Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come in and give me bread to eat; and she hath made the food before mine eyes so that I see [it], and have eaten from her hand.'
And Jonadab said to him, Lie upon thy bed, and make thyself sick, and thy father shall come in to see thee; and thou shalt say to him, Let, I pray thee, 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 And Amnon lieth down, and feigneth himself sick, and the king cometh in to see him, and Amnon saith unto the king, 'Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come, and she maketh before mine eyes two cakes, and I 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 thee, my sister Themar come to me, and make a couple of cakes in my sight, and I will eat them at her hand.
7 And David sendeth unto Tamar, to the house, saying, 'Go, I pray thee, to the house of Amnon thy brother, and make for him food.'
And David sent to Themar to the house, saying, Go now to thy brother's house, and dress him food.
8 And Tamar goeth to the house of Amnon her brother, and he is lying down, and she taketh the dough, and kneadeth, and maketh cakes before his eyes, and cooketh 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 and taketh the frying-pan, and poureth out before him, and he refuseth to eat, and Amnon saith, 'Take ye out every one from me;' and they go 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 And Amnon saith unto Tamar, 'Bring the food into the inner chamber, and I eat from thy hand;' and Tamar taketh the cakes that she hath made, and bringeth in to Amnon her brother, into the inner chamber,
And Amnon said to Themar, Bring in the food into the closet, and I will eat of thy hand. And Themar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to her brother Amnon into the chamber.
11 and she bringeth nigh unto him to eat, and he layeth hold on her, and saith 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 And she saith to him, 'Nay, my brother, do not humble me, for it is not done so in Israel; do not this folly.
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 do I cause my reproach to go? and thou — thou art as one of the fools in Israel; and now, speak, I pray thee, unto the king; for he doth not withhold me from thee.'
And I, whither shall I remove my reproach? and thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. And now, speak, I pray thee, to the king, for surely he will not keep me from thee.
14 And he hath not been willing to hearken to her voice, and is stronger than she, and humbleth her, and lieth with her.
But Amnon would not hearken to her voice; and he prevailed against her, and humbled her, and lay with her.
15 And Amnon hateth her — a very great hatred — that greater [is] the hatred with which he hath hated her than the love with which he loved her, and Amnon saith to her, 'Rise, 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 And she saith to him, 'Because of the circumstances this evil is greater than the other that thou hast done with me — to send me away;' and he hath not been willing to hearken to her,
And Themar spoke to him concerning this great mischief, greater, [said she], than the other that thou didst me, to send me away: but Amnon would not hearken to her voice.
17 and calleth his young man, his servant, and saith, 'Send away, I pray thee, this one from me without, 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 — and upon her [is] a long coat, for such upper robes do daughters of the king who [are] virgins put on, — and his servant taketh her out without, and hath 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 taketh ashes for her head, and the long coat that [is] on her she hath rent, and putteth her hand on her head, and goeth, going on and crying;
And Themar took ashes, and put them on her head; and she rent the variegated garment that was upon her: and she laid her hands on her head, and went crying continually.
20 and Absalom her brother saith unto her, 'Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? and now, my sister, keep silent, he [is] thy brother; set not thy heart to this thing;' and Tamar dwelleth — but desolate — in the house of Absalom her brother.
And Abessalom her brother said to her, Has thy brother Amnon been with thee? now then, my sister, be silent, for he is thy brother: be not careful to mention this matter. So Themar dwelt as a widow in the house of her brother Abessalom.
21 And king David hath heard all these things, and it is very displeasing to him;
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 first-born.
22 and Absalom hath not spoken with Amnon either evil or good, for Absalom is hating Amnon, because that he humbled 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 cometh to pass, after two years of days, that Absalom hath shearers in Baal-Hazor, which [is] with Ephraim, and Absalom calleth for all the sons of the king.
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 And Absalom cometh unto the king, and saith, 'Lo, I pray thee, thy servant hath shearers, let the king go, I pray thee, and his servants, with thy servant.'
And Abessalom came to the king, and said, Behold, thy servant has a sheep-shearing; let now the king and his servants go with thy servant.
25 And the king saith unto Absalom, 'Nay, my son, let us not all go, I pray thee, and we are not too heavy on thee;' and he presseth on him, and he hath not been willing to go, and he blesseth him.
And the king said to Abessalom, Nay, my son, let us not all go, and let us not be burdensome to thee. And he pressed him; but he would not go, but blessed him.
26 And Absalom saith, 'If not — let, I pray thee, Amnon my brother go with us;' and the king saith to him, 'Why doth he go with thee?'
And Abessalom said to him, And if not, let I pray thee, my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee?
27 and Absalom urgeth on him, and he sendeth with him Amnon, and all the sons of the king.
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 And Absalom commandeth his young men, saying, 'See, I pray thee, when the heart of Amnon [is] glad with wine, and I have said unto you, Smite Amnon, that ye have put him to death; fear not; is it not because I have commanded you? be strong, yea, become 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, Smite Amnon, and slay him: fear not; for is it not I that command you? Be courageous, and be valiant.
29 And the young men of Absalom do to Amnon as Absalom commanded, and rise do all the sons of the king, and they ride, each on his mule, and flee.
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 cometh to pass — they [are] in the way — and the report hath come unto David, saying, 'Absalom hath smitten all the sons of the king, 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 riseth, and rendeth his garments, and lieth on the earth, and all his servants are standing by [with] rent garments.
Then the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay upon the ground: and all his servants that were standing round him rent their garments.
32 And Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother, answereth and saith, 'Let not my lord say, The whole of the young men, the sons of the king, they have put to death; for Amnon alone [is] dead, for by the command of Absalom it hath been appointed from the day of his humbling 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 and now, let not my lord the king lay unto his heart the word, saying, All the sons of the king have died, for 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 And Absalom fleeth, and the young man who is watching lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, much people are coming by the way behind him, on the side of the hill.
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 And Jonadab saith unto the king, 'Lo, the sons of the king have come; as the word of thy servant, so it hath been.'
And Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king's sons are present: according to the word of thy servant, so has it happened.
36 And it cometh to pass at his finishing to speak, that lo, the sons of the king have come, and they lift up their voice, and weep, and also the king and all his servants have wept — a very 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 And Absalom hath fled, and goeth unto Talmai, son of Ammihud, king of Geshur, and [David] mourneth for his son all the days.
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 And Absalom hath fled, and goeth to Geshur, and is there three years;
So Abessalom fled, and departed to Gedsur, and was there three years.
39 and [the soul of] king David determineth to go out unto Absalom, for he hath been comforted for Amnon, for [he is] dead.
And king David ceased to go out after Abessalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, touching his death.

< 2 Samuel 13 >