2 Samuel 13

1And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

2And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.footnote a

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

4And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king’s son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.footnote bfootnote c

5And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.

6So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.

7Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him meat.

8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.footnote d

9And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.

10And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

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

12And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.footnote efootnote f

13And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.

14Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

15Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.footnote g

16And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.

17Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.

18And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

19And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

20And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.footnote hfootnote ifootnote j

21But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.

22And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

23And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

24And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant.

25And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.

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

27But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

28Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.footnote kfootnote l

29And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.footnote m

30And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left.

31Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

32And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.footnote nfootnote o

33Now therefore let not 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.

34But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him.

35And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king’s sons come: as thy servant said, so it is.footnote p

36And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.footnote q

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

38So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

39And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.footnote s

Amnon and Tamar

1After some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom. 2Amnon was sick with frustration over his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed implausible for him to do anything to her.

3Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah.footnote a Jonadab was a very shrewd man, 4and 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.”

5Jonadab 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.’”

6So 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.”

7Then David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare a meal for him.”

8So 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. 9Then she brought the pan and set it down before him, but he refused to eat. “Send everyone away!” said Amnon. And everyone went out.

10Then 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. 11And when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said, “Come lie with me, my sister!”

12“No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not violate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! 13Where 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.”

14But Amnon refused to listen to her, and being stronger, he violated her and lay with her.

15Then 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“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. 17Instead, he called to his attendant and said, “Throw this woman out and bolt the door behind her!”

18So Amnon’s attendant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a robe of many colors,footnote b because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore. 19And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying aloud.

20Her 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.

21When King David heard all this, he was furious.footnote c 22And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon for violating his sister Tamar.

Absalom’s Revenge on Amnon

23Two years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, he invited all the sons of the king. 24And he went to the king and said, “Your servant has just hired shearers. Will the king and his servants please come with me?”

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

27But Absalom urged him, so the king sent Amnon and the rest of his sons.footnote d

28Now 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!”

29So 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.

30While 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!”

31Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground. And all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

32But 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. 33So 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.”

Absalom Flees to Geshur

34Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man standing watch looked up, he saw many people coming down the road west of him,footnote e 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.”footnote f

35So Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the sons of the king have arrived! It is just as your servant said.”

36And as he finished speaking, the sons of the king came in, wailing loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

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

38After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years. 39And King Davidfootnote g longed to go to Absalom,footnote h for he had been consoled over Amnon’s death.