2S 13:1And some time after this, it so happened that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
2S 13:2And Amnon was so distraught that he made himself sick because of Tamar his sister; for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her.
2S 13:3Now Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very crafty man.
2S 13:4And he said to him, Why are you, O son of the king, so downcast morning after morning? Will you not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.
2S 13:5And Jonadab said to him, Lie down on your bed, and pretend to be sick; and when your father comes to see you, tell him, Please let Tamar my sister come and give me bread to eat, and let her make me food in my sight that I may see it and eat from her hand.
2S 13:6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Please let Tamar my sister come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat them from her hand.
2S 13:7Then David sent word home to Tamar, saying, Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and make him food.
2S 13:8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes.
2S 13:9And she took the pan and emptied it before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, Have all the men go out from me. And all the men went out from him.
2S 13:10And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into my room so that I may eat from your hand. And Tamar took the cakes that she had made and brought them to Amnon her brother in his room.
2S 13:11And when she brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, Come lie with me, my sister.
2S 13:12And she said to him, No, my brother. Do not force me, for such a thing should not be done in Israel. Do not commit this folly.
2S 13:13And where will I carry my shame? And you, you will be like one of the foolish men in Israel. Now therefore, speak to the king, I beg you; for he will not withhold me from you.
2S 13:14But he would not listen to her voice. And being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.
2S 13:15Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred, for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Rise up and go.
2S 13:16But she said to him, Do not cause this greater wrong by sending me away, greater than the other that you have done to me. But he would not listen to her.
2S 13:17And he called his young man who served him and said, Send this woman away from me outside, and bolt the door behind her.
2S 13:18Now she had a long garment with sleeves, for the virgin daughters of the king dressed themselves in such robes. So his servant brought her outside and bolted the door behind her.
2S 13:19And Tamar put ashes upon her head and rent the long garment with sleeves that was upon her, and she put her hand on her head and went off, crying aloud as she went.
2S 13:20Then Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon your brother been with you? But be quiet now, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart. And Tamar remained in her brother Absalom’s house, desolate.
2S 13:21And when King David heard about all these things, he was very angry.
2S 13:22But Absalom did not speak anything good or evil to Amnon, for Absalom hated Amnon because he had forced Tamar his sister.
2S 13:23Then after two full years, while Absalom had sheep shearers in Baal-hazor, which is by Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king’s sons.
2S 13:24And Absalom came to the king and said, Your servant now has sheep shearers. May the king and his servants go now with your servant.
2S 13:25But the king said to Absalom, No, my son; let us not all go, or we will be a burden to you. And he pressed him, but he would not go; yet he gave him his blessing.
2S 13:26Then Absalom said, If not, then let Amnon my brother go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with you?
2S 13:27But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.
2S 13:28And Absalom commanded his attendants, saying, Watch now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine; and when I say to you, Strike Amnon, then kill him. Do not be afraid; is it not I who have commanded you? Be strong and valiant.
2S 13:29And Absalom’s attendants did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. And all the king’s sons rose up, and each mounted his mule and fled.
2S 13:30And while they were on the way, the report came to David, namely, Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.
2S 13:31And the king rose up and rent his garments and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their garments rent.
2S 13:32Then Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord think that all the young men, the sons of the king, have been killed, for Amnon alone is dead. For this has been determined by Absalom since the day Amnon forced Tamar his sister.
2S 13:33Now therefore let my lord the king not take the matter to heart, thinking that all the king’s sons are dead; for only Amnon is dead.
2S 13:34But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and there they were, a multitude of people coming from the road behind him at the side of the mountain.
2S 13:35Then Jonadab said to the king, Here come the king’s sons; as your servant has said, so has it been.
2S 13:36And when he had finished speaking, there came the king’s sons, and they lifted up their voice and wept. And the king and all his servants also wept exceedingly.
2S 13:37But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
2S 13:38So Absalom fled and went to Geshur. And he was there three years.
2S 13:39And David the king longed to go out to Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.
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