Now it was after this
that aAbsalom
the son
of David
had a beautiful
sister
whose name
was bTamar
, and cAmnon
the son
of David
loved
her.
Amnon was so frustrated
because
of his sister
Tamar
that he made
himself ill
, for she was a virgin
, and it seemed
1hard
to Amnon
to do
anything
to her.
But Amnon had a friend
whose name
was Jonadab
, the son
of 1 aShimeah
, David's
brother
; and Jonadab
was a very
shrewd
man
.
He said to him, "O son
of the king
, why
are you so
depressed
morning
after morning
? Will you not tell
me?" Then Amnon
said
to him, "I am in love
with Tamar
, the sister
of my brother
Absalom
."
Jonadab then said
to him, "Lie
down
on your bed
and pretend
to be ill
; when your father
comes
to see
you, say
to him, `Please
let my sister
Tamar
come
and give me some food
to eat
, and let her prepare
the food
in my sight
, that I may see
it and eat
from her hand
.' "
So Amnon lay
down
and pretended
to be ill
; when the king
came
to see
him, Amnon
said
to the king
, "Please
let my sister
Tamar
come
and amake
me a couple
of cakes
in my sight
, that I may eat
from her hand
."
Then David sent
to the house
for Tamar
, saying
, "Go
now
to your brother
Amnon's
house
, and prepare
food
for him."
So Tamar went
to her brother
Amnon's
house
, and he was lying
down
. And she took
dough
, kneaded
it, made
cakes
in his sight
, and baked
the cakes
.
She took the pan
and 1dished
them out before
him, but he refused
to eat
. And Amnon
said
, " aHave everyone
go
out from me." So everyone
went
out from him.
Then Amnon said
to Tamar
, "Bring
the food
into the 1bedroom
, that I may eat
from your hand
." So Tamar
took
the cakes
which
she had made
and brought
them into the bedroom
to her brother
Amnon
.
When she brought them to him to eat
, he atook
hold
of her and said
to her, "Come
, lie
with me, my sister
."
But she answered him, "No
, my brother
, do not violate
me, for asuch
a thing
is not done
in Israel
; do not do
this
bdisgraceful
thing
!
"As for me, where could I 1get
rid
of my reproach
? And as for you, you will be like one
of the 2fools
in Israel
. Now
therefore, please
speak
to the king
, for ahe will not withhold
me from you."
However, he would not listen
to 1her; since he was stronger
than
she, he aviolated
her and lay
with her.
Then 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, "Get
up, go
away!"
But she said to him, "No
, because
this
wrong
in sending
me away
is greater
than
the other
that you have done
to me!" Yet he would
not listen
to her.
Then he called his young
man
who attended
him and said
, "Now
throw
this
woman
out of my presence, and lock
the door
behind
her."
Now she had on aa 1long-sleeved garment
; for in this
manner
the virgin
daughters
of the king
dressed
themselves in robes
. Then his attendant
took
her out and locked
the door
behind
her.
aTamar put
1ashes
on her head
and btore
her 2long-sleeved
garment
which
was on her; and cshe put
her hand
on her head
and went
away, crying
aloud
as she went
.
Then Absalom her brother
said
to her, "Has Amnon
your brother
been
with you? But now
keep
silent
, my sister
, he is your brother
; do not take
this
matter
to heart
." So Tamar
remained
and was desolate
in her brother
Absalom's
house
.
Now when King David
heard
of all
these
matters
, he was very
angry
.
But Absalom did not speak
to Amnon
aeither
good
or
bad
; for bAbsalom
hated
Amnon
because
he had violated
his sister
Tamar
.
Now it came about after two full
years
that Absalom
ahad
sheepshearers
in Baal-hazor
, which
is near
Ephraim
, and Absalom
invited
all
the king's
sons
.
Absalom came
to the king
and said
, "Behold
now
, your servant
has sheepshearers
; please
let the king
and his servants
go
with your servant
."
But the king said
to Absalom
, "No
, my son
, we should not all
go
, for we will be burdensome
to you." Although he 1urged
him, he would
not go
, but blessed
him.
Then aAbsalom said
, "If not, please
let my brother
Amnon
go
with us." And the king
said
to him, "Why
should he go
with you?"
But when Absalom 1urged
him, he let
Amnon
and all
the king's
sons
go
with him.
Absalom commanded
his servants
, saying
, "See
now
, awhen Amnon's
heart
is merry
with wine
, and when I say
to you, `Strike
Amnon
,' then put
him to death
. Do not fear
; have not I myself
commanded
you? Be courageous
and be 1valiant
."
The servants of Absalom
did
to Amnon
just
as Absalom
had commanded
. Then all
the king's
sons
arose
and each
mounted
ahis mule
and fled
.
Now it was while they were on the way that the report
came
to David
, saying
, "Absalom
has struck
down
all
the king's
sons
, and not one
of them is left
."
Then the king arose
, atore
his clothes
and blay
on the ground
; and all
his servants
were standing
by with clothes
torn
.
aJonadab, the son
of Shimeah
, David's
brother
, 1responded
, "Do not let my lord
2suppose
they have put
to death
all
the young
men
, the king's
sons
, for Amnon
alone
is dead
; because
by the 3intent
of Absalom
this has been
determined
since
the day
that he violated
his sister
Tamar
.
"Now therefore, do not let my lord
the king
atake
the report
to 1heart
, namely
, `all
the king's
sons
are dead
,' for only
Amnon
is dead
."
Now aAbsalom had fled
. And bthe young
man
who was the watchman
raised
his eyes
and looked
, and behold
, many
people
were coming
from the road
behind
him by the side
of the mountain
.
Jonadab said
to the king
, "Behold
, the king's
sons
have come
; according to your servant's
word
, so
it happened
."
As soon as he had finished speaking
, behold
, the king's
sons
came
and lifted
their voices
and wept
; and also
the king
and all
his servants
wept
1very
bitterly
.
Now aAbsalom fled
and went
to bTalmai
the son
of Ammihud
, the king
of cGeshur
. And David mourned
for his son
every
day
.
aSo Absalom had fled
and gone
to Geshur
, and was there
three
years
.
The heart of King David
longed
to go
out to Absalom
; for ahe was comforted
concerning
Amnon
, since
he was dead
.