And 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.
And 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.
But Amnon had a friend
, whose name
was Jonadab
, the son
of Shimeah
David's
brother
: and Jonadab
was a very
subtil
man
.
And 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
.
And 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
.
So 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
.
Then David sent
home
to Tamar
, saying
, Go
now to thy brother
Amnon's
house
, and dress
him meat
.
So 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
.
And 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.
And 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
.
And when she had brought them unto him to eat
, he took hold
of her, and said
unto her, Come
lie
with me, my sister
.
And 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
.
And 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.
Howbeit he would not hearken
unto her voice
: but, being stronger
than she, forced
her, and lay
with her.
Then 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
.
And 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.
Then he called his servant
that ministered
unto him, and said
, Put
now this woman out
from me, and bolt
the door
after
her.
And 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.
And 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
.
And 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
.
But when king David
heard
of all these things
, he was very
wroth
.
And Absalom spake
unto his brother Amnon
neither good
nor bad
: for Absalom
hated
Amnon
, because
he had forced
his sister
Tamar
.
And it came to pass after two full years
, that Absalom
had sheepshearers
in Baalhazor
, which is beside Ephraim
: and Absalom
invited
all the king's
sons
.
And 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
.
And 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.
Then 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?
But Absalom pressed
him, that he let Amnon
and all the king's
sons
go
with him.
Now 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
.
And 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
.
And 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
.
Then the king arose
, and tare
his garments
, and lay
on the earth
; and all his servants
stood
by with their clothes
rent
.
And 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
.
Now 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
.
But 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.
And Jonadab said
unto the king
, Behold, the king's
sons
come
: as thy servant
said
, so it is.
And 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
.
But Absalom fled
, and went
to Talmai
, the son
of Ammihud
, king
of Geshur
. And David mourned
for his son
every day
.
So Absalom fled
, and went
to Geshur
, and was there three
years
.
And the soul of king David
longed
to go forth
unto Absalom
: for he was comforted
concerning Amnon
, seeing he was dead
.