 1 After this Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar. Amnon, David's son, loved her. 2 Amnon was so troubled that he fell sick for his sister Tamar for she was a virgin. Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything to her. 3 Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4 He said to him, Why are you, the king's son, lean from day to day? Will you not tell me? Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister. 5 Jonadab said to him, Lay down on your bed and make yourself sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food and prepare the food in my sight so that I may see and eat it at her hand. 6 Amnon lay down and made himself sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight so that I may eat at her hand. 7 David sent home to Tamar saying, Go now to your brother Amnon's house and prepare food for him. 8 Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house and he had lain down. She took flour and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes. 9 She took a pan and poured them out before him. But he refused to eat. Amnon said, Make every man leave me and every man left him. 10 Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the room so that I may eat out of your hand. Tamar took the cakes that she had made and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother. 11 When she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, Come lie with me my sister. 12 She answered him, No, my brother. Do not humble me. For no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not do this folly. 13 Where will I cause my shame to go? You will be like one of the fools in Israel. But please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you. 14 But he would not listen to her. Being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her. 15 Then Amnon hated her with a great hatred. The hatred that he hated her was greater than the love that he had loved her. Amnon said to her, Get up and go. 16 She said to him, There is no cause. This evil in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me. But he would not listen to her. 17 He called his servant who waited on him and said, Put this woman out from me and bolt the door after her. 18 She had a robe of many colors upon her, for the king's virgin daughters were clothed with such robes. His servant brought her out and bolted the door after her. 19 Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the robe of many colors that was on her and laid her hand on her head and went on crying. 20 Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother. Do not set your heart on this. Tamar remained desolate in the house of her brother Absalom. 21 When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. 22 Absalom did not speak to his brother Amnon, neither good nor bad. For Absalom hated Amnon because he had forced his sister Tamar. 23 After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor beside Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king's sons. 24 Absalom came to the king and said, Behold now, your servant has shearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant. 25 The king said to Absalom, No, my son. Let us not all go now lest we be too heavy upon you. He pressed him but he would not go, however, but blessed him. 26 Then Absalom said, If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us? The king said to him, Why should he go with you? 27 But Absalom pressed him so that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. 28 Absalom had commanded his servants saying, Watch when Amnon's heart is merry with wine and when I say to you, Strike Amnon, you shall kill him. Do not fear. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be brave. 29 The servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. All the king's sons arose and they each got on his mule and fled. 30 While they were on the way, news came to David saying, Absalom has killed all the king's sons and there is not one of them left. 31 The king arose and tore his garments and lay on the earth. All his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 32 Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah said, Do not let my lord think that they have killed all the young men, the king's sons. For only Amnon is dead. For by the mouth of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he humbled his sister Tamar. 33 Now do not let my lord the king take the thing to his heart to think that all the king's sons are dead. For only Amnon is dead. 34 But Absalom fled. The young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked and behold, many people came by the way of the hillside behind him. 35 Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king's sons come. As your servant said, so it is. 36 As soon as he stopped speaking, behold, the king's sons came. They lifted up their voice and wept. The king also and all his servants wept with a great weeping. 37 But Absalom fled and went to Talmai, the son of King Ammihud Geshur. David mourned for his son every day. 38 Absalom fled and went to Geshur and was there three years. 39 King David longed to go forth to Absalom, for he was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.
|