2 Samuel 13
New King James Version
Amnon and Tamar
13 After this (A)Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was (B)Tamar; and (C)Amnon the son of David loved her. 2 Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab (D)the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Now Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4 And he said to him, “Why are you, the king’s son, becoming thinner day after day? Will you not tell me?”
Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”
5 So Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And 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, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’ ” 6 Then Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let Tamar my sister come and (E)make a couple of cakes for me in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”
7 And David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Now go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was lying down. Then she took flour and kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 9 And she took the pan and placed them out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, (F)“Have everyone go out from me.” And they all went out from him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother in the bedroom. 11 Now when she had brought them to him to eat, (G)he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”
12 But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not [a]force me, for (H)no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this (I)disgraceful thing! 13 And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; (J)for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he (K)forced her and lay with her.
15 Then Amnon hated her [b]exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!”
16 So she said to him, “No, indeed! This evil of sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me.”
But he would not listen to her. 17 Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.” 18 Now she had on (L)a robe of many colors, for the king’s virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.
19 Then Tamar put (M)ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and (N)laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly. 20 And 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 take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.
21 But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. 22 And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon (O)neither good nor bad. For Absalom (P)hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
Absalom Murders Amnon
23 And it came to pass, after two full years, that Absalom (Q)had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim; so Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Then Absalom came to the king and said, “Kindly note, your servant has sheepshearers; please, let the king and his servants go with your servant.”
25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go now, lest we be a burden to you.” Then he urged him, but he would not go; and he blessed him.
26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.”
And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom urged him; so he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.
28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, “Watch now, when Amnon’s (R)heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon!’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and [c]valiant.” 29 So the servants of Absalom (S)did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each one got on (T)his mule and fled.
30 And it came to pass, while they were on the way, that news came to David, saying, “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left!” 31 So the king arose and (U)tore his garments and (V)lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 32 Then (W)Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, “Let not my lord suppose they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for only Amnon is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore, (X)let not 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.”
Absalom Flees to Geshur
34 (Y)Then Absalom fled. And the young man who was keeping watch lifted his eyes and looked, and there, many people were coming from the road on the hillside behind [d]him. 35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king’s sons are coming; as your servant said, so it is.” 36 So it was, as soon as he had finished speaking, that the king’s sons indeed came, and they lifted up their voice and wept. Also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly.
37 But Absalom fled and went to (Z)Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. 38 So Absalom fled and went to (AA)Geshur, and was there three years. 39 And [e]King David [f]longed to go to Absalom. For he had been (AB)comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 13:12 Lit. humble me
- 2 Samuel 13:15 with a very great hatred
- 2 Samuel 13:28 Lit. sons of valor
- 2 Samuel 13:34 LXX adds And the watchman went and told the king, and said, “I see men from the way of Horonaim, from the regions of the mountains.”
- 2 Samuel 13:39 So with MT, Syr., Vg.; LXX the spirit of the king; Tg. the soul of King David
- 2 Samuel 13:39 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. ceased to pursue after
Shmuel Bais 13
Orthodox Jewish Bible
13 And it came to pass after this, that Avshalom Ben Dovid had an achot yafeh (beautiful sister), whose shem was Tamar; and Amnon Ben Dovid loved her.
2 And Amnon was so distressed, that he fell ill for his achot Tamar; for she was betulah; but Amnon thought it impossible for him to do anything to her.
3 But Amnon had a re’a, shmo Yonadav Ben Shime’ah Achi Dovid; and Yonadav was an ish chacham (shrewd man).
4 And he said unto him, Why art thou, being Ben HaMelech, becoming dal (weak, wretched) from day to day? Wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, Ani ohev (I love) Tamar achot Avshalom achi.
5 And Yonadav said unto him, Lay thee down on thy mishkav, and make thyself sick; and when avicha cometh to see thee, say unto him, now, let my achot Tamar come, and cause me to eat lechem, and prepare the briyah (food) in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her yad.
6 So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick; and when HaMelech was come to see him, Amnon said unto HaMelech, Now, let Tamar my achot come, and make me a couple of [heart-shaped] cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her yad.
7 Then Dovid sent to Tamar to the palace, saying, Go now to the bais of thy brother Amnon, and prepare for him briyah (food).
8 So Tamar went to the bais of her brother Amnon; and he was lying down. And she took batzek (dough), and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the [heartshaped] cakes.
9 And she took a masret (pan), and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have kol ish go out from me. And they went out kol ish from him.
10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the briyah into the cheder ([bed] room), that I may eat from thine yad. And Tamar took the [heart-shaped] cakes which she had prepared, and brought them into the bedroom to Amnon her brother.
11 And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my achot.
12 And she answered him, No, achi, do not violate me; for no such thing ought to be done in Yisroel; do not thou this nevalah (foul deed, shameful thing).
13 And I, to where shall I cause my cherpah (shame, disgrace) to go? And as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the nevalim (wicked fools) in Yisroel. Now therefore, speak unto HaMelech; for he will not withhold me from thee.
14 Howbeit he would not pay heed unto her voice; but, being stronger than she, violated her and raped her, and lay with her.
15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the sinah (hatred) wherewith he hated her was gedolah me’od than the ahavah wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Get up, get out.
16 And she said unto him, No, do not this ra’ah in sending me away which is gedolah than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not pay heed unto her.
17 Then he called his na’ar that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this outside from me, and bolt the delet after her.
18 She had a kesones of various colors upon her; for with such were the banot HaMelech that were betulot apparelled. Then his mesharet (servant) brought her outside, and bolted the delet after her.
19 And Tamar put efer (ash) on her rosh (head) and made the kri’ah (tearing, rending) on her kesones of various colors that was on her, and laid her yad on her rosh, and went on weeping as she went.
20 And Avshalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? But hold now thy peace, my achot; he is thy brother; this thing take not to heart. So Tamar remained shomemah (desolate) in the bais of her brother Avshalom.
21 But when Dovid HaMelech heard of all these things, he was very angry.
22 And Avshalom spoke unto his brother Amnon not a davar neither rah nor tov; for Avshalom hated Amnon, because he had violated and raped his achot Tamar.
23 And it came to pass after two full shanim, that Avshalom had gozezim (sheepshearers) in Baal-Chazor, which is in Ephrayim; and Avshalom invited all the Bnei HaMelech.
24 And Avshalom came to HaMelech, and said, Hinei now, thy eved hath gozezim; let HaMelech, now, and his avadim go with thy eved.
25 And HaMelech said to Avshalom, No, beni (my son), let us not all now go, lest we be a burden unto thee. And he urged him; howbeit he would not go, but put a bracha on him.
26 Then said Avshalom, If not, now, let achi Amnon go with us. And HaMelech said unto him, Why should he go with thee?
27 But Avshalom urged him, that he let Amnon and kol Bnei HaMelech go with him.
28 Now Avshalom had commanded his avadim, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s lev is high with yayin, and when I say unto you, Strike Amnon; then kill him, fear not; have not I commanded you? Be chazak (courageous), and be bnei chayil.
29 And the na’arei Avshalom did unto Amnon as Avshalom had commanded. Then all the Bnei HaMelech arose, and every man mounted him up upon his pered (mule), and fled.
30 And it came to pass, while they were baderech (on the way), that report came to Dovid, saying, Avshalom hath slain all the Bnei HaMelech, and there is not one of them left.
31 Then HaMelech arose, and made the kri’ah on his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his avadim stood by with their clothes torn.
32 And Yonadav Ben Shime’ah achi Dovid, answered and said, Let not adoni suppose that they have slain all the young men, the Bnei HaMelech; for Amnon only is dead; for by the command of Avshalom this hath been determined from the day that he violated and raped Tamar his achot.
33 Now therefore let not adoni HaMelech take the thing to his lev, to think that all the Bnei HaMelech are dead; for Amnon only is dead.
34 But Avshalom fled. And the na’ar tzofeh (watchman) lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, hinei, there came am rav (much people) by the derech of the hillside behind him.
35 And Yonadav said unto HaMelech, Hinei, the Bnei HaMelech come; as the davar avdecha (word of thy servant), so it is.
36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, hinei, the Bnei HaMelech came, and lifted up their voice and wailed; and HaMelech also and all his avadim wept gadol me’od.
37 But Avshalom fled, and went to Talmai Ben Ammichud Melech Geshur. And Dovid mourned for bno kol hayamim.
38 So Avshalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there shalosh shanim.
39 And the nefesh of Dovid HaMelech longed to go forth unto Avshalom; for he was consoled concerning Amnon that died.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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