2 Samuel 13
Expanded Bible
Amnon and Tamar
13 [L Sometime later; After this] David had a son named Absalom and a son named Amnon. Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and Amnon loved her. 2 Tamar was a virgin. Amnon made himself sick ·just thinking about her [by his obsession/frustration with her], because ·he could not find any chance to be alone with her [it seemed impossible for him to do anything to her; it appeared he could never have her].
3 Amnon had a friend named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very ·clever [shrewd; crafty; wise] man. 4 He asked Amnon, “Son of the king, why do you look so ·sad [depressed; dejected] ·day after day [L morning after morning]? Tell me what’s wrong!”
Amnon told him, “I love Tamar, the sister of my ·half-brother [L brother] Absalom.”
5 Jonadab said to Amnon, “Go to bed and ·act as if you are [pretend to be] sick. ·Then [When…] your father will come to see you. Tell him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in and give me food to eat. Let her make the food in front of me so I can watch and eat it from her hand.’”
6 So Amnon went to bed and acted sick. When King David came in to see him, Amnon said to him, “Please let my sister Tamar come in. Let her make ·two of her special cakes [some special bread] for me while I watch. Then I will eat them from her hands.”
7 David sent for Tamar in the palace, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and make some food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, and he was ·in bed [L lying down]. Tamar took some dough and ·pressed it together with her hands [kneaded it]. She made some special ·cakes [bread] while Amnon watched. Then she baked them. 9 Next she took the pan and ·served him [L dished/poured them out before him], but he refused to eat.
He said to his servants, “·All of you, leave me alone [Everyone get out of here]!” So they all ·left him alone [got out]. 10 Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the ·bedroom [inner room] so I may eat from your hand.”
Tamar took the ·cakes [bread] she had made and brought them to her brother Amnon in the ·bedroom [inner room]. 11 She went to him so he could eat from her hands, but Amnon grabbed her. He said, “Sister, come and ·have sexual relations [L lie] with me.”
12 Tamar said to him, “No, [L my] brother! Don’t ·force [violate; rape; L humiliate] me! This ·should never be [isn’t] done in Israel! Don’t do this ·shameful [disgraceful; wicked; vile] thing! 13 ·I could never [L Where could I…?] get rid of my shame! And you will be ·like the shameful [one of the greatest] ·fools [scoundrels] in Israel! Please talk with the king, and he will ·let you marry [L not refuse your marrying] me.”
14 But Amnon refused to listen to her. He was stronger than she was, so he ·forced her to have sexual relations with him [raped/L humiliated her and lay with her]. 15 After that, Amnon hated Tamar [L intensely; with a great hatred]. He hated her more than he had loved her before. Amnon said to her, “Get ·up and leave [out]!”
16 Tamar said to him, “No! Sending me away would be ·worse [a greater wrong] than what you’ve already done [L to me]!”
But he refused to listen to her. 17 He called his young ·servant [L man] back in and said, “Get this woman out of here and away from me! Lock the door ·after [behind] her.” 18 So his servant led her out of the room and bolted the door ·after [behind] her.
Tamar was wearing a special robe with long sleeves, because the king’s virgin daughters wore this kind of robe. 19 Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her special robe [C a sign of mourning or distress]. ·Putting her hand on her head [or with her face in her hands], she went away, crying loudly.
20 Absalom, Tamar’s brother, said to her, “Has Amnon, your brother, ·forced you to have sexual relations with him [L been with you]? For now, sister, ·be quiet [keep silent]. He is your half-brother. Don’t ·let this upset you so much [worry about this; L take this to heart]!” So Tamar lived in her brother Absalom’s house and was ·sad and lonely [desolate and inconsolable].
21 When King David heard the news, he was very angry. 22 Absalom did not say a word, good or bad, to Amnon. But he hated Amnon for ·disgracing [violating; raping; L humiliating] his sister Tamar.
Absalom’s Revenge
23 Two years later Absalom had some men come to Baal Hazor, near Ephraim, to cut the wool from his sheep. Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come also [C for a feast]. 24 Absalom went to the king and said, “I have men coming to cut the wool. Please come with your ·officers [attendants; L servants] and join ·me [L your servant].”
25 King David said to Absalom, “No, my son. We won’t all go, because it would be too much ·trouble [of a burden] for you.” Although Absalom ·begged [urged; pressed] David, he would not go, but he did give his blessing.
26 Absalom said, “If you don’t want to come, then please let my brother Amnon come with us.”
King David asked, “Why should he go with you?”
27 Absalom kept ·begging [urging; pressing] David until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with Absalom.
28 Then Absalom instructed his ·servants [L men], “Watch Amnon. When ·he is drunk [he’s in high spirits; L his heart is merry with wine], I will tell you, ‘·Kill [L Strike] Amnon.’ Right then, kill him! Don’t be afraid, because I have ·commanded [ordered] you! Be ·strong [courageous] and ·brave [valiant]!” 29 So Absalom’s ·young men [servants] killed Amnon as Absalom ·commanded [ordered], ·but [then] all of David’s other sons got on their mules and ·escaped [fled].
30 While the king’s sons were on their way [C back to Jerusalem], the news came to David, “Absalom has ·killed [L struck down] all of the king’s sons! Not one of them is left alive!” 31 King David [L got up,] tore his clothes [C a sign of mourning or distress] and ·lay [threw himself] on the ground. All his ·servants [officers; attendants] standing nearby tore their clothes also.
32 Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said to David, “Don’t ·think [believe; suppose] all the young men, your sons, are killed. No, only Amnon is dead! Absalom has ·planned [plotted; been determined to do] this ever since Amnon ·forced his sister Tamar to have sexual relations with him [raped/violated/L humiliated his sister Tamar]. 33 My ·master and [lord the] king, don’t ·think [imagine; L take to heart] that all of the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead!”
34 In the meantime Absalom had run away.
A ·guard [watchman] standing on the city wall saw many people coming [L on the road] from the other side of the hill. 35 So Jonadab said to King David, “Look, ·I was right [L just as your servant said]! The king’s sons are coming!”
36 As soon as Jonadab had said this, the king’s sons arrived, ·crying [wailing] loudly. David and all his servants began ·crying [wailing] also. 37 David ·cried [mourned] for his son ·every day [many days].
But Absalom ran away to Talmai [C his grandfather] son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. 38 After Absalom ran away to Geshur, he stayed there for three years. 39 When King David ·got over [was reconciled to/comforted about/consoled over] Amnon’s death, he ·missed [longed/yearned for] Absalom greatly.
2 Samuel 13
New American Standard Bible
Amnon and Tamar
13 Now it was after this that (A)Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was (B)Tamar, and (C)Amnon the son of David was in love with her. 2 But Amnon was so frustrated on account of his sister Tamar that he made himself ill, for she was a virgin, and it [a]seemed too difficult to Amnon to do anything to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of [b](D)Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very clever man. 4 And he said to him, “Why are you, the king’s son, so depressed morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” So Amnon said to him, “I am in love with Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.” 5 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 have my sister Tamar come and give me food to eat, and have her prepare the [c]food in my sight, so that I may see it and eat from her hand.’” 6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please have my sister Tamar come and (E)make me a couple of pastries in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.”
7 Then David sent a messenger to the house for Tamar, saying, “Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare [d]food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, and he was lying in bed. And she took dough, kneaded it, made pastries in his sight, and baked the pastries. 9 Then she took the tray and served them to him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “(F)Have everyone leave me.” So everyone left him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the [e]bedroom, so that I may eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the pastries which she had made and brought them into the bedroom to her brother Amnon. 11 When she brought them to him to eat, he (G)took hold of her and said to her, “Come, sleep with me, my sister.” 12 But she said to him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for (H)such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this (I)disgraceful sin! 13 As for me, where could I [f]get rid of my shame? And as for you, you will be like one of the [g]fools in Israel. Now then, please speak to the king, for (J)he will not [h]withhold me from you.” 14 However, he would not listen to [i]her; since he was stronger than she, he (K)violated her and slept with her.
15 Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred; indeed, 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!” 16 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. 17 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!” 18 Now she had on (L)a [j]long-sleeved garment; for this is how the virgin daughters of the king dressed themselves in robes. Then his attendant took her out and locked the door behind her. 19 (M)Tamar took ashes and put them on her head, and (N)tore her [k]long-sleeved garment which was on her; and (O)she put her hand on her head and went on her way, crying out as she went.
20 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 isolated in her brother Absalom’s house. 21 Now when King David heard about all these matters, he became very angry. 22 But Absalom did not speak with Amnon (P)either good or bad; for (Q)Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.
23 Now it came about after two full years that Absalom (R)had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons to celebrate.
Absalom Avenges Tamar
24 And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold now, your servant has sheepshearers; may the king and his servants please go with your servant.” 25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, we should not all go, so that we will not be a burden to you.” Though he urged him, he would not go; but he blessed him. 26 Then (S)Absalom said, “If not, please have my brother Amnon go with us.” But the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 Nevertheless Absalom urged him, so he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.
28 Then Absalom commanded his servants, saying, “See now, (T)when Amnon’s heart is cheerful with wine, and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then put him to death. Do not fear; have I not commanded you myself? Be courageous and be [l]valiant.” 29 And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons got up and each mounted (U)his mule and fled.
30 Now it was while they were on the way that the report came to David, saying, “Absalom has struck and killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.” 31 Then the king stood up, (V)tore his clothes, and (W)lay on the ground; and all his servants were standing by with clothes torn. 32 (X)And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, [m]responded, “Let my lord not [n]assume that they have put to death all the young men, the king’s sons, for only Amnon is dead; because this has been set up by the [o]intent of Absalom since the day that he violated his sister Tamar. 33 So now, may my lord the king not (Y)take the report to [p]heart, [q]claiming, ‘all the king’s sons are dead’; but only Amnon is dead.”
34 Now (Z)Absalom had fled. And (AA)the 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. 35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; so it has happened according to your servant’s word.” 36 As soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came and raised their voices and wept; and the king and all his servants also wept [r]very profusely.
37 Now (AB)Absalom had fled and gone to (AC)Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of (AD)Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. 38 (AE)So Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, and was there for three years. 39 And the heart of King David longed to go out to Absalom; for (AF)he was comforted regarding Amnon, since he was dead.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 13:2 Lit was too difficult in Amnon’s eyes
- 2 Samuel 13:3 In 1 Sam 16:9, Shammah; in 1 Chr 2:13, Shimea
- 2 Samuel 13:5 I.e., food for the sick
- 2 Samuel 13:7 I.e., food for the sick
- 2 Samuel 13:10 Or inner room
- 2 Samuel 13:13 Lit take away
- 2 Samuel 13:13 Or worthless ones
- 2 Samuel 13:13 I.e., refuse a marriage
- 2 Samuel 13:14 Lit her voice
- 2 Samuel 13:18 Or varicolored tunic
- 2 Samuel 13:19 Or varicolored tunic
- 2 Samuel 13:28 Lit sons of valor
- 2 Samuel 13:32 Lit answered and said
- 2 Samuel 13:32 Lit say
- 2 Samuel 13:32 Lit mouth
- 2 Samuel 13:33 Lit his heart
- 2 Samuel 13:33 Lit saying
- 2 Samuel 13:36 Lit with a very great weeping
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
