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2 Samuel 13
New Living Translation

The Rape of Tamar

13 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon, her half brother, fell desperately in love with her. 2 Amnon became so obsessed with Tamar that he became ill. She was a virgin, and Amnon thought he could never have her.

3 But Amnon had a very crafty friend—his cousin Jonadab. He was the son of David’s brother Shimea.[a] 4 One day Jonadab said to Amnon, “What’s the trouble? Why should the son of a king look so dejected morning after morning?”

So Amnon told him, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

5 “Well,” Jonadab said, “I’ll tell you what to do. Go back to bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, ask him to let Tamar come and prepare some food for you. Tell him you’ll feel better if she prepares it as you watch and feeds you with her own hands.”

6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon asked him, “Please let my sister Tamar come and cook my favorite dish[b] as I watch. Then I can eat it from her own hands.” 7 So David agreed and sent Tamar to Amnon’s house to prepare some food for him.

8 When Tamar arrived at Amnon’s house, she went to the place where he was lying down so he could watch her mix some dough. Then she baked his favorite dish for him. 9 But when she set the serving tray before him, he refused to eat. “Everyone get out of here,” Amnon told his servants. So they all left.

10 Then he said to Tamar, “Now bring the food into my bedroom and feed it to me here.” So Tamar took his favorite dish to him. 11 But as she was feeding him, he grabbed her and demanded, “Come to bed with me, my darling sister.”

12 “No, my brother!” she cried. “Don’t be foolish! Don’t do this to me! Such wicked things aren’t done in Israel. 13 Where could I go in my shame? And you would be called one of the greatest fools in Israel. Please, just speak to the king about it, and he will let you marry me.”

14 But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her, and since he was stronger than she was, he raped her. 15 Then suddenly Amnon’s love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her. “Get out of here!” he snarled at her.

16 “No, no!” Tamar cried. “Sending me away now is worse than what you’ve already done to me.”

But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her. 17 He shouted for his servant and demanded, “Throw this woman out, and lock the door behind her!”

18 So the servant put her out and locked the door behind her. She was wearing a long, beautiful robe,[c] as was the custom in those days for the king’s virgin daughters. 19 But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying.

20 Her brother Absalom saw her and asked, “Is it true that Amnon has been with you? Well, my sister, keep quiet for now, since he’s your brother. Don’t you worry about it.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother Absalom’s house.

21 When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry.[d] 22 And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.

Absalom’s Revenge on Amnon

23 Two years later, when Absalom’s sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come to a feast. 24 He went to the king and said, “My sheep-shearers are now at work. Would the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?”

25 The king replied, “No, my son. If we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you.” Absalom pressed him, but the king would not come, though he gave Absalom his blessing.

26 “Well, then,” Absalom said, “if you can’t come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?”

“Why Amnon?” the king asked. 27 But Absalom kept on pressing the king until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon. So Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king.[e]

28 Absalom told his men, “Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal, kill him! Don’t be afraid. I’m the one who has given the command. Take courage and do it!” 29 So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.

30 As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, this report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one is left alive!” 31 The king got up, tore his robe, and threw himself on the ground. His advisers also tore their clothes in horror and sorrow.

32 But just then Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimea, arrived and said, “No, don’t believe that all the king’s sons have been killed! It was only Amnon! Absalom has been plotting this ever since Amnon raped his sister Tamar. 33 No, my lord the king, your sons aren’t all dead! It was only Amnon.” 34 Meanwhile Absalom escaped.

Then the watchman on the Jerusalem wall saw a great crowd coming down the hill on the road from the west. He ran to tell the king, “I see a crowd of people coming from the Horonaim road along the side of the hill.”[f]

35 “Look!” Jonadab told the king. “There they are now! The king’s sons are coming, just as I said.”

36 They soon arrived, weeping and sobbing, and the king and all his servants wept bitterly with them. 37 And David mourned many days for his son Amnon.

Absalom fled to his grandfather, Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. 38 He stayed there in Geshur for three years. 39 And King David,[g] now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed to be reunited with his son Absalom.[h]

Footnotes

  1. 13:3 Hebrew Shimeah (also in 13:32), a variant spelling of Shimea; compare 1 Chr 2:13.
  2. 13:6 Or a couple of cakes; also in 13:8, 10.
  3. 13:18 Or a robe with sleeves, or an ornamented robe. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
  4. 13:21 Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version add But he did not punish his son Amnon, because he loved him, for he was his firstborn.
  5. 13:27 As in Greek and Latin versions (compare also Dead Sea Scrolls); the Hebrew text lacks this sentence.
  6. 13:34 As in Greek version; Hebrew lacks this sentence.
  7. 13:39a Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version read And the spirit of the king.
  8. 13:39b Or no longer felt a need to go out after Absalom.
Close NET

2 Samuel 13
New English Translation

The Rape of Tamar

13 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David’s son Amnon fell madly in love with her.[a] 2 But Amnon became frustrated because he was so lovesick[b] over his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her.

3 Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4 He asked Amnon,[c] “Why are you, the king’s son,[d] so depressed every morning? Can’t you tell me?” So Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar the sister of my brother Absalom.” 5 Jonadab replied to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick.[e] When your father comes in to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can fix some food for me. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I can watch. Then I will eat from her hand.’”

6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came in to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight. Then I will eat from her hand.”

7 So David sent Tamar to the house saying, “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, who was lying down. She took the dough, kneaded it, made some cakes while he watched,[f] and baked them.[g] 9 But when she took the pan and set it before him, he refused to eat. Instead Amnon said, “Get everyone out of here!”[h] So everyone left.[i]

10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the cakes into the bedroom; then I will eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes that she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom. 11 As she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, “Come on! Get in bed with me,[j] my sister!”

12 But she said to him, “No, my brother! Don’t humiliate me! This just isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this foolish thing! 13 How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools[k] in Israel! Just[l] speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 But he refused to listen to her.[m] He overpowered her and humiliated her by raping her.[n] 15 Then Amnon greatly despised her.[o] His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her.[p] Amnon said to her, “Get up and leave!”

16 But she said to him, “No I won’t, for sending me away now would be worse than what you did to me earlier!”[q] But he refused to listen to her. 17 He called his personal attendant and said to him, “Take this woman out of my sight[r] and lock the door behind her!” 18 (Now she was wearing a long robe,[s] for this is what the king’s virgin daughters used to wear.) So Amnon’s[t] attendant removed her and bolted the door[u] behind her. 19 Then Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went on her way, wailing as she went.

20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Was Amnon your brother with you? Now be quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take it so seriously!”[v] Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom.

21 Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry.[w] 22 But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.

Absalom Has Amnon Put to Death

23 Two years later Absalom’s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor, near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Then Absalom went to the king and said, “My shearers have begun their work.[x] Let the king and his servants go with me.”

25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son. We shouldn’t all go. We shouldn’t burden you in that way.” Though Absalom[y] pressed[z] him, the king[aa] was not willing to go. Instead, David[ab] blessed him.

26 Then Absalom said, “If you will not go,[ac] then let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king replied to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him.

28 Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunk[ad] and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!”[ae] 29 So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had instructed. Then all the king’s sons got up; each one rode away on his mule and fled.

30 While they were still on their way, the following report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one of them is left!” 31 Then the king stood up and tore his garments and lay down on the ground. All his servants were standing there with torn garments as well.

32 Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “My lord should not say, ‘They have killed all the young men who are the king’s sons.’ For only Amnon is dead. This is what Absalom has talked about[af] from the day that Amnon[ag] humiliated his sister Tamar. 33 Now don’t let my lord the king be concerned about the report that has come saying, ‘All the king’s sons are dead.’ It is only Amnon who is dead.”

34 In the meantime Absalom fled. When the servant who was the watchman looked up, he saw many people coming from the west[ah] on a road beside the hill. 35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look! The king’s sons have come! It’s just as I said.”

36 Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, wailing and weeping.[ai] The king and all his servants wept loudly[aj] as well. 37 But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur. And David[ak] grieved over his son every day.

38 After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years. 39 The king longed[al] to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon.[am]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 13:1 tn Heb “Amnon the son of David loved her.” The following verse indicates the extreme nature of his infatuation, so the translation uses “madly in love” here.sn Amnon was the half-brother of Tamar; Absalom was her full blood-brother.
  2. 2 Samuel 13:2 tn Heb “and there was distress to Amnon so that he made himself sick.”
  3. 2 Samuel 13:4 tn Heb “and he said to him.”
  4. 2 Samuel 13:4 tn A more idiomatic translation might be “Why are you of all people…?”
  5. 2 Samuel 13:5 tn This verb is used in the Hitpael stem only in this chapter of the Hebrew Bible. With the exception of v. 2 it describes not a real sickness but one pretended in order to entrap Tamar. The Hitpael sometimes, as here, describes the subject making oneself appear to be of a certain character. On this use of the stem, see GKC 149-50 §54.e.
  6. 2 Samuel 13:8 tn Heb “in his sight.”
  7. 2 Samuel 13:8 tn Heb “the cakes.”
  8. 2 Samuel 13:9 tn Heb “from upon me.”
  9. 2 Samuel 13:9 tc A few medieval Hebrew mss supported by the LXX and Vulgate read the Hiphil וַיּוֹצִיאוּ (vayyotsiʾu) “and they removed everyone,” rather than the MT’s Qal וַיֵּצְאוּ (vayyetseʾu, “they left”). This verb would then match the instructions more closely.
  10. 2 Samuel 13:11 tn Heb “lie with me” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV); NCV “come and have sexual relations with me.”
  11. 2 Samuel 13:13 tn Heb “and you will be like one of the fools.”
  12. 2 Samuel 13:13 tn Heb “Now.”
  13. 2 Samuel 13:14 tn Heb “to her voice.”
  14. 2 Samuel 13:14 tn Heb “and he humiliated her and lay with her.”
  15. 2 Samuel 13:15 tn Heb “and Amnon hated her with very great hatred.”
  16. 2 Samuel 13:15 tn Heb “for greater was the hatred with which he hated her than the love with which he loved her.”
  17. 2 Samuel 13:16 tn Heb “No, because this great evil is [worse] than the other which you did with me, by sending me away.” Perhaps the broken syntax reflects her hysteria and outrage.
  18. 2 Samuel 13:17 tn Heb “send this [one] from upon me to the outside.”
  19. 2 Samuel 13:18 tn The Hebrew expression used here (כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים, ketonet passim) is found only here and in Gen 37:3, 23, 32. Hebrew פַּס (pas) can refer to the palm of the hand or the sole of the foot; here the idea is probably that of a long robe reaching to the feet and having sleeves reaching to the wrists. The notion of a “coat of many colors” (KJV, ASV “garment of divers colors”), a familiar translation for the phrase in Genesis, is based primarily on the translation adopted in the LXX χιτῶνα ποικίλον (chitōna poikilon) and does not have a great deal of support.
  20. 2 Samuel 13:18 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Amnon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  21. 2 Samuel 13:18 tn The Hebrew verb is a perfect with nonconsecutive vav, probably indicating an action (locking the door) that complements the preceding one (pushing her out the door).
  22. 2 Samuel 13:20 tn Heb “Don’t set your heart to this thing!” Elsewhere this phrase means to disregard or not pay attention to something (e.g. Exod 7:23). It is a callous thing to say to Tamar, but to the degree that what he said becomes known, it misleads people from understanding that he is personally plotting revenge (13:22, 28).
  23. 2 Samuel 13:21 tc The LXX and part of the Old Latin tradition include the following addition to v. 21, also included in some English versions (e.g., NAB, NRSV, CEV): “But he did not grieve the spirit of Amnon his son, because he loved him, since he was his firstborn.” Note David’s attitude toward his son Adonijah in 1 Kgs 1:6.
  24. 2 Samuel 13:24 tn Heb “your servant has sheepshearers.” The phrase “your servant” also occurs at the end of the verse and is translated as "me".
  25. 2 Samuel 13:25 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  26. 2 Samuel 13:25 tc Here and in v. 27 the translation follows 4QSama ויפצר (vayyiftsar, “and he pressed”) rather than the MT וַיִּפְרָץ (vayyifrats, “and he broke through”). This emended reading seems also to underlie the translations of the LXX (καὶ ἐβιάσατο, kai ebiasato), the Syriac Peshitta (weʾalseh), and Vulgate (cogeret eum).
  27. 2 Samuel 13:25 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  28. 2 Samuel 13:25 tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  29. 2 Samuel 13:26 tn Heb “and not.”
  30. 2 Samuel 13:28 tn Heb “when good is the heart of Amnon with wine.”
  31. 2 Samuel 13:28 tn Heb “and become sons of valor.”
  32. 2 Samuel 13:32 tn Heb “it was placed on the mouth of Absalom.”
  33. 2 Samuel 13:32 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Amnon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  34. 2 Samuel 13:34 tn Heb “behind him.”
  35. 2 Samuel 13:36 tn Heb “and they lifted their voice and wept.”
  36. 2 Samuel 13:36 tn Heb “with a great weeping.”
  37. 2 Samuel 13:37 tc The Hebrew text leaves the word “David” to be inferred. The Syriac Peshitta and Vulgate add the word “David.” Most of the Greek tradition includes the words “King David” here.
  38. 2 Samuel 13:39 tc The translation follows 4QSama in reading רוּחַ הַמֶּלֶךְ (ruakh hammelekh, “the spirit of the king”) rather than the MT דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ (david hammelekh, “David the king”). The understanding reflected in the translation above is that David, though alienated during this time from his son Absalom, still had an abiding love and concern for him. He longed for reconciliation with him. A rather different interpretation of the verse supposes that David’s interest in taking military action against Absalom grew slack with the passing of time, and this in turn enabled David’s advisers to encourage him toward reconciliation with Absalom. For the latter view, see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 344, and cf. CEV.
  39. 2 Samuel 13:39 tn Heb “was consoled over Amnon, because he was dead.”
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