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2 Samuel 13
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

Amnon and Tamar

13 Some time passed. David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and David’s son Amnon fell in love with her.(A) 2 Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, and Jonadab was a very crafty man.(B) 4 He said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” 5 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, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat and prepare the food in my sight, so that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’ ” 6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill, and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.”(C)

7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 9 Then she took the pan and set them before him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, “Send out everyone from me.” So everyone went out from him.(D) 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the chamber so that I may eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11 But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”(E) 12 She answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do anything so vile!(F) 13 As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the scoundrels in Israel. Now therefore, I beg you, speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”(G) 14 But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.(H)

15 Then Amnon was seized with a very great loathing for her; indeed, his loathing was even greater than the lust he had felt for her. Amnon said to her, “Get out!” 16 But she said to him, “No, my brother,[a] for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.” But he would not listen to her. 17 He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her.” 18 (Now she was wearing an ornamented[b] robe with sleeves, for this is how the virgin daughters of the king were clothed in earlier times.[c]) So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her.(I) 19 But Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe that she was wearing; she put her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.(J)

20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister; he is your brother; do not take this to heart.” So Tamar remained, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom’s house.(K) 21 When King David heard of all these things, he became very angry, but he would not punish his son Amnon because he loved him, for he was his firstborn.[d] 22 But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon because he had raped his sister Tamar.(L)

Absalom Avenges the Violation of His Sister

23 After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Absalom came to the king and said, “Your servant has sheepshearers; will the king and his servants please go with your servant?” 25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, or else we will be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. 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 until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. Absalom made a feast like a king’s feast.[e] 28 Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Watch when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not be afraid; have I not myself commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.”(M) 29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons rose, and each mounted his mule and fled.(N)

30 While they were on the way, the report came to David that Absalom had killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them was left. 31 The king rose, tore his garments, and lay on the ground, and all his servants who were standing by tore their garments.(O) 32 But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king’s sons; Amnon alone is dead. This has been determined by Absalom from the day Amnon[f] raped his sister Tamar.(P) 33 Now, therefore, do not let my lord the king take it to heart, as if all the king’s sons were dead, for Amnon alone is dead.”(Q)

34 But Absalom fled. When the young man who kept watch looked up, he saw many people coming from the Horonaim road[g] by the side of the mountain.(R) 35 Jonadab said to the king, “See, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.” 36 As soon as he had finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived and raised their voices and wept, and the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

37 But Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son day after day.(S) 38 Absalom, having fled to Geshur, stayed there three years. 39 And the heart of[h] the king went out, yearning for Absalom, for he was now consoled over the death of Amnon.(T)

Footnotes

  1. 13.16 Cn Compare Gk Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain
  2. 13.18 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  3. 13.18 Cn: Heb were clothed in robes
  4. 13.21 Q ms Gk: MT lacks but he would not punish . . . firstborn
  5. 13.27 Gk Compare Q ms: MT lacks Absalom made a feast like a king’s feast
  6. 13.32 Heb he
  7. 13.34 Cn Compare Gk: Heb the road behind him
  8. 13.39 Q ms Gk: MT And David
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2 Samuel 13
Lexham English Bible

Amnon Assaults His Sister Tamar

13 It happened afterwards that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon the son of David fell in love with her. 2 And Amnon was so frustrated that he felt ill[a] because of Tamar his sister, because she was a virgin, and it was too difficult in Amnon’s eyes to do anything with her. 3 Now Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, the brother of David. (Now Jonadab was a very crafty man.) 4 And he said to him, “Why are you so sullen every morning,[b] O son of the king? Will you not tell me?” And Amnon said to him, “I am in love with Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.” 5 Then Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and appear ill. If your father comes to see you, you shall say to him, ‘Please let Tamar my sister come and give me food to eat, and let her prepare the food before my eyes, in order that I may see it and eat from her hand.’” 6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill, and the king came to see him. Amnon said to the king, “Please let Tamar my sister come, and let her bake two cakes before my eyes that I may eat from her hand.” 7 So David sent to the house for Tamar, saying, “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare food for him.” 8 Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother. Now he was lying down, and she took the dough and kneaded it and made cakes before his eyes, and she baked the cakes. 9 Then she took the pan and poured it out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, “Let all the men go out from me.” So all the men went out from him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food to the private room that I may eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes which she had made and brought them to Amnon her brother in[c] the private room. 11 When she brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister!” 12 Then Tamar said to him, “No, my brother! Do not force me, for such a thing has not been done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! 13 As for me, where should I take my disgrace? You will be as one of the fools in Israel. So please, speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 But he was not willing to listen to her voice. He was stronger than she, and he forced her and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated her very deeply,[d] for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. So Amnon said to her, “Get up and go.” 16 She said to him, “No, because this evil in sending me away is greater than the other you have done to me.” But he was not willing to listen to her. 17 Then he called his young man who was serving him and said, “Please send this woman from me to the outside, and bolt the door behind her!” 18 Now there was a long-sleeved robe on her, for so they clothed the daughters of the king who were virgins, in robes. His servant put her outside, and he bolted the door behind her. 19 Tamar put ashes on her head, and she tore the long-sleeved robe which was on her. She put her hand on her head, and she went away, crying out as she went.[e] 20 Absalom her brother said to her, “Was Amnon your brother with you? But now, my sister, be quiet; he is your brother. Do not take this matter to heart.”[f] So Tamar remained a desolate woman in the house of Absalom her brother.

Absalom Kills Amnon

21 Now King David heard all these things, and he became very angry.[g] 22 Absalom did not speak with Amnon either bad or good,[h] for Absalom hated Amnon over the matter when[i] he raped Tamar his sister. 23 About two full years later,[j] Absalom’s shearers were in Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom summoned all the sons of the king. 24 Then Absalom went to the king and said, “Look, here are your servant’s shearers; please let the king and his servants go with your servant. 25 The king said to Absalom, “No my son, not all of us shall go, so that we not be a burden to you.” And he urged him, but he was not willing to go, but he blessed him. 26 So Absalom said, “But will you not let Amnon my brother go with us?” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom pressed him, so he sent Amnon with him and all of the sons of the king. 28 Absalom commanded his servants, saying, “Please watch. At the moment the heart of Amnon is tipsy[k] with wine, then I shall say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ and you shall kill him! Don’t be afraid. Is it not I myself who has commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant![l] 29 So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon just as Absalom commanded, and all the sons of the king got up, and each mounted his mule and fled.

30 While they were on the way,[m] the message came to David, “Absalom has killed all the sons of the king, and not one of them was left.” 31 Then the king rose and tore his garments, and he lay on the ground, and all his servants standing by were tearing their garments. 32 Then Jonadab the son of Shimeah, the brother of David, responded and said, “My lord should not think that all the young men, the sons of the king, are dead, because only Amnon is dead. Absalom was talking about it,[n] as it was being determined from the day he[o] raped Tamar his sister. 33 So then, let not my lord the king set his heart on this matter, thinking, ‘All the sons of the king are dead,’ for only Amnon alone is dead.”

Absalom Flees

34 So Absalom fled, and the young man who was keeping watch lifted up his eyes and saw, and there were many people coming from the road behind him from the side of the mountain. 35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the sons of the king have come. According to the word of your servant, so it has come about.” 36 When he finished speaking, look, the sons of the king came and they lifted up their voice and wept. Also, the king and all his servants wept a very great weeping. 37 Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, the king of Geshur. David mourned over his son day after day.[p] 38 But Absalom had fled and went to Geshur, and he was there three years. 39 King David longed to go out to Absalom, for he was consoled that Amnon had died.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 13:2 Literally “was distressed to the point of sickness”
  2. 2 Samuel 13:4 Literally “in the morning, in the morning”
  3. 2 Samuel 13:10 Hebrew “to”
  4. 2 Samuel 13:15 Literally “with a great hatred”
  5. 2 Samuel 13:19 Literally “she went, going and crying aloud”
  6. 2 Samuel 13:20 Literally “Do not place/set your heart to this matter”
  7. 2 Samuel 13:21 Literally “it became very hot for him”
  8. 2 Samuel 13:22 Literally “as far as from bad and up to good”
  9. 2 Samuel 13:22 Literally “because of the thing that”
  10. 2 Samuel 13:23 Literally “And it happened at two years of days”
  11. 2 Samuel 13:28 Literally “good”
  12. 2 Samuel 13:28 Literally “as sons of ability”
  13. 2 Samuel 13:30 Literally “And it happened they were on the way”
  14. 2 Samuel 13:32 Literally “For it was on the mouth of Absalom”
  15. 2 Samuel 13:32 Amnon
  16. 2 Samuel 13:37 Literally “all the days”
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