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.”

²⁴ Now ^(A)David was sitting between the two gates; and ^(B)the watchman went to the roof of the gate by the wall, and raised his eyes and looked; and behold, a man was running by himself. ²⁵ So the watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, “If he is by himself there is good news in his mouth.” And he came nearer and nearer. ²⁶ Then the watchman saw another man running; and the watchman called to the gatekeeper and said, “Behold, another man is running by himself.” And the king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” ²⁷ The watchman said, “I ^[a]think the running form of the first one ^(C)is like the running form of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok.” And the king said, “^(D)This is a good man, and he is coming with good news.”

²⁸ Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “^[b]All is well.” And ^(E)he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. And he said, “^(F)Blessed is the Lord your God, who has turned over the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.” ²⁹ But the king said, “^(G)Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And Ahimaaz answered, “When Joab sent the king’s servant, and your servant, I saw a great commotion, but ^(H)I did not know what it was.” ³⁰ Then the king said, “Turn aside and stand here.” So he turned aside and stood still.

³¹ Then behold, the Cushite arrived, and the Cushite said, “Let my lord the king receive good news, for ^(I)the Lord has ^[c]freed you this day from the hand of all those who rose up against you.” ³² Then the king said to the Cushite, “^(J)Is it well with the young man Absalom?” And the Cushite answered, “^(K)May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be like that young man!”

^33 [d]Then the king trembled and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And this is what he said as he walked: “^(L)My son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! ^(M)If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!”