2 Samuel 13:23-39

Living Bible

^21-24 When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry, but Absalom said nothing one way or the other about this to Amnon. However, he hated him with a deep hatred because of what he had done to his sister. Then, two years later, when Absalom’s sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor in Ephraim, Absalom invited his father and all his brothers to come to a feast to celebrate the occasion.

²⁵ The king replied, “No, my boy; if we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you.”

Absalom pressed him, but he wouldn’t come, though he sent his thanks.

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

“Why Amnon?” the king asked.

²⁷ Absalom kept on urging the matter until finally the king agreed and let all of his sons attend, including Amnon.

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 gives the orders around here, and this is a command. Take courage and do it!”

^29-30 So they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled. As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, the report reached David: “Absalom has killed all of your sons, and not one is left alive!”

³¹ The king jumped up, ripped off his robe, and fell prostrate to the ground. His aides also tore their clothes in horror and sorrow.

^32-33 But just then Jonadab (the son of David’s brother Shimeah) arrived and said, “No, not all have been killed! It was only Amnon! Absalom has been plotting this ever since Amnon raped Tamar. No, no! Your sons aren’t all dead! It was only Amnon.”

³⁴ Meanwhile Absalom escaped. Now the watchman on the Jerusalem wall saw a great crowd coming toward the city along the road at the side of the hill.

³⁵ “See!” Jonadab told the king. “There they are now! Your sons are coming, just as I said.”

³⁶ They soon arrived, weeping and sobbing, and the king and his officials wept with them. ^37-39 Absalom fled to King Talmai of Geshur^[a] (the son of Ammihud) and stayed there three years. Meanwhile David, now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed day after day for fellowship with his son Absalom.