2 Samuel 13:23-39
New Living Translation
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.[a]
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.”[b]
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,[c] now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed to be reunited with his son Absalom.[d]
Read full chapterFootnotes
2 Samuel 13:23-39
International Standard Version
Absalom’s Men Kill Amnon
23 Two full years later, Absalom took some men to Baal-hazor near Ephraim to shear his sheep. He[a] also invited all of the king’s sons to come. 24 Absalom had gone to the king to ask him, “I’ve brought some men to shear the sheep. Won’t you please come and join me, along with your senior staff?”
25 But King David declined,[b] saying to Absalom, “No, my son, we won’t all go, since that would be too much trouble for you.” Although Absalom begged David, he would not go, even though he did give his blessing.
26 So Absalom responded, “If you aren’t coming, please allow my brother Amnon to accompany us.”
The king asked, “Why should he go with you?”
27 But Absalom kept begging David[c] until he sent Amnon and all of David’s[d] sons to accompany Absalom.
28 Then Absalom instructed his young men, “Please keep watching Amnon until he’s drunk. Then I’ll tell you, ‘Attack Amnon!’ As soon as I do, kill him and don’t be afraid! You have your orders, so be strong and brave!” 29 So Absalom’s young men did to Amnon just as they had been[e] ordered, but the rest of David’s sons jumped up, mounted their mules, and escaped.
30 While they were still on the road, this rumor came to David: “Absalom has struck down all of the king’s sons and none of them has survived.” 31 David arose, ripped his clothes in anguish,[f] and collapsed to the ground while all of his staff stood by with their own clothes torn.
32 But David’s brother Shimeah’s son Jonadab reported, “Your majesty, don’t assume they’ve killed all of the young men—the king’s sons—only Amnon has died, since that was Absalom’s intention from the day Amnon raped[g] his sister Tamar. 33 Now your majesty, don’t be concerned about this rumor that all the king’s sons have died, because only Amnon is dead.”
34 Meanwhile, Absalom had run away. While the young man standing watch was looking around, all of a sudden he observed many people coming down the road behind and to the west of the mountain! So the watchman left his post and reported, “I have seen men coming from the direction of Horonaim.”[h]
35 Jonadab told the king, “Look! Here come the king’s sons. This thing has turned out just like your servant reported.” 36 Just as he finished his comments, the king’s sons arrived, crying loudly. At this, with tears overflowing, the king and his entire staff wept bitterly.
37 Absalom continued to flee, eventually going to Ammihud’s son King Talmai of Geshur, while King David continued to mourn for his son every day. 38 After fleeing to Geshur, Absalom remained there for three years. 39 Meanwhile, King David longed to visit Absalom, since he was moved to compassion over Amnon’s death.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 13:23 Lit. Absalom
- 2 Samuel 13:25 Lit. David replied
- 2 Samuel 13:27 Lit. him
- 2 Samuel 13:27 Lit. all the king’s
- 2 Samuel 13:29 Lit. as Absalom had
- 2 Samuel 13:31 The Heb. lacks in anguish
- 2 Samuel 13:32 Lit. humiliated
- 2 Samuel 13:34 So LXX; the Heb. lacks So the … of Horonaim
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
