2 Samuel 13:23-39

New King James Version

Absalom Murders Amnon

²³ And it came to pass, after two full years, that Absalom ^(A)had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim; so Absalom invited all the king’s sons. ²⁴ Then Absalom came to the king and said, “Kindly note, your servant has sheepshearers; please, let the king and his servants go with your servant.”

²⁵ But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go now, lest we be a burden to you.” Then he urged him, but he would not go; and he blessed him.

²⁶ Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.”

And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” ²⁷ But Absalom urged him; so he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

²⁸ Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, “Watch now, when Amnon’s ^(B)heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon!’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and ^[a]valiant.” ²⁹ So the servants of Absalom ^(C)did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each one got on ^(D)his mule and fled.

³⁰ And it came to pass, while they were on the way, that news came to David, saying, “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left!” ³¹ So the king arose and ^(E)tore his garments and ^(F)lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. ³² Then ^(G)Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, “Let not my lord suppose they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for only Amnon is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. ³³ Now therefore, ^(H)let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead. For only Amnon is dead.”

Absalom Flees to Geshur

^34 (I)Then Absalom fled. And the young man who was keeping watch lifted his eyes and looked, and there, many people were coming from the road on the hillside behind ^[b]him. ³⁵ And Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king’s sons are coming; as your servant said, so it is.” ³⁶ So it was, as soon as he had finished speaking, that the king’s sons indeed came, and they lifted up their voice and wept. Also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly.

³⁷ But Absalom fled and went to ^(J)Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. ³⁸ So Absalom fled and went to ^(K)Geshur, and was there three years. ³⁹ And ^[c]King David ^[d]longed to go to Absalom. For he had been ^(L)comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead.