1 N ow it was after this that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon the son of David loved her.

¶ And it came to pass after this that Absalom, the son of David, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar, and Amnon, the son of David, loved her.

2 A mnon was so frustrated because of his sister Tamar that he made himself ill, for she was a virgin, and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her.

And Amnon was so distressed that he fell sick for his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and Amnon thought it difficult for him to do any thing to her.

3 B ut Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd man.

But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, and Jonadab was a very astute man.

4 H e said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so depressed morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Then Amnon said to him, “I am in love with Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.”

And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king’s son, becoming thinner from day to day? Wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.

5 J onadab 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 let my sister Tamar come and give me some food to eat, and let her prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat from her hand.’”

And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed and pretend to be sick; and when thy father comes to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come and give me food and make the food in my sight that I may see it and eat it at her hand.

6 S o Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”

So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick, and when the king came to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar, my sister, come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight that I may eat at her hand.

7 T hen David sent to the house for Tamar, saying, “Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.”

Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house and make him something to eat.

8 S o Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, and he was lying down. And she took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.

So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, and he was lying down. And she took flour and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes.

9 S he took the pan and dished them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “ Have everyone go out from me.” So everyone went out from him.

Then she took a pan and poured them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Send everyone out from me. And they all went out from him.

10 T hen Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes which she had made and brought them into the bedroom to her brother Amnon.

Then Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber that I may eat from thy hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon, her brother.

11 W hen she brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”

And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.

12 B ut she answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this disgraceful thing!

And she answered him, No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not commit this folly.

13 A s for me, where could I get rid of my reproach? And as for you, you will be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”

And I, where shall I go with my reproach? And as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now, therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king, for he will not withhold me from thee.

14 H owever, he would not listen to her; since he was stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.

Howbeit, he would not hearken unto her voice, but, being stronger than she, forced her and lay with her.

15 T hen Amnon hated her with a very great hatred; for 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!”

Then Amnon hated her exceedingly so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.

16 B ut 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.

And she said unto him, There is no cause; this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.

17 T hen he called his young man who attended him and said, “Now throw this woman out of my presence, and lock the door behind her.”

Then he called his servant that ministered unto him and said, Put now this woman out from me and bolt the door after her.

18 N ow she had on a long-sleeved garment; for in this manner the virgin daughters of the king dressed themselves in robes. Then his attendant took her out and locked the door behind her.

And she had a garment of different colours upon her, for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out and bolted the door after her.

19 T amar put ashes on her head and tore her long-sleeved garment which was on her; and she put her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.

And Tamar put ashes on her head and rent her garment of different colours that was on her and laid her hand on her head and went on crying.

20 T hen 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 desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.

And Absalom, her brother, said unto her, Has Amnon thy brother been with thee? But now remain silent, my sister; he is thy brother; do not regard this thing in thy heart. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.

21 N ow when King David heard of all these matters, he was very angry.

¶ But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.

22 B ut Absalom did not speak to Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.

And Absalom spoke neither good nor bad unto his brother Amnon, for Absalom hated Amnon because he had forced his sister Tamar.

23 N ow it came about after two full years that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. Absalom Avenges Tamar

And it came to pass after two full years that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

24 A bsalom came to the king and said, “Behold now, your servant has sheepshearers; please let the king and his servants go with your servant.”

And Absalom came to the king and said, Behold now, thy slave has sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his slaves go with thy slave.

25 B ut the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, we should not all go, for we will be burdensome to you.” Although he urged him, he would not go, but blessed him.

And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go lest we be burdensome unto thee. And he pressed him; however, he would not go but blessed him.

26 T hen Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?”

Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?

27 B ut when Absalom urged him, he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

But because Absalom pressed him, he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

28 A bsalom commanded his servants, saying, “See now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then put him to death. Do not fear; have not I myself commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.”

Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon, then kill him. Fear not; have I not commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant.

29 T he servants of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose and each mounted his mule and fled.

And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and they all got upon their mules and fled.

30 N ow it was while they were on the way that the report came to David, saying, “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.”

¶ And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that the rumour came to David, saying, Absalom has slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left.

31 T hen the king arose, tore his clothes and lay on the ground; and all his servants were standing by with clothes torn.

Then the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the earth; and all his slaves stood by with their clothes rent.

32 J onadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, responded, “Do not let my lord suppose they have put to death all the young men, the king’s sons, for Amnon alone is dead; because by the intent of Absalom this has been determined since the day that he violated his sister Tamar.

And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, Do not let my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men, the king’s sons, for only Amnon is dead, for by the mouth of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

33 N ow therefore, do not let my lord the king take the report to heart, namely, ‘all the king’s sons are dead,’ for only Amnon is dead.”

Now, therefore, do not let 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.

34 N ow Absalom had fled. And the young man who was the watchman raised his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain.

But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there came many people by the way of the side of the mountain behind him.

35 J onadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; according to your servant’s word, so it happened.”

And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king’s sons come; as thy slave said, so it is.

36 A s soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came and lifted their voices and wept; and also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly.

And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king’s sons came and lifted up their voice and wept. And the king also and all his slaves wept very sore.

37 N ow Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

But Absalom fled and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

38 S o Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, and was there three years.

So after Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he was there three years.

39 T he heart of King David longed to go out to Absalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.

And King David longed to see Absalom, for he was now comforted concerning Amnon, who was dead.