1 A fter this Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.

And it cometh to pass afterwards that Absalom son of David hath a fair sister, and her name Tamar, and Amnon son of David loveth her.

2 A mnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to her.

And Amnon hath distress -- even to become sick, because of Tamar his sister, for she a virgin, and it is hard in the eyes of Amnon to do anything to her.

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

And Amnon hath a friend, and his name Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David's brother, and Jonadab a very wise man,

4 A nd he said to him, “Why are you, the king’s son, becoming thinner day after day? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

and saith to him, `Wherefore thou thus lean, O king's son, morning by morning? dost thou not declare to me?' And Amnon saith to him, `Tamar -- sister of Absalom my brother -- I am loving.'

5 S o Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’”

And Jonadab saith to him, `Lie down on thy couch, and feign thyself sick, and thy father hath come in to see thee, and thou hast said unto him, `Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come in and give me bread to eat; and she hath made the food before mine eyes so that I see, and have eaten from her hand.'

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

And Amnon lieth down, and feigneth himself sick, and the king cometh in to see him, and Amnon saith unto the king, `Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come, and she maketh before mine eyes two cakes, and I eat from her hand.'

7 A nd David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Now go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.”

And David sendeth unto Tamar, to the house, saying, `Go, I pray thee, to the house of Amnon thy brother, and make for him food.'

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

And Tamar goeth to the house of Amnon her brother, and he is lying down, and she taketh the dough, and kneadeth, and maketh cakes before his eyes, and cooketh the cakes,

9 A nd she took the pan and placed them out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, “Have everyone go out from me.” And they all went out from him.

and taketh the frying-pan, and poureth out before him, and he refuseth to eat, and Amnon saith, `Take ye out every one from me;' and they go out every one from him.

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

And Amnon saith unto Tamar, `Bring the food into the inner chamber, and I eat from thy hand;' and Tamar taketh the cakes that she hath made, and bringeth in to Amnon her brother, into the inner chamber,

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

and she bringeth nigh unto him to eat, and he layeth hold on her, and saith to her, `Come, lie with me, my sister.'

12 B ut she answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!

And she saith to him, `Nay, my brother, do not humble me, for it is not done so in Israel; do not this folly.

13 A nd I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would 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 -- whither do I cause my reproach to go? and thou -- thou art as one of the fools in Israel; and now, speak, I pray thee, unto the king; for he doth not withhold me from thee.'

14 H owever, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.

And he hath not been willing to hearken to her voice, and is stronger than she, and humbleth her, and lieth with her.

15 T hen 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 to her, “Arise, be gone!”

And Amnon hateth her -- a very great hatred -- that greater the hatred with which he hath hated her than the love with which he loved her, and Amnon saith to her, `Rise, go.'

16 S o she said to him, “No, indeed! This evil of sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me.” But he would not listen to her.

And she saith to him, `Because of the circumstances this evil is greater than the other that thou hast done with me -- to send me away;' and he hath not been willing to hearken to her,

17 T hen he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.”

and calleth his young man, his servant, and saith, `Send away, I pray thee, this one from me without, and bolt the door after her;'

18 N ow she had on a robe of many colors, for the king’s virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.

-- and upon her a long coat, for such upper robes do daughters of the king who virgins put on, -- and his servant taketh her out without, and hath bolted the door after her.

19 T hen Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly.

And Tamar taketh ashes for her head, and the long coat that on her she hath rent, and putteth her hand on her head, and goeth, going on and crying;

20 A nd Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.

and Absalom her brother saith unto her, `Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? and now, my sister, keep silent, he thy brother; set not thy heart to this thing;' and Tamar dwelleth -- but desolate -- in the house of Absalom her brother.

21 B ut when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.

And king David hath heard all these things, and it is very displeasing to him;

22 A nd Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor bad. For Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar. Absalom Murders Amnon

and Absalom hath not spoken with Amnon either evil or good, for Absalom is hating Amnon, because that he humbled Tamar his sister.

23 A nd it came to pass, after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim; so Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

And it cometh to pass, after two years of days, that Absalom hath shearers in Baal-Hazor, which with Ephraim, and Absalom calleth for all the sons of the king.

24 T hen Absalom came to the king and said, “Kindly note, your servant has sheepshearers; please, let the king and his servants go with your servant.”

And Absalom cometh unto the king, and saith, `Lo, I pray thee, thy servant hath shearers, let the king go, I pray thee, and his servants, with thy servant.'

25 B ut 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.

And the king saith unto Absalom, `Nay, my son, let us not all go, I pray thee, and we are not too heavy on thee;' and he presseth on him, and he hath not been willing to go, and he blesseth 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?”

And Absalom saith, `If not -- let, I pray thee, Amnon my brother go with us;' and the king saith to him, `Why doth he go with thee?'

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

and Absalom urgeth on him, and he sendeth with him Amnon, and all the sons of the king.

28 N ow Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, “Watch now, when Amnon’s 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 valiant.”

And Absalom commandeth his young men, saying, `See, I pray thee, when the heart of Amnon glad with wine, and I have said unto you, Smite Amnon, that ye have put him to death; fear not; is it not because I have commanded you? be strong, yea, become sons of valour.'

29 S o the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each one got on his mule and fled.

And the young men of Absalom do to Amnon as Absalom commanded, and rise do all the sons of the king, and they ride, each on his mule, and flee.

30 A nd 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!”

And it cometh to pass -- they in the way -- and the report hath come unto David, saying, `Absalom hath smitten all the sons of the king, and there is not left of them one;'

31 S o the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

and the king riseth, and rendeth his garments, and lieth on the earth, and all his servants are standing by rent garments.

32 T hen 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.

And Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother, answereth and saith, `Let not my lord say, The whole of the young men, the sons of the king, they have put to death; for Amnon alone dead, for by the command of Absalom it hath been appointed from the day of his humbling Tamar his sister;

33 N ow therefore, 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

and now, let not my lord the king lay unto his heart the word, saying, All the sons of the king have died, for Amnon alone dead.'

34 T hen 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 him.

And Absalom fleeth, and the young man who is watching lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, much people are coming by the way behind him, on the side of the hill.

35 A nd Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king’s sons are coming; as your servant said, so it is.”

And Jonadab saith unto the king, `Lo, the sons of the king have come; as the word of thy servant, so it hath been.'

36 S o 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.

And it cometh to pass at his finishing to speak, that lo, the sons of the king have come, and they lift up their voice, and weep, and also the king and all his servants have wept -- a very great weeping.

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

And Absalom hath fled, and goeth unto Talmai, son of Ammihud, king of Geshur, and mourneth for his son all the days.

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

And Absalom hath fled, and goeth to Geshur, and is there three years;

39 A nd King David longed to go to Absalom. For he had been comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead.

and king David determineth to go out unto Absalom, for he hath been comforted for Amnon, for dead.