1 A nd 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.

Absalom son of David had a fair sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon son of David loved her.

2 A nd 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.

And Amnon was so troubled that he fell sick for his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and Amnon thought it impossible for him to do anything to her.

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

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

4 a nd 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.'

He said to Amnon, Why are you, the king’s son, so lean and weak-looking from day to day? Will you not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.

5 A nd 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.'

Jonadab said to him, Go to bed and pretend you are sick; and when your father David comes to see you, say to him, Let my sister Tamar come and give me food and prepare it in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.

6 A nd 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.'

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

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

Then David sent home and told Tamar, Go now to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.

8 A nd 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,

So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, and he was in bed. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked them.

9 a nd 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.

She took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Send everyone out from me. So everyone went out from him.

10 A nd 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,

Then Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food here into the bedroom, so I may eat from your hand. So Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother.

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

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

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

She replied, No, my brother! Do not force and humble me, for no such thing should be done in Israel! Do not do this foolhardy, scandalous thing!

13 A nd 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.'

And I, how could I rid myself of my shame? And you, you will be one of the stupid fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray you, speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.

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

But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.

15 A nd 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.'

Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that his hatred for her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Get up and get out!

16 A nd 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,

But she said, No! This great evil of sending me away is worse than what you did to me. But he would not listen to her.

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

He called the servant who served him and said, Put this woman out of my presence now, and bolt the door after her!

18 - - 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.

Now was wearing a long robe with sleeves and of various colors, for in such robes were the king’s virgin daughters clad of old. Then Amnon’s servant brought her out and bolted the door after her.

19 A nd 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;

And put ashes on her head and tore the long, sleeved robe which she wore, and she laid her hand on her head and went away shrieking and wailing.

20 a nd 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.

And Absalom her brother said to her, Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet now, my sister. He is your brother; take not this matter to heart. So Tamar dwelt in her brother Absalom’s house, a desolate woman.

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

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

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

And Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had humbled his sister Tamar.

23 A nd 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.

After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

24 A nd 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.'

Absalom came to the king and said, Behold, your servant has sheepshearers; I pray you, let the king and his servants go with your servant.

25 A nd 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.

And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you. Absalom urged David; still he would not go, but he blessed him.

26 A nd 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?'

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

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

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

28 A nd 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.'

Now Absalom commanded his servants, Notice now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine and when I say to you, Strike Amnon, then kill him. Fear not; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and brave.

29 A nd 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.

And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose and every man mounted his mule and fled.

30 A nd 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;'

While they were on the way, the word came to David, Absalom has killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.

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

Then the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the floor; and all his servants standing by tore their clothes.

32 A nd 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;

But Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, Let not my lord suppose they have killed all the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead. This purpose has shown itself on Absalom’s determined mouth ever since the day Amnon humiliated his sister Tamar.

33 a nd 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.'

So let not my lord the king take the thing to heart and think all the king’s sons are dead; for Amnon only is dead.

34 A nd 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.

But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch looked up, and behold, many people were coming by the way of the hillside behind him.

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

And Jonadab said to the king, See, the king’s sons are coming. It is as your servant said.

36 A nd 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.

And as he finished speaking, the king’s sons came and lifted up their voices and wept; and the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly.

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

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

38 A nd Absalom hath fled, and goeth to Geshur, and is there three years;

So Absalom fled to Geshur and was there three years.

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

And the spirit of King David longed to go forth to Absalom, for he was comforted about Amnon, seeing that he was dead.