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.

Now 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.

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.

Amnon 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.

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, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd 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 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.”

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 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.’”

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 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.”

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 to the house for Tamar, saying, “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 lying down. And she took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.

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 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.

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 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.

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.'

When she brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “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.

But 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!

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.'

As 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.”

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.

However, he would not listen to her; since he was stronger than she, he violated 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 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!”

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 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.

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;'

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

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;

Tamar 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.

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.

Then 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.

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

Now when King David heard of all these matters, 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.

But Absalom did not speak to Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated 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.

Now 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

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 now, your servant has sheepshearers; please 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.

But 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.

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

But when Absalom urged him, 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.'

Absalom 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.”

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.

The 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.

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;'

Now 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.”

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, tore his clothes and lay on the ground; and all his servants were standing by with clothes torn.

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;

Jonadab, 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.

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.'

Now 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.”

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.

Now 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.

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.'

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

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.

As 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.

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

Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, the 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 had fled and gone 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.

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