2 Samuel 13
1 2
3 4 5
6 7 8
9 10 11
12 13 14
15 16 17
18 19
20 21 22 23
24
1 And it came to pass after
this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was
Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell
sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it
hard for him to do any thing to her.
3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was
Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very
subtil man.
4 And he said unto him, Why art
thou, being the king’s son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell
me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.
5 And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down
on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say
unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the
meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.
6 So Amnon lay down, and made himself
sick: and when the king was come 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 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying,
Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him meat.
8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s
house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made
cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.
9 And she took a pan, and poured them
out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me.
And they went out every man from him.
10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the
meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes
which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her
brother.
11 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 And she answered him, Nay, my brother,
do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this
folly.
13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame
to go? 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 Howbeit he would not hearken unto her
voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.
15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so
that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love
wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.
16 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 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 And she had a garment of divers
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 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and
rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on
her head, and went on crying.
20 And Absalom her brother said unto her,
Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is
thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother
Absalom’s house.
21 But when king David heard
of all these things, he was very wroth.
22 And Absalom spake unto his brother
Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his
sister Tamar.
23 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 And Absalom came to the king, and said,
Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and
his servants go with thy servant.
25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my
son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him:
howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.
26 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 But Absalom pressed him, that he let
Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.
28 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 not I commanded you? be
courageous, and be valiant.
29 And the servants of Absalom did unto
Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man
gat him up upon his mule, and fled.
30 And it came to pass, while they were in
the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king’s
sons, and there is not one of them left.
31 Then the king arose, and tare his
garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes
rent.
32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s
brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain
all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the
appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his
sister Tamar.
33 Now therefore let not my lord the king
take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead: for
Amnon only is dead.
34 But Absalom fled. And the young man
that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much
people by the way of the hill side behind him.
35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold,
the king’s sons come: as thy servant said, so it is.
36 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 servants wept very sore.
37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai,
the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every
day.
38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur,
and was there three years.
39 And the soul of king David
longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing
he was dead.
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