2 Samuel 13 — Read & Listen Online

Amnon Violates His Sister Tamar

Chapter 13.

Some time after this, Absalom son of David had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and Amnon son of David fell in love with her. Amnon was so tormented that he made himself sick over his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and he could see no way to get near her.

Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd man. He said to Amnon, "Why are you, the king's son, so haggard morning after morning? Won't you tell me?" Amnon said to him, "I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."

"Lie down on your bed," Jonadab said to him, "and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food. Let her prepare the meal where I can watch, so I may eat it from her hand.'"

So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, "Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes here in front of me, so I may eat from her hand."

Then David sent word to Tamar at the palace: "Go to your brother Amnon's house and prepare a meal for him."

Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, where he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made the cakes in front of him, and baked them. Then she took the pan and served him, but he refused to eat. "Send everyone out from me," Amnon said. So everyone left him.

Then Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the bedroom, so I may eat from your hand." So Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom. But as she brought them near for him to eat, he grabbed her and said, "Come, lie with me, my sister."

"No, my brother!" she said to him. "Do not force me, for such a thing must never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing. And I — where could I carry my shame? And you — you would be like one of the contemptible fools in Israel. Please, speak to the king instead; he will not keep me from you."

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

Then Amnon despised her with intense hatred — the hatred he now felt was greater than the love he had felt for her. "Get up and get out!" Amnon said to her.

"No," she said to him, "sending me away is a greater wrong than the other you have already done to me." But he would not listen to her.

He called the young man who waited on him and said, "Get this woman out of my presence, and bolt the door behind her."

She was wearing a long ornamented robe, for this was how the king's virgin daughters dressed in those days. So his attendant put her out and bolted the door behind her. Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long ornamented robe she was wearing. She laid her hand on her head and went away, weeping aloud as she went. ¹

Her brother Absalom said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? For now, my sister, keep quiet. He is your brother; do not take this to heart." So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother Absalom's house.

When King David heard all about this, he was furious. Absalom never said a word to Amnon, good or bad, for he hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.

Absalom Avenges His Sister Tamar

Two full years later, Absalom held a sheepshearing at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, and he invited all the king's sons. Absalom went to the king and said, "Your servant has shearers at work. Will the king and his attendants please join me?"

"No, my son," the king said to Absalom, "we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you." Although Absalom urged him, he would not go but gave him his blessing.

Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon come with us." "Why should he go with you?" the king asked.

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

Absalom ordered his servants, "Watch carefully. When Amnon is in high spirits from the wine and I say to you, 'Strike Amnon down,' then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you myself? Be strong and courageous."

So Absalom's servants did to Amnon what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king's sons got up, and each one mounted his mule and fled.

While they were still on the way, a report reached David: "Absalom has struck down all the king's sons; not one of them is left."

The king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

But Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother, spoke up: "My lord should not think they have killed all the young men, the king's sons. Only Amnon is dead. This has been Absalom's fixed purpose ever since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar. So now, my lord the king must not take it to heart and suppose that all the king's sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead."

Absalom Flees; David Longs for His Son

Meanwhile Absalom had fled. When the young man on watch looked up, he saw a large crowd coming down the road on the hillside behind him.

Jonadab said to the king, "Look, the king's sons are here. It has happened just as your servant said."

As he finished speaking, the king's sons arrived, weeping loudly; and the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

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

After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years. And King David's heart longed to go to Absalom, for he had found comfort after Amnon's death.

❤️ FHB? Review Now