2 Samuel 13

13 ¹ After this, Absalom son of David had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and David's son Amnon loved her. ² Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar he made himself sick; she was a virgin, and he saw no way to do anything to her. ³ Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah; Jonadab was very shrewd. ⁴ He asked Amnon, "Why so haggard morning after morning, son of the king? Won't you tell me?" Amnon said, "I love Tamar, sister of my brother Absalom."

⁵ "Lie in bed and act sick," Jonadab said. "When your father comes to see you, tell him, 'Please let my sister Tamar feed me. Let her make the meal where I can watch, so I eat from her hand.'"

⁶ Amnon lay down and faked illness. When the king came to see him, Amnon said, "Let my sister Tamar come make two cakes here, so I can eat from her hand."

⁷ David sent to Tamar at the palace: "Go to your brother Amnon's house and make him food." ⁸ Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, where he lay. She took dough, kneaded it, shaped cakes in front of him, and baked them. ⁹ She took the pan and served him, but he refused to eat. "Send everyone out," Amnon said. So everyone left him. ¹⁰ Amnon told Tamar, "Bring the food into the bedroom, so I may eat from your hand." Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom. ¹¹ As she brought them near to eat, he grabbed her: "Come, sleep with me, my sister."

¹² "No, my brother!" she said. "Don't force me. Such a thing is never done in Israel. Don't do this disgraceful thing. ¹³ And I — where could I take my shame? And you — you'd be like one of Israel's contemptible fools. Please, speak to the king; he won't keep me from you."

¹⁴ But he refused to listen; being stronger than she, he forced her and had relations with her. ¹⁵ Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred — greater than the love he had felt for her. "Get up and get out!" he said to her.

¹⁶ "No," she said, "sending me away is a worse wrong than what you already did to me." But he refused to listen.

¹⁷ He called his attendant and said, "Get this woman out of here, and bolt the door behind her."

¹⁸ She wore a long decorated robe, the dress of the king's virgin daughters back then. His attendant put her out and bolted the door behind her. ¹⁹ Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornamented robe she wore. She put her hand on her head and went off, crying aloud as she went. ²⁰ Her brother Absalom said, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? Stay quiet now, my sister; he is your brother. Don't take this to heart." So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother Absalom's house.

²¹ When King David heard all about this, he was furious. ²² Absalom said nothing to Amnon, good or bad, for he hated him for violating his sister Tamar.

Absalom Avenges His Sister Tamar

²³ Two full years later Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, and invited all the king's sons. ²⁴ Absalom went to the king: "Your servant has shearers. Will the king and his servants join me?"

²⁵ "No, my son," the king told Absalom, "we shouldn't all go, or we'd burden you." Though Absalom urged him, he would not go but blessed him.

²⁶ Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon come with us." "Why should he go with you?" the king asked.

²⁷ But Absalom pressed him, so he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. ²⁸ Absalom ordered his servants, "Watch. When wine makes Amnon merry and I say, 'Strike Amnon,' kill him. Don't be afraid. Haven't I commanded you? Be strong and brave."

²⁹ Absalom's servants did to Amnon as Absalom had ordered. Then all the king's sons rose, each mounted his mule, and fled.

³⁰ On the way, David heard: "Absalom has killed all the king's sons; not one is left."

³¹ The king stood, tore his clothes, and lay on the ground; all his servants stood by, clothes torn. ³² But Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother, said: "My lord should not think they killed all the young men, the king's sons. Only Amnon is dead. Absalom intended this from the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar." ³³ My lord the king must not take it to heart, thinking all the king's sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead."

³⁴ Meanwhile Absalom had fled. The young watchman looked up and saw many people coming down the road on the hillside behind him. ³⁵ Jonadab said to the king, "Look, the king's sons have come. It's just as your servant said." ³⁶ As he finished speaking, the king's sons arrived weeping loudly; the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

³⁷ Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son day after day. ³⁸ After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years. ³⁹ And King David's heart longed to go to Absalom, for he had found comfort after Amnon's death.