2 Samuel 13

1Some time after this, Absalom son of David had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and Amnon son of David fell in love with her. 2Amnon was so tormented over his sister Tamar that he made himself ill. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. 3Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man. 4He asked him, “Why do you look so worn out, son of the king, morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon answered him, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” 5Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. Then, when your father comes to visit you, tell him, ‘I beg you, let my sister Tamar come and feed me. Have her prepare the food here in front of me, so that I can watch and then eat it from her hand.’” 6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, “I beg you, let my sister Tamar come here and make a couple of cakes in front of me, so that I can eat from her hand.” 7David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Please go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare some food for him.” 8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying in bed. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes while he watched, and baked them. 9Then she took the pan and set the cakes out before him, but he refused to eat. “Send everyone out of here,” Amnon said, and they all left him. 10Amnon then told Tamar, “Bring the food in here to the bedroom, and I will eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom. 11But when she brought them close for him to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” 12“No, my brother!” she said to him. “Do not violate me! Such a thing is not done in Israel. Do not do this outrageous thing. 13As for me, where could I go with my shame? And you would be counted among the outrageous fools in Israel. Now please, speak to the king. He will not keep me from you.” 14But he would not listen to her. He was stronger than she was, and he violated her and lay with her by force. 15Then Amnon turned on her with a fierce hatred. What he felt against her now was stronger than the love he had once felt for her. “Get up and go!” Amnon said to her. 16“No!” she said to him. “Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me.” But he would not listen to her. 17He called the young man who attended him and said, “Put this woman out of my room, and bolt the door behind her.” 18She was wearing a long-sleeved robe, the kind of robe the king’s unmarried daughters wore. His servant put her out and bolted the door behind her. 19Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long-sleeved robe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went. 20Absalom, her brother, asked her, “Has your brother Amnon been with you? Now, my sister, keep quiet. He is your brother. Do not take this matter to heart.” So Tamar lived in her brother Absalom’s house, a desolate woman. 21When King David heard about all these things, he was very angry. 22Absalom said nothing at all to Amnon, good or bad. He hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.

23Two full years later, Absalom had sheepshearers at work at Baal-hazor, near Ephraim, and he invited all the king’s sons. 24Absalom came to the king and said, “Your servant has sheepshearers at work. Will the king and his officials please come with your servant?” 25“No, my son,” the king said to Absalom. “We should not all go; we would only be a burden to you.” Absalom pressed him, but he would not go, though he gave him his blessing. 26Then Absalom said, “If you will not come, then please let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king asked him, “Why should he go with you?” 27But Absalom kept pressing him, so he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

28Absalom gave his servants these orders: “Watch closely. When Amnon is in high spirits from the wine and I tell you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not given you the order myself? Be strong and act like brave men.” 29So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules and fled. 30While they were still on the road, the report reached David: “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons; not one of them is left!”

31The king rose, tore his clothes and lay on the ground. All his officials stood beside him with their clothes torn.

32But 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. Absalom has been determined to do this ever since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar. 33So now, my lord the king should not take to heart the report that all the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”

34Meanwhile Absalom fled. The young man on watch looked up and saw many people coming along the road behind him, down the side of the hill. 35Jonadab said to the king, “See, the king’s sons are here! It has happened just as your servant said.” 36He had hardly finished speaking when the king’s sons came in, weeping aloud. The king and all his officials also wept very bitterly. 37Absalom fled; he went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. David grieved for his son day after day. 38So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and he stayed there three years. 39And King David longed to go out to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnon’s death.