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 .