The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
King James Version KJV
1 Now Avshalom the son of David had a beautiful sister named Tamar. Some time after the previous events, Amnon the son of David fell in love with her.
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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 Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he became ill, for she was a virgin, and Amnon thought it would be impossible to approach her.
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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 named Yonadav the son of Shim'ah David's brother; and Yonadav was a very shrewd fellow.
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But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.
4 He asked him, "Why, son of the king, are you growing thinner every day? Won't you tell me?"Amnon answered him, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Avshalom's sister."
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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 Yonadav said to him, "Lie down on your bed, and pretend you're sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food to eat, and have her prepare the food where I can watch. I'll eat what she serves me."
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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 pretended he was sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, "Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes here where I can watch, and I'll eat what she serves me."
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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 David sent this instruction home to Tamar: "Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare him some food."
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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; he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes while he watched, and baked the cakes.
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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 Then she took the pan and turned them out in front of him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, "Have everyone leave me"; and everyone left him.
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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 Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the room, so that I can have you serve me. Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother.
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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 But when she brought them near, so that he could eat, he grabbed her and said to her, "Come to bed with me, my sister."
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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 "No, my brother," she answered him, "don't force me! Things like this aren't done in Isra'el; don't behave so disgracefully!
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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 Where could I go with such shame? And as for you, you will be regarded as one of Isra'el's vulgar brutes. Now therefore, please! Speak to the king, because he won't keep me from you."
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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 However, he wouldn't listen to her; and since he was stronger than she, he overpowered her and raped her.
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Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.
15 But then he was filled with utter revulsion for her - his hatred of her was even greater than the love he had had for her before. Amnon said to her, "Get up, and get out of here!"
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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 "No," she objected, "because throwing me out like this is an even worse thing than what you've already done to me!" But he wouldn't listen to her;
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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 he called his personal servant and said, "Get rid of this woman for me! Throw her out, and lock the door after her!"
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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 She was wearing a long-sleeved robe (this was how they used to dress the king's daughters who were virgins). His servant took her out and locked the door after her.
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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 Tamar put ashes on her head, tore her long-sleeved robe that she was wearing, laid her hand on her head and went off, crying aloud as she went.
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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 Avshalom her brother said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now, my sister, keep quiet; because he's your brother. Don't take the matter to heart." But Tamar remained desolate in her brother Avshalom's house.
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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 When King David heard about all these things, he became very angry.
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But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.
22 As for Avshalom, he refused to say a word to Amnon, either good or bad; for Avshalom hated Amnon for having raped his sister Tamar.
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And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
23 Two years later, when Avshalom had sheep-shearers in Ba'al-Hatzor, near Efrayim, Avshalom invited all the king's sons.
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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 Avshalom went to the king and said, "Your servant has sheep-shearers; please let the king and his servants come along with your servant."
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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 The king replied to Avshalom, "No, my son, let's not all go - we don't want to be a burden to you."Avshalom pressed him, but he wouldn't go; however he gave him his blessing.
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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 Avshalom said, "If you won't go, then please let my brother Amnon go with us."The king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"
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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 Avshalom kept pressing him, so he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.
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But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.
28 Avshalom ordered his servants, "Pay close attention: when Amnon is in high spirits from drinking wine, and I say to you, 'Kill Amnon,' then strike him down. Don't be afraid - I'm the one ordering you to do it - but take courage, and be bold."
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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 Avshalom's servants did to Amnon as Avshalom had ordered. At this, all the king's sons jumped up, mounted their mules and fled.
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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 While they were on their way, the news came to David that Avshalom had killed all the king's sons, and not one of them was left alive.
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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 The king got up, tore his clothes and lay on the ground, while all his servants stood by with their clothes torn too.
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Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.
32 But then Yonadav, the son of Shim'ah, David's brother, spoke up; he said, "My lord shouldn't think they have killed all the young men, the king's sons. Only Amnon is dead; for Avshalom has meant to do this ever since the day he raped his sister Tamar.
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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 So my lord the king shouldn't take it as seriously as if all the king's sons are dead; only Amnon is dead."
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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 However, Avshalom took flight. The young man keeping watch looked up and saw many people coming along the road behind him on the hillside.
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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 Yonadav said to the king, "Here, the king's sons have come; it's just as your servant said."
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And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as thy servant said, so it is.
36 The moment he finished speaking, the king's sons came, cried out and wept; and the king too, with all his servants, cried out in great pain.
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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 Avshalom fled and went to Talmai the son of 'Ammihud, king of G'shur. David mourned for his son every day.
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But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
38 So Avshalom fled, went to G'shur and stayed there three years.
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So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.
39 But as King David became reconciled to the death of his son Amnon, he was increasingly filled with longing to see Avshalom.
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And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The King James Version is in the public domain.