English Standard Version ESV
The Latin Vulgate VUL
1 Now Absalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar. And after a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her.
1
factum est autem post haec ut Absalom filii David sororem speciosissimam vocabulo Thamar adamaret Amnon filius David
2 And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her.
2
et deperiret eam valde ita ut aegrotaret propter amorem eius quia cum esset virgo difficile ei videbatur ut quippiam inhoneste ageret cum ea
3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. And Jonadab was a very crafty man.
3
erat autem Amnonis amicus nomine Ionadab filius Semaa fratris David vir prudens valde
4 And he said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me? ” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister. ”
4
qui dixit ad eum quare sic adtenuaris macie fili regis per singulos dies cur non indicas mihi dixitque ei Amnon Thamar sororem Absalom fratris mei amo
5 Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand. ’”
5
cui respondit Ionadab cuba super lectulum tuum et languorem simula cumque venerit pater tuus ut visitet te dic ei veniat oro Thamar soror mea ut det mihi cibum et faciat pulmentum ut comedam de manu eius
6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand. ”
6
accubuit itaque Amnon et quasi aegrotare coepit cumque venisset rex ad visitandum eum ait Amnon ad regem veniat obsecro Thamar soror mea ut faciat in oculis meis duas sorbitiunculas et cibum capiam de manu eius
7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him. ”
7
misit ergo David ad Thamar domum dicens veni in domum Amnon fratris tui et fac ei pulmentum
8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes.
8
venitque Thamar in domum Amnon fratris sui ille autem iacebat quae tollens farinam commiscuit et liquefaciens in oculis eius coxit sorbitiunculas
9 And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Send out everyone from me. ” So everyone went out from him.
9
tollensque quod coxerat effudit et posuit coram eo et noluit comedere dixitque Amnon eicite universos a me cumque eiecissent omnes
10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand. ” And Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.
10
dixit Amnon ad Thamar infer cibum in conclave ut vescar de manu tua tulit ergo Thamar sorbitiunculas quas fecerat et intulit ad Amnon fratrem suum in conclave
11 But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister. ”
11
cumque obtulisset ei cibum adprehendit eam et ait veni cuba mecum soror mea
12 She answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing.
12
quae respondit ei noli frater mi noli opprimere me neque enim hoc fas est in Israhel noli facere stultitiam hanc
13 As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you. ”
13
et ego enim ferre non potero obprobrium meum et tu eris quasi unus de insipientibus in Israhel quin potius loquere ad regem et non negabit me tibi
14 But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.
14
noluit autem adquiescere precibus eius sed praevalens viribus oppressit eam et cubavit cum illa
15 Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up! Go! ”
15
et exosam eam habuit Amnon magno odio nimis ita ut maius esset odium quo oderat eam amore quo ante dilexerat dixitque ei Amnon surge vade
16 But she said to him, “No, my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me. ” But he would not listen to her.
16
quae respondit ei maius est hoc malum quod nunc agis adversum me quam quod ante fecisti expellens me et noluit audire eam
17 He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her. ”
17
sed vocato puero qui ministrabat ei dixit eice hanc a me foras et claude ostium post eam
18 Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves, for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her.
18
quae induta erat talari tunica huiuscemodi enim filiae regis virgines vestibus utebantur eiecit itaque eam minister illius foras clausitque fores post eam
19 And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe that she wore. And she laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.
19
quae aspergens cinerem capiti suo scissa talari tunica inpositisque manibus super caput suum ibat ingrediens et clamans
20 And her brother Absalom said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this to heart. ” So Tamar lived, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom’s house.
20
dixit autem ei Absalom frater suus num Amnon frater tuus concubuit tecum sed nunc soror tace frater tuus est neque adfligas cor tuum pro re hac mansit itaque Thamar contabescens in domo Absalom fratris sui
21 When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.
21
cum autem audisset rex David verba haec contristatus est valde
22 But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar.
22
porro non est locutus Absalom ad Amnon nec malum nec bonum oderat enim Absalom Amnon eo quod violasset Thamar sororem suam
23 After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.
23
factum est autem post tempus biennii ut tonderentur oves Absalom in Baalasor quae est iuxta Ephraim et vocavit Absalom omnes filios regis
24 And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant. ”
24
venitque ad regem et ait ad eum ecce tondentur oves servi tui veniat oro rex cum servis suis ad servum suum
25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you. ” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing.
25
dixitque rex ad Absalom noli fili mi noli rogare ut veniamus omnes et gravemus te cum autem cogeret eum et noluisset ire benedixit ei
26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us. ” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you? ”
26
et ait Absalom si non vis venire veniat obsecro nobiscum saltem Amnon frater meus dixitque ad eum rex non est necesse ut vadat tecum
27 But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.
27
coegit itaque eum Absalom et dimisit cum eo Amnon et universos filios regis
28 Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Mark when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon, ’ then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant. ”
28
praeceperat autem Absalom pueris suis dicens observate cum temulentus fuerit Amnon vino et dixero vobis percutite eum et interficite nolite timere ego enim sum qui praecepi vobis roboramini et estote viri fortes
29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each mounted his mule and fled.
29
fecerunt ergo pueri Absalom adversum Amnon sicut praeceperat eis Absalom surgentesque omnes filii regis ascenderunt singuli mulas suas et fugerunt
30 While they were on the way, news came to David, “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left. ”
30
cumque adhuc pergerent in itinere fama praevenit ad David dicens percussit Absalom omnes filios regis et non remansit ex eis saltem unus
31 Then the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the earth. And all his servants who were standing by tore their garments.
31
surrexit itaque rex et scidit vestimenta sua et cecidit super terram et omnes servi ipsius qui adsistebant ei sciderunt vestimenta sua
32 But Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, “Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for Amnon alone is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day he violated his sister Tamar.
32
respondens autem Ionadab filius Samaa fratris David dixit ne aestimet dominus meus quod omnes pueri filii regis occisi sint Amnon solus mortuus est quoniam in ore Absalom erat positus ex die qua oppressit Thamar sororem eius
33 Now therefore let not my lord the king so take it to heart as to suppose that all the king’s sons are dead, for Amnon alone is dead. ”
33
nunc ergo ne ponat dominus meus rex super cor suum verbum istud dicens omnes filii regis occisi sunt quoniam Amnon solus mortuus est
34 But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain.
34
fugit autem Absalom et levavit puer speculator oculos suos et aspexit et ecce populus multus veniebat per iter devium ex latere montis
35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about. ”
35
dixit autem Ionadab ad regem ecce filii regis adsunt iuxta verbum servi tui sic factum est
36 And as soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came and lifted up their voice and wept. And the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly.
36
cumque cessasset loqui apparuerunt et filii regis et intrantes levaverunt vocem suam et fleverunt sed et rex et omnes servi eius fleverunt ploratu magno nimis
37 But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son day after day.
37
porro Absalom fugiens abiit ad Tholomai filium Amiur regem Gessur luxit ergo David filium suum cunctis diebus
38 So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years.
38
Absalom autem cum fugisset et venisset in Gessur fuit ibi tribus annis
39 And the spirit of the king longed to go out to Absalom, because he was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.
39
cessavitque David rex persequi Absalom eo quod consolatus esset super Amnon interitu
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.