Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 And it came to pass after this that Ammon the son of David loved the sister of Absalom the son of David, who was very beautiful, and her name was Thamar.
1
Some time passed. David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar; and David's son Amnon fell in love with her.
2 And he was exceedingly fond of her, so that he fell sick for the love of her: for as she was a virgin, he thought it hard to do any thing dishonestly with her.
2
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.
3 Now Ammon had a friend, named Jonadab the son of Semmaa the brother of David, a very wise man:
3
But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah; and Jonadab was a very crafty man.
4 And he said to him: Why dost thou grow so lean from day to day, O son of the king? why dost thou not tell me the reason of it? And Ammon said to him: I am in love with Thamar the sister of my brother Absalom.
4
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."
5 And Jonadab said to him: Lie down upon thy bed, and feign thyself sick: and when thy father shall come to visit thee, say to him: Let my sister Thamar, I pray thee, come to me, to give me to eat, and to make me a mess, that I may eat it at her hand.
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 something to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, so that I may see it and eat it from her hand.' "
6 So Ammon lay down, and made as if he were sick: and when the king came to visit him, Ammon said to the king: I pray thee let my sister Thamar come, and make in my sight two little messes, that I may eat at her hand.
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, so that I may eat from her hand."
7 Then David sent home to Thamar, saying: Come to the house of thy brother Ammon, and make him a mess.
7
Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, "Go to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare food for him."
8 And Thamar came to the house of Ammon her brother: but he was laid down: and she took meal and tempered it: and dissolving it in his sight she made little messes.
8
So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, where he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.
9 And taking what she had boiled, she poured it out, and set it before him, but he would not eat: and Ammon said: Put out all persons from me. And when they had put all persons out,
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Then she took the pan and set them out before him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, "Send out everyone from me." So everyone went out from him.
10 Ammon said to Thamar: Bring the mess into the chamber, that I may eat at thy hand. And Thamar took the little messes which she had made, and brought them in to her brother Ammon in the chamber.
10
Then Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the chamber, so that I may eat from your hand." So Tamar took the cakes she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.
11 And when she had presented him the meat, he took hold of her, and said: Come lie with me, my sister.
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But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, "Come, lie with me, my sister."
12 She answered him: Do not so, my brother, do not force me: for no such thing must be done in Israel. Do not thou this folly.
12
She answered him, "No, my brother, do not force me; for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do anything so vile!
13 For I shall not be able to bear my shame, and thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel: but rather speak to the king, and he will not deny me to thee.
13
As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the scoundrels in Israel. Now therefore, I beg you, speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you."
14 But he would not hearken to her prayers, but being stronger overpowered her and lay with her.
14
But he would not listen to her; and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.
15 Then Ammon hated her with an exceeding great hatred: so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her before. And Ammon said to her: Arise, and get thee gone.
15
Then Amnon was seized with a very great loathing for her; indeed, his loathing was even greater than the lust he had felt for her. Amnon said to her, "Get out!"
16 She answered him: The evil which now thou dost against me, in driving me away, is greater than that which thou didst before. And he would not hearken to her:
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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.
17 But calling the servants that ministered to him, he said: Thrust this woman out from me: and shut the door after her.
17
He called the young man who served him and said, "Put this woman out of my presence, and bolt the door after her."
18 And she was clothed with a long robe: for the king’s daughters that were virgins, used such kind of garments. Then his servant thrust her out: and shut the door after her.
18
(Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves; for this is how the virgin daughters of the king were clothed in earlier times. ) So his servant put her out, and bolted the door after her.
19 And she put ashes on her head, and rent her long robe and laid her hands upon her head, and went on crying.
19
But Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore the long robe that she was wearing; she put her hand on her head, and went away, crying aloud as she went.
20 And Absalom her brother said to her: Hath thy brother Ammon lain with thee? but now, sister, hold thy peace, he is thy brother: and afflict not thy heart for this thing. So Thamar remained pining away in the house of Absalom her brother.
20
Her brother Absalom said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister; he is your brother; do not take this to heart." So Tamar remained, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom's house.
21 And when king David heard of these things he was exceedingly grieved: and he would not afflict the spirit of his son Ammon, for he loved him, because he was his firstborn.
21
When King David heard of all these things, he became very angry, but he would not punish his son Amnon, because he loved him, for he was his firstborn.
22 But Absalom spoke not to Ammon neither good nor evil: for Absalom hated Ammon because he had ravished his sister Thamar.
22
But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had raped his sister Tamar.
23 And it came to pass after two years, that the sheep of Absalom were shorn in Baalhasor, which is near Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons:
23
After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons.
24 And he came to the king, and said to him: Behold thy servant’s sheep are shorn. Let the king, I pray, with his servants come to his servant.
24
Absalom came to the king, and said, "Your servant has sheepshearers; will the king and his servants please go with your servant?"
25 And the king said to Absalom: Nay, my son, do not ask that we should all come, and be chargeable to thee. And when he pressed him, and he would not go, he blessed him.
25
But the king said to Absalom, "No, my son, let us not all go, or else we will be burdensome to you." He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing.
26 And Absalom said: If thou wilt not come, at least let my brother Ammon, I beseech thee, come with us. And the king said to him: It is not necessary that he should go with thee.
26
Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us." The king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"
27 But Absalom pressed him, so that he let Ammon and all the king’s sons go with him. And Absalom made a feast as it were the feast of a king.
27
But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. Absalom made a feast like a king's feast.
28 And Absalom had commanded his servants, saying: Take notice when Ammon shall be drunk with wine, and when I shall say to you: Strike him, and kill him, fear not: for it is I that command you: take courage, and be valiant men.
28
Then Absalom commanded his servants, "Watch when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, "Strike Amnon,' then kill him. Do not be afraid; have I not myself commanded you? Be courageous and valiant."
29 And the servants of Absalom did to Ammon as Absalom had commanded them. And all the king’s sons arose and got up every man upon his mule, and fled.
29
So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons rose, and each mounted his mule and fled.
30 And while they were yet in the way, a rumour came to David, saying: Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one them left.
30
While they were on the way, the report came to David that Absalom had killed all the king's sons, and not one of them was left.
31 Then the king rose up, and rent his garments: and fell upon the ground, and all his servants, that stood about him, rent their garments.
31
The king rose, tore his garments, and lay on the ground; and all his servants who were standing by tore their garments.
32 But Jonadab the son of Semmaa David’s brother answering, said: Let not my lord the king think that all the king’s sons are slain: Ammon only is dead, for he was appointed by the mouth of Absalom from the day that he ravished his sister Thamar.
32
But Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah, said, "Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king's sons; Amnon alone is dead. This has been determined by Absalom from the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar.
33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take this thing into his heart, saying: All the king’s sons are slain: for Ammon only is dead.
33
Now therefore, do not let my lord the king take it to heart, as if all the king's sons were dead; for Amnon alone is dead."
34 But Absalom fled away: and the young man that kept the watch, lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold there came much people by a by-way on the side of the mountain.
34
But Absalom fled. When the young man who kept watch looked up, he saw many people coming from the Horonaim road by the side of the mountain.
35 And Jonadab said to the king: Behold the king’s sons are come: as thy servant said, so it is.
35
Jonadab said to the king, "See, the king's sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about."
36 And when he made an end of speaking, the king’s sons also appeared: and coming in they lifted up their voice, and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very much.
36
As soon as he had finished speaking, the king's sons arrived, and raised their voices and wept; and the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.
37 But Absalom fled, and went to Tholomai the son of Ammiud the king of Gessur. And David mourned for his son every day.
37
But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son day after day.
38 And Absalom after he was fled, and come into Gessur, was there three years.
38
Absalom, having fled to Geshur, stayed there three years.
39 (13-38) And king David ceased to pursue after Absalom, because he was comforted concerning the death of Ammon.
39
And the heart of the king went out, yearning for Absalom; for he was now consoled over the death of Amnon.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.