Young's Literal Translation YLT
Holman Christian Standard Bible CSB
1 And it cometh to pass afterwards that Absalom son of David hath a fair sister, and her name [is] Tamar, and Amnon son of David loveth her.
1
Some time passed. David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and David's son Amnon was infatuated with her.
2 And Amnon hath distress -- even to become sick, because of Tamar his sister, for she [is] a virgin, and it is hard in the eyes of Amnon to do anything to her.
2
Amnon was frustrated to the point of making himself sick over his sister Tamar because she was a virgin, but it seemed impossible to do anything to her.
3 And Amnon hath a friend, and his name [is] Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David's brother, and Jonadab [is] a very wise man,
3
Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, a son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man,
4 and saith to him, `Wherefore [art] thou thus lean, O king's son, morning by morning? dost thou not declare to me?' And Amnon saith to him, `Tamar -- sister of Absalom my brother -- I am loving.'
4
and he asked Amnon, "Why are you, the king's son, so miserable every morning? Won't you tell me?" Amnon replied, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."
5 And Jonadab saith to him, `Lie down on thy couch, and feign thyself sick, and thy father hath come in to see thee, and thou hast said unto him, `Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come in and give me bread to eat; and she hath made the food before mine eyes so that I see [it], and have eaten from her hand.'
5
Jonadab 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 [something] to eat. Let her prepare food in my presence so I can watch and eat from her hand.' "
6 And Amnon lieth down, and feigneth himself sick, and the king cometh in to see him, and Amnon saith unto the king, `Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come, and she maketh before mine eyes two cakes, and I eat from her hand.'
6
So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, "Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my presence so I can eat from her hand."
7 And David sendeth unto Tamar, to the house, saying, `Go, I pray thee, to the house of Amnon thy brother, and make for him food.'
7
David sent word to Tamar at the palace: "Please go to your brother Amnon's house and prepare a meal for him."
8 And Tamar goeth to the house of Amnon her brother, and he is lying down, and she taketh the dough, and kneadeth, and maketh cakes before his eyes, and cooketh the cakes,
8
Then Tamar went to his house while Amnon was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his presence, and baked them.
9 and taketh the frying-pan, and poureth out before him, and he refuseth to eat, and Amnon saith, `Take ye out every one from me;' and they go out every one from him.
9
She brought the pan and set it down in front of him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, "Everyone leave me!" And everyone left him.
10 And Amnon saith unto Tamar, `Bring the food into the inner chamber, and I eat from thy hand;' and Tamar taketh the cakes that she hath made, and bringeth in to Amnon her brother, into the inner chamber,
10
"Bring the meal to the bedroom," Amnon told Tamar, "so I can eat from your hand." Tamar took the cakes she had made and went to her brother Amnon's bedroom.
11 and she bringeth nigh unto him to eat, and he layeth hold on her, and saith to her, `Come, lie with me, my sister.'
11
When she brought [them] to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, "Come sleep with me, my sister!"
12 And she saith to him, `Nay, my brother, do not humble me, for it is not done so in Israel; do not this folly.
12
"Don't, my brother!" she cried. "Don't humiliate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Don't do this horrible thing!
13 And I -- whither do I cause my reproach to go? and thou -- thou art as one of the fools in Israel; and now, speak, I pray thee, unto the king; for he doth not withhold me from thee.'
13
Where could I ever go with my disgrace? And you-you would be like one of the immoral men in Israel! Please, speak to the king, for he won't keep me from you."
14 And he hath not been willing to hearken to her voice, and is stronger than she, and humbleth her, and lieth with her.
14
But he refused to listen to her, and because he was stronger than she was, he raped her.
15 And Amnon hateth her -- a very great hatred -- that greater [is] the hatred with which he hath hated her than the love with which he loved her, and Amnon saith to her, `Rise, go.'
15
After this, Amnon hated Tamar with such intensity that the hatred he hated her with was greater than the love he had loved her with. "Get out of here!" he said.
16 And she saith to him, `Because of the circumstances this evil is greater than the other that thou hast done with me -- to send me away;' and he hath not been willing to hearken to her,
16
"No," she cried, "sending me away is much worse than the great wrong you've already done to me!" But he refused to listen to her.
17 and calleth his young man, his servant, and saith, `Send away, I pray thee, this one from me without, and bolt the door after her;'
17
Instead, he called to the servant who waited on him: "Throw this woman out and bolt the door behind her!"
18 -- and upon her [is] a long coat, for such upper robes do daughters of the king who [are] virgins put on, -- and his servant taketh her out without, and hath bolted the door after her.
18
Amnon's servant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a long-sleeved garment, because this is what the king's virgin daughters wore.
19 And Tamar taketh ashes for her head, and the long coat that [is] on her she hath rent, and putteth her hand on her head, and goeth, going on and crying;
19
Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long-sleeved garment she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away weeping.
20 and Absalom her brother saith unto her, `Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? and now, my sister, keep silent, he [is] thy brother; set not thy heart to this thing;' and Tamar dwelleth -- but desolate -- in the house of Absalom her brother.
20
Her brother Absalom said to her: "Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Don't take this thing to heart." So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.
21 And king David hath heard all these things, and it is very displeasing to him;
21
When King David heard about all these things, he was furious.
22 and Absalom hath not spoken with Amnon either evil or good, for Absalom is hating Amnon, because that he humbled Tamar his sister.
22
Absalom didn't say anything to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon since he disgraced his sister Tamar.
23 And it cometh to pass, after two years of days, that Absalom hath shearers in Baal-Hazor, which [is] with Ephraim, and Absalom calleth for all the sons of the king.
23
Two years later, Absalom's sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons.
24 And Absalom cometh unto the king, and saith, `Lo, I pray thee, thy servant hath shearers, let the king go, I pray thee, and his servants, with thy servant.'
24
Then he went to the king and said, "Your servant has just hired sheepshearers. Will the king and his servants please come with your servant?"
25 And the king saith unto Absalom, `Nay, my son, let us not all go, I pray thee, and we are not too heavy on thee;' and he presseth on him, and he hath not been willing to go, and he blesseth him.
25
The king replied to Absalom, "No, my son, we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you." Although Absalom urged him, he wasn't willing to go, though he did bless him.
26 And Absalom saith, `If not -- let, I pray thee, Amnon my brother go with us;' and the king saith to him, `Why doth he go with thee?'
26
"If not," Absalom said, "please let my brother Amnon go with us." The king asked him, "Why should he go with you?"
27 and Absalom urgeth on him, and he sendeth with him Amnon, and all the sons of the king.
27
But Absalom urged him, so he sent Amnon and all the king's sons.
28 And Absalom commandeth his young men, saying, `See, I pray thee, when the heart of Amnon [is] glad with wine, and I have said unto you, Smite Amnon, that ye have put him to death; fear not; is it not because I have commanded you? be strong, yea, become sons of valour.'
28
Now Absalom commanded his young men, "Watch Amnon until he is in a good mood from the wine. When I order you to strike Amnon, then kill him. Don't be afraid. Am I not the one who has commanded you? Be strong and courageous!"
29 And the young men of Absalom do to Amnon as Absalom commanded, and rise do all the sons of the king, and they ride, each on his mule, and flee.
29
So Absalom's young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all [the rest of] the king's sons got up, and each fled on his mule.
30 And it cometh to pass -- they [are] in the way -- and the report hath come unto David, saying, `Absalom hath smitten all the sons of the king, and there is not left of them one;'
30
While they were on the way, a report reached David: "Absalom struck down all the king's sons; not even one of them survived!"
31 and the king riseth, and rendeth his garments, and lieth on the earth, and all his servants are standing by [with] rent garments.
31
In response the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.
32 And Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother, answereth and saith, `Let not my lord say, The whole of the young men, the sons of the king, they have put to death; for Amnon alone [is] dead, for by the command of Absalom it hath been appointed from the day of his humbling Tamar his sister;
32
But Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah, spoke up: "My lord must not think they have killed all the young men, the king's sons, because only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this ever since the day Amnon disgraced his sister Tamar.
33 and now, let not my lord the king lay unto his heart the word, saying, All the sons of the king have died, for Amnon alone [is] dead.'
33
So now, my lord the king, don't take seriously the report that says all the king's sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead."
34 And Absalom fleeth, and the young man who is watching lifteth up his eyes and looketh, and lo, much people are coming by the way behind him, on the side of the hill.
34
Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man who was standing watch looked up, there were many people coming from the road west of him from the side of the mountain.
35 And Jonadab saith unto the king, `Lo, the sons of the king have come; as the word of thy servant, so it hath been.'
35
Jonadab said to the king, "Look, the king's sons have come! It's exactly like your servant said."
36 And it cometh to pass at his finishing to speak, that lo, the sons of the king have come, and they lift up their voice, and weep, and also the king and all his servants have wept -- a very great weeping.
36
Just as he finished speaking, the king's sons entered and wept loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept bitterly.
37 And Absalom hath fled, and goeth unto Talmai, son of Ammihud, king of Geshur, and [David] mourneth for his son all the days.
37
Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
38 And Absalom hath fled, and goeth to Geshur, and is there three years;
38
Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur where he stayed three years.
39 and [the soul of] king David determineth to go out unto Absalom, for he hath been comforted for Amnon, for [he is] dead.
39
Then King David longed to go to Absalom, for David had finished grieving over Amnon's death.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.
Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.