1NOW DAVID'S SON ABSALOM had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and Amnon, another of David's sons, fell in love with her. 2Amnon was so distressed that he fell sick with love for his half-sister; for he thought it an impossible thing to approach her since she was a virgin. 3But he had a friend named Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah, who was a very shrewd man. 4He said to Amnon, 'Why are you so low-spirited morning after morning, my lord? Will you not tell me?' So Amnon told him that he was in love with Tamar, his brother Absalom's sister. 5Jonadab said to him, 'Take to your bed and pretend to be ill. When your father comes to visit you, say to him, "Please let my sister Tamar come and give me my food. Let her prepare it in front of me, so that I may watch her and then take it from her own hands." ' 6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to visit him, he said, 'Sir, let my sister Tamar come and make a few cakes in front of me, and serve them to me with her own hands.' 7So David sent a message to Tamar in the palace: 'Go to your brother Amnon's quarters and prepare a meal for him.' 8Tamar came to her brother and found him lying down; she took some dough and kneaded it, made the cakes in front of him and baked them. 9Then she took the pan and turned them out before him. But Amnon refused to eat and ordered everyone out of the room. When they had all left, 10he said to Tamar, 'Bring the food over to the recess so that I may eat from your own hands.' Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them to Amnon in the recess. 11But when she offered them to him, he caught hold of her and said, 'Come to bed with me, sister.' 12But she answered, 'No, brother, do not dishonour me, we do not do such things in Israel; do not behave like a beast. 13Where could I go and hide my disgrace?—and you would sink as low as any beast in Israel. Why not speak to the king for me? He will not refuse you leave to marry me.' 14He would not listen, but overpowered her, dishonoured her and raped her.
15Then Amnon was filled with utter hatred for her; his hatred was stronger than the love he had felt, and he said to her, 'Get up and go.' 16She answered, 'No. It is wicked to send me away. This is harder to bear than all you have done to me.' He would not listen to her, 17but summoned the boy who attended him and said, 'Get rid of this woman, put her out and bolt the door after her.' 18She had on a long, sleeved robe, the usual dress of unmarried princesses; and the boy turned her out and bolted the door. 19Tamar threw ashes over her head, rent the long, sleeved robe that she was wearing, put her hands on her head and went away, sobbing as she went. 20Her brother Absalom asked her, 'Has your brother Amnon been with you? Keep this to yourself, he is your brother; do not take it to heart.' So Tamar remained in her brother Absalom's house, desolate. 21When King David heard the whole story he was very angry; but he would not hurt Amnon because he was his eldest son and he loved him. 22Absalom did not speak a single word to Amnon, friendly or unfriendly; he hated him for having dishonoured his sister Tamar.
23Two years later Absalom invited all the king's sons to his sheep-shearing at Baal-hazor, near Ephron . 24He approached the king and said, 'Sir, I am shearing; will your majesty and your servants come?' 25The king answered, 'No, my son, we must not all come and be a burden to you.' Absalom pressed him, but David was still unwilling to go and dismissed him with his blessing. 26But Absalom said, 'If you cannot, may my brother Amnon come with us?' 'Why should he go with you?' the king asked; 27but Absalom pressed him again, so he let Amnon and all the other princes go with him.
Then Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king. 28He gave his servants these orders: 'Bide your time, and when Amnon is merry with wine I shall say to you, "Strike." Then kill Amnon. You have nothing to fear, these are my orders; be bold and resolute.' 29Absalom's servants did as he had told them, whereupon all the king's sons mounted their mules in haste and set off for home.
30While they were on their way, a rumour reached David that Absalom had murdered all the royal princes and that not one was left alive. 31The king stood up and rent his clothes and then threw himself on the ground; all his servants were standing round him with their clothes rent. 32Then Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah, said, 'Your majesty must not think that they have killed all the young princes; only Amnon is dead; Absalom has looked black ever since Amnon ravished his sister Tamar. 33Your majesty must not pay attention to a mere rumour that all the princes are dead; only Amnon is dead.'
34Absalom made good his escape. Meanwhile the sentry looked up and saw a crowd of people coming down the hill from the direction of Horonaim . He came and reported to the king, 'I see men coming down the hill from Horonaim.' 35Then Jonadab said to the king, 'Here come the royal princes, just as I said they would.' 36As he finished speaking, the princes came in and broke into loud lamentations; the king and all his servants also wept bitterly.
37But Absalom went to take refuge with Talmai son of Ammihur king of Geshur; and for a long while the king mourned for Amnon. 38Absalom, having escaped to Geshur, stayed there for three years; 39and David's heart went out to him with longing, for he became reconciled to the death of Amnon.
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