2 Samuel 13

The Rape of Tamar

1 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David’s son Amnon fell madly in love with her.ts

2 But Amnon became frustrated because he was so lovesickt over his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her.
3 Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty man.4 He asked Amnon,t “Why are you, the king’s son,t so depressed every morning? Can’t you tell me?” So Amnon said to him, “I’m in love with Tamar the sister of my brother Absalom.”

5 Jonadab replied to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick.t When your father comes in to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can fix some food for me. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I can watch. Then I will eat from her hand.’”

6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came in to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight. Then I will eat from her hand.”
7 So David sent Tamar to the house saying, “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him.”8 So Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, who was lying down. She took the dough, kneaded it, made some cakes while he watched,t and baked them.t

9 But when she took the pan and set it before him, he refused to eat. Instead Amnon said, “Get everyone out of here!”t So everyone left.s
10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the cakes into the bedroom; then I will eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes that she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom.

11 As she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, “Come on! Get in bed with me,t my sister!”
12 But she said to him, “No, my brother! Don’t humiliate me! This just isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this foolish thing!13 How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the foolst in Israel! Justt speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”14 But he refused to listen to her.t He overpowered her and humiliated her by raping her.t

15 Then Amnon greatly despised her.t His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her.t Amnon said to her, “Get up and leave!”
16 But she said to him, “No I won’t, for sending me away now would be worse than what you did to me earlier!”t But he refused to listen to her.17 He called his personal attendant and said to him, “Take this woman out of my sightt and lock the door behind her!”18 (Now she was wearing a long robe,t for this is what the king’s virgin daughters used to wear.) So Amnon’st attendant removed her and bolted the doort behind her.

19 Then Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went on her way, wailing as she went.

20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Was Amnon your brother with you? Now be quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take it so seriously!”t Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom.
21 Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry.s

22 But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.

Absalom Has Amnon Put to Death

23 Two years later Absalom’s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor,s near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

24 Then Absalom went to the king and said, “My shearers have begun their work.t Let the king and his servants go with me.”

25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son. We shouldn’t all go. We shouldn’t burden you in that way.” Though Absalomt presseds him, the kingt was not willing to go. Instead, Davidt blessed him.
26 Then Absalom said, “If you will not go,t then let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king replied to him, “Why should he go with you?”

27 But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him.
28 Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunkt and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!”t

29 So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had instructed. Then all the king’s sons got up; each one rode away on his mule and fled.
30 While they were still on their way, the following report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one of them is left!”

31 Then the king stood up and tore his garments and lay down on the ground. All his servants were standing there with torn garments as well.
32 Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “My lord should not say, ‘They have killed all the young men who are the king’s sons.’ For only Amnon is dead. This is what Absalom has talked aboutt from the day that Amnont humiliated his sister Tamar.

33 Now don’t let my lord the king be concerned about the report that has come saying, ‘All the king’s sons are dead.’ It is only Amnon who is dead.”
34 In the meantime Absalom fled. When the servant who was the watchman looked up, he saw many people coming from the westt on a road beside the hill.

35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look! The king’s sons have come! It’s just as I said!”
36 Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, wailing and weeping.t The king and all his servants wept loudlyt as well.

37 But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur. And Davids grieved over his son every day.
38 After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years.

39 The king longeds to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon.t

2 Samuel 13

Amnon and Tamar

1 David's son Absalom had a beautiful unmarried sister named Tamar. Amnon, another of David's sons, fell in love with her. 2 He was so much in love with her that he became sick, because it seemed impossible for him to have her; as a virgin, she was kept from meeting men. 3 But he had a friend, a very shrewd man named Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shammah.

4 Jonadab said to Amnon, “You are the king's son, yet day after day I see you looking sad. What's the matter?” “I'm in love with Tamar, the sister of my half brother Absalom,” he answered.
5 Jonadab said to him, “Pretend that you are sick and go to bed. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please ask my sister Tamar to come and feed me. I want her to fix the food here where I can see her, and then serve it to me herself.’”

6 So Amnon pretended that he was sick and went to bed. King David went to see him, and Amnon said to him, “Please let Tamar come and make a few cakes here where I can see her, and then serve them to me herself.”
7 So David sent word to Tamar in the palace: “Go to Amnon's house and fix him some food.” 8 She went there and found him in bed. She took some dough, prepared it, and made some cakes there where he could see her. Then she baked the cakes 9 and emptied them out of the pan for him to eat, but he wouldn't. He said, “Send everyone away”—and they all left. 10 Then he said to her, “Bring the cakes here to my bed and serve them to me yourself.” She took the cakes and went over to him.

11 As she offered them to him, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me!”
12 “No,” she said. “Don't force me to do such a degrading thing! That's awful! 13 How could I ever hold up my head in public again? And you—you would be completely disgraced in Israel. Please, speak to the king, and I'm sure that he will give me to you.”

14 But he would not listen to her; and since he was stronger than she was, he overpowered her and raped her.

15 Then Amnon was filled with a deep hatred for her; he hated her now even more than he had loved her before. He said to her, “Get out!”
16 “No,” she answered. “To send me away like this is a greater crimet than what you just did!” But Amnon would not listen to her; 17 he called in his personal servant and said, “Get this woman out of my sight! Throw her out and lock the door!” 18 The servant put her out and locked the door. Tamar was wearing a long robe with full sleeves,t the usual clothing for an unmarried princess in those days.t 19 She sprinkled ashes on her head, tore her robe, and with her face buried in her hands went away crying.

20 When her brother Absalom saw her, he asked, “Has Amnon molested you? Please, sister, don't let it upset you so much. He is your half brother, so don't tell anyone about it.” So Tamar lived in Absalom's house, sad and lonely.
21 When King David heard what had happened, he was furious.

22 And Absalom hated Amnon so much for having raped his sister Tamar that he would no longer even speak to him.

Absalom's Revenge

23 Two years later Absalom was having his sheep sheared at Baal Hazor, near the town of Ephraim, and he invited all the king's sons to be there.

24 He went to King David and said, “Your Majesty, I am having my sheep sheared. Will you and your officials come and take part in the festivities?”

25 “No, my son,” the king answered. “It would be too much trouble for you if we all went.” Absalom insisted, but the king would not give in, and he asked Absalom to leave.
26 But Absalom said, “Well, then, will you at least let my brother Amnon come?” “Why should he?” the king asked. 27 But Absalom kept on insisting until David finally let Amnon and all his other sons go with Absalom. Absalom prepared a banquet fit for a kingt 28 and instructed his servants: “Notice when Amnon has had too much to drink, and then when I give the order, kill him. Don't be afraid. I will take the responsibility myself. Be brave and don't hesitate!”

29 So the servants followed Absalom's instructions and killed Amnon. All the rest of David's sons mounted their mules and fled.
30 While they were on their way home, David was told: “Absalom has killed all your sons—not one of them is left!” 31 The king stood up, tore his clothes in sorrow, and threw himself to the ground. The servants who were there with him tore their clothes also. 32 But Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shammah, said, “Your Majesty, they haven't killed all your sons. Only Amnon is dead. You could tell by looking at Absalom that he had made up his mind to do this from the time that Amnon raped his sister Tamar.

33 So don't believe the news that all your sons are dead; only Amnon was killed.”
34 In the meantime Absalom had fled. Just then the soldier on sentry duty saw a large crowd coming down the hill on the road from Horonaim.t He went to the king and reported what he had seen.t 35 Jonadab said to David, “Those are your sons coming, just as I said they would.”

36 As soon as he finished saying this, David's sons came in; they started crying, and David and his officials also cried bitterly.
37-38 Absalom fled and went to the king of Geshur, Talmai son of Ammihud, and stayed there three years. David mourned a long time for his son Amnon;

39 but when he got over Amnon's death, he was filled with longing for his son Absalom.