2 Samuel 13
Amnon and
Tamar |
1 |
And it came to pass after this, that
Ab'salom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
|
2 |
And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick
for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought
it hard for him to do any thing to her.
|
3 |
But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jon'adab, the son of Shim'e-ah David's brother: and
Jon'adab was a very subtile man.
|
4 |
And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? wilt thou
not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother
Ab'salom's sister.
|
5 |
And Jon'adab said unto him, Lay thee down
on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see
thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give
me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.
|
6 |
So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick:
and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I
pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes
in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.
|
7 |
Then David sent home to Tamar, saying,
Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him meat.
|
8 |
So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's
house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the
cakes.
|
9 |
And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said,
Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from
him.
|
10 |
And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat
into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the
cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber
to Amnon her brother.
|
11 |
And when she had brought them unto
him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with
me, my sister.
|
12 |
And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do
not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not
thou this folly.
|
13 |
And I, whither shall I cause my shame to
go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel.
Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not
withhold me from thee.
|
14 |
Howbeit he would not hearken unto her
voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with
her.
|
15 |
Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so
that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the
love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be
gone.
|
16 |
And she said unto him, There is no
cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other
that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto
her.
|
17 |
Then he called his servant that
ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from
me, and bolt the door after her.
|
18 |
And she had a garment of divers
colors upon her: for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins appareled. Then his servant brought her
out, and bolted the door after her.
|
19 |
And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent
her garment of divers colors that was on her, and laid her
hand on her head, and went on crying.
|
Absalom's Revenge and
Flight |
20 |
And Ab'salom her brother said unto her,
Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my
sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar
remained desolate in her brother Ab'salom's house.
|
21 |
But when king David heard of all these
things, he was very wroth.
|
22 |
And Ab'salom spake unto his brother Amnon
neither good nor bad: for Ab'salom hated Amnon, because he had
forced his sister Tamar.
|
23 |
And it came to pass after two full
years, that Ab'salom had sheepshearers in Ba'al-ha'zor, which is beside E'phra-im: and Ab'salom invited all the king's
sons.
|
24 |
And Ab'salom came to the king, and said,
Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech
thee, and his servants go with thy servant.
|
25 |
And the king said to Ab'salom, Nay, my
son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he
pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.
|
26 |
Then said Ab'salom, If not, I pray thee,
let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why
should he go with thee?
|
27 |
But Ab'salom pressed him, that he let
Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.
|
28 |
Now Ab'salom had commanded his servants,
saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when
I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I
commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.
|
29 |
And the servants of Ab'salom did unto
Amnon as Ab'salom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and
every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.
|
30 |
And it came to pass, while they were in
the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Ab'salom hath slain all
the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.
|
31 |
Then the king arose, and tare his
garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with
their clothes rent.
|
32 |
And Jon'adab, the son of Shim'e-ah
David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons; for
Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Ab'salom this hath
been determined from the day that he forced his sister
Tamar.
|
33 |
Now therefore let not my lord the king
take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are
dead: for Amnon only is dead.
|
34 |
But Ab'salom fled. And the young man
that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold,
there came much people by the way of the hillside behind
him.
|
35 |
And Jon'adab said unto the king, Behold,
the king's sons come: as thy servant said, so it is.
|
36 |
And it came to pass, as soon as he had
made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and
lifted up their voice and wept: and the king also and all his
servants wept very sore.
|
37 |
But Ab'salom fled, and went to Tal'mai,
the son of Ammi'hud, king of Geshur. 2 Sam. 3.3 And David mourned for his son every day.
|
38 |
So Ab'salom fled, and went to Geshur, and
was there three years.
|
39 |
And the soul of king David longed
to go forth unto Ab'salom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon,
seeing he was dead.
|