Amnon and Tamar
1Some time later, Absalom son of David had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and Amnon son of David fell in love with her. 2Amnon became so obsessed that he made himself sick over his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. 3Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, son of David’s brother Shimeah, and Jonadab was a very shrewd man. 4He said to him, “Why are you, the king’s son, looking so worn out morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” 5Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food. Let her prepare it in front of me so I can watch her and eat it from her hand.’” 6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. 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 front of me, so I can eat from her hand.” 7David sent word to Tamar at the palace, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.” 8Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in front of him, and baked them, 9and took the pan and served them out in front of him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, “Send everyone out of here.” So everyone left him. 10Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, so I can eat from your hand.” Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom, 11but as she served them to him, he grabbed her and said, “Come, sleep with me, my sister.” 12She said to him, “No, my brother! Don’t force me — such a thing should not be done in Israel. Don’t do this outrageous thing. 13Where could I ever get rid of my shame? And you — you would become like one of the outrageous fools in Israel. Please, speak to the king; he will not refuse to let me marry you.” 14But he would not listen to her, and since he was stronger than she was, he forced her and slept with her. 15Then Amnon hated her with an intense hatred, greater than the love he had felt for her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and get out!” 16She said to him, “No, sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me.” But he would not listen to her. 17He called the young man who served him and said, “Get this woman out of here, away from me, and bolt the door after her.” 18She was wearing a richly decorated robe, for that was how the king’s virgin daughters dressed. His servant put her out and bolted the door after her. 19Tamar put ashes on her head, tore the richly decorated robe she was wearing, put her hand on her head, and went away weeping loudly. 20Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has your brother Amnon been with you? Now be quiet, my sister — he is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.” So Tamar lived, desolate, in her brother Absalom’s house. 21When King David heard all this, he was furious. 22Absalom never said a word to Amnon, good or bad, but he hated Amnon because he had raped his sister Tamar.
Absalom’s Revenge on Amnon
23Two years later, Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, and he invited all the king’s sons. 24Absalom went to the king and said, “Your servant has sheepshearers. Would the king and his servants please come with your servant?” 25The king said to Absalom, “No, my son, we should not all go — it would be too much of a burden for you.” Absalom pressed him, but he was unwilling to go, though he blessed him. 26Absalom said, “If not, then please let my brother Amnon come with us.” The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. 28Absalom instructed his servants, “Watch, and when Amnon is in high spirits from the wine, and I say to you, Strike Amnon down, then kill him. Don’t be afraid — it is I who am commanding you. Be strong and courageous.” 29Absalom’s servants did to Amnon just as Absalom had ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, each mounted his mule, and fled. 30While they were still on the road, a report reached David: “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons — not one of them is left.” 31The king got up, tore his clothes, and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 32But Jonadab, son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “Let my lord not think that all the young men, the king’s sons, have been killed — only Amnon is dead. This has been Absalom’s plan ever since the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar. 33So now, my lord the king should not take to heart the report that all the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.” 34Meanwhile Absalom fled. The young man on watch looked up and saw a large crowd coming down the road from the hillside behind him. 35Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king’s sons are coming — it is just as your servant said.” 36As soon as he finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, weeping loudly, and the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly. 37Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. 38So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, where he stayed three years. 39And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he had been comforted over Amnon’s death.
