Amnon and Tamar

1After some time, David’s (beloved) son Amnon (faithful) fell in love with Tamar (palm-tree), the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom (my father is peace). 2Amnon (faithful) was sick with frustration over his sister Tamar (palm-tree), for she was a virgin, and it seemed implausible for him to do anything to her.

3Now Amnon (faithful) had a friend named Jonadab (YHWH is willing), the son of David’s (beloved) brother Shimeah (Shimei).a Jonadab was a very shrewd man, 4and he asked Amnon, “Why are you, the son of the king, so depressed morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?”

Amnon (faithful) replied, “I am in love with Tamar (palm-tree), my brother Absalom’s (my father is peace) sister.”

5Jonadab (YHWH is willing) told him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar (palm-tree) come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare it in my sight so I may watch her and eat it from her hand.’”

6So Amnon (faithful) lay down and feigned illness. When the king came to see him, Amnon said, “Please let my sister Tamar (palm-tree) come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.”

7Then David (beloved) sent word to Tamar (palm-tree) at the palace: “Please go to the house of Amnon (faithful) your brother and prepare a meal for him.”

8So Tamar (palm-tree) went to the house of her brother Amnon (faithful), who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked them. 9Then she brought the pan and set it down before him, but he refused to eat. “Send everyone away!” said Amnon (faithful). And everyone went out.

10Then Amnon (faithful) said to Tamar (palm-tree), “Bring the food into the bedroom, so that I may eat it from your hand.”

Tamar took the cakes she had made and went to her brother Amnon’s bedroom. 11And when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said, “Come lie with me, my sister!”

12“No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not violate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel (he wrestles with God). Do not do this disgraceful thing! 13Where could I ever take my shame? And you would be like one of the fools in Israel (he wrestles with God)! Please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”

14But Amnon refused to listen to her, and being stronger, he violated her and lay with her.

15Then Amnon (faithful) hated Tamar with such intensity that his hatred was greater than the love he previously had. “Get up!” he said to her. “Be gone!”

16“No,” she replied, “sending me away is worse than this great wrong you have already done to me!”

But he refused to listen to her. 17Instead, he called to his attendant and said, “Throw this woman out and bolt the door behind her!”

18So Amnon’s attendant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a robe of many colors (a robe with long sleeves),b because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore. 19And Tamar (palm-tree) put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying aloud.

20Her brother Absalom (my father is peace) said to her, “Has your brother Amnon (faithful) been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this thing to heart.”

So Tamar (palm-tree) lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.

21When King David (beloved) heard all this, he was furious. [But he would not punish his son Amnon, because he loved him, since he was his firstborn.]c 22And Absalom (my father is peace) never said a word to Amnon (faithful), either good or bad, because he hated Amnon for violating his sister Tamar (palm-tree).

Absalom’s Revenge on Amnon

23Two years later, when Absalom’s (my father is peace) sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor (lord of the village) near Ephraim (doubly fruitful), he invited all the sons of the king. 24And he (my father is peace) went to the king and said, “Your servant has just hired shearers. Will the king and his servants please come with me?”

25“No, my son,” the king replied (my father is peace), “we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you.” Although Absalom urged him, he was not willing to go, but gave him his blessing.

26“If not,” said Absalom (my father is peace), “please let my brother Amnon (faithful) go with us.”

“Why should he go with you?” the king asked.

27But Absalom (my father is peace) urged him, so the king sent Amnon (faithful) and the rest of his sons [And Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king.].d

28Now Absalom (my father is peace) had ordered his young men, “Watch Amnon (faithful) until his heart is merry with wine, and when I order you⁺ to strike Amnon down, you⁺ are to kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you⁺? Be courageous and valiant!”

29So Absalom’s (my father is peace) young men did to Amnon (faithful) just as Absalom had ordered. Then all the other sons of the king got up, and each one fled on his mule.

30While they were on the way, a report reached David (beloved): “Absalom (my father is peace) has struck down all the sons of the king; not one of them is left!”

31Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground. And all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

32But Jonadab (YHWH is willing), the son of David’s (beloved) brother Shimeah (fame), spoke up: “My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon (faithful) is dead. In fact, Absalom (my father is peace) has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar (palm-tree). 33So now, my lord the king, do not take to heart the report that all the sons of the king are dead. Only Amnon (faithful) is dead.”

Absalom Flees to Geshur

34Meanwhile, Absalom (my father is peace) had fled. When the young man standing watch looked up, he saw many people coming down the road west of him (behind him),e along the side of the hill. And the watchman went and reported to the king, “I see men coming from the direction of Horonaim, along the side of the hill.”f

35So Jonadab (YHWH is willing) said to the king, “Look, the sons of the king have arrived! It is just as your servant said.”

36And as he finished speaking, the sons of the king came in, wailing loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

37Now Absalom (my father is peace) fled and went to Talmai (furrowed) son of Ammihud (people of majesty), the king of Geshur (proud beholder). But David mourned for his son every day.

38After Absalom (my father is peace) had fled and gone to Geshur (proud beholder), he stayed there three years. 39And King David [And the spirit of the king]g longed to go to Absalom (ceased to go out after Absalom),h for he had been consoled over Amnon’s (faithful) death.