1And Absalom, son of David, had a beautiful sister, named Tamar; and Amnon, another son of David, loved her desperately. 2Amnon became obsessed with his half-sister Tamar, because he thought he could never have her. 3But he had a friend, named Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David's brother; and he was a very conniving kind of man. 4And he said to Amnon, “Why are you, the king's son, so haggard from day to day?” And Amnon told him, “I love Tamar, Absalom's sister.” 5And Jonadab said, “Lie on your bed, and pretend to be sick; and when your father comes to see you, tell him, “Let my sister, Tamar, come, and prepare food for me in my sight, that I may watch her and eat from her hand.” 6So Amnon lay down, and pretended to be sick; and when the king came to see him, Amnon told David, “Please let Tamar, my sister, come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.” 7So David sent word to Tamar, “Go to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare a meal for him.” 8So Tamar went to Amnon's house; and he was lying down. And she took flour, kneaded it, and from it baked cakes in his sight. 9Then she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Send everyone out of here.” And everyone left. 10Then Amnon told Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar brought the cakes she had made into the bedroom to Amnon, her brother. 11And when she brought them in for him to eat, he grabbed her, and said to her, “Come lie with me, my sister.” 12And she answered, “No, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing should be done in Israel; do not do this wicked thing! 13And I, where shall I go to rid myself of my shame? And as for you, you shall be like one of the fools in Israel. Please speak to the king; he will not keep me from marrying you.” 14 But he would not listen to her; but, being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with (raped) her.

15Then abruptly Amnon’s love turned to hate; so that his hatred for her was greater than the love he had felt for her. And Amnon told her, “Get out of here.” 16And she said, “There is no reason for this; this evil in sending me away is even greater than the other that you did to me!” But he would not listen to her. 17Then he called his servant, and said, “Put this woman out from me now, and bolt the door behind her.” 18Then his servant pushed her out, and bolted the door behind her. And she was wearing a garment of several colors; one of robes by which the king's virgin daughters were dressed. 19And Tamar put ashes on her head, tore her garment of several colors, put her hands on her head, and went her way, crying. 20And Absalom, her brother, asked her, “Has Amnon, your brother, been with you? But hold your peace for now, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this to heart.” So Tamar remained a desolate woman in her brother Absalom's house. 21When King David heard of all this, he was furious. 22And though Absalom never said a word - good or bad - to his half-brother, he harbored deep hatred for Amnon, because he had raped his sister, Tamar.

23And then, a two full years later, Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, near the border with Ephraim; and he invited all the king's sons to come there. 24And Absalom came to the king, and said, “Look, I have sheepshearers; please let the king and his servants join me.” 25And David said, “No, my son, let us not all now go, or we will be a burden to you.” And though he pressed him; David would not go, but blessed him. 26Then Absalom said, “If not, let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said, “Why should he go with you?” 27But Absalom urged him, so he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. 28Now Absalom had ordered his servants, “Mark when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; and then when I give the signal, kill him. Do not be afraid, because I have commanded you. Be courageous, and be valiant.” 29And so the servants of Absalom murdered Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons got up, and each mounted his mule, and fled. 30And while they were on their way, a report came to David that said, “Absalom has killed all the king's sons; there is not one of them left.” 31Then the king rose, tore his garments, and lay on the ground; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 32But Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David's brother, spoke up and said, “Do not let the king think that they have killed all of your sons: only Amnon is dead; for this has been the intent of Absalom ever since the day he raped his sister, Tamar. 33No, my lord, the king, all your sons are not dead; only Amnon is dead.” 34Meanwhile, Absalom fled. And the watchman saw and reported seeing many people coming on the road west toward Horonaim. 35And Jonadab told the king, “Look, here come your sons, as I said.” 36And just as he finished speaking, the king's sons arrived, and weeping aloud; and the king and all his servants wept bitterly. 37But Absalom fled to Talmai, son of Ammihud, king of Geshur, in Syria. And David mourned for his son (Amnon, his first-born) every day. 38And Absalom stayed in Geshur for three years.

39And King David, once he had become reconciled to the death of Amnon, yearned to be reunited with Absalom.