1   Now David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and Amnon, another of David's sons, fell in love with her. 2   Amnon was so distressed that he fell sick with love for his half-sister; for he thought it an impossible thing to approach her since she was a virgin. 3   But he had a friend named Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah, who was a very shrewd man. 4   He said to Amnon, ‘Why are you so low-spirited morning after morning, my lord? Will you not tell me?’ So Amnon told him that he was in love with Tamar, his brother Absalom's sister. 5   Jonadab said to him, ‘Take to your bed and pretend to be ill. When your father comes to visit you, say to him, “Please let my sister Tamar come and give me my food. Let her prepare it in front of me, so that I may watch her and then take it from her own hands.”’ 6   So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to visit him, he said, ‘Sir, let my sister Tamar come and make a few cakes in front of me, and serve them to me with her own hands.’ 7   So David sent a message to Tamar in the palace: ‘Go to your brother Amnon's quarters and prepare a meal for him.’ 8   Tamar came to her brother and found him lying down; she took some dough and kneaded it, made the cakes in front of him and baked them. 9   Then she took the pan and turned them out before him. But Amnon refused to eat and ordered everyone out of the room. 10   When they had all left, he said to Tamar, ‘Bring the food over to the recess so that I may eat from your own hands.’ Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them to Amnon in the recess. 11   But when she offered them to him, he caught hold of her and said, ‘Come to bed with me, sister.’ 12   But she answered, ‘No, brother, do not dishonour me, we do not do such things in Israel; do

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts not behave like a beast. 13   Where could I go and hide my disgrace?— and you would sink as low as any beast in Israel. Why not speak to the king for me? 14   He will not refuse you leave to marry me.’ He would not listen, but overpowered her, dishonoured her and raped her.

15   Then Amnon was filled with utter hatred for her; his hatred was stronger than the love he had felt, and he said to her, ‘Get up and go.’ 16   She answered, ‘No. It is wicked to send me away. This is harder to bear than all you have done to me.’ 17   He would not listen to her, but summoned the boy who attended him and said, ‘Get rid of this woman, put her out and bolt the door after her.’ 18   She had on a long, sleeved robe, the usual dress of unmarried princesses; and the boy turned her out and bolted the door. 19   Tamar threw ashes over her head, rent the long, sleeved robe that she was wearing, put her hands on her head and went away, sobbing as she went. 20   Her brother Absalom asked her, ‘Has your brother Amnon been with you? Keep this to yourself, he is your brother; do not take it to heart.’ So Tamar remained in her brother Absalom's house, desolate. 21   When King David heard the whole story he was very angry; but he would not hurt Amnon because he was his eldest son and he loved him. ^note 22   Absalom did not speak a single word to Amnon, friendly or unfriendly; he hated him for having dishonoured his sister Tamar.

23   Two years later Absalom invited all the king's sons to his sheep-shearing at Baal-hazor, near Ephron. ^note 24   He approached the king and said, ‘Sir, I am shearing; will your majesty and your servants come?’ 25   The king answered, ‘No, my son, we must not all come and be a burden to you.’ Absalom pressed ^note him, but David was still unwilling to go and dismissed him with his blessing. 26   But Absalom said, ‘If you cannot, may my brother Amnon come with us?’ ‘Why should he go with you?’ 27   the king asked; but Absalom pressed ^note him again, so he let Amnon and all the other princes go with him.

28   Then Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king. ^noteHe gave his servants these orders: ‘Bide your time, and when Amnon is merry with wine I shall say to you, “Strike.” Then kill Amnon. You have nothing to fear, these are my orders; be bold and resolute.’ 29   Absalom's servants did as he had told them, whereupon all the king's sons mounted their mules in haste and set off for home.

30   While they were on their way, a rumour reached David that Absalom had murdered all the royal princes and that not one was left alive. 31   The king stood up and rent his clothes and then threw himself on the ground; all his servants were standing round him with their clothes

Absalom's rebellion and other conflicts rent. 32   Then Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah, said, ‘Your majesty must not think that they have killed all the young princes; only Amnon is dead; Absalom has looked black ever since Amnon ravished his sister Tamar. 33   Your majesty must not pay attention to a mere rumour that all the princes are dead; only Amnon is dead.’

34   Absalom made good his escape. Meanwhile the sentry looked up and saw a crowd of people coming down the hill from the direction of Horonaim. ^noteHe came and reported to the king, ‘I see men coming down the hill from Horonaim.’ ^note 35   Then Jonadab said to the king, ‘Here come the royal princes, just as I said they would.’ 36   As he finished speaking, the princes came in and broke into loud lamentations; the king and all his servants also wept bitterly.

37   But Absalom went to take refuge with Talmai son of Ammihur king of Geshur; and for a long while the king mourned for Amnon. 38   Absalom, having escaped to Geshur, stayed there for three years; 39   and David's heart ^note went out to him with longing, for he became reconciled to the death of Amnon.

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