| Chapter
13 |
| 1 | And it
came to pass after this, that Absalom 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 anything to her. |
| 3 |
But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's
brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil 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 Absalom's sister. |
|
5 | And Jonadab 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 apparelled. 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. |
|
20 | And Absalom 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
Absalom's house. |
| 21 | But
when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth. |
| 22 | And Absalom spake unto his brother
Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his
sister Tamar. |
| 23 | And it
came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor,
which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons. |
| 24 | And Absalom 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 Absalom, 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 Absalom, 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 Absalom pressed him, that he let
Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. |
| 28 | Now Absalom 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 Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom 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, Absalom 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
Jonadab, the son of Shimeah 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 Absalom 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 Absalom 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 hill side behind him. |
| 35 | And Jonadab 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 Absalom
fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned
for his son every day. |
| 38 |
So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years. |
| 39 | And the soul of king David
longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing
he was dead. |
