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.
13:2 And Amnon was so afflicted, that he fell sick for his
sister Tamar; for she [was] a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard
for him to do any thing to her.
13:3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name [was] Jonadab, the son
of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab [was] a very subtil
man.
13:4 And he said to him, Why [art] thou, [being] the king's son,
pining from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said
to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.
13:5 And Jonadab said to him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make
thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say to
him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me food,
and dress the food in my sight, that I may see [it], and eat
[it] at her hand.
13:6 So Amnon lay down and made himself sick: and when the king
came to see him, Amnon said to the king, I pray thee, let Tamar
my sister come, and make for me a couple of cakes in my sight,
that I may eat at her hand.
13:7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy
brother Amnon's house, and dress meat for him.
13:8 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 baked the cakes.
13:9 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.
13:10 And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber,
that I may eat from thy hand. And Tamar took the cakes which
she had made, and brought [them] into the chamber to Amnon her
brother.
13:11 And when she had brought [them] to him to eat, he took
hold of her, and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister.
13:12 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.
13:13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for
thee, thou wilt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now
therefore, I pray thee, speak to the king; for he will not
withhold me from thee.
13:14 Howbeit, he would not hearken to her voice: but being
stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.
13:15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred with
which he hated her [was] greater than the love with which he
had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Arise, be gone.
13:16 And she said to him, [There is] no cause: this evil in
sending me away [is] greater than the other that thou didst to
me. But he would not hearken to her.
13:17 Then he called his servant that ministered to him, and
said, Put now this [woman] out from me, and bolt the door after
her.
13:18 And [she had] a garment of divers colors upon her: for
with such robes were the king's daughters [that were] virgins
appareled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the
door after her.
13:19 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.
13:20 And Absalom her brother said to 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.
13:21 But when king David heard of all these things, he was very
wroth.
13:22 And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon neither good nor
bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister
Tamar.
13:23 And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had
sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which [is] beside Ephraim: and
Absalom invited all the king's sons.
13:24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy
servant hath sheep-shearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and
his servants go with thy servant.
13:25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all
now go, lest we be chargeable to thee. And he pressed him: yet
he would not go, but blessed him.
13:26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother
Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go
with thee?
13:27 But Absalom pressed him that he should let Amnon and all
the king's sons go with him.
13:28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye
now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to
you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have I not commanded
you? be courageous, and be valiant.
13:29 And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had
commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man rode
upon his mule, and fled.
13:30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that
information came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the
king's sons, and there is not one of them left.
13:31 Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the
earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.
13:32 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.
13:33 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.
13:34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch
lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, there came many
people by the way of the hillside behind him.
13:35 And Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king's sons
come; as thy servant said, so it is.
13:36 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 exceedingly.
13:37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud,
king of Geshur. And [David] mourned for his son every day.
13:38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three
years.
13:39 And [the soul of] king David longed to go forth to
Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was
dead.
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