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happened in the course of time that David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of Absalom son of David.
2 Amnon was so frustrated over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin, but it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her.
3 Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man, 4 and he asked Amnon, “Why are you, the king’s son, looking so miserable, morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?”
Amnon replied, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”
5 Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend you are sick. Then when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat. Have her prepare the food in my sight, so I may look on, and eat it from her hand’.”
6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. Then when the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, so I may eat from her hand.”
7 David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Please go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made the bread in his sight and baked it. 9 Then she took the pan and served them out before him, but he refused to eat.
Amnon said, “Have everyone go out from me.” So everyone left him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food to the bedroom, so I may eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them to Amnon her brother in his bedroom. 11 But when she brought to him to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”
12 “No, my brother,” she said, “Don’t force me, for such a thing should not done in Israel. Don’t do this disgraceful thing! 13 What about me? Where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like any of the scoundrels in Israel! Please, speak to the king, he won’t withhold me from you.” 14 But he refused to listen to her; and since he was stronger than she, he overpowered her and raped her.
15 Then Amnon hated her intensely. Indeed, he hated her more than he had previously loved her. And Amnon told her, “Get out of here!”
16 “No!” Tamar said to him. “Sending me away now would be even worse than the terrible wrong that you have already done to me!”
But Amnon refused to listen to her. 17 He called over the young servant who attended him and said, “Throw this woman out and bolt the door behind her!” 18 Now Tamar was wearing a long and richly ornamented robe, for this was what the virgin daughters of the king wore. Then his servant pushed her out and bolted the door behind her. 19 Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the ornamented robe she was wearing. She put a hand on her head and went away, weeping bitterly as she went.
20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has your brother Amnon done this to you? Be quiet now, my sister; he is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained living in her brother Absalom’s house as a desolate woman.
21 When King David heard about all these things, he was furious. 22 But Absalom didn’t speak a word to Amnon, either good or bad. Absalom hated Amnon, because he had disgraced his sister Tamar.
23 Two years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come there. 24 Absalom went to the king and said, “Your servant has shearers shearing. Will the king and his servants accompany your servant?
25 But the king answered Absalom, “No, my son. We should not all go, or we will be a burden to you.” Although he urged the king, he would not go, but gave him his blessing.
26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.”
The king asked him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom urged him, so he sent Amnon along with all the rest of the king’s sons.
28 Now Absalom ordered the young men who attended him, “Watch, and when Amnon is made merry with wine. When I say to you, ‘Stike Amnon’, then kill him! Don’t be afraid, for is it not I myself who has given you this order? Be strong and courageous.” 29 So Absalom’s men did to Amnon as Absalom had ordered. Then all of the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules, and fled.
30 While they were on their way, the report came to David, “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left!” 31 Then the king arose, tore his clothes and lay down on the ground, and all his servants stood by him with their clothes torn.
32 But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “My lord should not suppose that they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons. Only Amnon is dead. Absalom has been determined to do this since the day that Amnon raped his sister Tamar. 33 So my lord the king should not believe the report that all the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”
34 Meanwhile Absalom had fled.
When the young man who was standing watch looked up, many people were coming from the road west of him down the side of the mountain.
35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king’s sons have come! It’s just as your servant has said.”
36 As he finished speaking, the king’s sons came in, weeping loudly. The king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.
37 But Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. And King David mourned for his son every day.
38 Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and remained there three years. 39 And the spirit of King David longed to go to Absalom; for by then he was consoled over the death of Amnon.