¹After this , Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar ; and Amnon the son of David loved her .

²Amnon was so troubled that he became sick because of his sister Tamar , for she was a virgin , and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her .

³But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah , David ’s brother ; and Jonadab was a very subtle man .

⁴He said to him , “Why , son of the king , are you so sad from day to day ? Won’t you tell me ?”

Amnon said to him , “I love Tamar , my brother Absalom’s sister.”

⁵Jonadab said to him , “Lay down on your bed and pretend to be sick . When your father comes to see you , tell him , ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat , and prepare the food in my sight , that I may see it and eat it from her hand .’”

⁶So Amnon lay down and faked being sick . When the king came to see him , Amnon said to the king , “Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight , that I may eat from her hand .”

⁷Then David sent home to Tamar , saying, “Go now to your brother Amnon’s house , and prepare food for him .”

⁸So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house ; and he was lying down . She took dough , kneaded it , made cakes in his sight , and baked the cakes .

⁹She took the pan and poured them out before him , but he refused to eat. Amnon said , “Have all men leave me .” Then every man went out from him .

¹⁰Amnon said to Tamar , “Bring the food into the room , that I may eat from your hand .” Tamar took the cakes which she had made , and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother.

¹¹When she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her , “Come , lie with me , my sister!”

¹²She answered him , “No , my brother, do not force me ! For no such thing ought to be done in Israel . Don’t you do this folly !

¹³As for me , where would I carry my shame ? And as for you , you will be as one of the fools in Israel . Now therefore , please speak to the king ; for he will not withhold me from you .”

¹⁴However , he would not listen to her voice ; but being stronger than she , he forced her and lay with her .

¹⁵Then Amnon hated her with exceedingly great hatred ; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her . Amnon said to her , “Arise , be gone !”

¹⁶She said to him , “Not so , because this great wrong in sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me !”

But he would not listen to her .

¹⁷Then he called his servant who ministered to him , and said , “Now put this woman out from me , and bolt the door after her .”

¹⁸She had a garment of various colours on her , for the king ’s daughters who were virgins dressed in such robes . Then his servant brought her out and bolted the door after her .

¹⁹Tamar put ashes on her head , and tore her garment of various colours that was on her ; and she laid her hand on her head and went her way , crying aloud as she went .

²⁰Absalom her brother said to her , “Has Amnon your brother been with you ? But now hold your peace , my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart .”

So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house .

²¹But when King David heard of all these things , he was very angry .

²²Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad ; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar .

²³After two full years , Absalom had sheep shearers in Baal Hazor, which is beside Ephraim; and Absalom invited all the king ’s sons .

²⁴Absalom came to the king and said, “See now , your servant has sheep shearers . Please let the king and his servants go with your servant .”

²⁵The king said to Absalom, “No , my son , let ’s not all go , lest we be burdensome to you .” He pressed him ; however he would not go , but blessed him .

²⁶Then Absalom said, “If not , please let my brother Amnon go with us .”

The king said to him , “Why should he go with you ?”

²⁷But Absalom pressed him , and he let Amnon and all the king ’s sons go with him .

²⁸Absalom commanded his servants , saying, “Mark now , when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine ; and when I tell you , ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him . Don’t be afraid . Haven’t I commanded you ? Be courageous , and be valiant !”

²⁹The servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded . Then all the king ’s sons arose , and every man got up on his mule and fled .

³⁰While they were on the way , the news came to David , saying, “Absalom has slain all the king ’s sons , and there is not one of them left !”

³¹Then the king arose , and tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn .

³²Jonadab the son of Shimeah , David ’s brother, answered , “Don’t let my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men , the king ’s sons , for Amnon only is dead ; for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar .

³³Now therefore don’t let my lord the king take the thing to his heart , to think that all the king ’s sons are dead ; for only Amnon is dead .”

³⁴But Absalom fled . The young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked , and behold , many people were coming by way of the hillside behind him .

³⁵Jonadab said to the king , “Behold , the king ’s sons are coming ! It is as your servant said .”

³⁶As soon as he had finished speaking , behold , the king ’s sons came , and lifted up their voices and wept . The king also and all his servants wept bitterly .

³⁷But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur . David mourned for his son every day .

³⁸So Absalom fled and went to Geshur , and was there three years .

³⁹King David longed to go out to Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead .