Amnon and Tamar
And it was afterward: Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, and her name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
And Amnon was so distressed that he made himself sick because of Tamar his sister — for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible in Amnon’s eyes to do anything to her.
But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd man.
And he said to him, “Why are you so low, son of the king, morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” And Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, the sister of Absalom my brother.”
And Jonadab said to him: “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick; and when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let Tamar my sister come, please, and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food before my eyes, so that I may see it and eat from her hand.’”
So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick; and the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, “Let Tamar my sister come, please, and make two heart-cakes before my eyes, and let me eat from her hand.”
And David sent to Tamar at the house, saying, “Go, please, to the house of Amnon your brother, and prepare the food for him.”
And Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, and he was lying down. And she took the dough and kneaded it, and made the heart-cakes before his eyes, and cooked the heart-cakes.
And she took the pan and poured them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Send every man out from me.” And every man went out from him.
And Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the inner room, and let me eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the heart-cakes she had made and brought them to Amnon her brother, into the inner room.
And she brought them near to him to eat; and he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”
And she said to him: “No, my brother — do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel. Do not do this outrage.
And I — where would I carry my disgrace? And you — you would be like one of the outrageous fools in Israel. Now then, speak, please, to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”
But he was not willing to listen to her voice; and he was stronger than she, and he violated her, and lay with her.
Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred — for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up. Go.”
And she said to him, “No — for this great evil, in sending me away, is worse than the other that you did with me.” But he was not willing to listen to her.
And he called his young man who served him and said, “Send this one away from me, please — outside — and bolt the door behind her.”
Now she was wearing an ornamented tunic, for so the virgin daughters of the king dressed, in robes. And his servant brought her outside and bolted the door behind her.
And Tamar took ashes on her head, and tore the ornamented tunic that was on her; and she put her hand on her head, and went away, walking and crying out.
And Absalom her brother said to her: “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now then, my sister, keep silent — he is your brother; do not set your heart on this thing.” So Tamar stayed, desolate, in the house of Absalom her brother.
And King David heard all these things, and it burned in him greatly.
And Absalom did not speak with Amnon, bad or good — for Absalom hated Amnon over the matter of his violating Tamar his sister.
Absalom’s Revenge on Amnon
And it was two full years later that Absalom had shearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim; and Absalom invited all the sons of the king.
And Absalom came to the king and said, “Look, please — your servant has shearers. Let the king and his servants go, please, with your servant.”
And the king said to Absalom, “No, my son — let us not all go, please, and be a burden on you.” And he pressed him, but he was not willing to go; and he blessed him.
And Absalom said, “If not, then let Amnon my brother go with us, please.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?”
But Absalom pressed him, and he sent Amnon with him, and all the sons of the king.
And Absalom commanded his young men, saying: “Watch, please — when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then put him to death. Do not be afraid. Is it not I who have commanded you? Be strong, and be sons of valor.”
And the young men of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. And all the sons of the king rose, and each mounted his mule and fled.
And it was, while they were on the way, that the report came to David, saying, “Absalom has struck down all the sons of the king, and not one of them is left.”
And the king rose and tore his garments and lay on the ground; and all his servants were standing by with garments torn.
And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said: “Let my lord not say they have put to death all the young men, the sons of the king — for Amnon alone is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined, from the day he violated Tamar his sister.
Now then, let my lord the king not take the matter to heart, saying, ‘All the sons of the king are dead’ — for Amnon alone is dead.”
Absalom Flees to Geshur
And Absalom fled. And the young man keeping watch lifted up his eyes and looked — and look, many people coming from the road behind him, from the side of the mountain, on the descent. And the watchman came and told the king, and said, “I saw men coming down from the road of Horonaim.”
And Jonadab said to the king, “Look — the sons of the king have come. As your servant said, so it is.”
And it was, as he finished speaking — look, the sons of the king came, and they lifted up their voice and wept; and the king also, and all his servants, wept a very great weeping.
Now Absalom had fled and gone to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And he mourned over his son all the days.
And Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, and he was there three years.
And the spirit of King David longed to go out to Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.