2 Samuel 13

1 David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and another of David's sons, Amnon, fell in love with her.

Now after this so it was, that Absalom the sonne of Dauid hauing a fayre sister, whose name was Tamar, Amnon the sonne of Dauid loued her.

2 Amnon became so infatuated with his sister Tamar that he felt sick. She was a virgin, and Amnon saw it was impossible for him to have her.

And Amnon was so sore vexed, that he fell sicke for his sister Tamar: for she was a virgin, and it seemed hard to Amnon to doe any thing to her.

3 However, Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, and he was the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very cunning man.

But Amnon had a friend called Ionadab, the sonne of Shimeah Dauids brother: and Ionadab was a very subtile man.

4 He asked Amnon, “Why are you, the king's son, so down every morning? Why don't you tell me what's wrong?” “I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister,” Amnon replied.

Who sayde vnto him, Why art thou the Kings sonne so leane from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? Then Amnon answered him, I loue Tamar my brother Absaloms sister.

5 “Lie down on your bed and pretend you're sick,” Jonadab told him. “When your father comes to see you, tell him, ‘Please have my sister Tamar come and give me some food to eat. She can make it as I watch and she can hand it to me.’”

And Ionadab sayd vnto him, Lie downe on thy bed, and make thy selfe sicke: and when thy father shall come to see thee, say vnto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and giue me meate, and let her dresse meate in my sight, that I may see it, and eate it of her hand.

6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon asked him, “Please have my sister Tamar come and make a couple of pancakes as I watch, and she can hand them to me to eat.”

So Amnon lay downe, and made himselfe sicke: and when the King came to see him, Amnon sayde vnto the King, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may receiue meate at her hand.

7 Then David sent a message to Tamar at the palace: “Please be so kind as to go to the house of your brother Amnon and make him some food.”

Then Dauid sent home to Tamar, saying, Goe now to thy brother Amnons house, and dresse him meate.

8 So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon to where he was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, and cooked the pancakes as he watched.

So Tamar went to her brother Amnons house, and he lay downe: and she tooke floure, and knead it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.

9 Then she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. “Everybody leave me!” Amnon shouted. Everyone left.

And she tooke a pan, and powred them out before him, but he would not eat. Then Amnon saide, Cause ye euery man to goe out from me: so euery man went out from him.

10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food here into my bedroom so you can hand it to me to eat.” So Tamar took the pancakes she had made to her brother Amnon in his bedroom.

Then Amnon said vnto Tamar, Bring the meate into the chamber, that I may eate of thine hand. And Tamar tooke the cakes which shee had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

11 But as she handed him the food, he grabbed hold of her, and said, “Come to bed with me, my sister!”

And when she had set them before him to eate, he tooke her, and sayd vnto her, Come, lye with me, my sister.

12 “No, you're my brother!” she exclaimed. “Don't rape me! That's not what we do in Israel! Don't do something so shameful!

But shee answered him, Nay, my brother, doe not force me: for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: commit not this follie.

13 Stop and think about me! How could I bear such a disgrace? Think about yourself too! You'd be treated with contempt as a complete fool in Israel! Please talk with the king, for he won't stop you marrying me.”

And I, whither shall I cause my shame to goe? and thou shalt be as one of the fooles in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, speake to the King, for he will not denie me vnto thee.

14 But Amnon wouldn't to listen to her, and because he was stronger than she was, he raped her.

Howbeit he would not hearken vnto her voyce, but being stronger then she, forced her, and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated Tamar with immense hatred. His hatred was so strong that it was greater than the love he'd had before. “Get up! Get lost!” he told her.

Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, so that the hatred wherewith he hated her, was greater then the loue, wherewith hee had loued her: and Amnon sayde vnto her, Vp, get thee hence.

16 “No! Don't do this!” she answered. “Sending me away in disgrace would be an even greater evil than what you've already done to me.” But he wouldn't listen to her.

And she answered him, There is no cause: this euill (to put mee away) is greater then the other that thou diddest vnto me: but he would not heare her,

17 He called for his servant and said, “Get rid of this woman and lock the door behind her!”

But called his seruant that serued him, and sayd, Put this woman now out from me, and locke the doore after her.

18 So his servant threw her out and locked the door behind her. Tamar was wearing the long robe of a princess, which is what the king's virgin daughters wore.

(And she had a garment of diuers coulours vpon her: for with such garments were the Kings daughters that were virgins, apparelled) Then his seruant brought her out, and locked the doore after her.

19 Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her long robe. She put her hands on her head, she went away crying loudly.

And Tamar put ashes on her head and rent the garment of diuers colours which was on her, and layde her hand on her head, and went her way crying.

20 Her brother Absalom found her and asked, “Has brother Amnon been with you? Keep quiet for the moment, my sister. He's your brother. Don't be so upset about it.” So Tamar lived as a ruined and abandoned woman in her brother Absalom's home.

And Absalom her brother sayd vnto her, Hath Amnon thy brother bene with thee? Now yet be still, my sister: he is thy brother: let not this thing grieue thine heart. So Tamar remayned desolate in her brother Absaloms house.

21 When King David heard about it, he was very angry.

But when King Dauid heard all these things, he was very wroth.

22 Absalom didn't talk to Amnon at all because he hated Amnon for raping his sister Tamar.

And Absalom sayde vnto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

23 Some two years later, when his sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king's sons to join the celebrations.

And after the time of two yeeres, Absalom had sheepesherers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim, and Absalom called all the Kings sonnes.

24 He went to the king and said, “I, your servant, have hired shearers. Would the king and his servants please join me?”

And Absalom came to the King and sayd, Beholde now, thy seruant hath sheepesherers: I pray thee, that the King with his seruants would goe with thy seruant.

25 “No, my son,” the king replied, “we can't all go. We would be a burden to you.” Even though Absalom went on asking, he was not willing to go, but he did give Absalom his blessing.

But the King answered Absalom, Nay my sonne, I pray thee, let vs not goe all, lest we be chargeable vnto thee. Yet Absalom lay sore vpon him: howbeit he would not go, but thanked him.

26 “Well then, at least let my brother Amnon join us,” Absalom responded. “Why do you want him to go?” the king asked.

Then sayd Absalom, But, I pray thee, shall not my brother Amnon goe with vs? And the king answered him, Why should he go with thee?

27 But Absalom kept on asking, so the king sent Amnon and his other sons.

But Absalom was instant vpon him, and he sent Amnon with him, and all the Kings children.

28 Absalom gave orders to his men, saying, “Pay attention! When Amnon is feeling happy from drinking wine and I tell you, ‘Attack Amnon!’ then kill him. Don't be afraid. I myself am giving you this order. Be strong and be brave.”

Now had Absalom commanded his seruants, saying, Marke now when Amnons heart is merry with wine, and when I say vnto you, Smite Amnon, kill him, feare not, for haue not I commanded you? be bold therefore, and play the men.

29 So Absalom's men did what Absalom had ordered and killed Amnon. Then all the rest of the king's sons jumped up, got on their mules, and ran away.

And the seruantes of Absalom did vnto Amnon, as Absalom had commanded: and al the Kings sonnes arose, and euery man gate him vp vpon his mule, and fled.

30 While they were on their way back, David received a message, “Absalom has killed all the king's sons—there's not a single one left!”

And while they were in the way, tydings came to Dauid, saying, Absalom hath slaine al the Kings sonnes, and there is not one of them left.

31 The king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground. All his officials stood beside him with their clothes torn.

Then the King arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the ground, and all his seruants stoode by with their clothes rent.

32 But Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah, told them: “Your Majesty must not think they have killed all the king's sons—only Amnon is dead. Absalom has been planning ever since the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar.

And Ionadab the sonne of Shimeah Dauids brother answered and sayde, Let not my lord suppose that they haue slayne all the yong men the Kings sonnes: for Amnon onely is dead, because Absalom had reported so, since hee forced his sister Tamar.

33 So, Your Majesty, please don't believe the report that all the king's sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”

Nowe therefore let not my lord the King take the thing so grieuously, to thinke that all ye Kings sonnes are dead: for Amnon only is dead.

34 In the meantime, Absalom had run away. When the watchman in Jerusalem looked out, he saw a large crowd coming along the road west of him, down the side of the hill.

Then Absalom fled: and the yong man that kept the watch, lift vp his eyes, and looked, and behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behinde him.

35 Jonadab told the king, “Can you see? The king's sons are arriving! It's exactly as your servant said.”

And Ionadab said vnto the King, Behold, ye Kings sonnes come: as thy seruant sayd, so it is.

36 As he finished speaking, the king's sons came in, crying and wailing. Then the king and all his officials also cried loudly.

And assoone as hee had left speaking, behold, the Kings sonnes came, and lift vp their voyces, and wept: and the King also and all his seruants wept exceedingly sore.

37 Absalom ran away to Talmai, son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. Every day David mourned for his son Amnon.

But Absalom fled away, and went to Talmai the sonne of Ammihur King of Geshur: and Dauid mourned for his sonne euery day.

38 After Absalom had run away to Geshur, he remained there for three years.

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

39 King David longed to go and see Absalom, for he had finished grieving over the death of Amnon.

And King Dauid desired to go forth vnto Absalom, because he was pacified concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.