﻿2 Samuel.
Chapter 13.
After this, Absalom son of David had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and Amnon son of David loved her. 
Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he made himself ill. She was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. 
Amnon had a friend named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very shrewd man. 
He said to him, “Why are you, the king’s son, so thin morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.” 
Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food. Let her prepare the food in front of me, so that I may see it and eat from her hand.’” 
So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make two cakes in front of me, so that I may eat from her hand.” 
David sent word to Tamar at her house, “Please go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.” 
Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in front of him and cooked the cakes. 
She took the pan and served them before him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, “Send everyone away from me.” So everyone left him. 
Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, so that I may eat from your hand.” Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the bedroom to her brother Amnon. 
When she brought them near for him to eat, he seized her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” 
She said to him, “No, my brother! Do not violate me, for such a thing must not be done in Israel. Do not do this outrage. 
Where could I take my disgrace? And you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 
But he would not listen to her. He overpowered her, violated her and lay with her. 
Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred. The hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and go!” 
She said to him, “No! Sending me away would be a greater evil than the other you have done to me.” But he would not listen to her. 
He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this one out of my presence. Bolt the door behind her.” 
She was wearing a long-sleeved robe, for this was how the king’s virgin daughters dressed. His servant brought her outside and bolted the door behind her. 
Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long-sleeved robe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away crying aloud. 
Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has your brother Aminon been with you? For now, my sister, keep quiet. He is your brother. Do not take this matter to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house. 
When King David heard all these things, he was very angry. 
Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar. 
After two full years, Absalom had sheep shearers at Baal-hazor, near Ephraim, and he invited all the king’s sons. 
Absalom came to the king and said, “Your servant has sheep shearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.” 
The king said to Absalom, “No, my son. We must not all go, or we will be a burden to you.” Absalom urged him, but he refused to go, though he blessed him. 
Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 
But Absalom urged him, and he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons with him. 
Absalom commanded his young men, “Watch for when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine. When I tell you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and valiant.” 
Absalom’s young men did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons got up, each mounted his mule, and they fled. 
While they were on the way, the report came to David: “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.” 
The king got up, tore his clothes and lay on the ground. All his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 
But Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, “Let my lord not think they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons. Only Amnon is dead, for this had been determined by Absalom since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar. 
So let my lord the king not take to heart the report that all the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead.” 
Absalom had fled. The young watchman looked up and saw a large crowd coming by the road behind him, along the side of the mountain. 
Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king’s sons are coming. It has happened just as your servant said.” 
As soon as he finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived and wept aloud. The king and all his servants also wept very bitterly. 
Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son every day. 
Absalom had fled to Geshur and stayed there for three years. 
King David longed to go out to Absalom, for he had been comforted over Amnon, since he was dead. 
