2 Samuel 13 - 14
Amnon Violates Tamar
13Now it happened afterwards that aAbsalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was bTamar, and cAmnon the son of David loved her. 2And Amnon was so distressed because of his sister Tamar that he made himself ill, for she was a virgin. So it was hard in Amnon’s sight to do anything to her. 3But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of 1,aShimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very 2shrewd man. 4And he said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so depressed morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Then Amnon said to him, “I am in love with Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.” 5Jonadab then said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill; and your father will come to see you, and you will say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me some food to eat, and let her prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat from her hand.’” 6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and amake me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”
7Then David sent to the house for 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. And she took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 9And she took the pan and 1dished them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “aHave everyone go out from me.” So everyone went out from him. 10Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the 1bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes which she had made and brought them into the bedroom to her brother Amnon. 11Then she brought them near to him to eat, but he atook hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” 12But she said to him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for asuch a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this bdisgraceful thing! 13“As for me, where could I 1get rid of my reproach? And as for you, you will be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. So now, please speak to the king, for ahe will not withhold me from you.” 14But he was not willing to listen to her voice. Now he was stronger than she, so he aviolated her and lay with her.
15Then 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 away!” 16But she said to him, “No, because this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you have done to me!” But he was not willing to listen to her. 17Then he called his young man who attended him and said, “Now cast this woman out of my presence, and lock the door behind her.” 18Now she had on aa 1long-sleeved garment; for in this manner the virgin daughters of the king dressed themselves in robes. Then his attendant took her out and locked the door behind her. 19aThen Tamar put 1ashes on her head and btore her 2long-sleeved garment which was on her; and cshe put her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.
20So Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now keep silent, my sister, he is your brother; do not take this matter to heart.” So Tamar remained and was desolate in her brother Absalom’s house. 21Now when King David heard of all these matters, he was very angry. 22But Absalom did not speak to Amnon aeither good or bad; for bAbsalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.
23Now it happened after two full years that Absalom ahad sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.
Absalom Strikes Down Amnon
24And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold now, your servant has sheepshearers; please let the king and his servants go with your servant.” 25But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, we should not all go, for we will be burdensome to you.” Although he 1urged him, he was not willing to go, but blessed him. 26Then aAbsalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27But Absalom 1urged him, so he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons with him.
28Then Absalom commanded his young men, saying, “See now, awhen Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then put him to death. Do not fear; have not I myself commanded you? Be strong and be 1valiant.” 29Thus the young men of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose and each mounted ahis mule and fled.
30Now it was while they were on the way that the report came to David, saying, “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.” 31Then the king arose, atore his clothes and blay on the ground; and all his servants were standing by with clothes torn. 32aBut Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, “Do not let my lord 1suppose they have put to death all the young men, the king’s sons, for Amnon alone has died; because by the 2intent of Absalom this has been set since the day that he violated his sister Tamar. 33“So now, do not let my lord the king atake the report to 1heart, saying, ‘all the king’s sons have died,’ for only Amnon has died.”
34Then aAbsalom fled. And bthe young man who was the watchman raised his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain. 35And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; according to your servant’s word, so it happened.” 36As soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came and lifted their voices and wept; and also the king and all his servants wept 1very bitterly.
37Now aAbsalom had fled and went to bTalmai the son of Ammihud, the king of cGeshur. And David mourned for his son every day. 38aSo Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, and was there three years. 39And the heart of King David was consumed with going out to Absalom; for ahe was comforted concerning Amnon, since he had died.
The Woman of Tekoa
14Now Joab the son of Zeruiah knew that athe king’s heart was inclined toward Absalom. 2So Joab sent to aTekoa and 1brought a wise woman from there and said to her, “Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not banoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days; 3then you shall go to the king and speak to him in this manner.” So Joab put athe words in her mouth.
4So the woman of Tekoa 1spoke to the king, and she fell on her 2face to the ground and aprostrated herself and said, “bSave, O king.” 5And the king said to her, “What is your trouble?” And she 1answered, “Truly I am a widow; my husband has died. 6“And your servant-woman had two sons, but the two of them struggled together in the field, and there was no one to deliver between them, so one struck the other and put him to death. 7“And behold, athe whole family has risen against your servant-woman, and they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, band destroy the heir also.’ Thus they will extinguish my coal which remains, so as to 1leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.”
8Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give a command concerning you.” 9And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, “O my lord, the king, athe iniquity is on me and my father’s house, but bthe king and his throne are guiltless.” 10So the king said, “Whoever speaks to you, bring him to me, and he will not touch you anymore.” 11Then she said, “Please let the king remember Yahweh your God, aso that the avenger of blood will not continue to bring about ruin, so that they would not destroy my son.” And he said, “bAs Yahweh lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”
12Then the woman said, “Please let your servant-woman speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.” 13Then the woman said, “aWhy then have you thought up such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring back bhis banished one. 14“For awe will surely die and are blike water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away life, but thinks up 1ways so that cthe banished one will not be cast out from him. 15“So now, 1the reason I have come to speak this word to my lord the king is that the people have made me afraid; so your servant-woman said, ‘Let me now speak to the king, perhaps the king will perform the word of his maidservant. 16‘For the king will listen 1and deliver his maidservant from the 2hand of the man who would destroy 3both me and my son from athe inheritance of God.’ 17“Then your servant-woman said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be a resting place, for as athe angel of God, so is my lord the king to listen with discernment through the good and evil. And may Yahweh your God be with you.’”
18Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Please do not hide anything from me that I am about to ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king please speak.” 19So the king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman answered and said, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken. Indeed, it was ayour servant Joab who commanded me, and it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant-woman; 20in order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, alike the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is in the earth.”
David Brings Back Absalom
21Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, aI have done this thing; go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.” 22And Joab fell on his face to the ground, prostrated himself and blessed the king; then Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, O my lord, the king, in that the king has performed the word of his servant.” 23So Joab arose and went to aGeshur and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. 24However the king said, “Let him turn to ahis own house, and let him not see my face.” So Absalom turned to his own house and did not see the king’s face.
25Now in all Israel was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; afrom the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was no defect in him. 26When he ashaved the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he shaved it, for it was heavy on him so he shaved it), he weighed the hair of his head at 1200 shekels by the king’s weight. 27aAnd to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was bTamar; she was a woman of beautiful appearance.
28Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, aand did not see the king’s face. 29Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he was not willing to come to him. So he sent again a second time, but he was not willing to come. 30Therefore he said to his servants, “See, aJoab’s portion of land is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the portion of land on fire. 31Then Joab arose, came to Absalom at his house and said to him, “Why have your servants set my portion of land on fire?” 32And Absalom 1answered Joab, “Behold, I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me still to be there.”’ So now, let me see the king’s face, aand if there is iniquity in me, let him put me to death.” 33So Joab came to the king and told him, and he called for Absalom. Thus he came to the king and prostrated himself on his 1face to the ground before the king, and athe king kissed Absalom.