1 And it was, after this, so David's son Absalom i had a beautiful sister, and her name was Tamar. And David's son Amnon loved her. 2 And Amnon was distressed unto being ill because of Tamar his sister, for she was a virgin. And it was difficult ii in Amnon's eyes to do anything to her. 3 And Amnon had a friend, and his name was Jonadab, iii son of Shimeah iv David's brother. And Jonadab was a very wise man.
4 And he said to him, “Why are you like this, weak, the son of the king, morning after morning. Why don't you tell me?” And Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.” 5 And Jehonadab v said to him, “Lie down upon your bed and make yourself sick, and your father will come in to see you. And you shall say to him, 'Please let Tamar my sister come in and give me bread to eat and make the food before my eyes, so that I may see and eat from her hand.'”
6 And Amnon lay down and made himself sick. And the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, “Please let Tamar my sister come in and make a couple cakes, and let me eat from her hand.” 7 And David sent to Tamar to the house, saying, “Please go to your brother Amnon's house and make for him the food.”
8 And Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, and he was lying down. And she took the dough and she knead and made cakes before his eyes and cooked the cakes. 9 And she took the pan and dished out before him, and he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “All men go out from upon me.” And all men went out from upon him.
10 And Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food to the room, and let me eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she made and brought to Amnon her brother to the room. 11 And she drew near to him for eating, and he grabbed her and said to her, “Come, lay with me, my sister.” 12 And she said to him, “No, my brother, do not humble me, for such should not be done in Israel. Do not do this foolishness. 13 And I, where would I go with my reproach. And you will be as one of the fools in Israel. And now, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold you from me.” 14 And he was unwilling to listen to her voice, and he was stronger than she and humbled her and lay with her.
15 And Amnon hated her, a very great hatred. For the hatred which he hated her was greater than the love which he loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Arise, go.” 16 And she said to him, “No, for this is greater bad than before what you did with me, to send me away!” vi And he was unwilling to listen to her. 17 And he called his young man who served him and said, “Please send this one from upon me to the outside and bolt the door behind her.”
18 And upon her was a full length robe, vii for thus the daughters of the king wore the virgin robes. viii And his servant brought her outside and bolted the door after her. 19 And Tamar put ashes upon her head and tore the full length robe that was upon her and put her hand upon her head and went away and cried out. 20 And Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? And now my sister, quiet down. He is your brother. Do not put this thing with your heart.” And Tamar was desolate and dwelt in Absalom her brother's house. 21 And David heard all these things and was very angry. 22 And Absalom did not speak with Amnon either bad or good, for Absalom hated Amnon; because he humiliated Tamar his sister.
23 And it was, after two full years, ix so they were shearing for Absalom in Baal Hazor near Ephraim. And Absalom invited all the king's sons. 24 And Absalom came in to the king and said, “Behold please, your servant has shearers, and please, let the king come, and his servants, with your servant.” 25 And the king said to Absalom, “No my son, let us not all go, so we are not heavy upon you.” And he urged him, and he was unwilling to go. And he blessed him. 26 And Absalom said, “If not, please let Amnon my brother go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 And Absalom urged him, and he sent Amnon with him and all the king's sons.
28 And Absalom commanded his young men, saying, “Please see, when Amnon is good of heart in the wine, so I will say to you, 'Strike Amnon.' And you shall kill him. Do not fear. For have I not commanded you? Be strong and be sons of valor.” 29 And Absalom's young men did to Amnon just as Absalom commanded. And all the kings sons arose and rode each on his mule and fled.
30 And it was, while these were on the way, so the report came to David, saying, “Absalom struck all the king's sons, and not one remains from them.” 31 And the king arose and tore his garments and lay to earth. And all his servants stood with garments torn. 32 And Jonadab son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said, “Let not my lord say all the young men, the king's sons, have been killed. For Amnon alone is dead, that upon Absalom's mouth was it set from the day of his humiliation of Tamar his sister. 33 And now, let my lord the king not set a thing to his heart, saying, 'all the king's sons are dead,' except Amnon alone is dead.”
34 And Absalom fled. And the young man keeping watch lifted his eye x and looked and behold, many people coming from a road behind him from the side of the mountain. 35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king's sons are coming as your servant said, so it is.” 36 And it was, as he finished speaking, so behold, the king's sons came and lifted up their voices and wept. And also the king and all his servants wept a very great weeping. 37 And Absalom fled and came to king of Geshur, Talmai, son of Ammichur. xi And he mourned over his son every day.
38 And Absalom fled and came to Geshur and was there three years. 39 And David the king longed to go to Absalom, for he was comforted over Amnon; for he was dead.
Translated by Darwin Fish. See original pdf.
- Absalom was David's third born via Maacah (2 Samuel 3:3). Amnon was David's firsrborn via Ahinoam (2 Samuel 3:2). ^
- א לא יפפל) yipâlê') “difficult” DARBY, JUB, LEB; “hard” KJV, YLT; “improper” NKJV – root idea is wonderful (e.g. 2 Chronicles 2:9[H8]) and depending on context, takes on different meanings. ^
- ב יונלדל) yonâdâv) “Jonadab” - found also in 2 Samuel 13:32, 35; Jeremiah 35:6, 10, 19. Jonadab (also named “Jehonadab”), being the son of David's brother (Shimeah), was therefore Amnon's cousin. ^
- עלהָשפמ) shim`âh) “Shimeah” = “Shimiy” (NKJV Shimea) י עפ עָמ שפ) shim`iy) in 2 Samuel 21:21 (David's brother) = “Shimea” (NKJV) in 1 Chronicles 2:13; 20:7 (David's brother). ^
- ב עהונלדלָי) yehonâdâv) “Jehonadab” - NKJV, etc. “Jonadab” - found also in 2 Samuel 13:5; 2 Kings 10:15, 23; Jeremiah 35:8, 14, 16, 18. ^
- According to the law, Amnon was to be killed (Leviticus 18:9, 29). If mercy were given, there is also Matthew 19:6 & Deuteronomy 22:28-29, and Abraham's example (Genesis 20:12). ^
- ים ספ פס ת תננת עָכ) ketonet passiym) “full length robe”; YLT “long coat”; NAS “long-sleeved garment”; NKJV “robe of many colors”; LXX “tunic to the wrist” χιτὼν καρπωτός (chitôn karpôtos) - see footnote for Genesis 37:3. ^
- “robes) “iyliym`me (מָע עפ ילפ ים ^
- ם ילמפ יפם תס נל עָש לפ) lishnâtayim yâmiym) “after two full years” - more literally, “to two years, days” ^
- Written ו ינל עא`) êynâv) “his eye”; read ינליו עא`) êynâyv) “his eyes” ^
- Written יחור מפ עס`) ammiychur) “Ammichur”; read וד יהו מפ עס`) ammihud) “Ammihud” (NKJV) - “Ammichur” only here. See footnote for “Ammihud” in Numbers 1:10. ^
And Absalom and all Israel's men said, “Hushai the Archite's counsel is better than Ahithophel's counsel.” So, Yehvah commanded to frustrate the good counsel of Ahithophel for the purpose of Yehvah bringing to Absalom the bad. -- ה וה ּצו) tsivvâh) “commanded” GW, NOG; “purposed” NKJV; “willed” YLT; “ordained” NAS; “appointed” KJV - same exact word e.g. in 2 Samuel 13:29 “commanded.”