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2 Samuel 13:1-39 — Amnon and Tamar; Absalom's Revenge

2Sam.13.1-39

¹After this, Absalom son of David had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and Amnon son of David loved her. ²Amnon was so distressed over Tamar his sister that he made himself sick, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. ³Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother, and Jonadab was a very shrewd man. ⁴He said to him, “Why are you, the king's son, so miserable morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.” ⁵Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food. Let her prepare it in my sight, so that I may watch and eat from her hand.'” ⁶So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make two cakes in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.” ⁷Then David sent to Tamar at the house, saying, “Go now to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare the food for him.” ⁸So Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, where he was lying down. She took the dough, kneaded it, shaped cakes in his sight, and baked them. ⁹Then she took the pan and set it before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Send everyone out from me.” So everyone went out from him. ¹⁰Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the inner room, so that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them to Amnon her brother in the inner room. ¹¹When she brought them near to him to eat, he seized her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” ¹²But she said to him, "No, my brother! Do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing. ¹³And I, where could I carry my shame? And you would become like one of the fools in Israel. So now, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you." ¹⁴But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her. ¹⁵Then Amnon hated her with an exceedingly 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.” ¹⁶But she said to him, “No, because this great wrong in sending me away is worse than the other thing you did to me.” But he would not listen to her. ¹⁷Then he called his young servant who attended him and said, “Put this woman out from me, outside, and bolt the door behind her.” ¹⁸Now she was wearing an ornate robe, for this is how the virgin daughters of the king were clothed. So his servant put her outside and bolted the door behind her. ¹⁹And Tamar put ashes on her head, tore the ornate robe that was on her, laid her hand on her head, and went away crying aloud as she went. ²⁰And Absalom her brother said to her, “Has your brother Amnon been with you? But now, my sister, keep silent. He is your brother. Do not dwell on this matter.” So Tamar remained desolate in the house of her brother Absalom. ²¹When King David heard all these things, he was very angry. ²²And Absalom spoke to Amnon neither bad nor good, for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar. ²³After two full years, when Absalom had sheep shearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king's sons. ²⁴And Absalom came to the king and said, “See now, your servant has sheep shearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.” ²⁵But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be a burden to you.” Though Absalom urged him, he would not go, but blessed him. ²⁶Then Absalom 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 pressed him, so he sent Amnon with him, along with all the king's sons. ²⁸Then Absalom commanded his young men, saying, “Watch now; when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and I say to you, 'Strike Amnon,' then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and valiant.” ²⁹So Absalom's young men did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and each mounted his mule and fled. ³⁰While they were on the way, 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, tore his garments, and lay on the ground, and all his servants were standing by with their garments torn. ³²But Jonadab son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, "Let not my lord say, 'They have killed all the young men, the king's sons,' for Amnon alone is dead. For this had been determined by Absalom from the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar. ³³And now let not my lord the king take this report to heart, saying, 'All the king's sons are dead,' for Amnon alone is dead." ³⁴Now Absalom fled. And the young man who kept watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him, from the side of the mountain. ³⁵Then Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king's sons have come. It has happened just as your servant said.” ³⁶And as soon as he finished speaking, behold, the king's sons came and lifted up their voices and wept. The king also and all his servants wept very bitterly. ³⁷But Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. ³⁸So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years. ³⁹And King David stopped going out after Absalom , for he had been comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.

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4/11/2026

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