Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Some time passed. David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and David's son Amnon was infatuated with her.

1Now it was after this that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon the son of David loved her.

2Amnon was frustrated to the point of making himself sick over his sister Tamar because she was a virgin, but it seemed impossible to do anything to her.

2Amnon was so frustrated because of his sister Tamar that he made himself ill, for she was a virgin, and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her.

3Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, a son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man,

3But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd man.

4and he asked Amnon, "Why are you, the king's son, so miserable every morning? Won't you tell me?" Amnon replied, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."

4He 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 said to him, "Lie down on your bed and pretend you're sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare a meal in my presence so I can watch and eat from her hand.'"

5Jonadab then 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 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 sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, "Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my presence so I can eat from her hand."

6So 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 me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand."

7David sent word to Tamar at the palace: "Please go to your brother Amnon's house and prepare a meal for him."

7Then David sent to the house for Tamar, saying, "Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare food for him."

8Then Tamar went to his house while Amnon was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his presence, and baked them.

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.

9She brought the pan and set it down in front of him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, "Everyone leave me!" And everyone left him.

9She took the pan and dished them out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, "Have everyone go out from me." So everyone went out from him.

10"Bring the meal to the bedroom," Amnon told Tamar, "so I can eat from your hand." Tamar took the cakes she had made and went to her brother Amnon's bedroom.

10Then Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the bedroom, 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.

11When she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, "Come sleep with me, my sister!"

11When she brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, "Come, lie with me, my sister."

12"Don't, my brother!" she cried. "Don't disgrace me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Don't commit this outrage!

12But she answered him, "No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this disgraceful thing!

13Where could I ever go with my humiliation? And you--you would be like one of the outrageous fools in Israel! Please, speak to the king, for he won't keep me from you."

13"As for me, where could I get rid of my reproach? And as for you, you will be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you."

14But he refused to listen to her, and because he was stronger than she was, he disgraced her by raping her.

14However, he would not listen to her; since he was stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.

15So Amnon hated Tamar with such intensity that the hatred he hated her with was greater than the love he had loved her with. "Get out of here!" he said.

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!"

16"No," she cried, "sending me away is much worse than the great wrong you've already done to me!" But he refused to listen to her.

16But she said to him, "No, because this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you have done to me!" Yet he would not listen to her.

17Instead, he called to the servant who waited on him: "Get this away from me, throw her out, and bolt the door behind her!"

17Then he called his young man who attended him and said, "Now throw this woman out of my presence, and lock the door behind her."

18Amnon's servant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a long-sleeved garment, because this is what the king's virgin daughters wore.

18Now she had on a long-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.

19Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long-sleeved garment she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away crying out.

19Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her long-sleeved garment which was on her; and she put her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.

20Her brother Absalom said to her: "Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Don't take this thing to heart." So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.

20Then 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.

21When King David heard about all these things, he was furious.

21Now when King David heard of all these matters, he was very angry.

22Absalom didn't say anything to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon since he disgraced his sister Tamar.

22But Absalom did not speak to Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.

23Two years later, Absalom's sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

23Now it came about after two full years that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

24Then he went to the king and said, "Your servant has just hired sheepshearers. Will the king and his servants please come with your servant?"

24Absalom came to the king and said, "Behold now, your servant has sheepshearers; please let the king and his servants go with your servant."

25The king replied to Absalom, "No, my son, we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you." Although Absalom urged him, he wasn't willing to go, though he did bless him.

25But the king said to Absalom, "No, my son, we should not all go, for we will be burdensome to you." Although he urged him, he would not go, but blessed him.

26"If not," Absalom said, "please let my brother Amnon go with us." The king asked him, "Why should he go with you?"

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 urged him, so he sent Amnon and all the king's sons.

27But when Absalom urged him, he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.

28Now Absalom commanded his young men, "Watch Amnon until he is in a good mood from the wine. When I order you to strike Amnon, then kill him. Don't be afraid. Am I not the one who has commanded you? Be strong and valiant!"

28Absalom commanded his servants, saying, "See now, when 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 courageous and be valiant."

29So Absalom's young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the rest of the king's sons got up, and each fled on his mule.

29The servants of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose and each mounted his mule and fled.

30While they were on the way, a report reached David: "Absalom struck down all the king's sons; not even one of them survived!"

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."

31In response the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

31Then the king arose, tore his clothes and lay on the ground; and all his servants were standing by with clothes torn.

32But Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah, spoke up: "My lord must not think they have killed all the young men, the king's sons, because only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this ever since the day Amnon disgraced his sister Tamar.

32Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, responded, "Do not let my lord suppose they have put to death all the young men, the king's sons, for Amnon alone is dead; because by the intent of Absalom this has been determined since the day that he violated his sister Tamar.

33So now, my lord the king, don't take seriously the report that says all the king's sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead."

33"Now therefore, do not let my lord the king take the report to heart, namely, 'all the king's sons are dead,' for only Amnon is dead."

34Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man who was standing watch looked up, there were many people coming from the road west of him from the side of the mountain.

34Now Absalom had fled. And the 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.

35Jonadab said to the king, "Look, the king's sons have come! It's exactly like your servant said."

35Jonadab said to the king, "Behold, the king's sons have come; according to your servant's word, so it happened."

36Just as he finished speaking, the king's sons entered and wept loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

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 very bitterly.

37But Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

37Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

38After Absalom had fled to Geshur and had been there three years,

38So Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, and was there three years.

39King David longed to go to Absalom, for David had finished grieving over Amnon's death.

39The heart of King David longed to go out to Absalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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