| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David's son Amnon fell madly in love with her. | 1After some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom. |
| 2But Amnon became frustrated because he was so lovesick over his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her. | 2Amnon was sick with frustration over his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed implausible for him to do anything to her. |
| 3Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty man. | 3Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man, |
| 4He asked Amnon, "Why are you, the king's son, so depressed every morning? Can't you tell me?" So Amnon said to him, "I'm in love with Tamar the sister of my brother Absalom." | 4so he asked Amnon, “Why are you, the son of the king, so depressed morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon replied, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” |
| 5Jonadab replied to him, "Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes in to see you, say to him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can fix some food for me. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I can watch. Then I will eat from her hand.'" | 5Jonadab told him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend you are ill. 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 it in my sight so I may watch her and eat it from her hand.’ ” |
| 6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came in to see him, Amnon said to the king, "Please let my sister Tamar come in so she can make a couple of cakes in my sight. Then I will eat from her hand." | 6So Amnon lay down and feigned illness. When the king came to see him, Amnon said, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.” |
| 7So David sent Tamar to the house saying, "Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him." | 7Then David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare a meal for him.” |
| 8So Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, who was lying down. She took the dough, kneaded it, made some cakes while he watched, and baked them. | 8So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked them. |
| 9But when she took the pan and set it before him, he refused to eat. Instead Amnon said, "Get everyone out of here!" So everyone left. | 9Then she brought the pan and set it down before him, but he refused to eat. “Send everyone away!” said Amnon. And everyone went out. |
| 10Then Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the cakes into the bedroom; then I will eat from your hand." So Tamar took the cakes that she had prepared and brought them to her brother Amnon in the bedroom. | 10Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, so that I may eat it from your hand.” Tamar took the cakes she had made and went to her brother Amnon’s bedroom. |
| 11As she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, "Come on! Get in bed with me, my sister!" | 11And when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said, “Come lie with me, my sister!” |
| 12But she said to him, "No, my brother! Don't humiliate me! This just isn't done in Israel! Don't do this foolish thing! | 12“No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not humiliate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing! |
| 13How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools in Israel! Just speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you." | 13Where could I ever take my shame? And you would be like one of the fools in Israel! Please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” |
| 14But he refused to listen to her. He overpowered her and humiliated her by raping her. | 14But Amnon refused to listen to her, and being stronger, he violated her and lay with her. |
| 15Then Amnon greatly despised her. His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her. Amnon said to her, "Get up and leave!" | 15Then Amnon hated Tamar with such intensity that his hatred was greater than the love he previously had. “Get up!” he said to her. “Be gone!” |
| 16But she said to him, "No I won't, for sending me away now would be worse than what you did to me earlier!" But he refused to listen to her. | 16“No,” she replied, “sending me away is worse than this great wrong you have already done to me!” But he refused to listen to her. |
| 17He called his personal attendant and said to him, "Take this woman out of my sight and lock the door behind her!" | 17Instead, he called to his attendant and said, “Throw this woman out and bolt the door behind her!” |
| 18(Now she was wearing a long robe, for this is what the king's virgin daughters used to wear.) So Amnon's attendant removed her and bolted the door behind her. | 18So Amnon’s attendant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a robe of many colors, because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore. |
| 19Then Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe she was wearing. She put her hands on her head and went on her way, wailing as she went. | 19And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying bitterly. |
| 20Her brother Absalom said to her, "Was Amnon your brother with you? Now be quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Don't take it so seriously!" Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom. | 20Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom. |
| 21Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry. | 21When King David heard all this, he was furious. |
| 22But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar. | 22And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon for disgracing his sister Tamar. |
| 23Two years later Absalom's sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor, near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king's sons. | 23Two years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, he invited all the sons of the king. |
| 24Then Absalom went to the king and said, "My shearers have begun their work. Let the king and his servants go with me." | 24And he went to the king and said, “Your servant has just hired shearers. Will the king and his servants please come with me?” |
| 25But the king said to Absalom, "No, my son. We shouldn't all go. We shouldn't burden you in that way." Though Absalom pressed him, the king was not willing to go. Instead, David blessed him. | 25“No, my son,” the king replied, “we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you.” Although Absalom urged him, he was not willing to go, but gave him his blessing. |
| 26Then Absalom said, "If you will not go, then let my brother Amnon go with us." The king replied to him, "Why should he go with you?" | 26“If not,” said Absalom, “please let my brother Amnon go with us.” “Why should he go with you?” the king asked. |
| 27But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king's sons along with him. | 27But Absalom urged him, so the king sent Amnon and the rest of his sons. |
| 28Absalom instructed his servants, "Look! When Amnon is drunk and I say to you, 'Strike Amnon down,' kill him then and there. Don't fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!" | 28Now Absalom had ordered his young men, “Watch Amnon until his heart is merry with wine, and when I order you to strike Amnon down, you are to kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant!” |
| 29So Absalom's servants did to Amnon exactly what Absalom had instructed. Then all the king's sons got up; each one rode away on his mule and fled. | 29So Absalom’s young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had ordered. Then all the other sons of the king got up, and each one fled on his mule. |
| 30While they were still on their way, the following report reached David: "Absalom has killed all the king's sons; not one of them is left!" | 30While they were on the way, a report reached David: “Absalom has struck down all the sons of the king; not one of them is left!” |
| 31Then the king stood up and tore his garments and lay down on the ground. All his servants were standing there with torn garments as well. | 31Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. |
| 32Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah, said, "My lord should not say, 'They have killed all the young men who are the king's sons.' For only Amnon is dead. This is what Absalom has talked about from the day that Amnon humiliated his sister Tamar. | 32But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, spoke up: “My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar. |
| 33Now don't let my lord the king be concerned about the report that has come saying, 'All the king's sons are dead.' It is only Amnon who is dead." | 33So now, my lord the king, do not take to heart the report that all the sons of the king are dead. Only Amnon is dead.” |
| 34In the meantime Absalom fled. When the servant who was the watchman looked up, he saw many people coming from the west on a road beside the hill. | 34Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man standing watch looked up, he saw many people coming down the road west of him, along the side of the hill. And the watchman went and reported to the king, “I see men coming from the direction of Horonaim, along the side of the hill.” |
| 35Jonadab said to the king, "Look! The king's sons have come! It's just as I said!" | 35So Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the sons of the king have arrived! It is just as your servant said.” |
| 36Just as he finished speaking, the king's sons arrived, wailing and weeping. The king and all his servants wept loudly as well. | 36And as he finished speaking, the sons of the king came in, wailing loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly. |
| 37But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur. And David grieved over his son every day. | 37Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But David mourned for his son every day. |
| 38After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years. | 38After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years. |
| 39The king longed to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon. | 39And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnon’s death. |
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