2 Samuel Chapter 13

Amnon and Tamar

¹ David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and David’s son Ammon was in love with her. ² Amnon was so frustrated because of his sister that he made himself ill, because she was a virgin and it seemed hard to do anything to her. ³ But Amnon had a friend Jonadab Ben-Shimeah, David’s brother, and Jonadab was a shrewd fellow.

⁴ He said to him, “Son of the king, why are you so depressed morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?

Amnon said, “I’m in love with Tamar, the sister of my half-brother Absalom.”

⁵ Jonadab said, “Lie down on your bed and act like you’re sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister come and give me something to eat, and let her fix the food so I can see it and she can hand it to me.^’

⁶ Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. When the king went to see him, Amnon said, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple cakes.”

2 Sam 13:1-6

⁷ David sent for Tamar, and said, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and fix him some food.” ⁸ So Tamar went to his house, and he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes while he watched, and baked the cakes. ⁹ She took the pan and dished them out for him, but he refused to eat. He said, “Have everybody leave me.” So everybody left.

¹⁰ Amnon said, “Bring the food into the bedroom so you can give it to me to eat.”

Tamar took the cakes and brought them into his bedroom. 

¹¹ When she brought them to him, he took hold of her and said, “Come, lie with me.”

¹² She answered him,

“No, don’t violate me! Such a thing is not done in Israel. Don’t do this awful thing! ¹³ Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And you’ll be like one of the fools in Israel. Please speak to the king. He won’t withhold me from you.”

¹⁴ But he wouldn’t listen to her. Since he was stronger than she was, he violated her and lay with her.      

2 Sam 13:7-14

¹⁵ Then Amnon hated her more than he’d loved her. He told her, “Get up, go away!”

¹⁶ She told him, “No! Sending me away is worse than the other sin you’ve done to me!”

But he wouldn’t listen to her. ¹⁷ He called the young man that attended him and said, “Throw this woman out and lock the door behind her.” ¹⁸ She was wearing a long-sleeved robe, because that’s the way the king’s virgin daughters dressed in robes. His attendant took her out and locked the door behind her. ¹⁹ Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her long-sleeved garment. She put her hand on her head and went away, wailing as she went.

²⁰ Then Absalom asked her, “Has Amnon been with you? Keep quiet for now, my sister, he’s your brother. Don’t take this matter to heart.” Tamar stayed as a desolate woman in her brother’s house. ²¹ When King David heard about this, he was angry. ²² Absalom wouldn’t speak to Amnon because of what he’d done to his sister.

2 Sam 13:15-22

Absalom Kills Amnon

²³ Two years later Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor near Ephraim and invited all the royal sons. ²⁴ He went to the king and said, “I have sheep-shearers. You and your officials go with me.”

²⁵ “No, son, we shouldn’t all go. We’d be a burden to you.”

²⁶ “If not, let my half-brother Amnon go with us.”

“Why?”

²⁷ But when Absalom kept urging him, he let Amnon and the king’s sons go with him.

²⁸ Absalom told his men,

“When Amnon is half drunk with wine and I say, ‘Strike him down,’ put him to death. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I commanded you? Be courageous and brave.”

²⁹ Absalom’s men did what he said, and the king’s sons got on their mules and fled.

2 Sam 13:23-29

³⁰ While they were on their way, the report came to David, “Absalom struck down your sons; there’s not a one left.” ³¹ The king got up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground. His servants stood by him with torn clothes. ³² Jonadab, son of David’s brother Shimeah, answered,

“Don’t suppose they’ve killed all your sons—just Amnon. Absalom has intended to do that ever since Ammon violated his sister Tamar.” [³³ ]

³⁴ Absalom had fled. The young man that was the watchman looked up and saw many people coming from the road behind him beside the mountain. ³⁵ Jonadab told the king, “Your sons are here. It’s what I said would happen.” ³⁶ As soon as he’d finished talking, the king’s sons came and cried out loud. The king and his servants also cried bitterly.

^37-38 Absalom fled to Talmai Ben-Ammihud, king of Geshur, for 3 years. David mourned for him every day. ³⁹ He really wanted to go out to Absalom, because he was at peace over Amnon, since he was dead.

2 Sam 13:30-39