13:1 And it happened after this that
Abessalom the son of David had a very beautiful sister, and her name [was]
Themar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
13:2 And Amnon was distressed even to sickness, because of Themar his
sister; for she was a virgin, and it seemed very difficult for Amnon to do
anything to her.
13:3 And Amnon had a friend, and his name [was] Jonadab, the son of Samaa
the brother of David: and Jonadab [was] a very cunning man.
13:4 And he said to him, What ails thee that thou art thus weak? O son of
the king, morning by morning? wilt thou not tell me? and Ammon said, I love
Themar the sister of my brother Abessalom.
13:5 And Jonadab said to him, Lie upon thy bed, and make thyself sick, and
thy father shall come in to see thee; and thou shalt say to him, Let, I pray
thee, Themar my sister come, and feed me with morsels, and let her prepare
food before my eyes, that I may see and eat at her hands.
13:6 So Ammon lay down, and made himself sick; and the king came in to see
him: and Amnon said to the king, Let, I pray thee, my sister Themar come to
me, and make a couple of cakes in my sight, and I will eat them at her hand.
13:7 And David sent to Themar to the house, saying, Go now to thy brother's
house, and dress him food.
13:8 And Themar went to the house of her brother Amnon, and he [was] lying
down: and she took the dough and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight,
and baked the cakes.
13:9 And she took the frying pan and poured them out before him, but he
would not eat. And Amnon said, Send out every man from about me. And they
removed every man from about him.
13:10 And Amnon said to Themar, Bring in the food into the closet, and I
will eat of thy hand. And Themar took the cakes which she had made, and
brought them to her brother Amnon into the chamber.
13:11 And she brought [them] to him to eat, and he caught hold of her, and
said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister.
13:12 And she said to him, Nay, my brother, do not humble me, for it ought
not to be so done in Israel; do not this folly.
13:13 And I, whither shall I remove my reproach? and thou shalt be as one of
the fools in Israel. And now, speak, I pray thee, to the king, for surely he
will not keep me from thee.
13:14 But Amnon would not hearken to her voice; and he prevailed against
her, and humbled her, and lay with her.
13:15 Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred; for the hatred with which
he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her, for the
last wickedness was greater than the first: and Amnon said to her, Rise, and
be gone.
13:16 And Themar spoke to him concerning this great mischief, greater, [said
she], than the other that thou didst me, to send me away: but Amnon would
not hearken to her voice.
13:17 And he called his servant who had charge of the house, and said to
him, Put now this [woman] out from me, and shut the door after her.
13:18 And she had on her a variegated robe, for so were the king's daughters
that were virgins attired in their apparel: and his servant led her forth,
and shut the door after her.
13:19 And Themar took ashes, and put them on her head; and she rent the
variegated garment that was upon her: and she laid her hands on her head,
and went crying continually.
13:20 And Abessalom her brother said to her, Has thy brother Amnon been with
thee? now then, my sister, be silent, for he is thy brother: be not careful
to mention this matter. So Themar dwelt as a widow in the house of her
brother Abessalom.
13:21 And king David heard of all these things, and was very angry; but he
did not grieve the spirit of his son Amnon, because be loved him, for he was
his first-born.
13:22 And Abessalom spoke not to Amnon, good or bad, because Abessalom hated
Amnon, on account of his humbling his sister Themar.
13:23 And it came to pass at the end of two whole years, that they were
shearing [sheep] for Abessalom in Belasor near Ephraim: and Abessalom
invited all the king's sons.
13:24 And Abessalom came to the king, and said, Behold, thy servant has a
sheep-shearing; let now the king and his servants go with thy servant.
13:25 And the king said to Abessalom, Nay, my son, let us not all go, and
let us not be burdensome to thee. And he pressed him; but he would not go,
but blessed him.
13:26 And Abessalom said to him, And if not, let I pray thee, my brother
Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee?
13:27 And Abessalom pressed him, and he sent with him Amnon and all the
king's sons; and Abessalom made a banquet like the banquet of the king.
13:28 And Abessalom charged his servants, saying, Mark when the heart of
Amnon shall be merry with wine, and I shall say to you, Smite Amnon, and
slay him: fear not; for is it not I that command you? Be courageous, and be
valiant.
13:29 And the servants of Abessalom did to Amnon as Abessalom commanded
them: and all the sons of the king rose up, and they mounted every man his
mule, and fled.
13:30 And it came to pass, when they were in the way, that a report came to
David, saying, Abessalom has slain all the king's sons, and there is not one
of them left.
13:31 Then the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay upon the ground:
and all his servants that were standing round him rent their garments.
13:32 And Jonadab the son of Samaa brother of David, answered and said, Let
not my Lord the king say that he has slain all the young men the sons of the
king, for Amnon only of them all is dead; for he was appointed [to death] by
the mouth of Abessalom from the day that he humbled his sister Themar.
13:33 And now let not my lord the king take the matter to heart, saying, All
the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only of them is dead.
13:34 And Abessalom escaped: and the young man the watchman, lifted up his
eyes, and looked; and, behold, much people went in the way behind him from
the side of the mountain in the descent: and the watchman came and told the
king, and said, I have seen men by the way of Oronen, by the side of the
mountain.
13:35 And Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king' sons are present:
according to the word of thy servant, so has it happened.
13:36 And it came to pass when he had finished speaking, that, behold, the
king's sons came, and lifted up their voices and wept: and the king also and
all his servants wept with a very great weeping.
13:37 But Abessalom fled, and went to Tholmi son of Emiud the king of Gedsur
to the land of Chamaachad: and king David mourned for his son continually.
13:38 So Abessalom fled, and departed to Gedsur, and was there three years.
13:39 And king David ceased to go out after Abessalom, for he was comforted
concerning Amnon, touching his death. |
13:1 And it came to pass after this, that
Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon
the son of David loved her.
13:2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she
was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything to her.
13:3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah
David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.
13:4 And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day
to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my
brother Absalom's sister.
13:5 And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself
sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let
my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that
I may see it, and eat it at her hand.
13:6 So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to
see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come,
and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.
13:7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's
house, and dress him meat.
13:8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And
she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake
the cakes.
13:9 And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to
eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man
from him.
13:10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may
eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought
them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.
13:11 And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her,
and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.
13:12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such
thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.
13:13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou
shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak
unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.
13:14 Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than
she, forced her, and lay with her.
13:15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he
hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon
said unto her, Arise, be gone.
13:16 And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away
is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken
unto her.
13:17 Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now
this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.
13:18 And she had a garment of divers colors upon her: for with such robes
were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant
brought her out, and bolted the door after her.
13:19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colors
that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.
13:20 And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been
with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not
this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.
13:21 But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.
13:22 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for
Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
13:23 And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had
sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all
the king's sons.
13:24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath
sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy
servant.
13:25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest
we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but
blessed him.
13:26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with
us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?
13:27 But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's sons go
with him.
13:28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when
Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then
kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.
13:29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded.
Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and
fled.
13:30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to
David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one
of them left.
13:31 Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and
all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.
13:32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said,
Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's
sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath
been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.
13:33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to
think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead.
13:34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his
eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill
side behind him.
13:35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as thy
servant said, so it is.
13:36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that,
behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept: and the
king also and all his servants wept very sore.
13:37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of
Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.
13:38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.
13:39 And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was
comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead. |