2 Samuel 13-15
Contemporary English Version
Amnon Disgraces Tamar
13 David had a beautiful daughter named Tamar, who was the sister of Absalom. She was also the half sister of Amnon,[a] who fell in love with her. 2 But Tamar was a virgin, and Amnon could not think of a way to be alone with her. He was so upset about it that he made himself sick.
3 Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, who was the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab always knew how to get what he wanted, 4 and he said to Amnon, “What's the matter? You're the king's son! You shouldn't have to go around feeling sorry for yourself every morning.”
Amnon said, “I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.”
5 Jonadab told him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, ask him to send Tamar, so you can watch her cook something for you. Then she can serve you the food.”
6 So Amnon went to bed and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said, “Please, ask Tamar to come over. She can make some special bread[b] while I watch, and then she can serve it to me.”
7 David told Tamar, “Go over to Amnon's house and fix him some food.” 8 When she got there, he was lying in bed. She mixed the dough, made the loaves, and baked them while he watched. 9 Then she took the bread out of the pan and put it on his plate, but he refused to eat it.
Amnon said, “Send the servants out of the house.” After they had gone, 10 he said to Tamar, “Serve the food in my bedroom.”
Tamar picked up the bread that she had made and brought it into Amnon's bedroom. 11 But as she was taking it over to him, he grabbed her and said, “Come to bed with me!”
12 She answered, “No! Please don't force me! This sort of thing isn't done in Israel. It's disgusting! 13 Think of me. I'll be disgraced forever! And think of yourself. Everyone in Israel will say you're nothing but trash! Just ask the king, and he will let you marry me.”
14 But Amnon would not listen to what she said. He was stronger than she was, so he overpowered her and raped her. 15 Then Amnon hated her even more than he had loved her before. So he told her, “Get up and get out!”
16 She said, “Don't send me away! That would be worse than what you have already done.”
But Amnon would not listen. 17 He called in his servant and said, “Throw this woman out and lock the door!”
18 The servant made her leave, and he locked the door behind her.
The king's unmarried daughters used to wear long robes with sleeves.[c] 19 Tamar tore the robe she was wearing and put ashes on her head. Then she covered her face with her hands and cried loudly as she walked away.
Absalom Kills Amnon
20 Tamar's brother Absalom said to her, “How could Amnon have done such a terrible thing to you! But since he's your brother, don't tell anyone what happened. Just try not to think about it.”
Tamar soon moved into Absalom's house, but she was always sad and lonely. 21 When David heard what had happened to Tamar, he was very angry. But Amnon was his oldest son and also his favorite, and David would not do anything to make Amnon unhappy.[d]
22 Absalom treated Amnon as though nothing had happened, but he hated Amnon for what he had done to his sister Tamar.
23 Two years later, Absalom's servants were cutting wool from his sheep in Baal-Hazor near the town of Ephraim, and Absalom invited all of the king's sons to be there.[e] 24 Then he went to David and said, “My servants are cutting the wool from my sheep. Please come and join us!”
25 David answered, “No, my son, we won't go. It would be too expensive for you.” Absalom tried to get him to change his mind, but David did not want to go. He only said that he hoped they would have a good time.
26 Absalom said, “If you won't go, at least let my brother Amnon come with us.”
David asked, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom kept on insisting, and finally David let Amnon and all his other sons go with Absalom.
Absalom prepared a banquet fit for a king.[f] 28 But he told his servants, “Keep an eye on Amnon. When he gets a little drunk from the wine and is feeling relaxed, I'll give the signal. Then kill him! I've commanded you to do it, so don't be afraid. Be strong and brave.”
29 Absalom's servants killed Amnon, just as Absalom had told them. The rest of the king's sons quickly rode away on their mules to escape from Absalom.
30 While they were on their way to Jerusalem, someone told David, “Absalom has killed all of your sons! Not even one is left.” 31 David got up, and in his sorrow he tore his clothes and lay down on the ground. His servants remained standing, but they tore their clothes too.
32 Then David's nephew[g] Jonadab said, “Your Majesty, not all of your sons were killed! Only Amnon is dead. On the day that Amnon raped Tamar, Absalom decided to kill him. 33 Don't worry about the report that all your sons were killed. Only Amnon is dead, 34 and Absalom has run away.”
One of the guards noticed a lot of people coming along the hillside on the road to Horonaim.[h] He went and told the king, “I saw some men coming along Horonaim Road.”[i]
35 Jonadab said, “Your Majesty, look! Here come your sons now, just as I told you.”
36 No sooner had he said it, than David's sons came in. They were weeping out loud, and David and all his officials cried just as loudly. 37-38 (A) David was sad for a long time because Amnon was dead.
David Lets Absalom Come Home
Absalom had run away to Geshur, where he stayed for three years with King Talmai[j] the son of Ammihud. 39 David still felt so sad over the loss of Amnon that he wanted to take his army there and capture Absalom.[k]
14 Joab knew that David couldn't stop thinking about Absalom, 2-3 and he sent someone to bring in the wise woman who lived in Tekoa. Joab told her, “Put on funeral clothes and don't use any makeup. Go to the king and pretend you have spent a long time mourning the death of a loved one.” Then he told her what to say.
4 The woman from Tekoa went to David. She bowed very low and said, “Your Majesty, please help me!”
5 David asked, “What's the matter?”
She replied:
My husband is dead, and I'm a widow. 6 I had two sons, but they got into a fight out in a field where there was no one to pull them apart, and one of them killed the other. 7 Now all of my relatives have come to me and said, “Hand over your son! We're going to put him to death for killing his brother.” But what they really want is to get rid of him, so they can take over our land.
Please don't let them put out my only flame of hope! There won't be anyone left on this earth to carry on my husband's name.
8 “Go on home,” David told her. “I'll take care of this matter for you.”
9 The woman said, “I hope your decision doesn't cause any problems for you. But if it does, you can blame me.”[l]
10 He said, “If anyone gives you trouble, bring them to me, and it won't happen again!”
11 “Please,” she replied, “swear by the Lord your God that no one will be allowed to kill my son!”
He said, “I swear by the living Lord that no one will touch even a hair on his head!”
12 Then she asked, “Your Majesty, may I say something?”
“Yes,” he answered.
13 The woman said:
Haven't you been hurting God's people? Your own son had to leave the country. And when you judged in my favor, it was the same as admitting that you should have let him come back. 14 We each must die and disappear like water poured out on the ground. But God doesn't take our lives.[m] Instead, he figures out ways of bringing us back when we run away.
15 Your Majesty, I came here to tell you about my problem, because I was afraid of what someone might do to me. I decided to come to you, because I thought you could help. 16 In fact, I knew that you would listen and save my son and me from those who want to take the land that God gave us.[n]
17 (B) I can rest easy now that you have given your decision. You know the difference between right and wrong just like an angel of God, and I pray that the Lord your God will be with you.
18 Then David said to the woman, “Now I'm going to ask you a question, and don't try to hide the truth!”
The woman replied, “Please go ahead, Your Majesty.”
19 David asked, “Did Joab put you up to this?”
The woman answered, “Your Majesty, I swear by your life that no one can hide the truth from you. Yes, Joab did tell me what to say, 20 but only to show you the other side of this problem. You must be as wise as the angel of God to know everything that goes on in this country.”
21 David turned to Joab and said, “It seems that I have already given my decision. Go and bring Absalom back.”
22 Joab bowed very low and said, “Your Majesty, I thank you for giving your permission. It shows that you approve of me.”
23 Joab went to Geshur to get Absalom. But when they came back to Jerusalem, 24 David told Joab, “I don't want to see my son Absalom. Tell him to stay away from me.” So Absalom went to his own house without seeing his father.
Absalom Was Handsome
25 No one in all Israel was as handsome and well-built as Absalom. 26 His hair grew so thick and heavy that when he got it cut once a year, it weighed over two kilograms.
27 Absalom had three sons. He also had a daughter named Tamar, who grew up to be very beautiful.
Absalom Finally Sees David
28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing his father. 29 He wanted Joab to talk to David for him. So one day he sent a message asking Joab to come over, but Joab refused. Absalom sent another message, but Joab still refused. 30 Finally, Absalom told his servants, “Joab's barley field is right next to mine. Go set it on fire!” And they did.
31 Joab went to Absalom's house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”
32 Absalom answered, “You didn't pay any attention when I sent for you. I want you to ask my father why he told me to come back from Geshur. I was better off there. I want to see my father now! If I'm guilty, let him kill me.”
33 Joab went to David and told him what Absalom had said. David sent for Absalom, and Absalom came. He bowed very low, and David leaned over and kissed him.
Absalom Rebels against David
15 Some time later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses to pull it, and he had 50 men run in front. 2 He would get up early each morning and wait by the side of the road that led to the city gate.[o] Anyone who had a complaint to bring to King David would have to go that way, and Absalom would ask each of them, “Where are you from?”
If they said, “I'm from a tribe in the north,” 3 Absalom would say, “You deserve to win your case. It's too bad the king doesn't have anyone to hear complaints like yours. 4 I wish someone would make me the judge around here! I would be fair to everyone.”
5 Whenever anyone came to Absalom and started bowing down, he would reach out and hug and kiss them. 6 That's how he treated everyone from Israel who brought a complaint to the king. Soon everyone in Israel liked Absalom better than they liked David.
7 Four years[p] later, Absalom said to David, “Please, let me go to Hebron. I have to keep a promise that I made to the Lord, 8 when I was living with the Arameans in Geshur. I promised that if the Lord would bring me back to live in Jerusalem, I would worship him in Hebron.”[q]
9 David gave his permission, and Absalom went to Hebron. 10-12 He took 200 men from Jerusalem with him, but they had no idea what he was going to do. Absalom offered sacrifices in Hebron and sent someone to Gilo to tell David's advisor Ahithophel to come.
More and more people were joining Absalom and supporting his plot. Meanwhile, Absalom had secretly sent some messengers to the northern tribes of Israel. The messengers told everyone, “When you hear the sound of the trumpets, you must shout, ‘Absalom now rules as king in Hebron!’ ”
David Has To Leave Jerusalem
13 A messenger came and told David, “Everyone in Israel is on Absalom's side!”
14 David's officials were in Jerusalem with him, and he told them, “Let's get out of here! We'll have to leave soon, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry! If he moves fast, he could catch us while we're still here. Then he will kill us and everyone else in the city.”
15 The officials said, “Your Majesty, we'll do whatever you say.”
16-17 David left behind ten of his wives[r] to take care of the palace, but the rest of his family and his officials and soldiers went with him.
They stopped at the last house at the edge of the city. 18 Then David stood there and watched while his regular troops and his bodyguards[s] marched past. The last group was the 600 soldiers who had followed him from Gath.[t] Their commander was Ittai.
19 David spoke to Ittai and said, “You're a foreigner from the town of Gath. You don't have to leave with us. Go back and join the new king! 20 You haven't been with me very long, so why should you have to follow me, when I don't even know where I'm going? Take your soldiers and go back. I pray that the Lord will be[u] kind and faithful to you.”
21 Ittai answered, “Your Majesty, just as surely as you and the Lord live, I will go where you go, no matter if it costs me my life.”
22 “Then come on!” David said.
So Ittai and all his men and their families walked on past David.
David Sends the Sacred Chest Back to Jerusalem
23 The people of Jerusalem were crying and moaning as David and everyone with him passed by. He led them across Kidron Valley[v] and along the road toward the desert.
24 Zadok and Abiathar the priests were there along with several men from the tribe of Levi who were carrying the sacred chest. They set the chest down, and left it there until David and his followers had gone out of the city.
25 Then David said:
Zadok, take the sacred chest back to Jerusalem. If the Lord is pleased with me, he will bring me back and let me see it and his tent again. 26 But if he says he isn't pleased with me, then let him do what he knows is best.
27 Zadok, you are a good judge of things,[w] so return to the city and don't cause any trouble. Take your son Ahimaaz with you. Abiathar and his son Jonathan will also go back. 28 I'll wait at the river crossing in the desert until I hear from you.
29 Zadok and Abiathar took the sacred chest back into Jerusalem and stayed there. 30 David went on up the slope of the Mount of Olives. He was barefoot and crying, and he covered his head to show his sorrow. Everyone with him was crying, and they covered their heads too.
31 Someone told David, “Ahithophel is helping Absalom plot against you!”
David said, “Please, Lord, keep Ahithophel's plans from working!”
David Sends Hushai Back as a Spy
32 When David reached the top of the Mount of Olives, he met Hushai the Archite[x] at a place of worship. Hushai's robe was torn, and dust was on his head.[y] 33 David told him:
If you come with me, you might slow us down.[z] 34 Go back into the city and tell Absalom, “Your Majesty, I am your servant. I will serve you now, just as I served your father in the past.”
Hushai, if you do that, you can help me ruin Ahithophel's plans. 35 Zadok and Abiathar the priests will be there with you, and you can tell them everything you hear in the palace. 36 Then they can send their sons Ahimaaz and Jonathan to tell me what you've heard.
37 David's advisor Hushai slipped back into Jerusalem, at just about the same time Absalom was coming in.
Footnotes
- 13.1 Tamar … Absalom … Amnon: David was their father, but Amnon had a different mother.
- 13.6 special bread: Or “heart-shaped bread” or “dumplings.”
- 13.18 long … sleeves: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
- 13.21 But Amnon … unhappy: The Dead Sea Scrolls and one ancient translation; these words are not in the Standard Hebrew Text.
- 13.23 invited … there: Cutting the wool from sheep was a time for celebrating as well as working.
- 13.27 Absalom prepared … king: One ancient translation; these words are not in the Hebrew text.
- 13.32 David's nephew: The Hebrew text has “the son of David's brother Shimeah.”
- 13.34 the road to Horonaim: Or “the road behind him” or “the road to the west.”
- 13.34 He … Road: One ancient translation; these words are not in the Hebrew text.
- 13.37,38 King Talmai: Absalom's grandfather (see 3.3).
- 13.39 David … Absalom: Or “David was comforted over the loss of Amnon, and he no longer wanted to take his army there and capture Absalom.”
- 14.9 I hope … me: Or “May I speak some more?”
- 14.14 take our lives: Or “make any exceptions.”
- 14.16 take … us: Or “make sure we have no part in God's people.”
- 15.2 the city gate: Or “the entrance to the king's palace.”
- 15.7 Four years: The Hebrew text has “Forty years.”
- 15.8 in Hebron: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation; these words are not in the Hebrew text.
- 15.16,17 wives: See the note at 3.7.
- 15.18 bodyguards: See the note at 8.18.
- 15.18 the 600 … Gath: These were Philistine soldiers who were loyal to David.
- 15.20 I pray … be: One ancient translation; these words are not in the Hebrew text.
- 15.23 Kidron Valley: This was considered the eastern boundary of Jerusalem.
- 15.27 you … things: Or “You are a prophet” or “You are not a prophet.”
- 15.32 Archite: The Archites were part of the tribe of Benjamin (see Joshua 16.2).
- 15.32 Hushai's … head: See the note at 1.2.
- 15.33 you might slow us down: Hushai was probably very old.
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