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2 Samuel 13
New English Translation

The Rape of Tamar

13 Now 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.[a] 2 But Amnon became frustrated because he was so lovesick[b] over his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her.

3 Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4 He asked Amnon,[c] “Why are you, the king’s son,[d] 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.” 5 Jonadab replied to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick.[e] 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.’”

6 So 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.”

7 So David sent Tamar to the house saying, “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him.” 8 So 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,[f] and baked them.[g] 9 But when she took the pan and set it before him, he refused to eat. Instead Amnon said, “Get everyone out of here!”[h] So everyone left.[i]

10 Then 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. 11 As she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, “Come on! Get in bed with me,[j] my sister!”

12 But she said to him, “No, my brother! Don’t humiliate me! This just isn’t done in Israel! Don’t do this foolish thing! 13 How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools[k] in Israel! Just[l] speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 But he refused to listen to her.[m] He overpowered her and humiliated her by raping her.[n] 15 Then Amnon greatly despised her.[o] His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her.[p] Amnon said to her, “Get up and leave!”

16 But she said to him, “No I won’t, for sending me away now would be worse than what you did to me earlier!”[q] But he refused to listen to her. 17 He called his personal attendant and said to him, “Take this woman out of my sight[r] and lock the door behind her!” 18 (Now she was wearing a long robe,[s] for this is what the king’s virgin daughters used to wear.) So Amnon’s[t] attendant removed her and bolted the door[u] behind her. 19 Then 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.

20 Her 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!”[v] Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom.

21 Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry.[w] 22 But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.

Absalom Has Amnon Put to Death

23 Two years later Absalom’s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor, near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Then Absalom went to the king and said, “My shearers have begun their work.[x] Let the king and his servants go with me.”

25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son. We shouldn’t all go. We shouldn’t burden you in that way.” Though Absalom[y] pressed[z] him, the king[aa] was not willing to go. Instead, David[ab] blessed him.

26 Then Absalom said, “If you will not go,[ac] then let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king replied to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him.

28 Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunk[ad] 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!”[ae] 29 So 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.

30 While 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!” 31 Then 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.

32 Jonadab, 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[af] from the day that Amnon[ag] humiliated his sister Tamar. 33 Now 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.”

34 In the meantime Absalom fled. When the servant who was the watchman looked up, he saw many people coming from the west[ah] on a road beside the hill. 35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look! The king’s sons have come! It’s just as I said.”

36 Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, wailing and weeping.[ai] The king and all his servants wept loudly[aj] as well. 37 But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur. And David[ak] grieved over his son every day.

38 After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years. 39 The king longed[al] to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon.[am]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 13:1 tn Heb “Amnon the son of David loved her.” The following verse indicates the extreme nature of his infatuation, so the translation uses “madly in love” here.sn Amnon was the half-brother of Tamar; Absalom was her full blood-brother.
  2. 2 Samuel 13:2 tn Heb “and there was distress to Amnon so that he made himself sick.”
  3. 2 Samuel 13:4 tn Heb “and he said to him.”
  4. 2 Samuel 13:4 tn A more idiomatic translation might be “Why are you of all people…?”
  5. 2 Samuel 13:5 tn This verb is used in the Hitpael stem only in this chapter of the Hebrew Bible. With the exception of v. 2 it describes not a real sickness but one pretended in order to entrap Tamar. The Hitpael sometimes, as here, describes the subject making oneself appear to be of a certain character. On this use of the stem, see GKC 149-50 §54.e.
  6. 2 Samuel 13:8 tn Heb “in his sight.”
  7. 2 Samuel 13:8 tn Heb “the cakes.”
  8. 2 Samuel 13:9 tn Heb “from upon me.”
  9. 2 Samuel 13:9 tc A few medieval Hebrew mss supported by the LXX and Vulgate read the Hiphil וַיּוֹצִיאוּ (vayyotsiʾu) “and they removed everyone,” rather than the MT’s Qal וַיֵּצְאוּ (vayyetseʾu, “they left”). This verb would then match the instructions more closely.
  10. 2 Samuel 13:11 tn Heb “lie with me” (so NAB, NASB, NRSV); NCV “come and have sexual relations with me.”
  11. 2 Samuel 13:13 tn Heb “and you will be like one of the fools.”
  12. 2 Samuel 13:13 tn Heb “Now.”
  13. 2 Samuel 13:14 tn Heb “to her voice.”
  14. 2 Samuel 13:14 tn Heb “and he humiliated her and lay with her.”
  15. 2 Samuel 13:15 tn Heb “and Amnon hated her with very great hatred.”
  16. 2 Samuel 13:15 tn Heb “for greater was the hatred with which he hated her than the love with which he loved her.”
  17. 2 Samuel 13:16 tn Heb “No, because this great evil is [worse] than the other which you did with me, by sending me away.” Perhaps the broken syntax reflects her hysteria and outrage.
  18. 2 Samuel 13:17 tn Heb “send this [one] from upon me to the outside.”
  19. 2 Samuel 13:18 tn The Hebrew expression used here (כְּתֹנֶת פַּסִּים, ketonet passim) is found only here and in Gen 37:3, 23, 32. Hebrew פַּס (pas) can refer to the palm of the hand or the sole of the foot; here the idea is probably that of a long robe reaching to the feet and having sleeves reaching to the wrists. The notion of a “coat of many colors” (KJV, ASV “garment of divers colors”), a familiar translation for the phrase in Genesis, is based primarily on the translation adopted in the LXX χιτῶνα ποικίλον (chitōna poikilon) and does not have a great deal of support.
  20. 2 Samuel 13:18 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Amnon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  21. 2 Samuel 13:18 tn The Hebrew verb is a perfect with nonconsecutive vav, probably indicating an action (locking the door) that complements the preceding one (pushing her out the door).
  22. 2 Samuel 13:20 tn Heb “Don’t set your heart to this thing!” Elsewhere this phrase means to disregard or not pay attention to something (e.g. Exod 7:23). It is a callous thing to say to Tamar, but to the degree that what he said becomes known, it misleads people from understanding that he is personally plotting revenge (13:22, 28).
  23. 2 Samuel 13:21 tc The LXX and part of the Old Latin tradition include the following addition to v. 21, also included in some English versions (e.g., NAB, NRSV, CEV): “But he did not grieve the spirit of Amnon his son, because he loved him, since he was his firstborn.” Note David’s attitude toward his son Adonijah in 1 Kgs 1:6.
  24. 2 Samuel 13:24 tn Heb “your servant has sheepshearers.” The phrase “your servant” also occurs at the end of the verse and is translated as "me".
  25. 2 Samuel 13:25 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  26. 2 Samuel 13:25 tc Here and in v. 27 the translation follows 4QSama ויפצר (vayyiftsar, “and he pressed”) rather than the MT וַיִּפְרָץ (vayyifrats, “and he broke through”). This emended reading seems also to underlie the translations of the LXX (καὶ ἐβιάσατο, kai ebiasato), the Syriac Peshitta (weʾalseh), and Vulgate (cogeret eum).
  27. 2 Samuel 13:25 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  28. 2 Samuel 13:25 tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  29. 2 Samuel 13:26 tn Heb “and not.”
  30. 2 Samuel 13:28 tn Heb “when good is the heart of Amnon with wine.”
  31. 2 Samuel 13:28 tn Heb “and become sons of valor.”
  32. 2 Samuel 13:32 tn Heb “it was placed on the mouth of Absalom.”
  33. 2 Samuel 13:32 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Amnon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  34. 2 Samuel 13:34 tn Heb “behind him.”
  35. 2 Samuel 13:36 tn Heb “and they lifted their voice and wept.”
  36. 2 Samuel 13:36 tn Heb “with a great weeping.”
  37. 2 Samuel 13:37 tc The Hebrew text leaves the word “David” to be inferred. The Syriac Peshitta and Vulgate add the word “David.” Most of the Greek tradition includes the words “King David” here.
  38. 2 Samuel 13:39 tc The translation follows 4QSama in reading רוּחַ הַמֶּלֶךְ (ruakh hammelekh, “the spirit of the king”) rather than the MT דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ (david hammelekh, “David the king”). The understanding reflected in the translation above is that David, though alienated during this time from his son Absalom, still had an abiding love and concern for him. He longed for reconciliation with him. A rather different interpretation of the verse supposes that David’s interest in taking military action against Absalom grew slack with the passing of time, and this in turn enabled David’s advisers to encourage him toward reconciliation with Absalom. For the latter view, see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 344, and cf. CEV.
  39. 2 Samuel 13:39 tn Heb “was consoled over Amnon, because he was dead.”
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2 Samuel 13
International Children’s Bible

Amnon and Tamar

13 Now David had a son named Absalom and a son named Amnon. Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon loved her. 2 Tamar was a virgin. Amnon did not think he should do anything bad to her. But he wanted her very much. He made himself sick just thinking about her.

3 Amnon had a friend named Jonadab son of Shimeah. (Shimeah was David’s brother.) Jonadab was a very clever man. 4 He asked Amnon, “Why do you look so sad day after day? You are the king’s son! Tell me what’s wrong!”

Amnon told him, “I love Tamar. But she is the sister of my half-brother Absalom.”

5 Jonadab said to Amnon, “Go to bed. Act as if you are sick. Then your father will come to see you. Tell him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in and give me food to eat. Let her make the food in front of me. Then I will see it and eat it from her hand.’”

6 So Amnon lay down in bed and acted as if he were sick. King David came in to see him. Amnon said to him, “Please let my sister Tamar come in. Let her make two of her special cakes for me while I watch. Then I will eat them from her hands.”

7 David sent messengers to Tamar in the palace. They told her, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and make some food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house. He was in bed. Tamar took some dough and pressed it together with her hands. She made some special cakes while Amnon watched. Then she baked them. 9 Next she took the pan and took out the cakes for Amnon. But he refused to eat.

He said to his servants, “All of you, leave me alone!” So all his servants left the room. 10 Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the inner room. Then I’ll eat from your hand.”

Tamar took the cakes she had made. And she brought them to her brother Amnon in the inner room. 11 She went to him so he could eat from her hands. But Amnon grabbed her. He said, “Sister, come and have physical relations with me.”

12 Tamar said to him, “No, brother! Don’t force me! This should never be done in Israel! Don’t do this shameful thing! 13 I could never get rid of my shame! And you will become like the shameful fools in Israel! Please talk with the king. He will let you marry me.”

14 But Amnon refused to listen to her. He was stronger than she was. So he raped her. 15 After that, Amnon hated Tamar. He hated her much more than he had loved her before. Amnon said to her, “Get up and leave!”

16 Tamar said to him, “No! Sending me away would be an even greater evil. That would be worse than what you’ve already done!”

But he refused to listen to her. 17 He called his young servant back in. Amnon said, “Get this girl out of here right now! Lock the door after her.” 18 So his servant led her out of the room. And he bolted the door after her.

Now Tamar was wearing a special robe with long sleeves. The king’s virgin daughters wore this kind of robe. 19 To show how upset she was Tamar took ashes and put them on her head. She tore her special robe. And she put her hand on her head. Then she went away, crying loudly.

20 Absalom, Tamar’s brother, said to her, “Has Amnon, that brother of yours, violated you? He is your brother. So for now, sister, be quiet. Don’t let this upset you so much!” So Tamar lived in her brother Absalom’s house. She was sad and lonely.

21 When King David heard the news, he was very angry. 22 Absalom did not say a word, good or bad, to Amnon. He hated Amnon for violating his sister Tamar.

Absalom’s Revenge

23 Two years later Absalom had some men come to Baal Hazor, near Ephraim. They were to cut the wool from his sheep. Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come also. 24 Absalom went to the king and said, “I have men coming to cut the wool. Please come with your officers and join me.”

25 King David said to Absalom, “No, my son. We won’t all go. It would be too much trouble for you.” Absalom begged David to go. David did not go, but he did give his blessing.

26 Absalom said, “If you don’t want to go, then please let my brother Amnon go with me.”

King David asked Absalom, “Why should he go with you?”

27 Absalom kept begging David. Finally, David let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with Absalom.

28 Then Absalom gave a command to his servants. He said, “Watch Amnon. When he is drunk, I will tell you, ‘Kill Amnon.’ Right then, kill him! Don’t be afraid. I have commanded you! Be strong and brave!” 29 So Absalom’s young men killed Amnon as Absalom commanded. But all of David’s other sons got on their mules and escaped.

30 While the king’s sons were on their way, the news came to David. The message was, “Absalom has killed all of the king’s sons! Not one of them is left alive!” 31 King David tore his clothes and lay on the ground to show his sadness. All his servants standing nearby tore their clothes also.

32 Jonadab was the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab said to David, “Don’t think all the young men, your sons, are killed. No, only Amnon is dead! Absalom planned this because Amnon raped his sister Tamar. 33 My master and king, don’t think that all of the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead!”

34 In the meantime Absalom had run away.

There was a guard standing on the city wall. He saw many people coming from the other side of the hill. 35 So Jonadab said to King David, “Look, I was right! The king’s sons are coming!”

36 As soon as Jonadab had said this, the king’s sons arrived. They were crying loudly. David and all his servants began crying also. They all cried very much. 37 David cried for his son every day.

But Absalom ran away to Talmai[a] son of Ammihud. Talmai was king of Geshur. 38 After Absalom ran away to Geshur, he stayed there for three years. 39 When King David got over Amnon’s death, he missed Absalom greatly.

Footnotes

  1. 13:37 Talmai He was Absalom’s grandfather.
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2 Samuel 13
New King James Version

Amnon and Tamar

13 After this (A)Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was (B)Tamar; and (C)Amnon the son of David loved her. 2 Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick; for she was a virgin. And it was improper for Amnon to do anything to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab (D)the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Now Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4 And he said to him, “Why are you, the king’s son, becoming thinner day after day? Will you not tell me?”

Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

5 So Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’ ” 6 Then Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let Tamar my sister come and (E)make a couple of cakes for me in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”

7 And David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Now go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was lying down. Then she took flour and kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 9 And she took the pan and placed them out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, (F)“Have everyone go out from me.” And they all went out from him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother in the bedroom. 11 Now when she had brought them to him to eat, (G)he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”

12 But she answered him, “No, my brother, do not [a]force me, for (H)no such thing should be done in Israel. Do not do this (I)disgraceful thing! 13 And I, where could I take my shame? And as for you, you would be like one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; (J)for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 However, he would not heed her voice; and being stronger than she, he (K)forced her and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated her [b]exceedingly, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!”

16 So she said to him, “No, indeed! This evil of sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me.”

But he would not listen to her. 17 Then he called his servant who attended him, and said, “Here! Put this woman out, away from me, and bolt the door behind her.” 18 Now she had on (L)a robe of many colors, for the king’s virgin daughters wore such apparel. And his servant put her out and bolted the door behind her.

19 Then Tamar put (M)ashes on her head, and tore her robe of many colors that was on her, and (N)laid her hand on her head and went away crying bitterly. 20 And Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.

21 But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. 22 And Absalom spoke to his brother Amnon (O)neither good nor bad. For Absalom (P)hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

Absalom Murders Amnon

23 And it came to pass, after two full years, that Absalom (Q)had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim; so Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Then Absalom came to the king and said, “Kindly note, your servant has sheepshearers; please, let the king and his servants go with your servant.”

25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go now, lest we be a burden to you.” Then he urged him, but he would not go; and he blessed him.

26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.”

And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom urged him; so he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, “Watch now, when Amnon’s (R)heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon!’ then kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and [c]valiant.” 29 So the servants of Absalom (S)did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each one got on (T)his mule and fled.

30 And it came to pass, while they were on the way, that news came to David, saying, “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left!” 31 So the king arose and (U)tore his garments and (V)lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. 32 Then (W)Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, “Let not my lord suppose they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for only Amnon is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore, (X)let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead. For only Amnon is dead.”

Absalom Flees to Geshur

34 (Y)Then Absalom fled. And the young man who was keeping watch lifted his eyes and looked, and there, many people were coming from the road on the hillside behind [d]him. 35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king’s sons are coming; as your servant said, so it is.” 36 So it was, as soon as he had finished speaking, that the king’s sons indeed came, and they lifted up their voice and wept. Also the king and all his servants wept very bitterly.

37 But Absalom fled and went to (Z)Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. 38 So Absalom fled and went to (AA)Geshur, and was there three years. 39 And [e]King David [f]longed to go to Absalom. For he had been (AB)comforted concerning Amnon, because he was dead.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 13:12 Lit. humble me
  2. 2 Samuel 13:15 with a very great hatred
  3. 2 Samuel 13:28 Lit. sons of valor
  4. 2 Samuel 13:34 LXX adds And the watchman went and told the king, and said, “I see men from the way of Horonaim, from the regions of the mountains.”
  5. 2 Samuel 13:39 So with MT, Syr., Vg.; LXX the spirit of the king; Tg. the soul of King David
  6. 2 Samuel 13:39 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. ceased to pursue after
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