2 Samuel 13 – New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Amnon and Tamar

1 Now it was after ^H310 this ^H3651 that Absalom ^H53 the son ^H1121 of David ^H1732 had a beautiful ^H3303 sister ^H269 whose name ^H8034 was Tamar ^H8559, and Amnon ^H550 the son ^H1121 of David ^H1732 was in love ^H157 with her.

2 But Amnon ^H550 was ^H6887 so frustrated ^H6887 on account ^H5668 of his sister ^H269 Tamar ^H8559 that he made ^H2470 himself ill ^H2470, for ^H3588 she was a virgin ^H1330, and it [fn]seemed ^H6381 H5869 too ^H6381 difficult ^H6381 to Amnon ^H550 to do ^H6213 anything ^H3972 to her. 3 But Amnon ^H550 had a friend ^H7453 whose name ^H8034 was Jonadab ^H3082, the son ^H1121 of [fn]Shimeah ^H8093, David’s ^H1732 brother ^H251; and Jonadab ^H3082 was a very ^H3966 clever ^H2450 man ^H376. 4 And he said ^H559 to him, “Why ^H4069 are you, the king’s ^H4428 son ^H1121, so ^H3602 depressed ^H1800 morning ^H1242 after morning ^H1242? Will you not tell ^H5046 me?” So Amnon ^H550 said ^H559 to him, “I am in love ^H157 with Tamar ^H8559, the sister ^H269 of my brother ^H251 Absalom ^H53.” 5 Jonadab ^H3082 then said ^H559 to him, “Lie ^H7901 down ^H7901 on your bed ^H4904 and pretend ^H2470 to ^H2470 be ^H2470 ill ^H2470; when your father ^H1 comes ^H935 to see ^H7200 you, say ^H559 to him, ‘Please ^H4994 have my sister ^H269 Tamar ^H8559 come ^H935 and give me food ^H3899 to eat ^H1262, and have her prepare ^H6213 the [fn]food ^H1279 in my sight ^H5869, so ^H4616 that ^H4616 I may see ^H7200 it and eat ^H398 from her hand ^H3027.’” 6 So Amnon ^H550 lay ^H7901 down ^H7901 and pretended ^H2470 to ^H2470 be ^H2470 ill ^H2470; when the king ^H4428 came ^H935 to see ^H7200 him, Amnon ^H550 said ^H559 to the king ^H4428, “Please ^H4994 have my sister ^H269 Tamar ^H8559 come ^H935 and make ^H3823 me a couple ^H8147 of pastries ^H3834 in my sight ^H5869, so that I may eat ^H1262 from her hand ^H3027.”

7 Then David ^H1732 sent ^H7971 a messenger to the house ^H1004 for Tamar ^H8559, saying ^H559, “Go ^H1980 now ^H4994 to your brother ^H251 Amnon’s ^H550 house ^H1004, and prepare ^H6213 [fn]food ^H1279 for him.” 8 So Tamar ^H8559 went ^H1980 to her brother ^H251 Amnon’s ^H550 house ^H1004, and he was lying ^H7901 in bed. And she took ^H3947 dough ^H1217, kneaded ^H3888 it, made ^H3823 pastries ^H3823 in his sight ^H5869, and baked ^H1310 the pastries ^H3834. 9 Then she took ^H3947 the tray ^H4958 and served ^H3332 them to him, but he refused ^H3985 to eat ^H398. And Amnon ^H550 said ^H559, “Have everyone ^H3605 H376 leave ^H3318 me.” So everyone ^H3605 H376 left ^H3318 him. 10 Then Amnon ^H550 said ^H559 to Tamar ^H8559, “Bring ^H935 the food ^H1279 into the [fn]bedroom ^H2315, so that I may eat ^H1262 from your hand ^H3027.” So Tamar ^H8559 took ^H3947 the pastries ^H3834 which ^H834 she had made ^H6213 and brought ^H935 them into the bedroom ^H2315 to her brother ^H251 Amnon ^H550. 11 When she brought ^H5066 them to him to eat ^H398, he took ^H2388 hold ^H2388 of her and said ^H559 to her, “Come ^H935, sleep ^H7901 with me, my sister ^H269.” 12 But she said ^H559 to him, “No ^H408, my brother ^H251, do not violate ^H6031 me, for such ^H3651 a ^H3651 thing ^H3651 is not done ^H6213 in Israel ^H3478; do not do ^H6213 this ^H2088 disgraceful ^H5039 sin ^H5039! 13 As for me, where ^H575 could I [fn]get ^H1980 rid ^H1980 of my shame ^H2781? And as for you, you will be like one ^H259 of the [fn]fools ^H5036 in Israel ^H3478. Now ^H6258 then, please ^H4994 speak ^H1696 to the king ^H4428, for he will not [fn]withhold ^H4513 me from you.” 14 However, he would ^H14 not listen ^H8085 to [fn]her; since he was stronger ^H2388 than ^H4480 she, he violated ^H6031 her and slept ^H7901 with her.

15 Then Amnon ^H550 hated ^H8130 her with a very ^H3966 great ^H1419 hatred ^H8135; indeed ^H3588, the hatred ^H8135 with which ^H834 he hated ^H8130 her was greater ^H1419 than ^H4480 the love ^H160 with which ^H834 he had loved ^H157 her. And Amnon ^H550 said ^H559 to her, “Get ^H6965 up ^H6965, go ^H1980 away!” 16 But she said ^H559 to him, “No ^H408, because ^H182 this ^H2088 wrong ^H7451 in sending ^H7971 me away ^H7971 is greater ^H1419 than ^H4480 the other ^H312 that you have done ^H6213 to me!” Yet he would ^H14 not listen ^H8085 to her. 17 Then he called ^H7121 his young ^H5288 man ^H5288 who attended ^H8334 him and said ^H559, “Now ^H4994 throw ^H7971 this ^H2088 woman ^H2088 out ^H7971 of my presence, and lock ^H5274 the door ^H1817 behind ^H310 her!” 18 Now she had on a [fn]long-sleeved ^H6446 garment ^H3801; for this ^H3651 is ^H3651 how ^H3651 the virgin ^H1330 daughters ^H1323 of the king ^H4428 dressed ^H3847 themselves in robes ^H4598. Then his attendant ^H8334 took ^H3318 her out ^H3318 and locked ^H5274 the door ^H1817 behind ^H310 her. 19 Tamar ^H8559 took ^H3947 ashes ^H665 and put them on her head ^H7218, and tore ^H7167 her [fn]long-sleeved ^H6446 garment ^H3801 which ^H834 was on her; and she put ^H7760 her hand ^H3027 on her head ^H7218 and went ^H1980 on her way, crying ^H2199 out ^H2199 as she went ^H1980.

20 Then Absalom ^H53 her brother ^H251 said ^H559 to her, “Has Amnon ^H550 your brother ^H251 been ^H1961 with you? But now ^H6258 keep ^H2790 silent ^H2790, my sister ^H269, he is your brother ^H251; do not take ^H7896 this ^H2088 matter ^H1697 to heart ^H3820.” So Tamar ^H8559 remained ^H3427 and was ^H8074 isolated ^H8074 in her brother ^H251 Absalom’s ^H53 house ^H1004. 21 Now when King ^H4428 David ^H1732 heard ^H8085 about all ^H3605 these ^H428 matters ^H1697, he became ^H2734 very ^H3966 angry ^H2734. 22 But Absalom ^H53 did not speak ^H1696 with Amnon ^H550 either ^H5704 good ^H2896 or ^H4480 bad ^H7451; for Absalom ^H53 hated ^H8130 Amnon ^H550 because ^{H5921 H1697 H834} he had violated ^H6031 his sister ^H269 Tamar ^H8559.

23 Now it came ^H1961 about ^H1961 after two full ^H3117 years ^H8141 that Absalom ^H53 had ^H1961 sheepshearers ^H1494 in Baal-hazor ^H1178, which ^H834 is near ^H5973 Ephraim ^H669, and Absalom ^H53 invited ^H7121 all ^H3605 the king’s ^H4428 sons ^H1121 to celebrate.

Absalom Avenges Tamar

24 And Absalom ^H53 came ^H935 to the king ^H4428 and said ^H559, “Behold ^H2009 now ^H4994, your servant ^H5650 has sheepshearers ^H1494; may the king ^H4428 and his servants ^H5650 please ^H4994 go ^H1980 with your servant ^H5650.” 25 But the king ^H4428 said ^H559 to Absalom ^H53, “No ^H408, my son ^H1121, we should not all ^H3605 go ^H1980, so that we will not be ^H3513 a ^H3513 burden ^H3513 to you.” Though he urged ^H6555 him, he would ^H14 not go ^H1980; but he blessed ^H1288 him. 26 Then Absalom ^H53 said ^H559, “If not, please ^H4994 have my brother ^H251 Amnon ^H550 go ^H1980 with us.” But the king ^H4428 said ^H559 to him, “Why ^H4100 should he go ^H1980 with you?” 27 Nevertheless Absalom ^H53 urged ^H6555 him, so he let ^H7971 Amnon ^H550 and all ^H3605 the king’s ^H4428 sons ^H1121 go ^H7971 with him.

28 Then Absalom ^H53 commanded ^H6680 his servants ^H5288, saying ^H559, “See ^H7200 now ^H4994, when Amnon’s ^H550 heart ^H3820 is cheerful ^H2895 with wine ^H3196, and I say ^H559 to you, ‘Strike ^H5221 Amnon ^H550,’ then put ^H4191 him to ^H4191 death ^H4191. Do not fear ^H3372; have I not commanded ^H6680 you myself ^H595? Be ^H2388 courageous ^H2388 and be [fn]valiant ^H1121 H2428.” 29 And the servants ^H5288 of Absalom ^H53 did ^H6213 to Amnon ^H550 just ^H834 as ^H834 Absalom ^H53 had commanded ^H6680. Then all ^H3605 the king’s ^H4428 sons ^H1121 got ^H6965 up ^H6965 and each ^H376 mounted ^H7392 his mule ^H6505 and fled ^H5127.

30 Now it was while they were on the way ^H1870 that the report ^H8052 came ^H935 to David ^H1732, saying ^H559, “Absalom ^H53 has struck ^H5221 and ^H5221 killed ^H5221 all ^H3605 the king’s ^H4428 sons ^H1121, and not one ^H259 of them is left ^H3498.” 31 Then the king ^H4428 stood ^H6965 up ^H6965, tore ^H7167 his clothes ^H899, and lay ^H7901 on the ground ^H776; and all ^H3605 his servants ^H5650 were standing ^H5324 by with clothes ^H899 torn ^H7167. 32 And Jonadab ^H3082, the son ^H1121 of Shimeah ^H8093, David’s ^H1732 brother ^H251, [fn]responded ^H6030 H559, “Let my lord ^H113 not [fn]assume ^H559 that they have put ^H4191 to ^H4191 death ^H4191 all ^H3605 the young ^H5288 men ^H5288, the king’s ^H4428 sons ^H1121, for only ^H905 Amnon ^H550 is dead ^H4191; because ^H3588 this has been ^H1961 set ^H7760 up ^H7760 by the [fn]intent ^H6310 of Absalom ^H53 since ^H4480 the day ^H3117 that he violated ^H6031 his sister ^H269 Tamar ^H8559. 33 So now ^H6258, may my lord ^H113 the king ^H4428 not take ^H7760 the report ^H1697 to [fn]heart ^H3820, [fn]claiming ^H559, ‘all ^H3605 the king’s ^H4428 sons ^H1121 are dead ^H4191’; but only ^H905 Amnon ^H550 is dead ^H4191.”

34 Now Absalom ^H53 had fled ^H1272. And the young ^H5288 man ^H5288 who was the watchman ^H6822 raised ^H5375 his eyes ^H5869 and looked ^H7200, and behold ^H2009, many ^H7227 people ^H5971 were coming ^H1980 from the road ^H1870 behind ^H310 him by the side ^H6654 of the mountain ^H2022. 35 And Jonadab ^H3082 said ^H559 to the king ^H4428, “Behold ^H2009, the king’s ^H4428 sons ^H1121 have come ^H935; so ^H3651 it has happened ^H1961 according to your servant’s ^H5650 word ^H1697.” 36 As soon as he had finished ^H3615 speaking ^H1696, behold ^H2009, the king’s ^H4428 sons ^H1121 came ^H935 and raised ^H5375 their voices ^H6963 and wept ^H1058; and the king ^H4428 and all ^H3605 his servants ^H5650 also ^H1571 wept ^H1058 [fn]very ^H3966 profusely ^H1419 H1065.

37 Now Absalom ^H53 had fled ^H1272 and gone ^H1980 to Talmai ^H8526 the son ^H1121 of Ammihud ^H5989, the king ^H4428 of Geshur ^H1650. And David mourned ^H56 for his son ^H1121 every ^H3605 day ^H3117. 38 So Absalom ^H53 had fled ^H1272 and gone ^H1980 to Geshur ^H1650, and was there ^H8033 for three ^H7969 years ^H8141. 39 And the heart of King ^H4428 David ^H1732 longed ^H3615 to go ^H3318 out ^H3318 to Absalom ^H53; for he was comforted ^H5162 regarding ^H5921 Amnon ^H550, since ^H3588 he was dead ^H4191.