1After this, Absalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and Amnon, another son of David, fell in love with her.
2Amnon was so distressed over his sister Tamar that he became sick, because she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible for Amnon to do anything to her.
3But Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very clever man.
4He asked Amnon, "Why, son of the king, are you so sad day after day? Won't you tell me?" Amnon replied, "I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."
5Jonadab told him, "Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, tell him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and prepare some food for me to eat. Let her make it in front of me so I can watch, and then I will eat it from her hand.'"
6So Amnon lay down and faked being sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, "Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in front of me, so I can eat them from her hand."
7Then David sent a message to Tamar at home, saying, "Go now to your brother Amnon's house and prepare some food for him."
8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house, where he was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made cakes in front of him, and baked them.
9She took the pan and poured the cakes out in front of him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, "Have everyone leave me." So all the men left him.
10Amnon then said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the bedroom so I can eat it from your hand." Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the bedroom to her brother Amnon.
11When she brought them close for him to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, "Come, lie with me, my sister!"
12She answered him, "No, my brother, don't force me! Such a thing should not be done in Israel. Don't commit this wicked act.
13As for me, where would I go with my shame? And as for you, you will be considered one of the fools in Israel. Please speak to the king, for he will not refuse to let me marry you."
14However, he would not listen to what she said. Instead, being stronger than her, he forced her and lay with her.
15Then Amnon hated her with an extremely intense hatred. His hatred for her was greater than the love he had felt for her. Amnon shouted at her, "Get up and leave!"
16She said to him, "No, because sending me away now is an even greater wrong than what you just did to me!" But he would not listen to her.
17Then he called his servant who attended him and said, "Now, get this woman out of my sight and bolt the door after her."
18She was wearing a long, colorful robe, because the king's virgin daughters dressed in such garments. So his servant led her out and bolted the door after her.
19Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the colorful robe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and walked away, crying loudly as she went.
20Her brother Absalom asked her, "Has your brother Amnon been with you? But now keep quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Don't take this incident to heart." So Tamar remained in her brother Absalom's house, desolate.
21When King David heard about all these things, he was very angry.
22Absalom said nothing to Amnon, good or bad, because Absalom hated Amnon for what he had done to his sister Tamar.
23Two full years later, Absalom had sheep shearers in Baal Hazor, near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king's sons.
24Absalom approached the king and said, "Look, your servant has people shearing sheep. Please allow the king and his servants to go with me."
25The king told Absalom, "No, my son, we shouldn't all go; we don't want to be a burden to you." Absalom urged him, but the king still wouldn't go, though he did give Absalom his blessing.
26Then Absalom said, "If you won't come, please let my brother Amnon go with us." The king asked him, "Why should Amnon go with you?"
27But Absalom insisted, so he allowed Amnon and all the king's other sons to go with him.
28Absalom gave orders to his servants, saying, "Pay close attention: when Amnon is feeling happy from wine, and I tell you, 'Strike Amnon!', then kill him. Don't be afraid. Haven't I given you the command? Be brave and strong!"
29Absalom's servants did to Amnon exactly as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's other sons got up, each one mounted his mule, and they fled.
30While they were on their way, news came to David: "Absalom has killed all the king's sons; not one of them is left!"
31Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay on the ground. All his servants stood by him with their clothes torn as well.
32Jonadab, the son of Shimeah and David’s brother, responded, "My lord shouldn't think that they have killed all the king's young sons. Only Amnon is dead, because Absalom had planned this ever since Amnon sexually assaulted his sister Tamar."
33So, my lord the king, don't worry so much and think that all the king’s sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead."
34But Absalom fled. The young man on watch looked up and saw a large group of people coming down the hillside behind him.
35Jonadab said to the king, "Look! The king's sons are coming, just as your servant said!"
36As soon as he finished speaking, the king's sons arrived. They cried out loudly, and they, the king, and all his servants wept bitterly.
37Absalom, however, fled and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihur, the king of Geshur. David mourned for his son every day.
38So Absalom fled to Geshur and stayed there for three years.
39King David longed to see Absalom, for he had been comforted about Amnon's death.