| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now Absalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar. And after a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her. | 1Now 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. |
| 2And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. | 2But Amnon became frustrated because he was so lovesick over his sister Tamar. For she was a virgin, and to Amnon it seemed out of the question to do anything to her. |
| 3But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. And Jonadab was a very crafty man. | 3Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very crafty man. |
| 4And he said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” | 4He asked Amnon, "Why are you, the king's son, 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." |
| 5Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” | 5Jonadab replied to him, "Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. 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.'" |
| 6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And 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 my sight, that I may eat from her hand.” | 6So 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." |
| 7Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.” | 7So David sent Tamar to the house saying, "Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare some food for him." |
| 8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes. | 8So 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, and baked them. |
| 9And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Send out everyone from me.” So everyone went out from him. | 9But when she took the pan and set it before him, he refused to eat. Instead Amnon said, "Get everyone out of here!" So everyone left. |
| 10Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. | 10Then 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. |
| 11But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” | 11As she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said to her, "Come on! Get in bed with me, my sister!" |
| 12She answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing. | 12But she said to him, "No, my brother! Don't humiliate me! This just isn't done in Israel! Don't do this foolish thing! |
| 13As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” | 13How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools in Israel! Just speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you." |
| 14But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her. | 14But he refused to listen to her. He overpowered her and humiliated her by raping her. |
| 15Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, 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, “Get up! Go!” | 15Then Amnon greatly despised her. His disdain toward her surpassed the love he had previously felt toward her. Amnon said to her, "Get up and leave!" |
| 16But she said to him, “No, my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.” But he would not listen to her. | 16But she said to him, "No I won't, for sending me away now would be worse than what you did to me earlier!" But he refused to listen to her. |
| 17He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her.” | 17He called his personal attendant and said to him, "Take this woman out of my sight and lock the door behind her!" |
| 18Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves, for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. | 18(Now she was wearing a long robe, for this is what the king's virgin daughters used to wear.) So Amnon's attendant removed her and bolted the door behind her. |
| 19And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe that she wore. And she laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went. | 19Then 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. |
| 20And her brother Absalom said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this to heart.” So Tamar lived, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom’s house. | 20Her 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!" Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom. |
| 21When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. | 21Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry. |
| 22But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar. | 22But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar. |
| 23After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. | 23Two years later Absalom's sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor, near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king's sons. |
| 24And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.” | 24Then Absalom went to the king and said, "My shearers have begun their work. Let the king and his servants go with me." |
| 25But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. | 25But the king said to Absalom, "No, my son. We shouldn't all go. We shouldn't burden you in that way." Though Absalom pressed him, the king was not willing to go. Instead, David blessed him. |
| 26Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” | 26Then Absalom said, "If you will not go, then let my brother Amnon go with us." The king replied to him, "Why should he go with you?" |
| 27But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. | 27But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king's sons along with him. |
| 28Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Mark when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.” | 28Absalom instructed his servants, "Look! When Amnon is drunk 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!" |
| 29So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each mounted his mule and fled. | 29So 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. |
| 30While they were on the way, news came to David, “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.” | 30While 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!" |
| 31Then the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the earth. And all his servants who were standing by tore their garments. | 31Then 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. |
| 32But Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, “Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for Amnon alone is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day he violated his sister Tamar. | 32Jonadab, 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 from the day that Amnon humiliated his sister Tamar. |
| 33Now therefore let not my lord the king so take it to heart as to suppose that all the king’s sons are dead, for Amnon alone is dead.” | 33Now 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." |
| 34But Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain. | 34In the meantime Absalom fled. When the servant who was the watchman looked up, he saw many people coming from the west on a road beside the hill. |
| 35And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.” | 35Jonadab said to the king, "Look! The king's sons have come! It's just as I said!" |
| 36And as soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came and lifted up their voice and wept. And the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly. | 36Just as he finished speaking, the king's sons arrived, wailing and weeping. The king and all his servants wept loudly as well. |
| 37But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son day after day. | 37But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur. And David grieved over his son every day. |
| 38So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years. | 38After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years. |
| 39And the spirit of the king longed to go out to Absalom, because he was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead. | 39The king longed to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon. |
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