2 Samuel 13:1-10 ▼

1 After this, David's son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David's son Absalom.

2 Amnon was so obsessed with his half sister Tamar that he made himself sick. It seemed impossible for him to be alone with her because she was a virgin.

3 Amnon had a friend by the name of Jonadab, a son of David's brother Shimea. Jonadab was a very clever man.

4 He asked Amnon, |Why are you, the king's son, so worn out morning after morning? Won't you tell me?| |I'm in love with Absalom's sister Tamar,| he answered.

5 Then Jonadab told him, |Lie down on your bed. Act sick, and when your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come to feed me. She can prepare a meal in front of me as I watch her, and she can feed me.'|

6 So Amnon lay down and acted sick, and the king came to see him. Amnon asked the king, |Please let my sister Tamar come and make some bread in front of me, and she can feed me.|

7 David sent for Tamar at the palace. |Please go to your brother Amnon's home,| he said, |and prepare some food for him.|

8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's home. He was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made flat bread in front of him, and cooked it.

9 Then she took the pan and served him [the bread]. But he refused to eat. |Have everyone leave me,| he said. So everyone left him.

10 Amnon told Tamar, |Bring the food into the bedroom so that you can feed me.| Tamar took the bread she had prepared and brought it to her brother Amnon in the bedroom.