Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version

1Some time passed. David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and David's son Amnon was infatuated with her.

1Now Absalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar. And after a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her.

2Amnon was frustrated to the point of making himself sick over his sister Tamar because she was a virgin, but it seemed impossible to do anything to 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.

3Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, a son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man,

3But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother. And Jonadab was a very crafty man.

4and he asked Amnon, "Why are you, the king's son, so miserable every morning? Won't you tell me?" Amnon replied, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."

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.”

5Jonadab said to him, "Lie down on your bed and pretend you're sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare a meal in my presence so I can watch and eat from her hand.'"

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.’”

6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to him, "Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my presence so I can 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.”

7David sent word to Tamar at the palace: "Please go to your brother Amnon's house and prepare a meal for him."

7Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.”

8Then Tamar went to his house while Amnon was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his presence, and baked them.

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.

9She brought the pan and set it down in front of him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, "Everyone leave me!" And everyone left him.

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.

10"Bring the meal to the bedroom," Amnon told Tamar, "so I can eat from your hand." Tamar took the cakes she had made and went to her brother Amnon's bedroom.

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.

11When she brought them to him to eat, he grabbed her and said, "Come sleep with me, my sister!"

11But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”

12"Don't, my brother!" she cried. "Don't disgrace me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Don't commit this outrage!

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.

13Where could I ever go with my humiliation? And you--you would be like one of the outrageous fools in Israel! Please, speak to the king, for he won't keep me from you."

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.”

14But he refused to listen to her, and because he was stronger than she was, he disgraced her by raping her.

14But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.

15So Amnon hated Tamar with such intensity that the hatred he hated her with was greater than the love he had loved her with. "Get out of here!" he said.

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!”

16"No," she cried, "sending me away is much worse than the great wrong you've already done to me!" But he refused to listen to her.

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.

17Instead, he called to the servant who waited on him: "Get this away from me, throw her out, and bolt the door behind her!"

17He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her.”

18Amnon's servant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a long-sleeved garment, because this is what the king's virgin daughters wore.

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.

19Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long-sleeved garment she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away crying out.

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.

20Her brother Absalom said to her: "Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Don't take this thing to heart." So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.

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.

21When King David heard about all these things, he was furious.

21When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.

22Absalom didn't say anything to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon since he disgraced his sister Tamar.

22But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar.

23Two years later, Absalom's sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

23After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

24Then he went to the king and said, "Your servant has just hired sheepshearers. Will the king and his servants please come with your servant?"

24And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.”

25The king replied to Absalom, "No, my son, we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you." Although Absalom urged him, he wasn't willing to go, though he did bless him.

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.

26"If not," Absalom said, "please let my brother Amnon go with us." The king asked him, "Why should he go with you?"

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?”

27But Absalom urged him, so he sent Amnon and all the king's sons.

27But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

28Now Absalom commanded his young men, "Watch Amnon until he is in a good mood from the wine. When I order you to strike Amnon, then kill him. Don't be afraid. Am I not the one who has commanded you? Be strong and valiant!"

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.”

29So Absalom's young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the rest of the king's sons got up, and each fled on his mule.

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.

30While they were on the way, a report reached David: "Absalom struck down all the king's sons; not even one of them survived!"

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.”

31In response the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

31Then the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the earth. And all his servants who were standing by tore their garments.

32But Jonadab, son of David's brother Shimeah, spoke up: "My lord must not think they have killed all the young men, the king's sons, because only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this ever since the day Amnon disgraced his sister Tamar.

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.

33So now, my lord the king, don't take seriously the report that says all the king's sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead."

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.”

34Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man who was standing watch looked up, there were many people coming from the road west of him from the side of the mountain.

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.

35Jonadab said to the king, "Look, the king's sons have come! It's exactly like your servant said."

35And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.”

36Just as he finished speaking, the king's sons entered and wept loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

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.

37But Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

37But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son day after day.

38After Absalom had fled to Geshur and had been there three years,

38So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

39King David longed to go to Absalom, for David had finished grieving over Amnon's death.

39And the spirit of the king longed to go out to Absalom, because he was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.