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¹ And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.² And Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her.³ But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man.⁴ And he said to him, Why, O son of the king, are you thus lean from day to day? will you not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.⁵ And Jonadab said to him, Lay down on your bed, and feign yourself sick: and when your father comes to see you, say to him, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray you, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.⁶ So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick: and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray you, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.⁷ Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and dress him food.⁸ So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laying down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.⁹ And she took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Send out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.¹⁰ And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.¹¹ And when she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister.¹² And she answered him, No, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: don't do this folly.¹³ And I, where shall I carry my shame? and as for you, you will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray you, speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.¹⁴ Nevertheless he would not listen to her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.¹⁵ Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Arise, go.¹⁶ And she said to him, Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is [worse] than the other that you did to me. But he would not listen to her.¹⁷ Then he called his servant that ministered to him, and said, Now put this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.¹⁸ And she had a garment of diverse colors on her; for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins appareled. Then his minister brought her out, and bolted the door after her.¹⁹ And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of diverse colors that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.²⁰ And Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon your brother been with you? but now hold your peace, my sister: he is your brother; don't take this thing to heart. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's house.

²¹ But when king David heard of all these things, he was very angry, but he did not grieve the spirit of his son Amnon because he loved him, since he was his firstborn.²² And Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.²³ And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.²⁴ And Absalom came to the king, and said, Look now, your slave has sheep-shearers; let the king, I pray you, and his slaves go with your slave.²⁵ And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you. And he pressed him: nevertheless he would not go, but blessed him.²⁶ Then Absalom said, If not, I pray you, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with you?²⁷ But Absalom pressed him, and he sent with him Amnon and all the king's sons. And Absalom prepared a feast like a king's feast.²⁸ And Absalom commanded his attendants, saying, Now watch, when Amnon's heart is merry with wine; and when I say to you, Smite Amnon, then kill him; don't be afraid; haven't I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.²⁹ And the attendants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man got up on his mule, and fled.

³⁰ And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that the tidings came to David, saying, Absalom has slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.³¹ Then the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his slaves stood by with their clothes rent.³² And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, Don't let my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.³³ Now therefore don't let my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead; for Amnon only is dead.³⁴ But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that many people came on the Horonaim road, from the mountain side on the slope, and the watchman came and informed the king; he said, I saw men from the Horonaim road, from the mountain side.³⁵ And Jonadab said to the king, Look, the king's sons have come: as your slave said, so it is.³⁶ And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, look, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept: and the king also and all his slaves wept very intensely.³⁷ But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. And [David] mourned for his son every day.³⁸ So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.³⁹ And the king's spirit longed to go forth to Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.