Study Desk

And Amnon was so distressed because of his sister Tamar that he made himself ill, for she was a virgin. So it was hard in Amnon's sight to do anything to her.

Then David sent to the house for Tamar, saying, "Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare food for him."

But she said to him, "No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this disgraceful thing!

As for me, where could I get rid of my reproach? And as for you, you will be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. So now, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you."

Then Amnon hated her with a very 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, "Get up, go away!"

Now she had on a long-sleeved garment; for in this manner the virgin daughters of the king dressed themselves in robes. Then his attendant took her out and locked the door behind her.

But Absalom did not speak to Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.

But the king said to Absalom, "No, my son, we should not all go, for we will be burdensome to you." Although he urged him, he was not willing to go, but blessed him.

But Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, "Do not let my lord suppose they have put to death all the young men, the king's sons, for Amnon alone has died; because by the intent of Absalom this has been set since the day that he violated his sister Tamar.

So now, do not let my lord the king take the report to heart, saying, ‘all the king's sons have died,' for only Amnon has died."

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

And the heart of King David was consumed with going out to Absalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he had died.

So Joab sent to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there and said to her, "Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning garments now, and do not anoint yourself with oil, but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead many days;

And behold, the whole family has risen against your servant-woman, and they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, and destroy the heir also.' Thus they will extinguish my coal which remains, so as to leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth."

Then the woman said, "Why then have you thought up such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring back his banished one.

For we will surely die and are like water spilled on the ground which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away life, but thinks up ways so that the banished one will not be cast out from him.

For the king will listen and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy both me and my son from the inheritance of God.'

Then your servant-woman said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be a resting place, for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king to listen with discernment through the good and evil. And may Yahweh your God be with you.'"

When he shaved the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he shaved it, for it was heavy on him so he shaved it), he weighed the hair of his head at 200 shekels by the king's weight.

Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he was not willing to come to him. So he sent again a second time, but he was not willing to come.