2 Samuel 13:1–22

¹And it cometh to pass afterwards that Absalom son of David hath a fair sister, and her name is Tamar, and Amnon son of David loveth her. ²And Amnon hath distress—even to become sick, because of Tamar his sister, for she is a virgin, and it is hard in the eyes of Amnon to do anything to her. ³And Amnon hath a friend, and his name is Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David’s brother, and Jonadab is a very wise man, ⁴and saith to him, ‘Wherefore art thou thus lean, O king’s son, morning by morning? dost thou not declare to me?’ And Amnon saith to him, ‘Tamar—sister of Absalom my brother—I am loving.’ ⁵And Jonadab saith to him, ‘Lie down on thy couch, and feign thyself sick, and thy father hath come in to see thee, and thou hast said unto him, ‘Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come in and give me bread to eat; and she hath made the food before mine eyes so that I see it, and have eaten from her hand.’ ⁶And Amnon lieth down, and feigneth himself sick, and the king cometh in to see him, and Amnon saith unto the king, ‘Let, I pray thee, Tamar my sister come, and she maketh before mine eyes two cakes, and I eat from her hand.’ ⁷And David sendeth unto Tamar, to the house, saying, ‘Go, I pray thee, to the house of Amnon thy brother, and make for him food.’ ⁸And Tamar goeth to the house of Amnon her brother, and he is lying down, and she taketh the dough, and kneadeth, and maketh cakes before his eyes, and cooketh the cakes, ⁹and taketh the frying-pan, and poureth out before him, and he refuseth to eat, and Amnon saith, ‘Take ye out every one from me;’ and they go out every one from him. ¹⁰And Amnon saith unto Tamar, ‘Bring the food into the inner chamber, and I eat from thy hand;’ and Tamar taketh the cakes that she hath made, and bringeth in to Amnon her brother, into the inner chamber, ¹¹and she bringeth nigh unto him to eat, and he layeth hold on her, and saith to her, ‘Come, lie with me, my sister.’ ¹²And she saith to him, ‘Nay, my brother, do not humble me, for it is not done so in Israel; do not this folly. ¹³And I—whither do I cause my reproach to go? and thou—thou art as one of the fools in Israel; and now, speak, I pray thee, unto the king; for he doth not withhold me from thee.’ ¹⁴And he hath not been willing to hearken to her voice, and is stronger than she, and humbleth her, and lieth with her. ¹⁵And Amnon hateth her—a very great hatred—that greater is the hatred with which he hath hated her than the love with which he loved her, and Amnon saith to her, ‘Rise, go.’ ¹⁶And she saith to him, ‘Because of the circumstances this evil is greater than the other that thou hast done with me—to send me away;’ and he hath not been willing to hearken to her, ¹⁷and calleth his young man, his servant, and saith, ‘Send away, I pray thee, this one from me without, and bolt the door after her;’ ¹⁸—and upon her is a long coat, for such upper robes do daughters of the king who are virgins put on,—and his servant taketh her out without, and hath bolted the door after her. ¹⁹And Tamar taketh ashes for her head, and the long coat that is on her she hath rent, and putteth her hand on her head, and goeth, going on and crying; ²⁰and Absalom her brother saith unto her, ‘Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? and now, my sister, keep silent, he is thy brother; set not thy heart to this thing;’ and Tamar dwelleth—but desolate—in the house of Absalom her brother.

²¹And king David hath heard all these things, and it is very displeasing to him; ²²and Absalom hath not spoken with Amnon either evil or good, for Absalom is hating Amnon, because that he humbled Tamar his sister.