1 And it came to pass after this that Absalom {Avshalom: father of peace}, the son of David, had a beautiful {yafa: striking beauty} sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon, the son of David, loved her.
2 And Amnon was distressed {yetsar: was tormented within} to the point of making himself ill because of Tamar, his sister, for she was a virgin {betulah: undefiled status}, and it was difficult in the eyes of Amnon to do anything to her.
3 Now Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David’s brother {achi: family relationship}, and Jonadab was a very shrewd man {chakam: skillful, cunning}.
4 And he said to him, "Why are you so weak {dal: feeble}, O son of the king, morning after morning {baboker: repeated daily}? Will you not tell me?" And Amnon said to him, "I love Tamar, the sister of Absalom my brother."
5 And Jehonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed {mishkav: sleeping place} and make yourself appear sick. When your father comes to see you, you will say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me bread {lechem: staple food} and let her prepare the meal before my eyes so that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’”
6 And Amnon lay down and made himself sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let Tamar {Tamar: personal name} my sister come and make two cakes {levivot: special cakes} before my eyes, and I will eat from her hand.”
7 And David {Dawid: royal sender} sent to Tamar at the house, saying, “Go, please, to the house of Amnon your brother, and prepare the food {birya: prepared dish} for him.”
8 Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon while he was lying down. She took the dough {batzeq: unleavened mixture}, kneaded it, shaped it into cakes {levivot: disk-shaped breads} before his eyes, and cooked them.
9 And she took the pan {hamasret: serving vessel} and poured it before him, but he refused {vayema’en: deliberate refusal} to eat. Then Amnon said, “Bring out every man from me.” So every man went out from him.
10 And Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the dish {biryah: prepared offering} into the room so that I may eat from your hand {yad: serving gesture}.” Then Tamar took the cakes that she had made and brought them to her brother Amnon in the room.
11 And she brought it near {vatagesh: approached closely} to him to eat, but he seized her and said to her, “Come, lie down with me, my sister {akhoti: familial bond}.”
12 And she said to him, “No, my brother {achi: familial bond}, do not violate me; for no such thing is done in Israel. Do not do this disgrace {nevalah: shocking outrage}.”
13 And I—where could I take my shame {kherpah: public disgrace}? And you will be as one of the fools {nevalim: moral failures} in Israel. And now, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.
14 But he was not willing {avah: stubborn refusal} to listen to her voice, and he overpowered her and afflicted her and lay with her {vayishkav: illicit union}.
15 And Amnon hated her with a very great hatred {sin’ah: intense emotional repulsion}, for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love {ahavah: strong passionate attachment} with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up, go away!”
16 And she said to him, “No, do not speak of this great wrong {raʿah: grievous harm}, for the wrong of sending me away is greater than that which you have done to me.” But he refused {avah: stubborn refusal} to listen to her.
17 Then he called his young servant and said, “Please send {šilḥûnāʼ: polite imperative} this woman {zōt: demonstrative force} away from me outside and bolt the door after her.”
18 She wore a long, ornamented robe, for thus the virgin daughters of the king {hamelekh: royal authority} were accustomed to wear such robes. Then his servant {mesharto: personal attendant} brought her outside and bolted the door behind her.
19 Then Tamar took ashes {efer: ritual mourning} and placed them on her head, and she tore the tunic-of-stripes {ketonet happasim: garment of status} that was on her; then she put her hand on her head and went away, walking and crying out.
20 And Absalom, her brother, said to her, “Is it Amnon, your brother, who was with you? Now, my sister, be silent; he is your brother. Do not set your heart on this matter {davar: issue}.” So Tamar dwelled {yashav: remained} in the house of Absalom, her brother.
21 And King David {Dawid: anointed king} heard all these things, and he was very angry {meod: exceedingly}.
22 And Absalom did not speak with Amnon either for evil or for good, because Absalom hated Amnon on account of the matter {devar: particular incident} that he had afflicted {innah: violated or oppressed} Tamar his sister.
23 And it came to pass after two full years {yamim: period of time} that there were shearers for Absalom at Baal Hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons {benei: offspring}.
24 And Absalom {av-sha-LOM: David’s son} came to the king and said, “Behold now, the shearers {gozzim: sheep shearers} are with your servant; let the king and his servants go with your servant.”
25 And the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, please do not let us all go, lest we be a burden {nikhbad: weigh you down} to you.” Though Absalom urged him, he would not go, but blessed {yevarekhehu: bestowed favor} him.
26 And Absalom said, “If not, please let {yelekh-na: polite entreaty} Amnon my brother {achi: family bond} go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?”
27 But Absalom pressed him {yiphrats: insisted strongly}, so he sent with him Amnon and all the king’s sons {benei hamelech: royal offspring}.
28 And Absalom commanded his young men, saying, “Observe {re’u: pay attention} now when the heart of Amnon is glad with wine, and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon!’ then kill him. Do not be afraid; is it not I who have commanded you? Be strong and be valiant men {chayil: courageous, capable}.”
29 And the young men {na’arei: royal retinue} of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded, and all the king’s sons arose, and each mounted his mule, and they fled {vayanusu: swift departure}.
30 And it happened, as they were on the way, that the report{shmuah: news dispatch} came to David, saying, “Absalom{Avshalom: David’s son} has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them remains.”
31 Then the king stood up {wayyaqam: abrupt rising}, tore his garments {beged: outer robe}, and lay down on the ground; and all his servants were standing, their garments torn.
32 Then Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered and said, “Let not my lord {adoni: master} say that they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for only Amnon is dead. For by Absalom’s plan {sumah: deliberate arrangement} it was set from the day he afflicted Tamar his sister.”
33 And now, let not my lord the king {adoni hamelekh: sovereign monarch} take the matter to heart to say, “All the king’s sons have died,” for only Amnon is dead alone {levado: by himself}.
34 And Absalom fled. The young watchman {hatzofeh: sentinel lookout} lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, many people were coming by the road behind him, along the side of the hill {hahar: elevated ground}.
35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold {hinneh: drawing attention}, the king’s sons have come, according to the word of your servant {avdecha: personal attendant}, so it has happened.”
36 And it happened as he finished speaking, behold, the sons of the king came, and they lifted their voices and wept. The king {melekh: royal leader} and all his servants also wept with very great weeping {bekhi: outward lament}.
37 And Absalom fled {barach: desperate escape} and went to Talmai, the son of Amihud, king of Geshur; and David mourned {vayitabel: sustained lament} for his son all the days.
38 And Absalom fled and went to Geshur {Geshur: frontier territory} and he remained there for three years {shanim: measured durations}.
39 And King David longed {vatekhal: yearned} to go out to Absalom, for he was comforted {nikham: passive consolation} concerning Amnon because he was dead.