Amnon and Tamar 1 Brenton And it happened after this that Abessalom the son of David had a very beautiful sister, and her name was Themar; and Amnon the son of David loved her. BSB BSB: After some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom.
2 Brenton And Amnon was distressed even to sickness, because of Themar his sister; for she was a virgin, and it seemed very difficult for Amnon to do anything to her. BSB BSB: Amnon was sick with frustration over his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed implausible for him to do anything to her.
3 Brenton And Amnon had a friend, and his name was Jonadab, the son of Samaa the brother of David: and Jonadab was a very cunning man. BSB BSB: Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd man,
4 Brenton And he said to him, What ails thee that thou art thus weak, O son of the king, morning by morning? wilt thou not tell me? and Amnon said, I love Themar the sister of my brother Abessalom. BSB BSB: and he asked Amnon, “Why are you, the son of the king, so depressed morning after morning? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon replied, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”
5 Brenton And Jonadab said to him, Lie upon thy bed, and make thyself sick, and thy father shall come in to see thee; and thou shalt say to him, Let, I pray thee, Themar my sister come, and feed me with morsels, and let her prepare food before my eyes, that I may see and eat at her hands. BSB BSB: Jonadab told him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend you are ill. 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 it in my sight so I may watch her and eat it from her hand.’”
6 Brenton So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick; and the king came in to see him: and Amnon said to the king, Let, I pray thee, my sister Themar come to me, and make a couple of cakes in my sight, and I will eat them at her hand. BSB BSB: So Amnon lay down and feigned illness. When the king came to see him, Amnon said, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.”
7 Brenton And David sent to Themar to the house, saying, Go now to thy brother's house, and dress him food. BSB BSB: Then David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Please go to the house of Amnon your brother and prepare a meal for him.”
8 Brenton And Themar went to the house of her brother Amnon, and he was lying down: and she took the dough and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. BSB BSB: So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked them.
9 Brenton And she took the frying-pan and poured them out before him, but he would not eat. And Amnon said, Send out every man from about me. And they removed every man from about him. BSB BSB: Then she brought the pan and set it down before him, but he refused to eat. “Send everyone away!” said Amnon. And everyone went out.
10 Brenton And Amnon said to Themar, Bring in the food into the closet, and I will eat of thy hand. And Themar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to her brother Amnon into the chamber. BSB BSB: Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, so that I may eat it from your hand.” Tamar took the cakes she had made and went to her brother Amnon’s bedroom.
11 Brenton And she brought them to him to eat, and he caught hold of her, and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister. BSB BSB: And when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said, “Come lie with me, my sister!”
12 Brenton And she said to him, Nay, my brother, do not humble me, for it ought not to be so done in Israel; do not this folly. BSB BSB: “No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not violate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!
13 Brenton And I, whither shall I remove my reproach? and thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. And now, speak, I pray thee, to the king, for surely he will not keep me from thee. BSB BSB: Where could I ever take my shame? And you would be like one of the fools in Israel! Please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”
14 Brenton But Amnon would not hearken to her voice; and he prevailed against her, and humbled her, and lay with her. BSB BSB: But Amnon refused to listen to her, and being stronger, he violated her and lay with her.
15 Brenton Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her, for the last wickedness was greater than the first: and Amnon said to her, Rise, and begone. BSB BSB: Then Amnon hated Tamar with such intensity that his hatred was greater than the love he previously had. “Get up!” he said to her. “Be gone!”
16 Brenton And Themar spoke to him concerning this great mischief, greater, said she , than the other that thou didst me, to send me away: but Amnon would not hearken to her voice. BSB BSB: “No,” she replied, “sending me away is worse than this great wrong you have already done to me!” But he refused to listen to her.
17 Brenton And he called his servant who had charge of the house, and said to him, Put now this woman out from me, and shut the door after her. BSB BSB: Instead, he called to his attendant and said, “Throw this woman out and bolt the door behind her!”
18 Brenton And she had on her a variegated robe, for so were the king's daughters that were virgins attired in their apparel: and his servant led her forth, and shut the door after her. BSB BSB: So Amnon’s attendant threw her out and bolted the door behind her. Now Tamar was wearing a robe of many colors, because this is what the king’s virgin daughters wore.
19 Brenton And Themar took ashes, and put them on her head; and she rent the variegated garment that was upon her: and she laid her hands on her head, and went crying continually. BSB BSB: And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying aloud.
20 Brenton And Abessalom her brother said to her, Has thy brother Amnon been with thee? now then, my sister, be silent, for he is thy brother: be not careful to mention this matter. So Themar dwelt as a widow in the house of her brother Abessalom. BSB BSB: Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has your brother Amnon been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Do not take this thing to heart.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in the house of her brother Absalom.
21 Brenton And king David heard of all these things, and was very angry; but he did not grieve the spirit of his son Amnon, because he loved him, for he was his first-born. BSB BSB: When King David heard all this, he was furious.
22 Brenton And Abessalom spoke not to Amnon, good or bad, because Abessalom hated Amnon, on account of his humbling his sister Themar. BSB BSB: And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon for violating his sister Tamar.
Absalom’s Revenge on Amnon 23 Brenton And it came to pass at the end of two whole years, that they were shearing sheep for Abessalom in Belasor near Ephraim: and Abessalom invited all the king's sons. BSB BSB: Two years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, he invited all the sons of the king.
24 Brenton And Abessalom came to the king, and said, Behold, thy servant has a sheep-shearing; let now the king and his servants go with thy servant. BSB BSB: And he went to the king and said, “Your servant has just hired shearers. Will the king and his servants please come with me?”
25 Brenton And the king said to Abessalom, Nay, my son, let us not all go, and let us not be burdensome to thee. And he pressed him; but he would not go, but blessed him. BSB BSB: “No, my son,” the king replied, “we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you.” Although Absalom urged him, he was not willing to go, but gave him his blessing.
26 Brenton And Abessalom said to him, And if not, let, I pray thee, my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee? BSB BSB: “If not,” said Absalom, “please let my brother Amnon go with us.” “Why should he go with you?” the king asked.
27 Brenton And Abessalom pressed him, and he sent with him Amnon and all the king's sons; and Abessalom made a banquet like the banquet of the king. BSB BSB: But Absalom urged him, so the king sent Amnon and the rest of his sons.
28 Brenton And Abessalom charged his servants, saying, Mark when the heart of Amnon shall be merry with wine, and I shall say to you, Smite Amnon, and slay him: fear not; for is it not I that command you? Be courageous, and be valiant. BSB BSB: Now Absalom had ordered his young men, “Watch Amnon until his heart is merry with wine, and when I order you to strike Amnon down, you are to kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant!”
29 Brenton And the servants of Abessalom did to Amnon as Abessalom commanded them: and all the sons of the king rose up, and they mounted every man his mule, and fled. BSB BSB: So Absalom’s young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had ordered. Then all the other sons of the king got up, and each one fled on his mule.
30 Brenton And it came to pass, when they were in the way, that a report came to David, saying, Abessalom has slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left. BSB BSB: While they were on the way, a report reached David: “Absalom has struck down all the sons of the king; not one of them is left!”
31 Brenton Then the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay upon the ground: and all his servants that were standing round him rent their garments. BSB BSB: Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground. And all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.
32 Brenton And Jonadab the son of Samaa brother of David, answered and said, Let not my lord the king say that he has slain all the young men the sons of the king, for Amnon only of them all is dead; for he was appointed to death by the mouth of Abessalom from the day that he humbled his sister Themar. BSB BSB: But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, spoke up: “My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.
33 Brenton And now let not my lord the king take the matter to heart, saying, All the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only of them all is dead. BSB BSB: So now, my lord the king, do not take to heart the report that all the sons of the king are dead. Only Amnon is dead.”
Absalom Flees to Geshur 34 Brenton And Abessalom escaped: and the young man the watchman lifted up his eyes, and looked; and, behold, much people went in the way behind him from the side of the mountain in the descent: and the watchman came and told the king, and said, I have seen men by the way of Oronen, by the side of the mountain. BSB BSB: Meanwhile, Absalom had fled. When the young man standing watch looked up, he saw many people coming down the road west of him, along the side of the hill. And the watchman went and reported to the king, “I see men coming from the direction of Horonaim, along the side of the hill.”
35 Brenton And Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king's sons are present: according to the word of thy servant, so has it happened. BSB BSB: So Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the sons of the king have arrived! It is just as your servant said.”
36 Brenton And it came to pass when he had finished speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voices and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept with a very great weeping. BSB BSB: And as he finished speaking, the sons of the king came in, wailing loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.
37 Brenton But Abessalom fled, and went to Tholmi son of Emiud king of Gedsur to the land of Chamaachad: and king David mourned for his son continually. BSB BSB: Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But David mourned for his son every day.
38 Brenton So Abessalom fled, and departed to Gedsur, and was there three years. BSB BSB: After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years.
39 Brenton And king David ceased to go out after Abessalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, touching his death. BSB BSB: And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnon’s death.
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