Amnon

1Some time later, David's son Amnon fell in love with Tamar. Tamar was the beautiful sister of Absalom, another son of David.

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.

NoteKings back then often had more than one wife. So Amnon and Absalom had the same father but different mothers. Tamar was Absalom's full sister and Amnon's half sister.

2Amnon wanted Tamar so much that he made himself sick. She was not married. Amnon could see no way to get near her.

And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything to her.

NoteA king's daughters who were not married lived in their own part of the palace. Servants watched over them. A man could not just walk in and visit.

3Amnon had a friend named Jonadab. Jonadab was the son of Shimeah, who was David's brother. Jonadab was very clever at getting his way.

But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.

NoteShimeah was David's brother, so Jonadab was Amnon's cousin. The old word for him is "subtil." It means clever in a sneaky way, not kind.

4Jonadab asked him, "You are the king's son. Why do you look so worn out every day? Won't you tell me?" Amnon said, "I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister."

And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king’s son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.

5Jonadab said, "Lie down in bed and pretend you are sick. When your father comes to see you, ask him to send Tamar. Say she should fix food while you watch, and feed it to you."

And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.

NoteIn the old Bible the word "meat" meant any food at all. It did not only mean meat from an animal.

6So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. The king came to see him. Amnon said, "Please let my sister Tamar come. Let her make two cakes while I watch, and feed me."

So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand.

NoteThese cakes were small flat rounds of bread. They were not sweet like a birthday cake.

7So David sent word home to Tamar. He said, "Go to your brother Amnon's house. Make some food for him."

Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him meat.

8Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house. He was lying down. She took dough and mixed dough. She made the cakes while he watched, and baked them.

So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.

NoteKneading dough means pushing and folding it with your hands. That is how bread was made every day.

9She took the pan and poured them out in front of him. But he would not eat. Amnon said, "Send everyone out of here." So every man left the room.

And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him.

NoteA king's son always had servants nearby. Sending them out left Amnon alone with Tamar.

10Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into my bedroom, and feed me." Tamar took the cakes she had made. She carried them to her brother's bedroom.

And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

11She brought them to him to eat. He grabbed hold of her and said, "Come and lie with me, my sister."

And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.

Note"Lie with me" is an old way of saying he wanted her like a wife. She was his sister, and she said no.

12She answered, "No, my brother. Do not force me. Such a thing must never be done in Israel. Do not do this shameful thing."

And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.

NoteIsrael was the name of God's people and the land they lived in. God's law told them a brother and sister could never marry.

13"Where could I ever take my shame? And you would be called a fool in Israel. Please talk to the king. He will not keep me from you."

And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.

NoteTamar was trying anything she could to stop him. She said the king might let them marry instead. In those days, a woman hurt this way was often treated as if she could never marry at all.

14But Amnon would not listen to her. He was stronger than she was. He forced her and lay with her.

Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.

Note"Forced her" means he used his strength to hurt her. She told him no, and he would not listen. The Bible tells this plainly as a very wicked thing.

15Then Amnon hated Tamar. His hate for her was even stronger than his love had been. Amnon said to her, "Get up. Get out."

Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.

16She said, "No. Sending me away is even worse than what you have already done to me." But he would not listen to her.

And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her.

17He called the servant who waited on him. He said, "Put this woman out of here. Lock the door behind her."

Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.

NoteDoors then were locked with a heavy bar of wood or metal. It slid across the door on the inside.

18Tamar was wearing a long robe of many colors. The king's daughters who were not married wore robes like that. The servant put her out and locked the door.

And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king’s daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

NoteThis was a long robe with long sleeves, made in many colors. Only the king's unmarried daughters wore one. Anyone who saw it knew who she was.

19Tamar put ashes on her head. She tore the colored robe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and went away crying out loud.

And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying.

NotePutting ashes on your head and tearing your clothes showed deep sadness. People did this so everyone could see they were grieving. A hand on the head meant the same thing.

20Her brother Absalom asked, "Has your brother Amnon been with you? Stay quiet for now, my sister. He is your brother. Do not keep thinking about it." So Tamar lived alone and heartbroken in her brother Absalom's house.

And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.

Note"Stay quiet for now" means Absalom told her not to speak about it. The old word for how she lived is "desolate." It means she lived alone, with no husband and no children.

21King David heard about everything that had happened. He was very angry.

But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth.

22Absalom never said a word to Amnon, good or bad. He hated Amnon for forcing his sister Tamar.

And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

NoteSaying "neither good nor bad" means Absalom would not speak to Amnon at all. Not one word, for two whole years.

23Two whole years went by. Absalom had workers cutting the wool off his sheep at Baal-hazor, near Ephraim. He invited all the king's sons to come.

And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

NoteOnce a year the wool was cut off the sheep. It was hard work, and afterward there was a big feast with lots of food. Baal-hazor was a hill town far north of where David lived.

24Absalom came to the king and said, "Your servant has workers cutting wool. Please come with me, my king, and bring your servants."

And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant.

NoteAbsalom calls himself "your servant" when talking to his own father. That was the polite way to speak to a king.

25The king said, "No, my son. We should not all go. We would cost you too much." Absalom kept asking, but David would not go. He said a blessing over him instead.

And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him.

NoteA king never traveled alone. He brought many helpers and guards, and they all had to be fed. That is why David said it would cost too much. A blessing was kind words asking God to be good to someone.

26Then Absalom said, "If you will not come, please let my brother Amnon go with us." The king asked, "Why should he go with you?"

Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?

27But Absalom kept begging. So the king let Amnon and all his other sons go with him.

But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

28Absalom had already given his servants an order. He said, "Watch until the wine has made Amnon happy. When I say, 'Strike Amnon,' then kill him. Do not be afraid. I am the one giving the order. Be brave and strong."

Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.

NoteWine is a drink made from grapes. Too much of it made Amnon relaxed and slow. He would not see the danger coming.

29Absalom's servants did to Amnon just what Absalom had told them. Then all the king's other sons jumped up. Each one got on his mule and ran away.

And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.

NoteA mule looks like a small horse with long ears. The king's sons rode mules the way important people ride fine horses.

30While they were still on the road, news came to David. Someone said, "Absalom has killed all the king's sons. Not one of them is left."

And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left.

31The king stood up and tore his clothes. He lay down on the ground. All his servants stood near him with their clothes torn too.

Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

NoteTearing your clothes and lying on the ground showed the worst kind of sadness. David thought all his sons had been killed.

32Then Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah, spoke up. He said, "My lord, do not think all your sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead. Absalom planned this from the day Amnon forced his sister Tamar."

And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

33"So do not believe the news that all your sons are dead, my king. Only Amnon is dead."

Now therefore let not 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.

37Absalom ran away to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. David grieved for his son every day.

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

NoteGeshur was a small kingdom outside Israel. King Talmai there was Absalom's grandfather, the father of his mother. So Absalom ran to family David could not easily reach.

38So Absalom ran away and went to Geshur. He stayed there for three years.

So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

39King David wanted very much to go to Absalom. He had stopped grieving over Amnon, since Amnon was dead.

And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.