¹And it came to pass after that, that Absalom, David's son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar, and Amnon, David's son, loved her. ²And Amnon was stressed to the point of making himself ill on account of Tamar his sister, for she was a virgin, but it seemed difficult in Amnon's sight to do anything with her. ³But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimah, David's brother, and Jonadab was a very clever man. ⁴And he said to him, “Why are you so dejected, O son of the king, every morning? Will you not tell me?” And Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.” ⁵Then Jehonadab said to him, “Lie on your bed and pretend to be ill, and when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Could Tamar my sister come and give me bread to eat and prepare the food in my sight, so that I may see it and eat from her hand.’ ” ⁶So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill, and the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, “Could Tamar my sister come in and make two pancakes before my eyes, and I will eat from her hand.” ⁷So David sent servants to Tamar's home who said, “Please go to the home of Amnon your brother and make him a meal.” ⁸So Tamar went to the home of Amnon her brother, and he was laid up, and she took the dough and kneaded it, and she made pancakes in his presence and cooked the pancakes. ⁹And she took the frying pan, and she poured them out in his presence, but he refused to eat, and Amnon said, “Send every man away from me.” So every man went out away from him. ¹⁰Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the room, and I will eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the pancakes which she had made and brought them to Amnon her brother in the room. ¹¹But when she served them for him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come and lie with me, my sister.” ¹²But she said to him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel. Do not do this dishonourable thing. ¹³For where would I rid myself of my shame? And you would be like one of the dishonoured in Israel. So now, please, speak to the king, for he will not hold me back from you.” ¹⁴But he would not heed her, and he was stronger than her, and he violated her and lay with her. ¹⁵Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred, for his hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her, and Amnon said to her, “Get up and go.” ¹⁶And she said to him, “There is no reason to do this wicked thing, in sending me away, which is greater than the other thing which you did to me.” But he would not listen to her. ¹⁷And he called for his servant-lad, who served him, and he said, “Send this woman away from me, outside, and bolt the door after her.” ¹⁸Now she was wearing a long striped tunic, for that was the kind of robe which the king's virgin daughters wore. And his servant took her outside and bolted the door after her. ¹⁹And Tamar took ash and put it on her head, and she tore the long striped tunic which she was wearing, and she put her hand on her head, and she went around wailing. ²⁰And Absalom her brother asked her, “Has Aminon your brother been with you? Well now, my sister, keep quiet about it; he is your brother. Do not take this matter to heart.” But Tamar remained devastated in the house of Absalom her brother. ²¹And King David heard all these things, and it greatly infuriated him. ²²And Absalom did not speak with Amnon on bad or good terms, because Absalom hated Amnon, because of the fact that he had violated Tamar his sister. ²³Then it came to pass after two full years, when they were shearing for Absalom in Baal-Hazor, which is Ephraim's, that Absalom invited all the king's sons round. ²⁴And Absalom went to the king and said, “Look now, they are shearing for your servant. Please let the king and his servants come along with your servant.” ²⁵But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let's not all go, so that we are not burdensome to you.” Then Absalom pressed him. However, the king was not willing to go, but he blessed him. ²⁶And Absalom said, “Not you then. But do let Amnon my brother go with us.” But the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” ²⁷But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon go with him, and all the king's sons. ²⁸And Absalom commanded his servant-lads and said, “Now watch for when Amnon is light-hearted with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon’, you will kill him. Do not be afraid; have I not commanded you? Be strong and be bold.” ²⁹And Absalom's servant-lads did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and each rode on his mule, and they fled. ³⁰And it came to pass, while they were on the road, that the rumour came to David as follows: “Absalom has struck down all the king's sons, and not one of them remains.” ³¹And the king arose and tore his clothes and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood with torn clothes. ³²But Jonadab, the son of Shimah David's brother, reacted and said, “Don't let my lord say that they have killed all the lads who are the king's sons, for only Amnon is dead, for this was plotted by Absalom from the day when Amnon violated Tamar his sister. ³³So now, don't let my lord the king take anything to heart, saying, ‘All the king's sons have died’, for only Amnon is dead.” ³⁴And Absalom fled, and the young lad who kept watch lifted up his eyes and saw that there was a large number of people following him on the road at the side of the mountain. ³⁵And Jonadab said to the king, “Look, the king's sons have come. It is according to your servant's word.” ³⁶And it came to pass, when he had finished speaking, that indeed the king's sons came, and they raised their voices and wept, and the king and all his servants also wept very profusely. ³⁷And Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day. ³⁸So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and he was there for three years. ³⁹And David the king's whole being resolved to go out to Absalom, because he had been consoled about Amnon, for he was dead.