Chapter 13

Amnon ravisheth Thamar. 20. For which Absalom killeth him, 37. and flyeth into Gessur.

1. 1

   And it came to pass after these things, that Amnon the son of David loved the sister of Absalom the son of David, being very beautiful, called Thamar,

2. 2

   & was fond on her exceedingly, so that for the love of her he was sick: because whereas she was a virgin, it seemed unto him hard to do any thing unhonestly with her.

3. 3

   But Amnon had a friend, named Jonadab, the son of Semmaa David's brother, a very wise man:

4. 4

   Who said to him: Why art thou so worn away with leanness the king's son, day by day? Why dost thou not tell me? And Amnon said to him: I love Thamar the sister of my brother Absalom.

5. 5

   To whom Jonadab answered: Lie upon thy bed, and feign sickness: and when thy father shall come to visit thee, say to him: Let my sister Thamar, I pray, come to me, to give me meat, and to make me broth, that I may eat of her hand.

6. 6

   Amnon therefore lay down & began as it were to be sick: & when the king came to visit him, Amnon said to the king: Let Thamar my sister come, I beseech you, that she may make in my sight two little suppings, & I may take meat of her hand.

7. 7

   David therefore sent home to Thamar, saying: Come into the house of Amnon thy brother, & make him broth.

8. 8

   And Thamar came into the house of Amnon her brother, & he lay: who taking meal tempered it, & resolving it in his sight she made suppings.

9. 9

   And taking that which she had boiled, she poured it out, and set it before him, & he would not eat: and Amnon said: Put forth all from me. And when they had put forth all.

10. 10

    Amnon said to Thamar: Bring in the meat into the parlor, that I may eat of thy hand. Thamar therefore took the suppings, which she had made, and carried it in to Amnon her brother in the parlor.

11. 11

    And when she had offered him the meat, he caught her, and said: Come, lie with me my sister.

12. 12

    Who answered him: Do not so my brother, do not ravish me: for this is not lawful in Israel. Do not this folly.

13. 13

    For I shall not be able to bear my reproach, and thou shalt be as one of the foolish in Israel: but rather speak to the king, & he will not deny me to thee.

14. 14

    But he would not rest at her petitions, but prevailing by force ravished her, & lay with her.

15. 15

    And Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred: so that the hatred was greater wherewith he hated her, than the love with the which before he loved her. And Amnon said to her: Arise, & go.

16. 16

    Who answered him: This evil, which now thou doest against me expelling me, is greater than that which thou didst before. And he would not hear her:

17. 17

    but calling the servant, that ministered to him, he said: Thrust this woman out from me, and shut the door after her.

18. 18

    Who was clothed with a garment down to the foot; for the king's daughters that were virgins, used such kind of garments. His servant therefore thrust her out, and shut the door after her.

19. 19

    Who sprinkling ashes on her head, renting her long garment, and her hands upon her head, went going on, and crying.

20. 20

    And Absalom her brother said to her: hath Amnon thy brother lien with thee? But now sister hold thy peace, he is thy brother: neither afflict thou thy heart for this thing. Thamar therefore tarried pining in the house of Absalom her brother.

21. 21

    And when David the king had heard these words, he was grieved exceedingly. et noluit contristare spiritum Amnon filii sui, quoniam diligebat eum, quia primogenitus erat ei.

22. 22

    Moreover Absalom spake not to Amnon neither good nor evil: for Absalom hated Amnon because he had ravished Thamar his sister.

23. 23

    And it came to pass after the space of two years, that the sheep of Absalom were shorn in Baalhasor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom called all the king's sons,

24. 24

    and he came to the king, & said to him: Behold thy servant's sheep are to be shorn: Let the king, I pray, with his servants come to his servant.

25. 25

    And the king said to Absalom: Do not so my son, request not that we come all, & charge thee. And when he was earnest with him, and he would not go, he blessed him.

26. 26

    And Absalom said: If thou wilt not come, at the least let Amnon my brother, I beseech thee, come with us. And the king said to him: It is not necessary that he go with thee.

27. 27

    Absalom therefore was earnest with him, and he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him. And Absalom made a feast as it were the feast of a king.

28. 28

    And Absalom had commanded his servants, saying: Mark when Amnon shall be drunk with wine, and I shall say to you: Strike him, and kill him, fear not: for it is I that command you: take courage, and play the valiant man.

29. 29

    Therefore the servants of Absalom did against Amnon, as Absalom had commanded them. And all the king's sons rising gat up every one upon their mules, and fled.

30. 30

    And when they yet went on in their way, a rumour came to David, saying: Absalom hath strucken all the king's sons, and there is not left of them so much as one.

31. 31

    The king therefore rose up, and rent his garments: and fell upon the ground, and all his servants, that stood about him, rent their garments.

32. 32

    But Jonadab the son of Semmaa David's brother answering, said: Let not my lord the king think, that all the king's sons be slain: Amnon only is dead, because he was put in the mouth of Absalom since the day that he ravished Thamar his sister.

33. 33

    Now therefore let not my lord the king put this word upon his heart, saying: All the king's sons are slain: because Amnon only is dead.

34. 34

    And Absalom fled: and the servant that was the scout-watch, lifted up his eyes, and looked: and behold much people came by a by-way on the side of the mountain.

35. 35

    And Jonadab said to the king: Lo the king's sons be come: according to the words of thy servant so is it done.

36. 36

    And when he had ceased to speak, the king's sons also appeared: and entering in they lifted up their voice, and wept: yea the king also and all his servants bewailed with an exceeding great weeping.

37. 37

    Moreover Absalom flying, went to Tholomai the son of Ammiud the king of Gessur, David therefore mourned for his son all days.

38. 38

    And Absalom when he was fled, and come into Gessur, was there three years.

39. 39

    And king David ceased to pursue Absalom, because he was comforted upon the death of Amnon.