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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>2 Samuel 13 NLT</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/2_samuel/13.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/2_samuel/13-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NLT</a> > 2 Samuel 13</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../2_samuel/12.htm" title="2 Samuel 12">◄</a> 2 Samuel 13 <a href="../2_samuel/14.htm" title="2 Samuel 14">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New Living Translation</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/nlt/esv/2_samuel/13.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><p class="hdg">The Rape of Tamar</p><p class="reg"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon, her half brother, fell desperately in love with her. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span>Amnon became so obsessed with Tamar that he became ill. She was a virgin, and Amnon thought he could never have her.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span>But Amnon had a very crafty friend—his cousin Jonadab. He was the son of David’s brother Shimea.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">a</span></a> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span>One day Jonadab said to Amnon, “What’s the trouble? Why should the son of a king look so dejected morning after morning?”</p><p class="reg">So Amnon told him, “I am in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span>“Well,” Jonadab said, “I’ll tell you what to do. Go back to bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, ask him to let Tamar come and prepare some food for you. Tell him you’ll feel better if she prepares it as you watch and feeds you with her own hands.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span>So Amnon lay down and pretended to be sick. And when the king came to see him, Amnon asked him, “Please let my sister Tamar come and cook my favorite dish<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">b</span></a> as I watch. Then I can eat it from her own hands.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span>So David agreed and sent Tamar to Amnon’s house to prepare some food for him.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>When Tamar arrived at Amnon’s house, she went to the place where he was lying down so he could watch her mix some dough. Then she baked his favorite dish for him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>But when she set the serving tray before him, he refused to eat. “Everyone get out of here,” Amnon told his servants. So they all left.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>Then he said to Tamar, “Now bring the food into my bedroom and feed it to me here.” So Tamar took his favorite dish to him. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>But as she was feeding him, he grabbed her and demanded, “Come to bed with me, my darling sister.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>“No, my brother!” she cried. “Don’t be foolish! Don’t do this to me! Such wicked things aren’t done in Israel. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>Where could I go in my shame? And you would be called one of the greatest fools in Israel. Please, just speak to the king about it, and he will let you marry me.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her, and since he was stronger than she was, he raped her. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>Then suddenly Amnon’s love turned to hate, and he hated her even more than he had loved her. “Get out of here!” he snarled at her.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>“No, no!” Tamar cried. “Sending me away now is worse than what you’ve already done to me.”</p><p class="reg">But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>He shouted for his servant and demanded, “Throw this woman out, and lock the door behind her!”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>So the servant put her out and locked the door behind her. She was wearing a long, beautiful robe,<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">c</span></a> as was the custom in those days for the king’s virgin daughters. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>Her brother Absalom saw her and asked, “Is it true that Amnon has been with you? Well, my sister, keep quiet for now, since he’s your brother. Don’t you worry about it.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother Absalom’s house.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">d</span></a> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister.</p><p class="hdg">Absalom’s Revenge on Amnon</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>Two years later, when Absalom’s sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come to a feast. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>He went to the king and said, “My sheep-shearers are now at work. Would the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>The king replied, “No, my son. If we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you.” Absalom pressed him, but the king would not come, though he gave Absalom his blessing.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>“Well, then,” Absalom said, “if you can’t come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?”</p><p class="reg">“Why Amnon?” the king asked. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>But Absalom kept on pressing the king until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon. So Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">e</span></a></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Absalom told his men, “Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal, kill him! Don’t be afraid. I’m the one who has given the command. Take courage and do it!” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, this report reached David: “Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one is left alive!” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>The king got up, tore his robe, and threw himself on the ground. His advisers also tore their clothes in horror and sorrow.</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>But just then Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimea, arrived and said, “No, don’t believe that all the king’s sons have been killed! It was only Amnon! Absalom has been plotting this ever since Amnon raped his sister Tamar. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>No, my lord the king, your sons aren’t all dead! It was only Amnon.” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>Meanwhile Absalom escaped.</p><p class="reg">Then the watchman on the Jerusalem wall saw a great crowd coming down the hill on the road from the west. He ran to tell the king, “I see a crowd of people coming from the Horonaim road along the side of the hill.”<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">f</span></a></p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>“Look!” Jonadab told the king. “There they are now! The king’s sons are coming, just as I said.”</p><p class="reg"> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>They soon arrived, weeping and sobbing, and the king and all his servants wept bitterly with them. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>And David mourned many days for his son Amnon.</p><p class="reg">Absalom fled to his grandfather, Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>He stayed there in Geshur for three years. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/13-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>And King David,<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">g</span></a> now reconciled to Amnon’s death, longed to be reunited with his son Absalom.<a href="#footnotes"><span class="fn">h</span></a></p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="fn">a</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">13:3 </span><span class="ft">Hebrew </span><span class="it">Shimeah</span><span class="ft"> (also in 13:32), a variant spelling of Shimea; compare 1 Chr 2:13.</span><br><span class="fn">b</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">13:6 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="it">a couple of cakes;</span><span class="ft"> also in 13:8, 10.</span><br><span class="fn">c</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">13:18 </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="it">a robe with sleeves,</span><span class="ft"> or </span><span class="it">an ornamented robe.</span><span class="ft"> The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.</span><br><span class="fn">d</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">13:21 </span><span class="ft">Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version add </span><span class="it">But he did not punish his son Amnon, because he loved him, for he was his firstborn.</span><br><span class="fn">e</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">13:27 </span><span class="ft">As in Greek and Latin versions (compare also Dead Sea Scrolls); the Hebrew text lacks this sentence.</span><br><span class="fn">f</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">13:34 </span><span class="ft">As in Greek version; Hebrew lacks this sentence.</span><br><span class="fn">g</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">13:39a </span><span class="ft">Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version read </span><span class="it">And the spirit of the king.</span><br><span class="fn">h</span><note caller="+" style="f"><span class="fr">13:39b </span><span class="ft">Or </span><span class="it">no longer felt a need to go out after Absalom.</span><br></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center"><em>Holy Bible</em>, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. 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