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          DASV: 2 Samuel 13    

1 Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, named Tamar,
and Amnon the son of David loved her.
2 Amnon was so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he became
sick, because she was a virgin and it seemed impossible
for Amnon to do anything to her.
3 But Amnon had a friend, named Jonadab, the son of David's
brother Shimeah. Jonadab was a very shrewd person.
4 He asked Amnon, "Why, O son of the king, are you so
depressed morning after morning? Won't you tell me?"
Then Amnon said to him, "I'm in love with Tamar,
my brother Absalom's sister."
5 Jonadab told him, "Lay down on your bed, and pretend to
be sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him,
'Please let my sister Tamar come, and give me some food
to eat, and prepare food in my sight, that I may see it
and eat it from her hand.'"

6 So Amnon lay down and pretended he was sick and when the
king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, "Please let
my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight,
that I may eat from her hand."
7 Then David sent word to Tamar at the palace, "Go to your
brother Amnon's house, and prepare some food for him."
8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house where he was
lying down. She took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes
in his sight, and baked the cakes.
9 Then she took the pan and set it before him, but he
refused to eat. Then Amnon said, "Send everyone out of
here." So everyone left.

10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the bedroom
so that I may eat from your hand." So Tamar took the cakes
she had made, and brought them into the bedroom to Amnon
her brother.
11 Now when she brought them near for him to eat, he grabbed
hold of her, and said to her, "Come to bed with me, my sister."
12 But she refused, "No, my brother, don't force me. Such
a thing should never be done in Israel. Don't be so stupid.
13 Where could I ever get rid of my disgrace? And you will
have a reputation like one of the fools in Israel.
Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will
not withhold me from you."
14 But he refused to listen to her, but being stronger
than she was, he used force and raped her.

15 Then Amnon hated her with an intense hatred. His hatred
for her was greater than the love with which he had previously
loved her. Then Amnon sneered at her, "Get out of here."
16 But she objected, "No, for throwing me out is worse than
what you just did to me." But he refused to listen to her.
17 Then he called his personal attendant and demanded,
"Throw this woman out of here, and lock the door behind
her."

18 She was wearing a long robe with sleeves for these were
the robes the king's daughters who were virgins normally wore.
Then his attendant forced her out and locked the door
behind her.
19 Then Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore the long robe
she was wearing. She put her hand on her head, and went
away, crying aloud as she went.
20 Then Absalom her brother asked her, "Has Amnon your
brother been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister.
He is your brother. Don't let this thing get to you."
So Tamar remained a desolate woman in her brother
Absalom's house.

21 But when king David heard about all these things,
he was furious.
22 Absalom did not speak a word to Amnon either good nor bad.
Absalom hated Amnon, because he had raped his sister Tamar.
23 After two full years, Absalom had sheepshearers in
Baal-hazor, near Ephraim and Absalom invited all the king's
sons.
24 Absalom came to the king, and said, "Your servant's
sheepshearers have begun their work; will the king and
his servants please join your servant?"
25 Then the king said to Absalom, "No, my son, we all
shouldn't go or it would be too much of a burden for you."
He continued to press him but the king would not go,
but did give him his blessing.

26 Then Absalom said, "If you won't go, then please let my
brother Amnon go with us." The king said to him,
"Why should he go with you?"
27 But Absalom continued pressing him until he let Amnon
and all the king's sons go with him.
28 Then Absalom commanded his servants, "Watch now, when
Amnon is happily drunk then I will tell you, 'Strike Amnon,'
then kill him. Do not be afraid because I am the one who
has commanded you to do it. Be courageous and valiant."

29 The servants of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom
had commanded. Then all the king's sons got up, mounted
their mules and fled.
30 While they were on their way, news reached David,
saying, "Absalom has slain all the king's sons, not
one of them has been left alive."
31 Then the king got up, tore his clothes, and lay on
the ground. All his servants stood by with their clothes
torn.
32 Then Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, said,
"My lord should not assume that they have killed all the
young men who are the king's sons, for only Amnon is dead.
Absalom has been planning this ever since the day that
Amnon raped his sister Tamar.
33 Now don’t let my lord the king become overly concerned
about the report that all the king's sons are dead.
Amnon is the only one dead."

34 Meanwhile Absalom fled. Now the young watchman looked
up and saw many people coming from the west from the
road along the side of the hill.
35 Then Jonadab said to the king, "Look, the king's
sons are coming. It has happened just like your
servant said it would."
36 As soon as he finished speaking, the king's sons
arrived. They were weeping and wailing aloud,
with the king and all his servants weeping bitterly
with them.

37 Absalom fled, and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur,
king of Geshur. But David grieved over his son day
after day.
38 After Absalom fled to Geshur, he remained there
three years.
39 The heart of king David longed to go to Absalom,
for he was consoled over the death of Amnon.

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