2 Samuel 13:1-20 - Amnon Assaults His Sister Tamar

¹ And it happened after this Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar. And Amnon the son of David loved her. ² And Amnon was so troubled 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. ³ And Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah. And Jonadab was a very crafty man. ⁴ And he said to him, Why are you, the king's son, lean from day to day? Will you not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.

⁵ And Jonadab said to him, Lay down on your bed and make yourself sick. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight so that I may see and eat it at her hand.

⁶ And Amnon lay down and made himself sick. And when the king had come to see him, Amnon said to the king, Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat at her hand.

⁷ And David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare food for him.

⁸ And Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house. And he had lain down. And she took flour and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. ⁹ And she took a pan and poured them out before him. But he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Make every man go out from me. And every man went out from him. ¹⁰ And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the food into the room so that I may eat out of your hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother. ¹¹ And when she had brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, Come lie with me, my sister.

¹² And she answered him, No, my brother, do not humble me. For no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Do not do this folly. ¹³ And I, where shall I cause my shame to go? And as for you, you shall be as one of the fools in Israel. But now please speak to the king. For he will not withhold me from you. ¹⁴ But he would not listen to her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.

¹⁵ Then Amnon hated her with a great hatred. And the 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.

¹⁶ And she said to him, There is no cause. This evil in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me. But he would not listen to her. ¹⁷ And he called his servant who waited on him and said, And put this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her. ¹⁸ And she had a robe of many colors upon her, for the king's virgin daughters were clothed with such robes. And his servant brought her out and bolted the door after her. ¹⁹ And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the robe of many colors that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on, crying.

²⁰ And Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother. Do not set your heart on this thing. And Tamar remained desolate in the house of her brother Absalom.