2 Samuel 13:1

The Rape of Tamar

13:1 Now David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David’s son Amnon fell madly in love with her. ¹ 

2 Samuel 13:20-28

13:20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Was Amnon your brother with you? Now be quiet, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take it so seriously!” ²  Tamar, devastated, lived in the house of her brother Absalom.

13:21 Now King David heard about all these things and was very angry. ³  13:22 But Absalom said nothing to Amnon, either bad or good, yet Absalom hated Amnon because he had humiliated his sister Tamar.

Absalom Has Amnon Put to Death

13:23 Two years later Absalom’s sheepshearers were in Baal Hazor, ⁴  near Ephraim. Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 13:24 Then Absalom went to the king and said, “My shearers have begun their work. ⁵  Let the king and his servants go with me.”

13:25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son. We shouldn’t all go. We shouldn’t burden you in that way.” Though Absalom ⁶  pressed ⁷  him, the king ⁸  was not willing to go. Instead, David ⁹  blessed him.

13:26 Then Absalom said, “If you will not go, ¹⁰  then let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king replied to him, “Why should he go with you?” 13:27 But when Absalom pressed him, he sent Amnon and all the king’s sons along with him.

13:28 Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunk ¹¹  and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!” ¹² 

2 Samuel 13:38

13:38 After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years.

[13:1]  ¹ tn Heb “Amnon the son of David loved her.” The following verse indicates the extreme nature of his infatuation, so the translation uses “madly in love” here.

[13:20]  ² tn Heb “Don’t set your heart to this thing!”

[13:21]  ³ tc The LXX and part of the Old Latin tradition include the following addition to v. 21, also included in some English versions (e.g., NAB, NRSV, CEV): “But he did not grieve the spirit of Amnon his son, because he loved him, since he was his firstborn.” Note David’s attitude toward his son Adonijah in 1 Kgs 1:6.

[13:23]  ⁴ map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 D3; Map3 A2; Map4 C1.

[13:24]  ⁵ tn Heb “your servant has sheepshearers.” The phrase “your servant” also occurs at the end of the verse.

[13:25]  ⁶ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Absalom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:25]  ⁷ tc Here and in v. 27 the translation follows 4QSam^a ויצפר (vayyitspar, “and he pressed”) rather than the MT וַיִּפְרָץ (vayyiprats, “and he broke through”). This emended reading seems also to underlie the translations of the LXX (καὶ ἐβιάσατο, kai ebiasato), the Syriac Peshitta (we’alseh), and Vulgate (cogeret eum).

[13:25]  ⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:25]  ⁹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:26]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and not.”

[13:28]  ¹¹ tn Heb “when good is the heart of Amnon with wine.”

[13:28]  ¹² tn Heb “and become sons of valor.”