2 Samuel 13:1-20

1David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister. Her name was Tamar. After some time, David's son Amnon began to love Tamar very much.

2Amnon was very upset because he loved his sister Tamar so much. He became ill because of this. Tamar had never had sex with any man, so Amnon knew that it would be difficult to get near her.

3Amnon had a friend called Jonadab. He was the son of David's brother, Shimeah. Jonadab was a clever man.

4He said to Amnon, ‘You are the king's son! So why do you seem so sad every morning? Tell me about your trouble.’ Amnon said to him, ‘I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.’

5Jonadab told him, ‘Go and lie down on your bed. Pretend that you are ill. Your father will come to see you. Then you can say to him, “Please send my sister Tamar in here to give me something to eat. I will watch her as she prepares the food. Then she can use her own hand to feed me.” ’

6So Amnon lay down on his bed. He pretended that he was ill. When the king came in to see him, Amnon said to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in here. I want her to cook some little cakes while I watch her. Then she can feed me herself.’

7David sent a message to Tamar in the palace. He told her, ‘Go to your brother Amnon's house. Prepare some food for him to eat there.’

8So Tamar went to Amnon's house. He was lying down on his bed. She took some flour and water and she mixed them together. She made the cakes while he watched her. Then she baked them.

9Then she put the cakes on a plate and she put them in front of him. But he refused to eat them. Instead, Amnon said, ‘Everyone must go out and leave me alone here.’ So everyone left him alone with Tamar.

10Then Amnon said to Tamar, ‘Bring the food here into my bedroom. Then you can use your own hand to feed me.’ So Tamar took the cakes that she had made. She brought them to Amnon in his bedroom.

11But when she offered the cakes to him, he took hold of her. He said to her, ‘Come here, my sister! Come into bed with me.’

12Tamar answered him, ‘Do not do this, my brother! Do not make me ashamed. Nobody in Israel would do such a wicked thing. Do not be so foolish!

13Think about me. I would have to hide because of my shame. And people would say that you are the worst fool in Israel. No, you should speak to the king. I am sure that he will let you marry me.’

14But Amnon refused to listen to her. He was stronger than she was. So he took hold of her and he had sex with her.

15After that, Amnon hated Tamar very much. He now hated her more strongly than he had loved her. He said to her, ‘Go away from here!’

16But Tamar replied, ‘No, I will not go! If you send me away, that would be even worse. It would be more evil that what you have already done to me.’ But Amnon refused to listen to her.

17He called out to his own special servant. He told him, ‘Throw this woman out of my house! Then lock the door after she has gone.’

18So the servant took her out and then he locked the door. Tamar was wearing a beautiful long dress. All the king's daughters who were not yet married wore beautiful dresses like that.

19Now Tamar put ashes on her head. She tore the beautiful dress that she was wearing. She covered her head with her hands. She wept loudly as she went home.

20When her brother Absalom saw her, he said, ‘Has your brother Amnon done this to you? Now be quiet. Remember that he is your brother. So do not be too upset.’ After that, Tamar lived in her brother Absalom's house. She was sad and lonely.