1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David having a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar, Amnon the son of David loved her.2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed difficult for Amnon to do the least thing to her.3 And Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd man.4 And he said to him, Why dost thou, the king's son, get thinner from morning to morning? Wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.5 And Jonadab said to him, Lay thee down on thy bed and feign thyself sick; and when thy father comes to see thee, say to him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me food, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.6 So Amnon lay down and feigned himself sick; and the king came to see him, and Amnon said to the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.7 And David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go, I pray thee, to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him food.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 the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Put every man out from me. And they went out every man from him.10 And Amnon said to Tamar, Bring the dish into the chamber, that I may eat of thy hand. And Tamar took the cakes that she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.11 And she presented them to him to eat; and he took hold of her, and said to her, Come, lie with me, my sister.12 And she said to him, No, my brother, do not humble me; for no such thing is done in Israel: do not this infamy.13 And I, whither shall I carry my reproach? and thou wouldest be as one of the infamous in Israel. And now, I pray thee, speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.14 But he would not hearken to her voice, and was stronger than she, and humbled her and lay with her.15 And Amnon hated her with an exceeding great hatred, for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, Arise, be gone.16 And she said to him, There is no cause for this evil in sending me away, {which} is greater than the other that thou didst to me. But he would not hearken to her.17 Then he called his young man that attended upon him, and said, Put now this {woman} out from me, and bolt the door after her.18 Now she had a vest of many colours upon her; for so were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. And his attendant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her vest of many colours which was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went away, crying out as she went.20 And Absalom her brother said to her, Has Amnon thy brother been with thee? and now, my sister, be still: he is thy brother; take not this thing to heart. And Tamar remained, and {that} desolate, in her brother Absalom's house.21 And king David heard of all these things, and he was very angry.22 And Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had humbled his sister Tamar.23 And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-Hazor, which is beside Ephraim; and Absalom invited all the king's sons.24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold, now, thy servant has sheepshearers; let the king, I pray thee, and his servants go with thy servant.25 And the king said to Absalom, No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to thee. And he urged him, but he would not go; and he blessed him.26 And Absalom said, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee?27 But Absalom pressed him; and he let Amnon and all the king's sons go with him.28 And Absalom commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, Smite Amnon; then slay him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be courageous, and be valiant.29 And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and they rode each upon his mule and fled.30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom has smitten all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.31 Then the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their garments rent.32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he humbled his sister Tamar.33 And now let not my lord the king take the thing to heart, to say, All the king's sons are dead; for Amnon only is dead.34 And Absalom fled. And the young man that watched lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, there came much people from the way behind him, from the hill-side.35 And Jonadab said to the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as thy servant said, so it is.36 And as soon as he had ended speaking, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and wept; and the king also and all his servants wept very bitterly.37 And Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And {David} mourned for his son every day.38 Now Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.39 And king David longed to go forth to Absalom; for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

1 En daarna het dit gebeur. Absalom, die seun van Dawid, het naamlik 'n mooi suster gehad met die naam van Tamar, en Amnon, die seun van Dawid, was verlief op haar.2 En Amnon het dit hom so aangetrek, dat hy siek was oor sy suster Tamar; want sy was 'n jongmeisie, en dit was in Amnon se oë onmoontlik om haar iets aan te doen.3 Maar Amnon het 'n vriend gehad, met die naam van Jonadab, 'n seun van Dawid se broer S¡mea; en Jonadab was 'n baie skrander man.4 En die vra hom: Waarom lyk jy môre vir môre so bedruk, seun van die koning? Sal jy my dit nie te kenne gee nie? Toe sê Amnon vir hom: Ek is verlief op Tamar, die suster van my broer Absalom.5 Toe sê Jonadab vir hom: Gaan lê op jou bed en hou jou siek. As jou vader dan kom om jou te sien, moet jy vir hom sê: Laat my suster Tamar tog kom en my iets gee om te eet en die ete voor my oë klaarmaak, dat ek dit kan sien en uit haar hand eet.6 En Amnon het gaan lê en hom siek gehou. Toe die koning kom om hom te sien, sê Amnon aan die koning: Laat my suster Tamar tog kom en voor my oë twee koekies maak, dat ek uit haar hand kan eet.7 Daarop het Dawid na Tamar in die huis gestuur en gesê: Gaan tog in die huis van jou broer Amnon en maak vir hom ete klaar.8 Toe gaan Tamar in die huis van haar broer Amnon terwyl hy daar lê, en sy het deeg geneem en geknie en koekies voor sy oë gemaak en die koekies gebak.9 En sy het die pan geneem en dit voor hom omgekeer, maar hy het geweier om te eet. En Amnon het gesê: Laat almal van my weggaan! En almal het van hom weggegaan.10 Toe sê Amnon aan Tamar: Bring die ete in die slaapkamer, dat ek uit jou hand kan eet. En Tamar het die koekies wat sy gemaak het, geneem en vir haar broer Amnon in die slaapkamer gebring.11 Terwyl sy dit nader bring na hom om te eet, het hy haar gegryp en vir haar gesê: Kom lê by my, my suster!12 Maar sy sê vir hom: Asseblief nie, my broer, onteer my nie, want so iets mag in Israel nie gedoen word nie; moenie so 'n skande begaan nie.13 Waar sou ,k tog met my skande heen, en jy sou soos een van die dwase in Israel wees; spreek dan tog nou met die koning, want hy sal my nie van jou terughou nie.14 Maar hy wou nie na haar luister nie en het haar oorweldig en haar onteer en met haar gemeenskap gehad.15 Toe het Amnon 'n baie groot afkeer van haar gekry, ja, die afkeer wat hy van haar gekry het, was groter as die liefde waarmee hy haar liefgehad het; en Amnon sê vir haar: Staan op, gaan weg!16 Maar sy sê vir hom: Aangaande die kwaad om my weg te stuur, dit is groter as die ander wat jy my aangedoen het. Maar hy wou nie na haar luister nie.17 Daarop roep hy sy kneg wat hom bedien, en sê: Stuur hierdie vrou tog van my af weg buitentoe, en sluit die deur agter haar toe.18 En sy het 'n lang rok met moue aangehad, want sulke mantels het die koninklike dogters wat maagde was, gedra. Toe sy bediende haar buitentoe uitgebring en die deur agter haar toegesluit het,19 het Tamar as op haar hoof gestrooi en daardie lang rok met moue geskeur; daarby het sy haar hand op haar hoof gelê en aldeur geloop en weeklaag.20 En haar broer Absalom sê vir haar: Was jou broer Amnon by jou? Swyg dan nou, my suster! Hy is jou broer, sit jou hart nie op hierdie saak nie. So het Tamar dan as 'n verlatene in die huis van haar broer Absalom gebly.21 Toe koning Dawid al hierdie dinge hoor, het hy baie kwaad geword.22 Maar Absalom het met Amnon geen kwaad of goed gepraat nie, maar Absalom het Amnon gehaat, omdat hy sy suster Tamar onteer het.23 En n twee volle jare het Absalom skeerders gehad in Ba„l-Hasor wat by Efraim is, en Absalom het al die seuns van die koning genooi.24 Daarop kom Absalom by die koning en sê: Kyk tog, u dienaar het skeerders. Laat die koning en sy dienaars tog met u dienaar saamgaan.25 Maar die koning sê vir Absalom: Ag nee, my seun, laat ons tog nie almal saamgaan nie, sodat ons jou nie lastig val nie. En hy het by hom aangehou, maar hy wou nie gaan nie en het hom die afskeidseën gegee.26 Daarop sê Absalom: So nie, laat my broer Amnon tog saam met ons gaan. Maar die koning sê vir hom: Waarom moet hy met jou saamgaan?27 Toe Absalom dan by hom aanhou, het hy Amnon en al die seuns van die koning met hom saam laat gaan.28 En Absalom het sy dienaars bevel gegee en gesê: Let tog op, net soos Amnon se hart vrolik is van die wyn en ek vir julle sê: Slaan Amnon dood! dan moet julle hom doodmaak. Wees nie bevrees nie; het ,k julle dit nie beveel nie? Wees sterk en wees wakker manne.29 En die dienaars van Absalom het met Amnon gedoen soos Absalom hulle beveel het. Toe het al die seuns van die koning opgestaan, en hulle het elkeen op sy muil geklim en gevlug.30 Terwyl hulle op pad was, kom die gerug by Dawid: Absalom het al die seuns van die koning doodgeslaan en nie een van hulle het oorgebly nie.31 Toe staan die koning op en skeur sy klere en gaan lê op die grond, terwyl al sy dienaars met geskeurde klere daarby staan.32 Maar Jonadab, die seun van Dawid se broer S¡mea, het geantwoord en gesê: My heer moet nie dink dat hulle al die jongmanne, die seuns van die koning, gedood het nie, maar Amnon alleen is dood, want dit was aan die gesig van Absalom te sien van die dag af dat hy sy suster Tamar onteer het.33 My heer die koning moet dit dan nou nie ter harte neem en dink al die seuns van die koning is dood nie. Maar Amnon alleen is dood.34 En Absalom het gevlug. Toe die jongman wat op wag staan, sy oë opslaan, sien hy dat daar 'n groot skare kom van 'n pad agter hom, aan die kant van die berg.35 En Jonadab sê aan die koning: Kyk, daar kom die seuns van die koning; volgens die woord van u dienaar, so het dit gebeur.36 En net toe hy klaar gespreek het -- daar kom die seuns van die koning aan en verhef hulle stem en ween. En ook die koning en al sy dienaars het geween met 'n baie groot geween.37 Maar Absalom het gevlug en na T lmai, die seun van Amm¡hur, die koning van Gesur, gegaan. En Dawid het al die dae gerou oor sy seun.38 En Absalom het gevlug en na Gesur gegaan, en hy was daar drie jaar lank.39 En die gees van koning Dawid het baie verlang om na Absalom uit te gaan, want hy het homself getroos oor Amnon, dat hy dood was.