Amnon and Tamar

1 Now ^wAbsalom, David’s son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was ^xTamar. And after a time Amnon, David’s son, loved her. 2 And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of ^yShimeah, David’s brother. And Jonadab was a very crafty man. 4 And he said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” 5 Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” 6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill. And when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and ^zmake a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”

7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. And she took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes. 9 And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, ^a“Send out everyone from me.” So everyone went out from him. 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11 But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.” 12 She answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate¹ me, for ^bsuch a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this ^coutrageous thing. 13 As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of ^dthe outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” 14 But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.

15 Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that 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! Go!” 16 But she said to him, “No, my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.”² But he would not listen to her. 17 He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her.” 18 Now she was wearing ^ea long robe with sleeves,³ for thus were the virgin daughters of the king dressed. So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her. 19 And Tamar ^fput ashes on her head and ^gtore the long robe that she wore. And ^hshe laid her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.

20 And her brother Absalom said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this to heart.” So Tamar lived, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom’s house. 21 When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.⁴ 22 But Absalom spoke to Amnon ⁱneither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar.

Absalom Murders Amnon

23 After two full years Absalom had ^jsheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.” 25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. 26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” And the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. 28 Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Mark when Amnon’s ^kheart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not fear; have I not commanded you? Be courageous and be valiant.” 29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and each mounted his mule and fled.

30 While they were on the way, news came to David, “Absalom has struck down all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.” 31 Then the king arose and ^ltore his garments and ^mlay on the earth. And all his servants who were standing by tore their garments. 32 But ⁿJonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, said, “Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for Amnon alone is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day he violated his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore let not my lord the king so ^otake it to heart as to suppose that all the king’s sons are dead, for Amnon alone is dead.”

Absalom Flees to Geshur

34 ^pBut Absalom fled. And the young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him⁵ by the side of the mountain. 35 And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.” 36 And as soon as he had finished 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 ^qBut Absalom fled and went to ^rTalmai the son of Ammihud, king of ^sGeshur. And David mourned for his son day after day. 38 ^qSo Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39 And the spirit of the king⁶ longed to go out⁷ to Absalom, because ^the was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.

1 ^tWorking together with him, then, ^uwe appeal to you ^vnot to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,

Behold, ^xnow is the ^yfavorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We ^zput no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but ^aas servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: ^bby great endurance, ^cin afflictions, ^dhardships, calamities, 5 ^ebeatings, imprisonments, ^friots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 ^gby purity, ^hknowledge, patience, kindness, ⁱthe Holy Spirit, ^jgenuine love; 7 by ^ktruthful speech, and ^lthe power of God; with ^mthe weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, ⁿthrough slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and ^oyet well known; ^pas dying, and behold, we live; ^qas punished, and yet not killed; 10 ^ras sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; ^sas poor, yet making many rich; ^tas having nothing, ^uyet possessing everything.

11 We have spoken freely to you,¹ Corinthians; ^vour heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but ^wyou are restricted in your own affections. 13 ^xIn return (I speak ^yas to children) widen your hearts also.

The Temple of the Living God

14 ^zDo not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For ^awhat partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or ^bwhat fellowship has light with darkness? 15 ^cWhat accord has Christ with Belial?² Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For ^dwe are the temple of the living God; as God said,

Israel’s Continuing Rebellion

1 ^qIn the seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain of ^rthe elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, ^sand sat before me. 2 And the word of the Lord came to me: 3 ^t“Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God, Is it to inquire of me that you come? ^uAs I live, declares the Lord God, ^vI will not be inquired of by you. 4 ^wWill you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? ^xLet them know the abominations of their fathers, 5 and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: ^yOn the day when I chose Israel, ^zI swore¹ to the offspring of the house of Jacob, ^amaking myself known to them in the land of Egypt; ^zI swore to them, saying, I am the Lord your God. 6 On that day I swore to them that ^bI would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land ^bflowing with milk and honey, ^cthe most glorious of all lands. 7 And I said to them, ^d‘Cast away the detestable things ^eyour eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with ^fthe idols of Egypt; ^gI am the Lord your God.’ 8 ^hBut they rebelled against me and were not willing to listen to me. ⁱNone of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.

“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them ^jand spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. 9 ^kBut I acted ^lfor the sake of my name, ^mthat it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, ⁿin whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt. 10 ^oSo I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. 11 ^pI gave them my statutes and made known to them my rules, ^qby which, if a person does them, he shall live. 12 Moreover, I gave them ^rmy Sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, ^sthat they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them. 13 ^tBut the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. ^uThey did not walk in my statutes but rejected my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; ^vand my Sabbaths they greatly profaned.

^t“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to make a full end of them. 14 But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, ^win whose sight I had brought them out. 15 Moreover, ^xI swore to them in the wilderness ^ythat I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land ^zflowing with milk and honey, ^zthe most glorious of all lands, 16 because they rejected my rules and did not walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; ^afor their heart went after their idols. 17 Nevertheless, ^bmy eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or ^cmake a full end of them in the wilderness.

18 “And I said to ^dtheir children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk ^ein the statutes of your fathers, nor keep their rules, ^fnor defile yourselves with their idols. 19 ^gI am the Lord your God; ^hwalk in my statutes, and be careful to obey my rules, 20 and ⁱkeep my Sabbaths holy that ^jthey may be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am the Lord your God.’ 21 ^kBut the children ^lrebelled against me. ^mThey did not walk in my statutes and were not careful to obey my rules, by which, if a person does them, he shall live; they profaned my Sabbaths.

ⁿ“Then I said I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness. 22 ^oBut I withheld my hand ^pand acted for the sake of my name, ^qthat it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. 23 ^rMoreover, ^sI swore to them in the wilderness ^tthat I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries, 24 because they had not obeyed my rules, but had rejected my statutes and profaned my Sabbaths, ^uand their eyes were set on their fathers’ idols. 25 ^vMoreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and rules by which they could not have life, 26 and I defiled them through ^wtheir very gifts ^win their offering up all their firstborn, that I might devastate them. I did it ^xthat they might know that I am the Lord.

27 “Therefore, ^yson of man, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: In this also your fathers blasphemed me, by ^zdealing treacherously with me. 28 For when I had brought them into the land that ^aI swore to give them, then wherever they saw ^bany high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices and there they presented ^cthe provocation of their offering; there they sent up their pleasing aromas, and there they poured out their drink offerings. 29 (I said to them, ^d‘What is the high place to which you go?’ So its name is called Bamah² to this day.)

30 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: ^eWill you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go ^fwhoring after their detestable things? 31 When you present your gifts and ^goffer up your children in fire,³ you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And ^hshall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? ⁱAs I live, declares the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.

32 ^j“What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, ^k‘Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, ^land worship wood and stone.’

The Lord Will Restore Israel

33 ⁱ“As I live, declares the Lord God, ^msurely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and ⁿwith wrath poured out I will be king over you. 34 ^oI will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out. 35 ^pAnd I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, ^qand there I will enter into judgment with you ^rface to face. 36 ^sAs I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord God. 37 I will make you ^tpass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. 38 ^uI will purge out the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against me. ^vI will bring them out of the land where they sojourn, ^wbut they shall not enter the land of Israel. ^xThen you will know that I am the Lord.

39 “As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord God: ^yGo serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; ^zbut my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.

40 ^a“For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, declares the Lord God, there ^ball the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. ^cThere I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred offerings. 41 As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when ^dI bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered. And ^eI will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. 42 ^fAnd you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that ^gI swore to give to your fathers. 43 ^hAnd there you shall remember your ways and all your deeds with which you have defiled yourselves, ^hand you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed. 44 And you shall know that I am the Lord, ⁱwhen I deal with you for my name’s sake, ^jnot according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord God.”

45 ⁴ And the word of the Lord came to me: 46 ^k“Son of man, ^lset your face toward the southland;^{5 m}preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb. 47 Say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Behold, ⁿI will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every ^ogreen tree in you and every ^odry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched, and ^pall faces from south to north shall be scorched by it. 48 ^qAll flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.” 49 Then I said, ^r“Ah, Lord God! They are saying of me, ^s‘Is he not a maker of parables?’”

How Awesome Are Your Deeds

To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm.