Chronological Plan

¹Now it was after this that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon the son of David was in love with her.

²But Amnon was so frustrated on account of his sister Tamar that he made himself ill, for she was a virgin, and it seemed too difficult to Amnon to do anything to her.

³But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very clever man.

⁴And he said to him, “Why are you, the king’s son, so depressed morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” So Amnon said to him, “I am in love with Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.”

⁵Jonadab then said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill; when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please have my sister Tamar come and give me food to eat, and have her prepare the food in my sight, so that I may see it and eat from her hand.’ ”

⁶So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please have my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of pastries in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.”

⁷Then David sent a messenger to the house for Tamar, saying, “Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.”

⁸So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, and he was lying in bed. And she took dough, kneaded it, made pastries in his sight, and baked the pastries.

⁹Then she took the tray and served them to him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, “Have everyone leave me.” So everyone left him.

¹⁰Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, so that I may eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the pastries which she had made and brought them into the bedroom to her brother Amnon.

¹¹When she brought them to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, sleep with me, my sister.”

¹²But she said to him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this disgraceful sin!

¹³As for me, where could I get rid of my shame? And as for you, you will be like one of the fools in Israel. Now then, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”

¹⁴However, he would not listen to her; since he was stronger than she, he violated her and slept with her.

¹⁵Then Amnon hated her with a very great hatred; indeed, 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 away!”

¹⁶But she said to him, “No, because this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you have done to me!” Yet he would not listen to her.

¹⁷Then he called his young man who attended him and said, “Now throw this woman out of my presence, and lock the door behind her!”

¹⁸Now she had on a long-sleeved garment; for this is how the virgin daughters of the king dressed themselves in robes. Then his attendant took her out and locked the door behind her.

¹⁹Tamar took ashes and put them on her head, and tore her long-sleeved garment which was on her; and she put her hand on her head and went on her way, crying out as she went.

²⁰Then Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now keep silent, my sister, he is your brother; do not take this matter to heart.” So Tamar remained and was isolated in her brother Absalom’s house.

²¹Now when King David heard about all these matters, he became very angry.

²²But Absalom did not speak with Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.

²³Now it came about after two full years that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons to celebrate.

²⁴And Absalom came to the king and said, “Behold now, your servant has sheepshearers; may the king and his servants please go with your servant.”

²⁵But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, we should not all go, so that we will not be a burden to you.” Though he urged him, he would not go; but he blessed him.

²⁶Then Absalom said, “If not, please have my brother Amnon go with us.” But the king said to him, “Why should he go with you?”

²⁷Nevertheless Absalom urged him, so he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

²⁸Then Absalom commanded his servants, saying, “See now, when Amnon’s heart is cheerful with wine, and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then put him to death. Do not fear; have I not commanded you myself? Be courageous and be valiant.”

²⁹And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons got up and each mounted his mule and fled.

³⁰Now it was while they were on the way that the report came to David, saying, “Absalom has struck and killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them is left.”

³¹Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay on the ground; and all his servants were standing by with clothes torn.

³²And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, responded, “Let my lord not assume that they have put to death all the young men, the king’s sons, for only Amnon is dead; because this has been set up by the intent of Absalom since the day that he violated his sister Tamar.

³³So now, may my lord the king not take the report to heart, claiming, ‘all the king’s sons are dead’; but only Amnon is dead.”

³⁴Now Absalom had fled. And the young man who was the watchman raised his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain.

³⁵And Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons have come; so it has happened according to your servant’s word.”

³⁶As soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came and raised their voices and wept; and the king and all his servants also wept very profusely.

³⁷Now Absalom had fled and gone to Talmai the son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

³⁸So Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, and was there for three years.

³⁹And the heart of King David longed to go out to Absalom; for he was comforted regarding Amnon, since he was dead.

¹Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was drawn toward Absalom.

²So Joab sent a messenger to Tekoa and brought a wise woman from there, and said to her, “Please follow mourning rites, and put on mourning garments now, and do not anoint yourself with oil but be like a woman who has been mourning for the dead for many days.

³Then go to the king and speak to him in this way.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.

⁴Now when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, and said, “Help, O king!”

⁵And the king said to her, “What is troubling you?” And she answered, “Truly I am a widow, for my husband is dead.

⁶And your servant had two sons, but the two of them fought in the field, and there was no one to save them from each other, so one struck the other and killed him.

⁷Now behold, the entire family has risen against your servant, and they have said, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, and eliminate the heir as well.’ So they will extinguish my coal which is left, so as to leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.”

⁸Then the king said to the woman, “Go to your home, and I will issue orders concerning you.”

⁹The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, the king, the guilt is on me and my father’s house, but the king and his throne are guiltless.”

¹⁰So the king said, “Whoever speaks to you, bring him to me, and he will not touch you anymore.”

¹¹Then she said, “May the king please remember the LORD your God, so that the avenger of blood will not continue to destroy, otherwise they will destroy my son.” And he said, “As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”

¹²Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.”

¹³The woman said, “Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is like one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring back his banished one.

¹⁴For we will surely die and are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up. Yet God does not take away life, but makes plans so that the banished one will not be cast out from Him.

¹⁵Now then, the reason I have come to speak this word to my lord the king is that the people have made me afraid; so your servant said, ‘Let me now speak to the king, perhaps the king will perform the request of his slave.

¹⁶For the king will listen, to save his slave from the hand of the man who would eliminate both me and my son from the inheritance of God.’

¹⁷Then your servant said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be comforting, for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and evil. And may the LORD your God be with you.’ ”

¹⁸Then the king answered and said to the woman, “Please do not hide anything from me that I am about to ask you.” And the woman said, “Let my lord the king please speak.”

¹⁹So the king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” And the woman replied, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken. Indeed, it was your servant Joab who commanded me, and it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant.

²⁰In order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is on the earth.”

²¹Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, I will certainly do this thing; go then, bring back the young man Absalom.”

²²And Joab fell on his face to the ground, prostrated himself, and blessed the king; then Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.”

²³So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

²⁴However, the king said, “He shall return to his own house, but he shall not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house and did not see the king’s face.

²⁵Now in all Israel there was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; from the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was no impairment in him.

²⁶And when he cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, because it was heavy on him, so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels by the king’s weight.

²⁷And to Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar; she was a woman of beautiful appearance.

²⁸Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, yet he did not see the king’s face.

²⁹Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king, but he would not come to him. So he sent word again a second time, but he would not come.

³⁰Therefore he said to his servants, “See, Joab’s plot is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the plot on fire.

³¹Then Joab got up, came to Absalom at his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my plot on fire?”

³²Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent for you, saying, ‘Come here, so that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me still to be there.” ’ Now then, let me see the king’s face, and if there is guilt in me, he can have me executed.”

³³So when Joab came to the king and told him, he summoned Absalom. Then Absalom came to the king and prostrated himself with his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.

¹Now it came about after this that Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run ahead of him.

²And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the road to the gate; and when any man who had a lawsuit was to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call out to him and say, “From what city are you?” And he would say, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”

³Then Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but you have no one to listen to you on the part of the king.”

⁴Moreover, Absalom would say, “Oh that someone would appoint me judge in the land, then every man who has a lawsuit or claim could come to me, and I would give him justice!”

⁵And whenever a man approached to prostrate himself before him, he would put out his hand and take hold of him and kiss him.

⁶Absalom dealt this way with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

⁷Now it came about at the end of four years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have made to the LORD, in Hebron.

⁸For your servant made a vow while I was living in Geshur in Aram, saying, ‘If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.’ ”

⁹The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he got up and went to Hebron.

¹⁰But Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’ ”

¹¹Then two hundred men went with Absalom from Jerusalem, who were invited and went innocently, for they did not know anything.

¹²And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong, for the people continually increased with Absalom.

¹³Then a messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.”

¹⁴So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Arise and let’s flee, for otherwise none of us will escape from Absalom. Go quickly, or he will hurry and overtake us, and bring disaster on us and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

¹⁵Then the king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants will do whatever my lord the king chooses.”

¹⁶So the king left, and all his household with him; but the king left ten concubines behind to take care of the house.

¹⁷The king left, and all the people with him, and they stopped at the last house.

¹⁸Now all of his servants passed by beside him, and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had come with him from Gath, passed by before the king.

¹⁹Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you go with us too? Return and stay with your king, since you are a foreigner and an exile as well; return to your own place.

²⁰You came only yesterday, so should I make you wander with us today, while I go wherever I go? Return and take your brothers back; mercy and truth be with you.”

²¹But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there assuredly shall your servant be!”

²²Then David said to Ittai, “Go and cross over the brook Kidron.” So Ittai the Gittite crossed over with all his men and all the little ones who were with him.

²³While all the country was weeping with a loud voice, all the people were crossing over. The king was also crossing over the brook Kidron, and all the people were crossing over toward the way of the wilderness.

²⁴Now behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar came up until all the people had finished crossing over from the city.

²⁵And the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the LORD, then He will bring me back and show me both it and His habitation.

²⁶But if He says this: ‘I have no delight in you,’ then here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.”

²⁷The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace, and your two sons with you, your son Ahimaaz and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

²⁸See, I am going to wait at the river crossing places of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”

²⁹So Zadok and Abiathar returned the ark of God to Jerusalem and remained there.

³⁰And David was going up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, and his head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his own head, and they were going up, weeping as they went.

³¹Now someone informed David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” And David said, “LORD, please make the advice of Ahithophel foolish.”

³²It happened as David was coming to the summit, where God was worshiped, that behold, Hushai the Archite met him with his coat torn, and dust on his head.

³³And David said to him, “If you go over with me, then you will become a burden to me.

³⁴But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; even as I was your father’s servant in time past, so now I will also be your servant,’ then you can foil the advice of Ahithophel for me.

³⁵Are Zadok and Abiathar the priests not with you there? So it shall be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall report to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

³⁶Behold their two sons are there with them, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send me everything that you hear.”

³⁷So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem.