Page images
PDF
EPUB

30 and took it. And he took the crown of 'their king from off his head; and the weight thereof was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the 31 city, exceeding much. And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them 2under saws, and 'under harrows of iron, and 'under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brickkiln: and thus did he unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned unto Jerusalem.

13

2 And David took the crown of 'their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in it; and it was set upon David's head: and he brought forth the spoil of the city, exceeding 3 much. And he brought forth the people that were therein, and cut them with saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. And thus did David unto all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 13. 1.

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David 2 loved her. And Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to 3 do any thing unto her. But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother and Jonadab was a very 4 subtil man. And he said unto him, Why, O son of the king, art thou thus lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said 5 unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister. And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and feign thyself sick and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my 6 sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand. So Amnon lay down, and feigned himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, Let my sister Tamar come, I pray thee, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her 7 hand. Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy 8 brother Amnon's house, and dress him food. So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And she took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes. 9 And she took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And 10 they went out every man from him. And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the food into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And 1 Or, Malcam See Zeph. i. 5.

1 Or, Malcam See Zeph. i. 5.

2 Or, to

3 Or, with a slight change in the Hebrew

text, made them labour at

4 Or, brick-mould

5 Heb. morning by morning.

Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the II chamber to Amnon her brother. And when she had brought them near unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie 12 with me, my sister. And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not 'force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou 13 this folly. And I, whither shall I carry my shame? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, 14 speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but being stronger than she, he 15 forced her, and lay with her. Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, 16 Arise, be gone. And she said unto him, 'Not so, because this great wrong in putting me forth is worse than the other that thou didst unto 17 me. But he would not hearken unto her. Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, 18 and bolt the door after her. And she had a garment of divers colours upon her for with such robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the 19 door after her. And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her; and she laid her hand on 20 her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went. And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but now hold thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; take not this thing to heart. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom's 21 house. But when king David heard of all these things, he was very 22 wroth. And Absalom spake unto Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced 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 24 all the king's sons. And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I pray thee, and his 25 servants go with thy servant. And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome unto thee. And he 26 pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him. Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And 27 the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee? But Absalom pressed him, that 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 unto you, Smite Amnon, then kill him, fear not have not I commanded you? be 29 courageous, and be valiant. And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, 30 and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled. And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that the tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of 31 them left. Then the king arose, and rent his garments, and lay on the

1 Heb. humble.

2 Or, Think not there is occasion for this great wrong in putting me forth, which is

worse &c.

3 Or, a long garment with sleeves
4 Heb. Aminon.

32 earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

And

Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar. 33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to 34 think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead. But

35

Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the way of the hill side behind him. And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, 36 the king's sons are come: as thy servant said, so it is. And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept: and the king 37 also and all his servants wept 'very sore. But Absalom fled, and went

38

39

14

3

to Talmai the son of 2 Ammihur, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years. And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was 2 toward Absalom. And Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, I pray thee, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead: and go in to the king, and speak on this manner unto him. So 4 Joab put the words in her mouth. And when the woman of Tekoa spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, 5 and said, Help, O king. And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, Of a truth I am a widow woman, and mine husband 6 is dead. And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in the field, and there was none to part them, but the one 7 smote the other, and killed him. And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid, and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he slew, and so destroy the heir also: thus shall they quench my coal which is left, and shall leave to my husband neither name nor re8 mainder upon the face of the earth. And the king said unto the woman, 9 Go to thine house, and I will give charge concerning thee. And the woman of Tekoa said unto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father's house: and the king and his throne be guiltless. 10 And the king said, Whosoever saith aught unto thee, bring him to me, II and he shall not touch thee any more. Then said she, I pray thee,

let the king remember the LORD thy God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the 12 LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth. Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak a word 13 unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on. And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou devised such a thing against the people of 2 Another reading is, Ammihud.

1 Heb. with a very great weeping.

God? for in speaking this word the king is as one which is guilty, in 14 that the king doth not fetch home again his banished one.

For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God take away life, but deviseth 15 means, that he that is banished be not an outcast from him. Now therefore seeing that I am come to speak this word unto my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king will 16 perform the request of his servant. For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man that would destroy me and my 17 son together out of the inheritance of God. Then thine handmaid said, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be 'comfortable: for as 'an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: and 18 the LORD thy God be with thee. Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, aught that I shall 19 ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak. And the king said, Is the hand of Joab with thee in all this? And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from aught that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me, and he put all these 20 words in the mouth of thine handmaid: to change the face of the matter hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are 21 in the earth. And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, ‘I have done 22 this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again. And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and blessed the king: and Joab said, To-day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath performed the request 23 of his servant. So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought 24 Absalom to Jerusalem. And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.

25

Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head 26 there was no blemish in him. And when he polled his head, (now it was at every year's end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two 27 hundred shekels, after the king's weight. And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

28 And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem; and he saw not the 29 king's face. Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and he sent again a second time, but he 30 would not come. Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And 31 Absalom's servants set the field on fire. Then Joab arose, and came

1 Heb. for rest.

2 Or, the

3 Heb. to hear.

Another reading is, thou hast done. 5 Another reading is, thy.

to Absalom unto his house, and said unto him, Wherefore have thy 32 servants set my field on fire? And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it were better for me to be there still now therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be 33 iniquity in me, let him kill me. So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

15

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot 2 and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate, and it was so, that when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgement, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And 3 he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man 4 deputed of the king to hear thee. Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or 5 cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! And it was so, that when any man came nigh to do him obeisance, he put forth 6 his hand and took hold of him, and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgement: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

7

And it came to pass at the end of 'forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have 8 vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron. For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall indeed bring 9 me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD. And the king said 10 unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron. But Absalom

sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron. II And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they knew not any thing. 12 And Absalom *sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom.

13 And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the 14 men of Israel are after Absalom. And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the 15 edge of the sword. And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall choose. 16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king 17 left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house. And

[blocks in formation]
« PreviousContinue »