16. "No, my brother!" she said. "Sending me away would be worse than the wrong you’ve already done."But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her.
17. He summoned his young servant and said, "Get this woman out of my presence and lock the door after her." (
18. She was wearing a long-sleeved robe because that was what the virgin princesses wore as garments.) So Amnon’s servant put her out and locked the door after her.
19. Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long-sleeved robe she was wearing. She put her hand on her head and walked away, crying as she went.
20. Her brother Absalom said to her, "Has your brother Amnon been with you? Keep quiet about it for now, sister; he’s your brother. Don’t let it bother you." So Tamar, a broken woman, lived in her brother Absalom’s house.
21. When King David heard about all this he got very angry, but he refused to punish his son Amnon because he loved him as his oldest child.
22. Absalom never spoke to Amnon, good word or bad, because he hated him for raping his sister Tamar.
23. Two years later, Absalom was shearing sheep at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, and he invited all the king’s sons.
24. Absalom approached the king and said, "Your servant is shearing sheep. Would the king and his advisors please join me?"
25. But the king said to Absalom, "No, my son. We shouldn’t all go, or we would be a burden on you." Although Absalom urged him, the king wasn’t willing to go, although he gave Absalom a blessing.
26. Then Absalom said, "If you won’t come, then let my brother Amnon go with us.""Why should he go with you?" they asked him.
27. But Absalom urged him until he sent Amnon and all the other princes. Then Absalom made a banquet fit for a king.