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.
28. Absalom commanded his servants, "Be on the lookout! When Amnon is happy with wine and I tell you to strike Amnon down, then kill him! Don’t be afraid, because I myself am giving you the order. Be brave and strong men."
29. So Absalom’s servants did to Amnon just what he had commanded. Then all the princes got up, jumped onto their mules, and fled.
30. While they were on the way, the report came to David: "Absalom has killed all of the princes! Not one remains."
31. The king got up, tore his garments, and lay on the ground. All his servants stood near him, their garments torn as well.
32. But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, "My master shouldn’t think that all the young princes have been killed—only Amnon is dead. This has been Absalom’s plan ever since the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar.
33. So don’t let this bother you, my master; don’t think that all the princes are dead, because only Amnon is dead,
34. and Absalom has fled." Just then the young man on watch looked up and saw many people coming on the road behind him alongside the mountain.