暗嫩玷污她瑪
1大衛的兒子押沙龍有一個美麗的妹妹，名叫她瑪。大衛的另一個兒子暗嫩愛上了她。 2她仍是處女，住在深宮裡，暗嫩無法接近她，相思成病。 3暗嫩有一個朋友名叫約拿達，是大衛長兄示米亞的兒子，生性狡猾。 4他問暗嫩：「王子，你為什麼一天比一天消沉？能告訴我嗎？」暗嫩答道：「我愛上了我兄弟押沙龍的妹妹她瑪。」 5約拿達說：「你回去躺在床上裝病，你父親來探望你的時候，你就請求他叫你妹妹她瑪來，在你面前預備食物，請她親手遞給你吃。」 6暗嫩就躺在床上裝病。王來看他的時候，他便對王說：「請你叫我妹妹她瑪來這裡，在我面前做兩個餅，請她親自遞給我吃。」
7大衛便派人進宮對她瑪說：「你去你哥哥暗嫩房裡為他預備食物吧。」 8她瑪到了哥哥暗嫩的家，暗嫩正躺在床上裝病。她拿了麵團在他面前揉麵做餅，把餅烤熟了。 9她拿著鍋在他面前把餅倒出來，但暗嫩卻不肯吃。暗嫩命令僕人：「你們全都出去吧！」僕人就都退下了。 10暗嫩對她瑪說：「你把食物拿到我的臥房來，親手遞給我吃。」她瑪便拿著餅進了她哥哥暗嫩的臥房裡， 11服侍他吃餅，暗嫩卻抓住她，說：「妹妹，與我同寢吧！」 12她瑪說：「哥哥，不要，不要玷污我！在以色列不應當發生這種事，不要做這種惡事。 13你這樣叫我怎麼見人呢？你在以色列也必遭人唾棄。你可以請求王，他會同意把我許配給你。」 14暗嫩卻充耳不聞，因為他力氣比她瑪大，就把她強姦了。
15事後暗嫩非常憎恨她瑪，對她的恨比以前對她的愛還強烈。他對她瑪說：「你起來走吧！」 16她瑪哀求道：「不要這樣對我！你這樣做是錯上加錯。」暗嫩卻不聽， 17他吩咐隨從：「把這女人趕出去，關上門不要讓她進來。」 18他的隨從就把她瑪趕出去，隨後鎖上了門。那時，她瑪穿著彩色的長衣，沒有出嫁的公主都穿這種衣服。 19她瑪把灰塵撒在頭上，撕破身上的彩衣，雙手抱著頭，一面走一面哭。 20她的哥哥押沙龍問她：「是不是你哥哥暗嫩污辱了你？妹妹，不要聲張，他是你哥哥，不要把這件事放在心上。」於是她瑪就憂憂鬱鬱地住在押沙龍家裡。
21大衛王聽見了這件事以後，非常生氣。 22押沙龍沒有對暗嫩說一句話，只是心裡暗暗地恨他，因為他玷污了妹妹她瑪。
押沙龍為妹妹報仇
23兩年後，押沙龍的工人在以法蓮附近的巴力·夏瑣剪羊毛，押沙龍邀請王的眾子去那裡。 24他去見王，說：「我的工人正在剪羊毛，請王和眾臣僕跟我一起去吧。」 25王說：「我兒，我們不必都去打擾你。」押沙龍再三邀請，王還是推辭了，但他為押沙龍祝福。 26押沙龍說：「倘若王不去，求你叫我兄弟暗嫩去吧。」大衛說：「何必要他同去呢？」 27但押沙龍再三懇求，王就讓暗嫩和其他王子一同去了。 28押沙龍吩咐僕人說：「你們要留意，當暗嫩喝得正高興的時候，我叫你們殺他，你們就要動手。不要畏縮，要剛強勇敢！因為這是我的命令。」 29押沙龍的僕人就照命令把暗嫩殺了。王的眾子都起來騎上騾子逃走了。
30他們還在路上的時候，有人稟告大衛說：「押沙龍把王子都殺了，無一倖免！」 31王便站起來撕裂衣服，躺在地上。他的臣僕也都撕裂衣服，站在旁邊。 32大衛的長兄示米亞的兒子約拿達說：「我主不要以為所有的王子都被殺了，其實只有暗嫩一人死了。自從暗嫩姦污押沙龍的妹妹她瑪以來，押沙龍便決定要報仇了。 33所以，我主我王啊，不要相信這消息，不是所有的王子都死了，只有暗嫩一人死了。」
34此時，押沙龍已經逃走了。守衛的人舉目瞭望，見有一大群人從山坡上跑來。 35約拿達對大衛王說：「請看，王子們都回來了！正如僕人所言。」 36話剛說完，眾王子已經來到他們跟前放聲大哭，王和臣僕也哀痛不已。
37-38押沙龍逃到了亞米忽的兒子基述王達買那裡，在那裡住了三年。大衛王天天為他的兒子暗嫩悲傷， 39後來心情恢復平靜，開始想念押沙龍。
1And 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 loved her. 2And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.13.2 Amnon thought…: Heb. it was marvellous, or, hidden in the eyes of Amnon 3But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man. 4And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king’s son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.13.4 lean: Heb. thin13.4 from day…: Heb. morning by morning 5And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.
6¶ So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand. 7Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon’s house, and dress him meat. 8So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes.13.8 flour: or, paste 9And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him. 10And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister. 12And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.13.12 force…: Heb. humble me13.12 no such…: Heb. it ought not so to be done 13And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. 14Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her.
15¶ Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.13.15 exceedingly: Heb. with great hatred greatly 16And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he would not hearken unto her. 17Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said, Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her. 18And 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 door after her.
19¶ And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on crying. 20And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother; regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.13.20 Amnon: Heb. Aminon13.20 regard…: Heb. set not thy heart13.20 desolate: Heb. and desolate
21¶ But when king David heard of all these things, he was very wroth. 22And Absalom spake unto his brother 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 all the king’s sons. 24And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant. 25And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he would not go, but blessed him. 26Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee? 27But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.
28¶ Now Absalom had 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 courageous, and be valiant.13.28 have…: or, will you not, since I have commanded you?13.28 valiant: Heb. sons of valour 29And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.13.29 gat…: Heb. rode
30¶ And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left. 31Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent. 32And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother, answered and said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain 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.13.32 appointment: Heb. mouth13.32 determined: or, settled 33Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead: for Amnon only is dead. 34But 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. 35And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king’s sons come: as thy servant said, so it is.13.35 as thy…: Heb. according to the word of thy servant 36And 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 also and all his servants wept very sore.13.36 very…: Heb. with a great weeping greatly
37¶ But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.13.37 Ammihud: or, Ammihur 38So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years. 39And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.13.39 longed: or, was consumed
