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Wednesday, July 9th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Contemporary English Version

2 Samuel 13:1

David had a beautiful daughter named Tamar, who was the sister of Absalom. She was also the half sister of Amnon, who fell in love with her.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Adultery;   Beauty;   Lasciviousness;   Seduction;   Tamar;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Amnon;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Absalom;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Family Life and Relations;   Friend, Friendship;   Woman;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Tamar;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Palmtree;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Amnon;   Incest;   Jonadab;   Love;   Rape;   Samuel, Books of;   Sheepshearers;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Amnon;   Samuel, Books of;   Tamar;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Amnon ;   Tamar ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Absalom;   Amnon;   David;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Am'non;   Palm Tree;   Ta'mar;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Absalom (1);   Amnon;   Samuel, Books of;   Tamar (1);   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Absalom;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Amnon;   Palm;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Some time passed. David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and David’s son Amnon was infatuated with her.
Hebrew Names Version
It happened after this, that Avshalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
King James Version
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 loved her.
Lexham English Bible
It happened afterwards that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon the son of David fell in love with her.
English Standard Version
Now Absalom, David's son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar. And after a time Amnon, David's son, loved her.
New Century Version
David had a son named Absalom and a son named Amnon. Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar, and Amnon loved her.
New English Translation
Now David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. In the course of time David's son Amnon fell madly in love with her.
Amplified Bible
It happened afterwards that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon [her half brother] the son of David was in love with her.
New American Standard Bible
Now 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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Now after this so it was, that Absalom the sonne of Dauid hauing a fayre sister, whose name was Tamar, Amnon the sonne of Dauid loued her.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened afterwards that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon the son of David loved her.
Complete Jewish Bible
Now Avshalom the son of David had a beautiful sister named Tamar. Some time after the previous events, Amnon the son of David fell in love with her.
Darby Translation
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David having a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar, Amnon the son of David loved her.
Easy-to-Read Version
David had a son named Absalom. Absalom had a very beautiful sister named Tamar. Another one of David's sons, Amnon, was in love with Tamar.
George Lamsa Translation
AND it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a sister whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
Good News Translation
David's son Absalom had a beautiful unmarried sister named Tamar. Amnon, another of David's sons, fell in love with her.
Literal Translation
And afterward it happened that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, and her name was Tamar. And Amnon the son of David loved her.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And it fortuned after this, that Absalom ye sonne of Dauid had a fayre sister, whose name was Thamar, & Ammon the sonne of Dauid loued her.
American Standard Version
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 loved her.
Bible in Basic English
Now after this, it came about that Absalom, David's son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and David's son Amnon was in love with her.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
After this, so it was that Absalom the sonne of Dauid had a fayre sister, named Thamar, whom Amnon ye sonne of Dauid loued.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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 loved her.
King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe after this, that Absalom the sonne of Dauid had a faire sister, whose name was Tamar: and Amnon the sonne of Dauid loued her.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it happened after this that Abessalom the son of David had a very beautiful sister, and her name was Themar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
English Revised Version
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 loved her.
Berean Standard Bible
After some time, David's son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David's son Absalom.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe it was doon aftir these thingis, that Amon, the sone of Dauid, louyde the faireste sistir, Thamar bi name, of Absolon, sone of Dauid.
Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass afterwards that Absalom son of David hath a fair sister, and her name [is] Tamar, and Amnon son of David loveth her.
Update Bible Version
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 loved her.
Webster's Bible Translation
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 loved her.
World English Bible
It happened after this, that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
New King James Version
After this Absalom the son of David had a lovely sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
New Living Translation
Now David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister named Tamar. And Amnon, her half brother, fell desperately in love with her.
New Life Bible
Now David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar. And David's son Amnon loved her.
New Revised Standard
Some time passed. David's son Absalom had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar; and David's son Amnon fell in love with her.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it came to pass, after this, that, Absolom, son of David, having a beautiful sister, whose name, was Tamar, Amnon son of David loved her.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And it came to pass after this that Ammon the son of David loved the sister of Absalom the son of David, who was very beautiful, and her name was Thamar.
Revised Standard Version
Now Ab'salom, David's son, had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and after a time Amnon, David's son, loved her.
THE MESSAGE
Some time later, this happened: Absalom, David's son, had a sister who was very attractive. Her name was Tamar. Amnon, also David's son, was in love with her. Amnon was obsessed with his sister Tamar to the point of making himself sick over her. She was a virgin, so he couldn't see how he could get his hands on her. Amnon had a good friend, Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab was exceptionally streetwise. He said to Amnon, "Why are you moping around like this, day after day—you, the son of the king! Tell me what's eating at you." "In a word, Tamar," said Amnon. "My brother Absalom's sister. I'm in love with her."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now it was after this that Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and Amnon the son of David loved her.

Contextual Overview

1 David had a beautiful daughter named Tamar, who was the sister of Absalom. She was also the half sister of Amnon, who fell in love with her. 2 But Tamar was a virgin, and Amnon could not think of a way to be alone with her. He was so upset about it that he made himself sick. 3 Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, who was the son of David's brother Shimeah. Jonadab always knew how to get what he wanted, 4 and he said to Amnon, "What's the matter? You're the king's son! You shouldn't have to go around feeling sorry for yourself every morning." Amnon said, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister." 5 Jonadab told him, "Lie down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, ask him to send Tamar, so you can watch her cook something for you. Then she can serve you the food." 6 So Amnon went to bed and pretended to be sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said, "Please, ask Tamar to come over. She can make some special bread while I watch, and then she can serve me the bread." 7 David told Tamar, "Go over to Amnon's house and fix him some food." 8 When she got there, he was lying in bed. She mixed the dough, made the loaves, and baked them while he watched. 9 Then she took the bread out of the pan and put it on his plate, but he refused to eat it. Amnon said, "Send the servants out of the house." After they had gone, 10 he said to Tamar, "Serve the food in my bedroom." Tamar picked up the bread that she had made and brought it into Amnon's bedroom.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 2972, bc 1032, A.Ex, Is, 459

Absalom: 2 Samuel 3:2, 2 Samuel 3:3, 1 Chronicles 3:2

a fair sister: 2 Samuel 11:2, Genesis 6:2, Genesis 39:6, Genesis 39:7, Proverbs 6:25, Proverbs 31:30

Tamar: 2 Samuel 14:27, 1 Chronicles 3:9

loved her: 2 Samuel 13:15, Genesis 29:18, Genesis 29:20, Genesis 34:3, 1 Kings 11:1

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 27:22 - General 2 Samuel 12:11 - I will raise 1 Chronicles 3:1 - Amnon Psalms 118:18 - chastened Proverbs 17:25 - General Proverbs 19:13 - foolish Song of Solomon 2:5 - for Ezekiel 22:11 - his sister

Cross-References

Genesis 13:9
There is plenty of land for you to choose from. Let's separate. If you go north, I'll go south; if you go south, I'll go north."
Genesis 20:1
Abraham moved to the Southern Desert, where he settled between Kadesh and Shur. Later he went to Gerar, and while there
Genesis 21:33
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and worshiped the eternal Lord God.
Joshua 10:40
Joshua captured towns everywhere in the land: In the central hill country and the foothills to the west, in the Southern Desert and the region that slopes down toward the Dead Sea. Whenever he captured a town, he would kill the king and everyone else, as the Lord God of Israel had commanded.
1 Samuel 27:10
who would ask, "Where did you attack today?" David would answer, "Oh, we attacked some desert town that belonged to the Judah tribe." Sometimes David would say, "Oh, we attacked a town in the desert where the Jerahmeel clan lives" or "We attacked a town in the desert where the Kenites live."
2 Samuel 24:7
They came to the fortress of Tyre, then went through every town of the Hivites and the Canaanites. Finally, they went to Beersheba in the Southern Desert of Judah.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass after this,.... After the sin of David with Bathsheba, his repentance for it, and pardon of it, and the birth of Solomon as a token of reconciliation; yet after all this the divine threatenings must take place; they had begun already in the death of the child begotten in adultery, and others here follow:

that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name [was] Tamar; she was his sister both by father and mother's side; the mother o, f them was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; she was a very comely person, her name signifies a palm tree:

and Amnon the son of David loved her; not in an honourable way, to make her his wife, but in a lustful manner, to make an harlot of her; he was David's eldest son by Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, 2 Samuel 3:2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The history here, down to the end of 2 Samuel 23:0 (excepting a few particulars), is omitted in the Book of Chronicles.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XIII

Amnon falls in love with his half-sister Tamar, and feigns

himself sick, and requests her to attend him, 1-6.

David sends her to him, and he violates her, 7-14.

He then hates her, and expels her from his house, 15-17,

She rends her garments, puts ashes on her head, and goes forth

weeping, 18, 19.

She is met by Absalom her brother, who, understanding her case,

determines the death of Amnon, 20-22.

Two years after, he invites all his brothers to a

sheep-shearing, when he orders his servants to murder Amnon,

23-29.

Tidings come to David that Absalom has slain all the king's

sons, which fill him with the bitterest distress, 30, 31.

The rest soon arrive, and he finds that Amnon only is killed,

32-36.

Absalom flees to Talmai, king of Geshur, where he remains three

years, 37, 38.

David longs after Absalom, having become reconciled to the death

of Amnon, 39.

NOTES ON CHAP. XIII

Verse 2 Samuel 13:1. Whose name was Tamar — Tamar was the daughter of David and Maacah, daughter of the king of Geshur, and the uterine sister of Absalom. Amnon was David's eldest son by Ahinoam. She was therefore sister to Amnon only by the father's side, i.e., half-sister; but whole sister to Absalom.


 
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