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Amnon was sick with frustration over his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed implausible for him to do anything to her.

So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked them.

Then Amnon hated Tamar with such intensity that his hatred was greater than the love he previously had. "Get up!" he said to her. "Be gone!"

Instead, he called to his attendant and said, "Throw this woman out and bolt the door behind her!"

And Absalom never said a word to Amnon, either good or bad, because he hated Amnon for disgracing his sister Tamar.

And he went to the king and said, "Your servant has just hired shearers. Will the king and his servants please come with me?"

"No, my son," the king replied, "we should not all go, or we would be a burden to you." Although Absalom urged him, he was not willing to go, but gave him his blessing.

Now Absalom had ordered his young men, "Watch Amnon until his heart is merry with wine, and when I order you to strike Amnon down, you are to kill him. Do not be afraid. Have I not commanded you? Be courageous and valiant!"

So Absalom's young men did to Amnon just as Absalom had ordered. Then all the rest of the king's sons got up, and each one fled on his mule.

Then the king stood up, tore his clothes, and lay down on the ground; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

But Jonadab, the son of David's brother Shimeah, spoke up: "My lord must not think they have killed all the sons of the king, for only Amnon is dead. In fact, Absalom has planned this since the day Amnon violated his sister Tamar.

And as he finished speaking, the king's sons came in, wailing loudly. Then the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But David mourned for his son every day.

Now the whole clan has risen up against your maidservant and said, 'Hand over the one who struck down his brother, that we may put him to death for the life of the brother whom he killed. Then we will cut off the heir as well!' So they would extinguish my one remaining ember by not preserving my husband's name or posterity on the earth."

But the woman of Tekoa said to the king, "My lord the king, may any blame be on me and my father's house, and may the king and his throne be guiltless."

The woman asked, "Why have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, since he has not brought back his own banished son?

Now therefore, I have come to present this matter to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought: I will speak to the king. Perhaps he will grant the request of his maidservant.

For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would cut off both me and my son from God's inheritance.

Joab fell facedown in homage and blessed the king. "Today," said Joab, "your servant knows that he has found favor with you, my lord the king, because the king has granted his request."

But the king added, "He may return to his house, but he must not see my face." So Absalom returned to his own house, but he did not see the king.