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But Absalom did not speak with Amnon either good or bad; for Absalom hated Amnon because he had violated his sister Tamar.

And Absalom came to the king and said, "Behold now, your servant has sheepshearers; may the king and his servants please go with your servant."

Then Absalom commanded his servants, saying, "See now, when Amnon's heart is cheerful with wine, and I say to you, 'Strike Amnon,' then put him to death. Do not fear; have I not commanded you myself? Be courageous and be valiant."

And the servants of Absalom did to Amnon just as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons got up and each mounted his mule and fled.

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

And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, responded, "Let my lord not assume that they have put to death all the young men, the king's sons, for only Amnon is dead; because this has been set up by the intent of Absalom since the day that he violated his sister Tamar.

Now Absalom had fled. And the young man who was the watchman raised his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming from the road behind him by the side of the mountain.

As soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king's sons came and raised their voices and wept; and the king and all his servants also wept very profusely.

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

"Now behold, the entire family has risen against your servant, and they have said, 'Hand over the one who struck his brother, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed, and eliminate the heir as well.' So they will extinguish my coal which is left, so as to leave my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth."

The woman of Tekoa said to the king, "My lord, the king, the guilt is on me and my father's house, but the king and his throne are guiltless."

The woman said, "Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is like one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring back his banished one.

"Now then, the reason I have come to speak this word to my lord the king is that the people have made me afraid; so your servant said, 'Let me now speak to the king, perhaps the king will perform the request of his slave.

'For the king will listen, to save his slave from the hand of the man who would eliminate both me and my son from the inheritance of God.'

And Joab fell on his face to the ground, prostrated himself, and blessed the king; then Joab said, "Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant."

However, the king said, "He shall return to his own house, but he shall not see my face." So Absalom returned to his own house and did not see the king's face.

Now in all Israel there was no one as handsome as Absalom, so highly praised; from the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was no impairment in him.

And when he cut the hair of his head (and it was at the end of every year that he cut it, because it was heavy on him, so he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels by the king's weight.

Therefore he said to his servants, "See, Joab's plot is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire." So Absalom's servants set the plot on fire.

Then Joab got up, came to Absalom at his house, and said to him, "Why have your servants set my plot on fire?"