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However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to Yahweh’s enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”

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Nathan departed to his house. Yahweh struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it was very sick.

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David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night on the earth.

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The elders of his house arose, [and stood] beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.

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It happened on the seventh day, that the child died. The servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he didn’t listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?”

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But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.”

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Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the house of Yahweh, and worshiped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he ate.

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Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child was dead, you rose up and ate bread.”

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He said, “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows whether Yahweh will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?’

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But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”

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David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Yahweh loved him;

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and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he named him Jedidiah, for Yahweh’s sake.

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Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.

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Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah. Yes, I have taken the city of waters.

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Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it; lest I take the city, and it be called after my name.”

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David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah, and fought against it, and took it.

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He took the crown of their king from off his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and [in it were] precious stones; and it was set on David’s head. He brought forth the spoil of the city, exceeding much.

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He brought forth the people who were therein, and put them under saws, and under iron picks, and under axes of iron, and made them pass through the brick kiln: and he did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

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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.

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Amnon was so troubled that he fell sick because of his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her.

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But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man.

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He said to him, “Why, son of the king, are you so sad from day to day? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”

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Jonadab said to him, “Lay down on your bed, and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, tell him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and dress the food in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it from her hand.’”

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So Amnon lay down and faked being sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”

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Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.”

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So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was laid down. She took dough, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.

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She took the pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. Amnon said, “Have all men leave me.” Every man went out from him.

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Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the room, that I may eat from your hand.” Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother.

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When she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister!”

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She answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me! For no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Don’t you do this folly.

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I, where would I carry my shame? And as for you, you will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.”

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However he would not listen to her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her.

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Then Amnon hated her with exceeding great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!”

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She said to him, “Not so, because this great wrong in sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me!” But he would not listen to her.

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Then he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, “Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.”

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She had a garment of various colors on her; for with such robes were the king’s daughters who were virgins dressed. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

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Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colors that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head, and went her way, crying aloud as she went.

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Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.

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But when king David heard of all these things, he was very angry.

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Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

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It happened after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal Hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

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Absalom came to the king, and said, “See now, your servant has sheepshearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.”

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The king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.” He pressed him; however he would not go, but blessed him.

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Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?”

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But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.

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Absalom commanded his servants, saying, “Mark now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine; and when I tell you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant!”

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The servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man got up on his mule, and fled.

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It happened, while they were in the way, that the news came to David, saying, “Absalom has slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left!”

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Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.

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Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered, “Don’t let my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king’s sons; for Amnon only is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.

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Now therefore don’t let 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.”

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But Absalom fled. The young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold, many people were coming by way of the hillside behind him.

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Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons are coming! It is as your servant said.”

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It happened, as soon as he had finished speaking, that behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept. The king also and all his servants wept bitterly.

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

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So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

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[the soul of] king David longed to go forth to Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.

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Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was toward Absalom.

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Joab sent to Tekoa, and fetched there a wise woman, and said to her, “Please act like a mourner, and put on mourning clothing, please, and don’t anoint yourself with oil, but be as a woman who has mourned a long time for the dead.

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Go in to the king, and speak like this to him.” So Joab put the words in her mouth.

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When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, “Help, O king!”

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The king said to her, “What ails you?” She answered, “Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

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Your handmaid had two sons, and they both fought together in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other, and killed him.

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Behold, the whole family has risen against your handmaid, and they say, ‘Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he killed, and so destroy the heir also.’ Thus they would quench my coal which is left, and would leave to my husband neither name nor remainder on the surface of the earth.”

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The king said to the woman, “Go to your house, and I will give a command concerning you.”

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The woman of Tekoa said to the king, “My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house; and the king and his throne be guiltless.”

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The king said, “Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you any more.”

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Then she said, “Please let the king remember Yahweh your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son.” He said, “As Yahweh lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the earth.”

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Then the woman said, “Please let your handmaid speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Say on.”

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The woman said, “Why then have you devised such a thing against the people of God? For in speaking this word the king is as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring home again his banished one.

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For we must die, and are as water split on the ground, which can’t be gathered up again; neither does God take away life, but devises means, that he who is banished not be an outcast from him.

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Now therefore seeing that I have come to speak this word to my lord the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and your handmaid said, ‘I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.’

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For the king will hear, to deliver his servant out of the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together out of the inheritance of God.

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Then your handmaid said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king bring rest; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad. May Yahweh, your God, be with you.’”

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Then the king answered the woman, “Please don’t hide anything from me that I ask you.” The woman said, “Let my lord the king now speak.”

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The king said, “Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?” The woman answered, “As your soul lives, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has spoken; for your servant Joab, he urged me, and he put all these words in the mouth of your handmaid;

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to change the face of the matter has your servant Joab done this thing. My lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.”

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The king said to Joab, “Behold now, I have done this thing. Go therefore, bring the young man Absalom back.”

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Joab fell to the ground on his face, and did obeisance, and blessed the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that I have found favor in your sight, my lord, king, in that the king has performed the request of his servant.”

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So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem.

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The king said, “Let him return to his own house, but let him not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his own house, and didn’t see the king’s face.

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Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

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When he cut the hair of his head (now it was at every year’s end that he cut it; because it was heavy on him, therefore he cut it); he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels, after the king’s weight.

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To Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter, whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a beautiful face.

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Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem; and he didn’t see the king’s face.

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Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him: and he sent again a second time, but he would not come.

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Therefore he said to his servants, “Behold, Joab’s field is near mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.

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Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom to his house, and said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”

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Absalom answered Joab, “Behold, I sent to you, saying, ‘Come here, that I may send you to the king, to say, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still. Now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there is iniquity in me, let him kill me.”‘”

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So Joab came to the king, and told him; and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

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It happened after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

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Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. It was so, that when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, “What city are you from?” He said, “Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.”

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Absalom said to him, “Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.”

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Absalom said moreover, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!”

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It was so, that when any man came near to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.

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Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

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It happened at the end of forty years, that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to Yahweh, in Hebron.

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For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If Yahweh shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve Yahweh.’”

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The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose, and went to Hebron.

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But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’”