Tamar

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.

Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he became ill, for she was a virgin, and Amnon thought it would be impossible to approach her.

He asked him, "Why, son of the king, are you growing thinner every day? Won't you tell me?"Amnon answered him, "I'm in love with Tamar, my brother Avshalom's sister."

Yonadav said to him, "Lie down on your bed, and pretend you're sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food to eat, and have her prepare the food where I can watch. I'll eat what she serves me."

So Amnon lay down and pretended he was 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 here where I can watch, and I'll eat what she serves me."

David sent this instruction home to Tamar: "Go now to your brother Amnon's house, and prepare him some food."

So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes while he watched, and baked the cakes.

Amnon said to Tamar, "Bring the food into the room, so that I can have you serve me. Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother.

Tamar put ashes on her head, tore her long-sleeved robe that she was wearing, laid her hand on her head and went off, crying aloud as she went.

Avshalom her brother said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now, my sister, keep quiet; because he's your brother. Don't take the matter to heart." But Tamar remained desolate in her brother Avshalom's house.

As for Avshalom, he refused to say a word to Amnon, either good or bad; for Avshalom hated Amnon for having raped his sister Tamar.

But then Yonadav, the son of Shim'ah, David's brother, spoke up; he said, "My lord shouldn't think they have killed all the young men, the king's sons. Only Amnon is dead; for Avshalom has meant to do this ever since the day he raped his sister Tamar.

All these were sons of David, apart from the sons of the concubines; Tamar was their sister.