Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 166
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IMMERSE
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KINGDOMS
2S
| 13:14-31
And you would be called one of the greatest fools in Israel. Please, just
speak to the king about it, and he will let you marry me.”
But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her, and since he was stronger than she
was, he raped her. Then suddenly Amnon’s love turned to hate, and he
hated her even more than he had loved her. “Get out of here!” he snarled
at her.
“No, no!” Tamar cried. “Sending me away now is worse than what you’ve
already done to me.”
But Amnon wouldn’t listen to her. He shouted for his servant and demanded, “Throw this woman out, and lock the door behind her!”
So the servant put her out and locked the door behind her. She was
wearing a long, beautiful robe, as was the custom in those days for the
king’s virgin daughters. But now Tamar tore her robe and put ashes on her
head. And then, with her face in her hands, she went away crying.
Her brother Absalom saw her and asked, “Is it true that Amnon has been
with you? Well, my sister, keep quiet for now, since he’s your brother. Don’t
you worry about it.” So Tamar lived as a desolate woman in her brother
Absalom’s house.
When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry. And
though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon
deeply because of what he had done to his sister.
Two years later, when Absalom’s sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor
near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king’s sons to come to a feast. He
went to the king and said, “My s heep-shearers are now at work. Would
the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?”
The king replied, “No, my son. If we all came, we would be too much
of a burden on you.” Absalom pressed him, but the king would not come,
though he gave Absalom his blessing.
“Well, then,” Absalom said, “if you can’t come, how about sending my
brother Amnon with us?”
“Why Amnon?” the king asked. But Absalom kept on pressing the king
until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon. So Ab
salom prepared a feast fit for a king.
Absalom told his men, “Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal,
kill him! Don’t be afraid. I’m the one who has given the command. Take
courage and do it!” So at Absalom’s signal they murdered Amnon. Then
the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.
As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, this report reached David:
“Absalom has killed all the king’s sons; not one is left alive!” The king got
up, tore his robe, and threw himself on the ground. His advisers also tore
their clothes in horror and sorrow.