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Amnon and Tamar
13 Some time passed. David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar, and David’s son Amnon fell in love with her.(A) 2 Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. 3 But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, and Jonadab was a very crafty man.(B) 4 He said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” 5 Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill, and when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat and prepare the food in my sight, so that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’ ” 6 So Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill, and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.”(C)
7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare food for him.” 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. 9 Then she took the pan and set them before him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, “Send out everyone from me.” So everyone went out from him.(D) 10 Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the chamber so that I may eat from your hand.” So Tamar took the cakes she had made and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11 But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister.”(E) 12 She answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do anything so vile!(F) 13 As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the scoundrels in Israel. Now therefore, I beg you, speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.”(G) 14 But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.(H)
15 Then Amnon was seized with a very great loathing for her; indeed, his loathing was even greater than the lust he had felt for her. Amnon said to her, “Get out!” 16 But she said to him, “No, my brother,[a] for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.” But he would not listen to her. 17 He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her.” 18 (Now she was wearing an ornamented[b] robe with sleeves, for this is how the virgin daughters of the king were clothed in earlier times.[c]) So his servant put her out and bolted the door after her.(I) 19 But Tamar put ashes on her head and tore the long robe that she was wearing; she put her hand on her head and went away, crying aloud as she went.(J)
20 Her brother Absalom said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister; he is your brother; do not take this to heart.” So Tamar remained, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom’s house.(K) 21 When King David heard of all these things, he became very angry, but he would not punish his son Amnon because he loved him, for he was his firstborn.[d] 22 But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon because he had raped his sister Tamar.(L)
Absalom Avenges the Violation of His Sister
23 After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Absalom came to the king and said, “Your servant has sheepshearers; will the king and his servants please go with your servant?” 25 But the king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let us not all go, or else we will be burdensome to you.” He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. 26 Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?” 27 But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. Absalom made a feast like a king’s feast.[e] 28 Then Absalom commanded his servants, “Watch when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Do not be afraid; have I not myself commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.”(M) 29 So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons rose, and each mounted his mule and fled.(N)
30 While they were on the way, the report came to David that Absalom had killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them was left. 31 The king rose, tore his garments, and lay on the ground, and all his servants who were standing by tore their garments.(O) 32 But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, “Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king’s sons; Amnon alone is dead. This has been determined by Absalom from the day Amnon[f] raped his sister Tamar.(P) 33 Now, therefore, do not let my lord the king take it to heart, as if all the king’s sons were dead, for Amnon alone is dead.”(Q)
34 But Absalom fled. When the young man who kept watch looked up, he saw many people coming from the Horonaim road[g] by the side of the mountain.(R) 35 Jonadab said to the king, “See, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.” 36 As soon as he had finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived and raised their voices and wept, and the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.
37 But Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son day after day.(S) 38 Absalom, having fled to Geshur, stayed there three years. 39 And the heart of[h] the king went out, yearning for Absalom, for he was now consoled over the death of Amnon.(T)
Jesus Prays for His Disciples
17 After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you,(A) 2 since you have given him authority over all people,[a] to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.(B) 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.(C) 4 I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do.(D) 5 So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.(E)
6 “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.(F) 7 Now they know that everything you have given me is from you, 8 for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me.(G) 9 I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours.(H) 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I have been glorified in them.(I) 11 And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.(J) 12 While I was with them, I protected them in your name that[b] you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost,[c] so that the scripture might be fulfilled.(K) 13 But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves.[d] 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.(L) 15 I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.[e](M) 16 They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.(N) 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.
20 “I ask not only on behalf of these but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us,[f] so that the world may believe that you have sent me.(O) 22 The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one,(P) 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.(Q)
25 “Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you, and these know that you have sent me.(R) 26 I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them and I in them.”(S)
81 My soul languishes for your salvation;
I hope in your word.(A)
82 My eyes fail with watching for your promise;
I ask, “When will you comfort me?”(B)
83 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,
yet I have not forgotten your statutes.(C)
84 How long must your servant endure?
When will you judge those who persecute me?(D)
85 The arrogant have dug pitfalls for me;
they flout your law.(E)
86 All your commandments are enduring;
I am persecuted without cause; help me!(F)
87 They have almost made an end of me on earth,
but I have not forsaken your precepts.
88 In your steadfast love spare my life,
so that I may keep the decrees of your mouth.
89 The Lord exists forever;
your word is firmly fixed in heaven.(G)
90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
you have established the earth, and it stands fast.(H)
91 By your appointment they stand today,
for all things are your servants.(I)
92 If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my misery.
93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have given me life.(J)
94 I am yours; save me,
for I have sought your precepts.
95 The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,
but I consider your decrees.
96 I have seen a limit to all perfection,
but your commandment is exceedingly broad.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.