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1. When the king was returned to Jerusalem, a sad misfortune
befell his house, on the occasion following: He had a daughter,
who was yet a virgin, and very handsome, insomuch that she
surpassed all the most beautiful women; her name was Tamar; she
had the same mother with Absalom. Now Amnon, David's eldest son,
fell in love with her, and being not able to obtain his desires,
on account of her virginity, and the custody she was under, was
so much out of order, nay, his grief so eat up his body, that he
grew lean, and his color was changed. Now there was one Jenadab,
a kinsman and friend of his, who discovered this his passion, for
he was an extraordinary wise man, and of great sagacity of mind.
When, therefore, he saw that every morning Amnon was not in body
as he ought to be, he came to him, and desired him to tell him
what was the cause of it: however, he said that he guessed that
it arose from the passion of love. Amnon confessed his passion,
that he was in love with a sister of his, who had the same father
with himself. So Jenadab suggested to him by what method and
contrivance he might obtain his desires; for he persuaded him to
pretend sickness, and bade him, when his father should come to
him, to beg of him that his sister might come and minister to
him; for if that were done, he should be better, and should
quickly recover from his distemper. So Amnon lay down on his bed,
and pretended to be sick, as Jonadab had suggested. When his
father came, and inquired how he did, he begged of him to send
his sister to him. Accordingly, he presently ordered her to be
brought to him; and when she was come, Amnon bade her make cakes
for him, and fry them in a pan, and do it all with her own hands,
because he should take them better from her hand [than from any
one's else]. So she kneaded the flour in the sight of her
brother, and made him cakes, and baked them in a pan, and brought
them to him; but at that time he would not taste them, but gave
order to his servants to send all that were there out of his
chamber, because he had a mind to repose himself, free from
tumult and disturbance. As soon as what he had commanded was
done, he desired his sister to bring his supper to him into the
inner parlor; which, when the damsel had done, he took hold of
her, and endeavored to persuade her to lie with him. Whereupon
the damsel cried out, and said, "Nay, brother, do not force me,
nor be so wicked as to transgress the laws, and bring upon
thyself the utmost confusion. Curb this thy unrighteous and
impure lust, from which our house will get nothing but reproach
and disgrace." She also advised him to speak to his father about
this affair; for he would permit him [to marry her]. This she
said, as desirous to avoid her brother's violent passion at
present. But he would not yield to her; but, inflamed with love
and blinded with the vehemency of his passion, he forced his
sister: but as soon as Amnon had satisfied his lust, he hated her
immediately, and giving her reproachful words, bade her rise up
and be gone. And when she said that this was a more injurious
treatment than the former, if, now he had forced her, he would
not let her stay with him till the evening, but bid her go away
in the day-time, and while it was light, that she might meet with
people that would be witnesses of her shame, - he commanded his
servant to turn her out of his house. Whereupon she was sorely
grieved at the injury and violence that had been offered to her,
and rent her loose coat, (for the virgins of old time wore such
loose coats tied at the hands, and let down to the ankles, that
the inner coats might not be seen,) and sprinkled ashes on her
head; and went up the middle of the city, crying out and
lamenting for the violence that had been offered her. Now
Absalom, her brother, happened to meet her, and asked her what
sad thing had befallen her, that she was in that plight; and when
she had told him what injury had been offered her, he comforted
her, and desired her to be quiet, and take all patiently, and not
to esteem her being corrupted by her brother as an injury. So she
yielded to his advice, and left off her crying out, and
discovering the force offered her to the multitude; and she
continued as a widow with her brother Absalom a long time.
2. When David his father knew this, he was grieved at the actions
of Amnon; but because he had an extraordinary affection for him,
for he was his eldest son, he was compelled not to afflict him;
but Absalom watched for a fit opportunity of revenging this crime
upon him, for he thoroughly hated him. Now the second year after
this wicked affair about his sister was over, and Absalom was
about to go to shear his own sheep at Baalhazor, which is a city
in the portion of Ephraim, he besought his father, as well as his
brethren, to come and feast with him: but when David excused
himself, as not being willing to be burdensome to him, Absalom
desired he would however send his brethren; whom he did send
accordingly. Then Absalom charged his own servants, that when
they should see Amnon disordered and drowsy with wine, and he
should give them a signal, they should fear nobody, but kill him.
3. When they had done as they were commanded, the rest of his
brethren were astonished and disturbed, and were afraid for
themselves, so they immediately got on horseback, and rode away
to their father; but somebody there was who prevented them, and
told their father they were all slain by Absalom; whereupon he
was overcome with sorrow, as for so many of his sons that were
destroyed at once, and that by their brother also; and by this
consideration, that it was their brother that appeared to have
slain them, he aggravated his sorrow for them. So he neither
inquired what was the cause of this slaughter, nor staid to hear
any thing else, which yet it was but reasonable to have done,
when so very great, and by that greatness so incredible, a
misfortune was related to him: he rent his clothes and threw
himself upon the ground, and there lay lamenting the loss of all
his sons, both those who, as he was informed, were slain, and of
him who slew them. But Jonadab, the son of his brother Shemeah,
entreated him not to indulge his sorrow so far, for as to the
rest of his sons he did not believe that they were slain, for he
found no cause for such a suspicion; but he said it might deserve
inquiry as to Amnon, for it was not unlikely that Absalom might
venture to kill him on account of the injury he had offered to
Tamar. In the mean time, a great noise of horses, and a tumult of
some people that were coming, turned their attention to them;
they were the king's sons, who were fled away from the feast. So
their father met them as they were in their grief, and he himself
grieved with them; but it was more than he expected to see those
his sons again, whom he had a little before heard to have
perished. However, their were tears on both sides; they lamenting
their brother who was killed, and the king lamenting his son, who
was killed also; but Absalom fled to Geshur, to his grandfather
by his mother's side, who was king of that country, and he
remained with him three whole years.
4. Now David had a design to send to Absalom, not that he should
come to be punished, but that he might be with him, for the
effects of his anger were abated by length of time. It was Joab,
the captain of his host, that chiefly persuaded him so to do; for
he suborned an ordinary woman, that was stricken in age, to go to
the king in mourning apparel, who said thus to him: - That two of
her sons, in a coarse way, had some difference between them, and
that in the progress of that difference they came to an open
quarrel, and that one was smitten by the other, and was dead; and
she desired him to interpose in this case, and to do her the
favor to save this her son from her kindred, who were very
zealous to have him that had slain his brother put to death, that
so she might not be further deprived of the hopes she had of
being taken care of in her old age by him; and that if he would
hinder this slaughter of her son by those that wished for it, he
would do her a great favor, because the kindred would not be
restrained from their purpose by any thing else than by the fear
of him. And when the king had given his consent to what the woman
had begged of him, she made this reply to him: - "I owe thee
thanks for thy benignity to me in pitying my old age, and
preventing the loss of my only remaining child; but in order to
assure me of this thy kindness, be first reconciled to thine own
son, and cease to be angry with him; for how shall I persuade
myself that thou hast really bestowed this favor upon me, while
thou thyself continuest after the like manner in thy wrath to
thine own son? for it is a foolish thing to add willfully another
to thy dead son, while the death of the other was brought about
without thy consent." And now the king perceived that this
pretended story was a subornation derived from Joab, and was of
his contrivance; and when, upon inquiry of the old woman, he
understood it to be so in reality, he called for Joab, and told
him he had obtained what he requested according to his own mind;
and he bid him bring Absalom back, for he was not now displeased,
but had already ceased to be angry with him. So Joab bowed
himself down to the king, and took his words kindly, and went
immediately to Geshur, and took Absalom with him, and came to
Jerusalem.
5. However, the king sent a message to his son beforehand, as he
was coming, and commanded him to retire to his own house, for he
was not yet in such a disposition as to think fit at present to
see him. Accordingly, upon the father's command, he avoided
coming into his presence, and contented himself with the respects
paid him by his own family only. Now his beauty was not impaired,
either by the grief he had been under, or by the want of such
care as was proper to be taken of a king's son, for he still
surpassed and excelled all men in the tallness of his body, and
was more eminent [in a fine appearance] than those that dieted
the most luxuriously; and indeed such was the thickness of the
hair of his head, that it was with difficulty that he was polled
every eighth day; and his hair weighed two hundred shekels
which are five pounds. However, he dwelt in Jerusalem two years,
and became the father of three sons, and one daughter; which
daughter was of very great beauty, and which Rehoboam, the son of
Solomon, took to wife afterward, and had by her a son named
Abijah. But Absalom sent to Joab, and desired him to pacify his
father entirely towards him; and to beseech him to give him leave
to come to him to see him, and speak with him. But when Joab
neglected so to do, he sent some of his own servants, and set
fire to the field adjoining to him; which, when Joab understood,
he came to Absalom, and accused him of what he had done; and
asked him the reason why he did so. To which Absalom replied,
that "I have found out this stratagem that might bring thee to
us, while thou hast taken no care to perform the injunction I
laid upon thee, which was this, to reconcile my father to me; and
I really beg it of thee, now thou art here, to pacify my father
as to me, since I esteem my coming hither to be more grievous
than my banishment, while my father's wrath against me
continues." Hereby Joab was persuaded, and pitied the distress
that Absalom was in, and became an intercessor with the king for
him. And when he had discoursed with his father, he soon brought
him to that amicable disposition towards Absalom, that he
presently sent for him to come to him; and when he had cast
himself down upon the ground, and had begged for the forgiveness
of his offenses, the king raised him up, and promised him to
forget what he had formerly done.
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