23 Two years passed, then Abshalom’s shearers were in Baal-Hatsor (near Efraim) and Abshalom invited all the king’s sons. 24 Abshalom went to the king and asked him, “Listen, please, the shearers are working for your servant. Please, let the king and his servants come with your servant.”

25 “No, my son,” the king replied. “There’s too many of us—it would be too expensive for you.” Abshalom he urged him, but he wouldn’t go, however he did bless him.

26 “But if you don’t come,” Abshalom insisted, “please let my brother Amnon come with us.”

“Why should he go with you?” the king asked. 27 But Abshalom insisted, so the king agreed to send Amnon and his other sons. 28 Then Abshalom prepared his young men, “Listen now, when Amnon gets a bit drunk from the wine and I tell you all, ‘Strike Amnon!’ then you’ll kill him. You all don’t need to be afraid because I myself am the one commanding you. Be courageous warriors.” 29 At the right time, Abshalom’s servants did to Amnon what Abshalom commanded them. All the rest of the king’s sons jumped up and onto their mules and fled away.

30 While they were still on the way, David heard the news that Abshalom had struck all of his sons and killed them, and none were left alive. 31 The king stood up and tore his clothes, then he laid down on the ground. Meanwhile, all his servants there were tearing their clothes. 32 Then Yonadab (David’s brother Shimeah’s son) spoke up, “My master, don’t imagine that all those young men, the king’s sons, have been murdered. I suspect that only Amnon is dead, because Abshalom has been determined to do this ever since his sister Tamar was humiliated. 33 So my master, don’t believe the report that all your sons are dead. It’s probably only Amnon who’s dead.

34 Meanwhile, Abshalom had fled.

Suddenly the watchman turned and saw, wow, many people coming around the hill along the road behind him. 35 “Look,” Yonadab told the king. “The king’s sons are coming! It’s just what I said.” 36 He’d hardly finished speaking when, wow, the king’s sons came in. Then they all cried loudly, and the king and his servants joined them in their wailing.

37 But Abshalom had fled, and he went to Geshur to stay with King Ammihud’s son, Talmay. But David mourned for his son every day.[ref] 38 After Abshalom fled to Geshur, he stayed there for three years. 39 By then, King David was no longer grieving over Amnon’s death and longed to go to see Abshalom.