The firstborn son of King David. (2 Samuel 3:2-5) David made his sons priests in his court. (2 Samuel 8:18)
- Tribe: Judah
- Birthplace: Hebron
- Father: King David
- Mother: Ahinoam of Jezreel
- Siblings: Amnon of Ahinoam of Jezreel, Chileab of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur, Adonijah the son of Haggith, Shephatiah the son of Abital, and Ithream of Eglah (2 Samuel 3:2-5), Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, Eliphelet. (2 Samuel 5:13-16)
- Half-sister: Tamar the daughter of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur (2 Samuel 13:2)
- Cousin Jonadab, the son of Shimeah (2 Samuel 13:3)
Amnon loved Absalom's sister Tamar to the point he was tormented and ill, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. But Amnon's friend Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother, wondered, “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.” 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 bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’”
So Amnon pretended to be sick in bed. 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, that I may eat from her hand.” Tamar came to his house, where he was lying down. She took dough and kneaded it and made cakes in his sight and baked the cakes. And she took the pan and emptied it out before him, but he refused to eat. And Amnon sent everyone away. He told Tamar to bring the food into the chamber, that he may eat it from her hand.
She drew near into the chamber for him to eat, then he took hold of her and said, "Come lie with me, my sister." She answered him, “No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing. As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the outrageous fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you.” But he would not listen to her, and being stronger than she, he violated her and lay with her.
Then Amnon hated her with very great hatred, so that the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. And Amnon said to her, “Get up! Go!” But she said to him, “No, my brother, for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me." But he would not listen to her. He called the young man who served him and said, “Put this woman out of my presence and bolt the door after her.”
After 2 full years, Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, and Absalom invited all the king's sons. When Amnon's heart was merry with wine, Absalom said, "Strike Amnon," then they killed him.
News spread that Absalom had killed all the king's sons, but Jonadab told the king he knew only Amnon was dead. By the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day he violated his sister Tamar. David mourned. For 3 years, David longed to go to Absalom while he was in hiding because he was comforted about Amnon, since he was dead.