2 Samuel 13:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.’"

NIV: "Go to bed and pretend to be ill," Jonadab said. "When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘I would like my sister Tamar to come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare the food in my sight so I may watch her and then eat it from her hand.’ "

NASB: Jonadab then said to him, 'Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill; when your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please have my sister Tamar come and give me food to eat, and have her prepare the food in my sight, so that I may see it and eat from her hand.'

CSB: Jonadab said to him, "Lie down on your bed and pretend you’re sick. When your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare a meal in my presence so I can watch and eat from her hand.’"

NLT: Well,' Jonadab said, 'I’ll tell you what to do. Go back to bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, ask him to let Tamar come and prepare some food for you. Tell him you’ll feel better if she prepares it as you watch and feeds you with her own hands.'

KJV: And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.

NKJV: So 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, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’ ”

David's oldest son, Amnon, has allowed attraction to his beautiful half-sister Tamar to drive him into obsession. His unresolved lust is like ropes tied so tight that he cannot breathe. He can't figure out how to reach her. She's a young, unmarried woman, the daughter of another mother, raised in another house. Amnon's lust has him in agony (2 Samuel 13:1–2).

Amnon's friend is his cousin, Jonadab. He comes up with a deception Amnon can use to get himself alone with Tamar in his bedroom. Amnon can pretend to be very sick and ask that Tamar be sent to attend to him by making food in his room.

We aren't told why Jonadab would help Amnon commit such a vile act. He's described as "crafty" (2 Samuel 13:3). Like the serpent (Genesis 3:1), he's cunning, but he uses his skill only for harm. If he has a plan to benefit himself, we're not told. He's only mentioned twice more, near the end of the chapter. After Amnon assaults Tamar, Tamar's brother Absalom invites all his brothers to a party. David hears that Absalom has killed all his guests; Jonadab assures him Absalom only wanted Amnon dead. When David learns Absalom has only killed Amnon, Jonadab reminds him of his prior helpfulness (2 Samuel 13:32, 35).

Second Samuel 13:1–6 relates how David's son Amnon initiates God's curse. Amnon lusts after his half-sister Tamar, but can't access her because she's an un-betrothed virgin. Amnon follows a cousin's scheme to get her alone. He pretends to be sick and asks his father to send Tamar to care for him. This leads to assault and (2 Samuel 13:14) plots for revenge (2 Samuel 13:22).

In this chapter, God's curse that the sword will strike David's house (2 Samuel 12:10) begins to emerge. David's firstborn son Amnon lusts over half-sister Tamar. Tamar fights back, but Amnon first rapes her and then rejects her. David is angry but does nothing. Two years later, Tamar's full brother Absalom murders Amnon. Three years after that, Absalom returns and becomes the enemy in David's house who takes his wives in public (2 Samuel 12:11–12; 15:1–16; 16:21–23).

This begins fulfillment of some of God's curses against David (2 Samuel 12:10), and sets the scene for others (2 Samuel 12:11–12). David's oldest son, Amnon, rapes his own half-sister, Tamar. Her full brother Absalom murders Amnon, starting a five-year campaign of vengeance against David. By the end, two of David's sons will be dead, his daughter will be desolate, and David will be deeply humbled (2 Samuel 14—19).