(5) Make thyself sick.—Rather, Feign thyself sick. It has already been mentioned in 2 Samuel 13:2 that Amnon “fell sick.” That was the real pining of ungoverned and ungratified passion; this was a crafty feigning of sickness. Yet the miserable condition to which Amnon was brought by the former would give colour and plausibility to the latter. read more
CHAPTER XVII.ABSALOM AND AMNON.2 Samuel 13:1-37.LIVING sorrow, says the proverb, is worse than a dead. The dead sorrow had been very grievous to David; what the living sorrow, of which this chapter tells us, must have been, we cannot conceive. It is his own disorderly lusts, reappearing in his sons, that are the source of this new tragedy. It is often useful for parents to ask whether they would like to see their children doing what they allow in themselves; and in many cases the answer is an... read more
3. Further Chastisement: Amnon, Tamar, and Absalom CHAPTER 13 1. Amnon’s wicked desire (2 Samuel 13:1-5 ) 2. The incest (2 Samuel 13:6-14 ) 3. His hatred (2 Samuel 13:15-18 ) 4. Amnon murdered (2 Samuel 13:19-36 ) 5. Absalom’s flight (2 Samuel 13:37-39 ) “Behold I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house.” This was Jehovah’s sentence and it is now carried out. The evil which he had nourished in his heart, the passion which he had fed now breaks out in his own family.... read more
13:5 And Jonadab said unto him, {c} 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.(c) Here we see that there is no enterprise so wicked that it cannot be encouraged to further wickedness. read more
WICKEDNESS INVADING DAVID'S FAMILY David did not have to wait long to see the sad governmental results of his sin begin to be manifest in his own family His son Ammon was so attracted by the beauty of his half sister Tamar that he became sick in entertaining thoughts of her, though he knew well that his lust was improper. When a friend of his, Jonadab, enquired about the cause of his indisposition, he confided in him about his lustful thoughts. Jonadab had no sense of moral decency, and was... read more
O, ABSALOM , MY SON , MY SON ! LUST, MURDER AND DECEIT (2 Samuel 13:0 ) In the preceding lesson judgments were foretold as coming on David, and we are entering on that part of his career when the prediction is fulfilled in earnest. The foulness of this chapter we would not dwell upon more than we can help. Tamar of course, while sister to Absalom, was half-sister to Amnon, the two young men being sons of David by different wives. “A garment of divers colours” (2 Samuel 13:18 ) might be... read more
The Wickedness of Amnon 2 Samuel 13:0 NO other book but the Bible dare have inserted such a chronicle as this and yet have hoped to retain the attention and confidence of the whole world through all ages. A chapter of this kind is not to be read in its singularity, as if it stood wholly alone and unrelated to other currents of human history. Coming upon it as an exceptional story, the only possible feeling is one of intense and repugnant disgust. If this chapter, and a few others almost like... read more
(4) And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister. (5) 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. (6) So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the... read more
To me. Hebrew, "and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it, " &c. (Haydock) --- He pretends to be disgusted with food, (Calmet) unless he see his sister make it ready. (Haydock) read more
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John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 13:1-39
The Crime of Amnon, and Absalom’s VengeanceThis narrative and the history of Absalom’s rebellion is omitted in Chronicles.2. Tamar was in the women’s apartments, and, therefore, safe. She was his half-sister and Absalom’s sister: see 2 Samuel 3:2, 2 Samuel 3:3.4. Lean from day to day] i.e. getting thinner and paler every morning. 5. Make thyself sick] RV ’feign thyself sick.’13. He will not withhold me] Tamar said this as a last, desperate expedient, for such marriages were unlawful (Leviticus... read more