2 Samuel 13:25

25 And the king said to Absalom, Do not thou, my son, do not thou pray, that all we come, and charge thee. And when he constrained David, and he would not go, he blessed Absalom. (And the king said to Absalom, Do not thou, my son, do not thou pray, that we all come, and be a burden to thee. And when Absalom pressed David, he still would not go, but he blessed Absalom.)

2 Samuel 13:25 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 13:25

And the king said to Absalom, nay, my son, let us not all now
go
He did not object to the invitation entirely, he was willing some of the family should go, but not all; it seems probable that he particularly excepted himself and his eldest son, the heir to his crown, for the reason following:

lest we be chargeable unto thee;
one or two persons more, supposing them to be private persons, would have added but little to the expense, if any; but as David was a king, he must have come with the retinue of a king, with a large number of servants and guards, and must be entertained as such; and Amnon, his eldest son, and heir apparent to the crown, must make a figure suitable to his quality, which would have considerably raised the expense; and perhaps Absalom's estate he had to live upon might be but small, which David knew, and therefore chose not to be burdensome to him:

and he pressed him;
urged him to go; not that he expected he would, or really desired he should, but this he did to hide his intention, that he might have no suspicion of his design against Amnon; or otherwise he might think he would not have been so pressing upon him to go with him:

howbeit he would not go, but blessed him;
thanked him for the invitation he gave him, and wished him much happiness and pleasure at his entertainment with his friends.

2 Samuel 13:25 In-Context

23 And it was done after the time of two years, that the sheep of Absalom were shorn in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim. And Absalom called all the sons of the king (And Absalom invited all the king's sons to be there).

24 And he came to the king, and said to him, Lo! the sheep of thy servant be shorn; I pray (thee), come the king with his servants to his servant.

25 And the king said to Absalom, Do not thou, my son, do not thou pray, that all we come, and charge thee. And when he constrained David, and he would not go, he blessed Absalom. (And the king said to Absalom, Do not thou, my son, do not thou pray, that we all come, and be a burden to thee. And when Absalom pressed David, he still would not go, but he blessed Absalom.)

26 And Absalom said to David, If thou wilt not come, I beseech thee, come namely Amnon, my brother, with us (And Absalom said to David, If thou wilt not come, I beseech thee, then let my brother Amnon come with us). And the king said to him, It is no need, that he go with thee.

27 Therefore Absalom constrained him; and he delivered with him Amnon, and all the sons of the king. (But Absalom pressed him; and so he let Amnon, and all his other sons, go with him.)