And he said unto him, why [art] thou, [being] the king's son,
lean from day today?
&c.] Or "morning by morning", F23; he was the king's eldest son, heir to the crown, fed at his table, had everything to make him gay and cheerful, and yet pined away; his flesh wasted F24, his countenance waxed wan and pale, and especially in the mornings; in the daytime he met with diversions which, in some measure, took off his thoughts from the object his mind was impressed with, but in the night season they were continually employed about it; so that he could have no rest and sleep, which made him look ruefully in the morning; and this man had a suspicion of his case, and therefore put this and the following question to him:
wilt thou not tell me?
who am so nearly related to thee, and who have such a particular value and affection for thee:
and Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister;
he does not call her his sister, but Absalom's sister, to lessen his sin of unlawful love to her, which, being thus closely pressed, and by a friend, he could not conceal.