2 Samuel 13:4

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."

2 Samuel 13:4 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 13:4

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 (rqbb rqbb) , "in mane in mane", Montanus.
F24 "Fecit amor maciem -----". Ovid Metamorph. l. 11. Fab. 11. v. 793.

2 Samuel 13:4 In-Context

2 And Amnon was so vexed that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin, and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.

3 But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man.

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 king came to see him, Amnon said unto the king, "I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand."