2 Samuel 13:4

4 Which said to Amnon, Son of the king, why art thou made feeble so by leanness, by all days? why showest thou not to me? (And he said to Amnon, Son of the king, why art thou made so weak and thin, day after day? why not tellest thou to me?) And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.

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 perished greatly for her, so that he was sick for her love. For since she was a virgin, it seemed hard to him, that he should do anything unhonestly with her. (And Amnon greatly burned for her, so that he was sick for her love. But since she was a virgin, it was hard for him to do anything dishonourable to her.)

3 But there was a friend to Amnon, Jonadab by name, the son of Shimeah, the brother of David; and Jonadab was a full prudent man, [(that is), a full sly man].

4 Which said to Amnon, Son of the king, why art thou made feeble so by leanness, by all days? why showest thou not to me? (And he said to Amnon, Son of the king, why art thou made so weak and thin, day after day? why not tellest thou to me?) And Amnon said to him, I love Tamar, the sister of my brother Absalom.

5 And Jonadab answered to him, Lie thou on thy bed, and feign thou sickness; and when thy father cometh, that he visit thee, say thou to him, I pray, come Tamar, my sister, that she give meat to me, and make a stew, that I eat it of her hand. (And Jonadab answered to him, Do thou this. Lie thou on thy bed, and pretend to be sick; and when thy father cometh to visit thee, say thou to him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give food to me, yea, to make me a stew, and I shall eat it by her hand/and she shall serve it to me.)

6 Therefore Amnon lay down, and feigned to be sick. And when the king had come to visit him, Amnon said to the king, I beseech, come Tamar, my sister, that she make two suppings before my eyes, and that I take of her hand the meat made ready. (And so Amnon lay down, and pretended to be sick. And when the king had come to visit him, Amnon said to the king, I beseech thee, that my sister Tamar come, and make supper for me, and when the food is ready, I shall eat it by her hand/she shall serve it to me.)