13:1-20 From henceforward David was followed with one trouble after another. Adultery and murder were David's sins, the like sins among his children were the beginnings of his punishment: he was too indulgent to his children. Thus David might trace the sins of his children to his own misconduct, which must have made the anguish of the chastisement worse. Let no one ever expect good treatment from those who are capable of attempting their seduction; but it is better to suffer the greatest wrong than to commit the least sin.
So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick,.... Took the advice of his cousin Jonadab, and acted according to it:
and when the king was come to see him; as he quickly did, after he had heard of his illness:
Amnon said unto the king; who perhaps inquired of his appetite, whether he could eat anything, and what:
I pray thee let my sister Tamar come; he calls her sister, as Jonadab had directed, the more to blind his design; though it is much that so sagacious a man as David was had not seen through it; but the notion he had of his being really ill, and the near relation between him and Tamar, forbad his entertaining the least suspicion of that kind:
and make me a couple of cakes in my sight; heart cakes, as the word may be thought to signify; called so either from the form of them, such as We have with us, or from the effect of them, comforting and refreshing the heart:
that I may eat at her hand; both what is made by her hand, and received from it.
Sent home.--Literally, into the house; i.e., to the private apartments of the women--the harem.
and when the king was come to see him; as he quickly did, after he had heard of his illness:
Amnon said unto the king; who perhaps inquired of his appetite, whether he could eat anything, and what:
I pray thee let my sister Tamar come; he calls her sister, as Jonadab had directed, the more to blind his design; though it is much that so sagacious a man as David was had not seen through it; but the notion he had of his being really ill, and the near relation between him and Tamar, forbad his entertaining the least suspicion of that kind:
and make me a couple of cakes in my sight; heart cakes, as the word may be thought to signify; called so either from the form of them, such as We have with us, or from the effect of them, comforting and refreshing the heart:
that I may eat at her hand; both what is made by her hand, and received from it.