John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. And Jonadab said unto him , etc.] Being a subtle man, he presently formed a scheme to relieve him, and open a way for the enjoyment of what he desired: lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick ; feign thyself sick, pretend that thou art so, by lying down on the bed, and making complaints of one kind or another: and when thy father cometh to see thee ; as he quickly would, after hearing of his illness, being very affectionate to his children: say unto him, I pray thee let, my sister Tamar come, and give me meat ; here he is directed to call her not Absalom’s sister, but his own, the more to cover his ill design upon her: and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see [it], and eat [it] at her hand ; pretending that his stomach was very weak and squeamish, that he could not eat anything which his servants dressed for him, and which he did not see done with his own eyes.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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 ow 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 greates wrong than to commit the least sin.
Original Hebrew ויאמר559 לו יהונדב3082 שׁכב7901 על5921 משׁכבך4904 והתחל2470 ובא935 אביך1 לראותך7200 ואמרת559 אליו413 תבא935 נא4994 תמר8559 אחותי269 ותברני1262 לחם3899 ועשׂתה6213 לעיני5869 את853 הבריה1279 למען4616 אשׁר834 אראה7200 ואכלתי398 מידה׃3027
