2 Samuel 13:5
Jonadab told him, "Lie down on your bed and pretend you are ill. When your father comes to see you, say to him, 'Please let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat. Let her prepare it in my sight so I may watch her and eat it from her hand.'"
Jonadab told him,

Jonadab was Amnon’s cousin, the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, and his shrewdness became a destructive influence within David’s court. Rather than restraining Amnon’s sinful desire, he devised a plan that gave it opportunity.

Pro 15:22 Plans fail for lack of counsel.…
Pro 11:14 For lack of guidance, a nation falls,…

“Lie down on your bed and pretend you are ill.

Amnon’s feigned illness turned David’s fatherly concern into a means of deception. Sin often seeks concealment and manipulates the compassion of others for selfish ends.

2Sa 14:2-3 So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there.…
2Ki 8:8-9 So the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift in your hand…

When your father comes to see you,

David came as a concerned father, yet he failed to recognize the danger developing within his own household. The consequences of David’s earlier sin continued to unfold in painful disorder among his children.

Gen 27:18-24 So Jacob went to his father and said, “My father.”…
Jhn 4:47-50 When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee…

say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come

Tamar, whose name means “palm tree,” symbolizing beauty and grace, was David’s daughter and Absalom’s full sister. Amnon used the bonds of family and the expected duty of a daughter within the royal household to gain private access to her.

Luk 10:39-40 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet…
Exo 2:7-9 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter,…

and give me something to eat.

A meal ordinarily expressed care, fellowship, and peace. Amnon’s request corrupted that setting of trust and prepared the way for betrayal.

Gen 27:4-10 Then prepare a tasty dish that I love and bring it to me…
1Ki 17:11-16 And as she was going to get it, he called to her…

Let her prepare it in my sight

The request was carefully designed to isolate Tamar from the protection of others. Jonadab’s counsel reveals deliberate planning, not an uncontrolled moment of passion.

Gen 27:13-14 His mother replied, “Your curse be on me, my son.…
Gen 18:6-8 So Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick!…

so I may watch her and eat it from her hand.’”

What appeared to be a harmless act of family service concealed Amnon’s intent to violate Tamar. The scene exposes the ruin brought by unchecked desire, deceitful counsel, and the abuse of authority within a family.

2Sa 11:2-4 One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around…
Pro 6:25-26 Do not lust in your heart for her beauty…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jonadab
A cunning and shrewd man, Jonadab is the cousin of Amnon and a nephew of King David. He is known for his manipulative advice, which leads to tragic consequences.

2. Amnon
The eldest son of King David, Amnon is infatuated with his half-sister Tamar. His actions, influenced by Jonadab's advice, lead to sin and family turmoil.

3. Tamar
The daughter of King David and sister of Absalom, Tamar is a victim of Amnon's deceit and lust. Her account is one of innocence and tragedy.

4. King David
The father of Amnon and Tamar, David is the king of Israel. His family is deeply affected by the events that unfold due to Amnon's actions.

5. The Event
The deceitful plan concocted by Jonadab and executed by Amnon, which involves pretending to be ill to lure Tamar into a vulnerable situation.
Teaching Points
The Danger of Ungodly Counsel
Be cautious of advice that contradicts God's Word. Jonadab's counsel led to sin and destruction, reminding us to seek wisdom from Godly sources.

The Consequences of Sin
Sin often has far-reaching and devastating effects, not only on the sinner but also on those around them. Amnon's actions led to family strife and personal ruin.

The Importance of Integrity
Upholding integrity in our actions and relationships is crucial. Amnon's lack of integrity resulted in harm to Tamar and dishonor to his family.

The Role of Accountability
Surround yourself with individuals who hold you accountable to God's standards. Amnon lacked accountability, which contributed to his downfall.

The Need for Repentance and Restoration
When sin occurs, repentance and seeking restoration are vital. The account of Amnon and Tamar underscores the need for turning back to God after wrongdoing.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Jonadab's advice to Amnon reflect the nature of ungodly counsel, and what steps can we take to ensure we receive Godly advice in our lives?

2. In what ways do the consequences of Amnon's actions illustrate the principle of sowing and reaping found in Galatians 6:7-8?

3. How can we apply the warnings in Proverbs 1:10-19 to avoid falling into the trap of following sinful advice?

4. What role does accountability play in preventing sin, and how can we cultivate relationships that encourage accountability in our spiritual walk?

5. Reflecting on the account of Amnon and Tamar, what steps can we take to seek repentance and restoration when we have wronged others?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 3
The deceitful nature of Jonadab's advice can be compared to the serpent's deception of Eve, highlighting the destructive power of cunning counsel.

Proverbs 1:10-19
This passage warns against following the advice of sinners, which parallels Jonadab's influence over Amnon.

Galatians 6:7-8
The principle of sowing and reaping is evident in the consequences faced by Amnon and David's family, reflecting the outcomes of sinful actions.
Absalom and AmnonW. G. Blaikie, D. D.2 Samuel 13:1-29
Amnon and Absalom: -- Examples of Short-Circuited Lives2 Samuel 13:1-29
Parental FailureW. G. Blaikie, D. D.2 Samuel 13:1-29
Purity At All CostNewton Jones.2 Samuel 13:1-29
The Wickedness of AmnonJ. Parker, D. D.2 Samuel 13:1-29
Vengeance Upon the WrongdoerTytler's History2 Samuel 13:1-29
The Crime of AmnonB. Dale 2 Samuel 13:1-33
People
Absalom, Ammihud, Amnon, David, Jonadab, Shimeah, Talmai, Tamar
Places
Baal-hazor, Geshur, Jerusalem
Topics
Bed, Bread, Couch, Dress, Eat, Eaten, Feign, Hast, Ill, Jonadab, Jon'adab, Lay, Lie, Meat, Please, Prepare, Pretend, Ready, Seem, Sick, Sight, Sister, Tamar, Thyself, Watch
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Samuel 13:5

     5229   bed

2 Samuel 13:1-11

     5920   pretence
     8830   suspicion

2 Samuel 13:1-14

     5940   searching

2 Samuel 13:1-19

     5707   male and female

2 Samuel 13:1-20

     5737   sisters

2 Samuel 13:1-21

     5087   David, reign of

2 Samuel 13:1-22

     8340   self-respect

2 Samuel 13:1-33

     5661   brothers

2 Samuel 13:5-10

     4438   eating

Library
Saurin -- Paul Before Felix and Drusilla
Jacques Saurin, the famous French Protestant preacher of the seventeenth century, was born at Nismes in 1677. He studied at Geneva and was appointed to the Walloon Church in London in 1701. The scene of his great life work was, however, the Hague, where he settled in 1705. He has been compared with Bossuet, tho he never attained the graceful style and subtilty which characterize the "Eagle of Meaux." The story is told of the famous scholar Le Clerc that he long refused to hear Saurin preach, on the
Grenville Kleiser—The world's great sermons, Volume 3

Blessed are they that Mourn
Blessed are they that mourn. Matthew 5:4 Here are eight steps leading to true blessedness. They may be compared to Jacob's Ladder, the top whereof reached to heaven. We have already gone over one step, and now let us proceed to the second: Blessed are they that mourn'. We must go through the valley of tears to paradise. Mourning were a sad and unpleasant subject to treat on, were it not that it has blessedness going before, and comfort coming after. Mourning is put here for repentance. It implies
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

No Sorrow Like Messiah's Sorrow
Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold, and see, if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow! A lthough the Scriptures of the Old Testament, the law of Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophecies (Luke 24:44) , bear an harmonious testimony to MESSIAH ; it is not necessary to suppose that every single passage has an immediate and direct relation to Him. A method of exposition has frequently obtained [frequently been in vogue], of a fanciful and allegorical cast [contrivance], under the pretext
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

Exhortations to Christians as they are Children of God
1 There is a bill of indictment against those who declare to the world they are not the children of God: all profane persons. These have damnation written upon their forehead. Scoffers at religion. It were blasphemy to call these the children of God. Will a true child jeer at his Father's picture? Drunkards, who drown reason and stupefy conscience. These declare their sin as Sodom. They are children indeed, but cursed children' (2 Peter 2:14). 2 Exhortation, which consists of two branches. (i) Let
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

Repentance
Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.' Acts 11: 18. Repentance seems to be a bitter pill to take, but it is to purge out the bad humour of sin. By some Antinomian spirits it is cried down as a legal doctrine; but Christ himself preached it. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent,' &c. Matt 4: 17. In his last farewell, when he was ascending to heaven, he commanded that Repentance should be preached in his name.' Luke 24: 47. Repentance is a pure gospel grace.
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Samuel
Alike from the literary and the historical point of view, the book[1] of Samuel stands midway between the book of Judges and the book of Kings. As we have already seen, the Deuteronomic book of Judges in all probability ran into Samuel and ended in ch. xii.; while the story of David, begun in Samuel, embraces the first two chapters of the first book of Kings. The book of Samuel is not very happily named, as much of it is devoted to Saul and the greater part to David; yet it is not altogether inappropriate,
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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