3 Amnon had a friend named Jonadab son of Shimeah, David’s brother. Jonadab was a very clever man.
4 He asked Amnon, “Son of the king, why do you look so sad day after day? Tell me what’s wrong!”Amnon told him, “I love Tamar, the sister of my half-brother Absalom.”
5 Jonadab said to Amnon, “Go to bed and act as if you are sick. Then your father will come to see you. Tell him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come in and give me food to eat. Let her make the food in front of me so I can watch and eat it from her hand.’ ”
6 So Amnon went to bed and acted sick. When King David came in to see him, Amnon said to him, “Please let my sister Tamar come in. Let her make two of her special cakes for me while I watch. Then I will eat them from her hands.”
7 David sent for Tamar in the palace, saying, “Go to your brother Amnon’s house and make some food for him.”
8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, and he was in bed. Tamar took some dough and pressed it together with her hands. She made some special cakes while Amnon watched. Then she baked them.
9 Next she took the pan and served him, but he refused to eat.He said to his servants, “All of you, leave me alone!” So they all left him alone.