Have you ever wanted something so badly that you become ill over it? Look at this verse:
2And Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. (2 Samuel 13:2–ESV)
Something about Tamar had bitten Amnon and was holding on like a mad lab rat. Amnon’s life, it turned out, depended upon his coming up with a plan to stop the hungry thoughts. Sin was crouching for Tamar’s couching. Who needs enemies when you can get a dab like Jonadab?
3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab…and Jonadab was a very crafty man. (2 Samuel 13:3–ESV)
When the Bible speaks of shrewdness, craftiness, then let your antenna’s rise and take it as a warning. Maybe you have heard of Hungry Jack instant potatoes? No instant couch-potato 1 was happening here, so his king’s-son-demeanor slipped. Look at the next verse: Read further with me into this passage:
4And he said to him, “O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.” 5 Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” (2 Samuel 13:3–ESV)
Seriously, Jonadab? A little dab ‘ll do ‘ya ill. Amnon manages to conjure an illness and Jonadab an evil treatment. Some kind of a friend Jonadab was: ready with an exquisitely shortsighted, ungodly, and harmful one. Unfortunately for Tamar, Amnon, Absalom, David, and others (yeah, probably Jonadab too) Amnon’s illness left him ill-prepared to fend off the fix.
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