2 Samuel 13:7
ESV
Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, "Go to your brother Amnon 's house and prepare food for him."
NIV
David sent word to Tamar at the palace: "Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare some food for him."
NASB
Then David sent a messenger to the house for Tamar, saying, 'Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.'
CSB
David sent word to Tamar at the palace: "Please go to your brother Amnon’s house and prepare a meal for him."
NLT
So David agreed and sent Tamar to Amnon’s house to prepare some food for him.
KJV
Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him meat.
NKJV
And David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Now go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.”
What does 2 Samuel 13:7 mean?
David has learned that Amnon, his eldest son, is terribly sick. David has already lost one son (2 Samuel 12:18). So, David goes to see him and finds him lying in bed. His son has one request: for David to send Amnon's half-sister, Tamar, to make some cakes where he can watch, and feed him (2 Samuel 13:6).David doesn't know that this is a scheme made up by his nephew Jonadab, or that Amnon is crazed with lust for Tamar. As a young woman of marrying age and the daughter of one of David's other wives, Amnon can't get to her. Jonadab found his friend tormented and came up with this plan (2 Samuel 13:1–5).
In many ways, Tamar's story reflects Bathsheba's. David sent for Bathsheba while her husband was away and slept with her (2 Samuel 11:2–4). David sends Tamar to Amnon who rapes her (2 Samuel 13:8–14).
There are differences. Bathsheba conceived. After a series of schemes, David killed her husband and married her (2 Samuel 11:6–27). Tamar doesn't become pregnant. After Amnon rapes her, he sends her away in disgust. Even when she begs him to mitigate her shame and marry her, he refuses (2 Samuel 13:15–17). David thinks he's hidden his sin; Amnon doesn't care.
Absalom, Tamar's brother, will murder Amnon and try to take the throne from David. David has such intense love for his sons (2 Samuel 12:16–17; 13:36; 18:5) that he's vulnerable to their conspiracies, despite God's warnings (2 Samuel 12:10–12).
