30 While they were still on the road, a rumor came to the king: "Absalom just killed all the king's sons - not one is left!" 31 The king stood up, ripped his clothes to shreds, and threw himself on the floor. All his servants who were standing around at the time did the same. 32 Just then, Jonadab, his brother Shimeah's son, stepped up. "My master must not think that all the young men, the king's sons, are dead. Only Amnon is dead. This happened because of Absalom's outrage since the day that Amnon violated his sister Tamar. 33 So my master, the king, mustn't make things worse than they are, thinking that all your sons are dead. Only Amnon is dead." 34 Absalom fled. Just then the sentry on duty looked up and saw a cloud of dust on the road from Horonaim alongside the mountain. He came and told the king, "I've just seen a bunch of men on the Horonaim road, coming around the mountain." 35 Then Jonadab exclaimed to the king, "See! It's the king's sons coming, just as I said!" 36 He had no sooner said the words than the king's sons burst in - loud laments and weeping! The king joined in, along with all the servants - loud weeping, many tears. 37 David mourned the death of his son a long time. 38 He was there three years. 39 The king finally gave up trying to get back at Absalom. He had come to terms with Amnon's death.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 13:30-39
Commentary on 2 Samuel 13:30-39
(Read 2 Samuel 13:30-39)
Jonadab was as guilty of Ammon's death, as of his sin; such false friends do they prove, who counsel us to do wickedly. Instead of loathing Absalom as a murderer, David, after a time, longed to go forth to him. This was David's infirmity: God saw something in his heart that made a difference, else we should have thought that he, as much as Eli, honoured his sons more than God.