But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.

Now Amnon had a friend, named Jonadab the son of Semmaa the brother of David, a very wise man:

And Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother; and Jonadab was a very shrewd man.

And Amnon hath a friend, and his name is Jonadab, son of Shimeah, David's brother, and Jonadab is a very wise man,

Now Amnon had a friend named Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, the brother of David: a very prudent man.

Shimeah - Called Shamma (marginal reference), was Jesse's third son.
Subtil - literally, wise. The word is generally used in a good sense, but here, and in Job 5:13, it means crafty.

Jonadab was a very subtle man - And most diabolic advice did he give to his cousin. We talk of the simplicity and excellence of primitive times! "Say not thou what is the cause that the former days were better than these." Take them altogether, we may thank God that they are past, and pray him that they may never return.

But Amnon had a friend,.... Though in the issue his friendship proved his ruin:
whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah, David's brother; so that they were own cousins, the same with Shammah, 1-Samuel 16:9,
and Jonadab was a very subtle man; a very penetrating man into the dispositions of men, and could judge by their countenances what they were, and the affections of their minds, and had a talent in forming schemes; he was wise to do evil and was wickedly cunning.

Jonadab, the son of Shimeah--or Shammah (1-Samuel 16:9). By the counsel and contrivance of this scheming cousin a plan was devised for obtaining an unrestricted interview with the object of his attachment.