This is a request for her to serve food to him personally. AT: "have her serve it to me herself ... she may serve it to me to eat" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-idiom]])
# pretended to be sick
This means he gave a false appearance of being ill.
The food is not for his sickness, but rather it is for him, because he is sick. The phrase "in front of me" is a request for Tamar to prepare the food in his presence. AT: "in front of me because I am sick" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])