Berean Standard Bible
2 Samuel 14:13
13The woman asked, “Why have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, since he has not brought back his own banished son?
2 Samuel 14:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.
- New International Version (NIV)The woman said, “Why then have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, for the king has not brought back his banished son?
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the woman said, "Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in giving this decision the king convicts himself, inasmuch as the king does not bring his banished one home again.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So the woman said: “Why then have you schemed such a thing against the people of God? For the king speaks this thing as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring his banished one home again.
Context of 2 Samuel 14:13
11“Please,” she replied, “may the king invoke the LORD your God to prevent the avenger of blood from increasing the devastation, so that my son may not be destroyed!” “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “not a hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.” 12Then the woman said, “Please, may your servant speak a word to my lord the king?” “Speak,” he replied. The woman asked, “Why have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, since he has not brought back his own banished son? 14For we will surely die and be like water poured out on the ground, which cannot be recovered. Yet God does not take away a life, but He devises ways that the banished one may not be cast out from Him. 15Now therefore, I have come to present this matter to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king. Perhaps he will grant the request of his maidservant.
Read all of 2 Samuel 142 Samuel 14:13 word by word
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וְלָ֧מָּה חָשַׁ֛בְתָּה כָּזֹ֖את עַל־עַ֣ם אֱלֹהִ֑ים וּמִדַּבֵּ֨ר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ הַדָּבָ֤ר הַזֶּה֙ כְּאָשֵׁ֔ם לְבִלְתִּ֛י הָשִׁ֥יב הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ אֶֽת־נִדְּחֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
- The womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- askedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Whyמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
- have you devisedחָשַׁבchâshab · to devise: deviseH2803
- a thing like thisזֹאתzô'th · thisH2063
- againstעַל‛al · uponH5921
- the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- When the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- saysדָבַרdâbar · to speak: promiseH1696
- thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
- thisדָּבָרdâbâr · word: promisedH1697
- does he not convict himselfאָשֵׁם'âshêm · guiltyH818
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- has notבִּלְתִּיbiltîy · lestH1115
- brought backשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- his own banishedנָדַחnâdach · to banishH5080
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 14:13
- 2 Samuel 12:7Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.
- 1 Kings 20:40But while your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you have pronounced it on yourself.”
- Luke 7:42When they were unable to repay him, he forgave both of them. Which one, then, will love him more?”
- 2 Samuel 7:8Now then, you are to tell My servant David that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be the ruler over My people Israel.
- Judges 20:2The leaders of all the people and all the tribes of Israel presented themselves in the assembly of God’s people: 400,000 men on foot, armed with swords.
- 2 Samuel 13:37Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But David mourned for his son every day.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 14:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing - The woman, having now got the king's promise confirmed by all oath, that her son should not suffer for the murder of his brother, comes immediately to her conclusion: Is not the king to blame? Does he now act a consistent part? He is willing to pardon the meanest of his subjects the murder of a brother at the instance of a poor widow, and he is not willing to pardon his son Absalom, whose restoration to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13against the people of God: The woman argued that David was harming the entire kingdom by keeping Absalom in exile. She suggested that conflict in the royal family would spread to the wider society, or that David’s focus on Absalom would distract him from ruling well (2 Samuel 14:16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-212Sa 14:1-21. Joab Instructs a Woman of Tekoah. 2-21. And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman--The king was strongly attached to Absalom; and having now got over his sorrow for the violent death of Amnon, he was desirous of again enjoying the society of his favorite son, who had now been three long years absent. But a dread of public opinion and a regard to the public interests made him hesitate about recalling or pardoning his guilty son…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 14:13
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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