Christian Standard Bible
2 Samuel 15:34
34but if you return to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Previously, I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can counteract Ahithophel’s counsel for me.
2 Samuel 15:34 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.
- New International Version (NIV)But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can help me by frustrating Ahithophel’s advice.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, 'I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father's servant in time past, so now I will be your servant,' then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father’s servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,’ then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.
Context of 2 Samuel 15:34
32When David came to the summit where he used to worship God, Hushai the Archite was there to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. 33David said to him, “If you go away with me, you’ll be a burden to me, but if you return to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Previously, I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can counteract Ahithophel’s counsel for me. 35Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Report everything you hear from the palace to the priests Zadok and Abiathar. 36Take note: their two sons are there with them—Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan. Send them to tell me everything you hear.”
Read all of 2 Samuel 152 Samuel 15:34 word by word
וְאִם־הָעִ֣יר תָּשׁ֗וּב וְאָמַרְתָּ֤ לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ עַבְדְּךָ֨ אֲנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶֽהְיֶ֔ה עֶ֣בֶד אָבִ֤יךָ וַֽאֲנִי֙ מֵאָ֔ז וְעַתָּ֖ה וַאֲנִ֣י עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וְהֵפַרְתָּ֣ה לִ֔י אֵ֖ת עֲצַ֥ת אֲחִיתֹֽפֶל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But if thou returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- to the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- and sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53
- I will be thy servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- O kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- thy father’sאָב'âb · fatherH1
- hithertoמֵאָז'âz · the pastH227
- then mayest thou for me defeatפָּרַרpârar · to breakH6565
- the counselעֵצָה‛êtsâh · counselH6098
- of Ahithophelאֲחִיתֹ֫פֶל'ăchîythôphel · AhithophelH302
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 15:34
- 2 Samuel 15:20Besides, you only arrived yesterday; should I make you wander around with us today while I go wherever I can? Go back and take your brothers with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”
- Joshua 8:2Treat Ai and its king as you did Jericho and its king, except that you may plunder its spoil and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.”
- Matthew 10:16“Look, I’m sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves.
- 2 Samuel 16:16When David’s friend Hushai the Archite came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
- 2 Samuel 17:5Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite also. Let’s hear what he has to say as well.”
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 15:34
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 31-37Verses 31-37 David prays not against Ahithophel's person, but against his counsel. He prayed this, in firm belief that God has all hearts in his hand, and tongues also. But we must second our prayers with endeavours, and David did so, else we tempt God. But we do not find wisdom and simplicity so united in any mere man, that we can perceive nothing which needs forgiveness. Yet, when the Son of David was treated with all possible treachery and cruelty, his…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 34David believed God was guiding events, but he also made strategic moves to support his goals.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 15:34
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 15
- 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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