English Standard Version
2 Samuel 14:13
13And 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.
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?
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)She replied, “Why don’t you do as much for the people of God as you have promised to do for me? You have convicted yourself in making this decision, because you have refused to bring home your own banished son.
Context of 2 Samuel 14:13
11Then she said, "Please let the king invoke the Lord your God, that the avenger of blood kill no more, and my son be not destroyed." He said, "As the Lord lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground." 12Then the woman said, "Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king." He said, "Speak." 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. 14We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God will not take away life, and he devises means so that the banished one will not remain an outcast. 15Now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid, and your servant thought, 'I will speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant.
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Wherefore then hast thou thoughtחָשַׁבchâshab · to devise: deviseH2803
- such a thing against the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- for the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- doth speakדָבַרdâbar · to speak: promiseH1696
- this thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: promisedH1697
- as one which is faultyאָשֵׁם'âshêm · guiltyH818
- doth not fetch home againשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- his banishedנָדַחnâdach · to banishH5080
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 14:13
- 2 Samuel 12:7Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.
- 1 Kings 20:40And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone." The king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it."
- Luke 7:42When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?"
- 2 Samuel 7:8Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel.
- Judges 20:2And the chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, 400,000 men on foot that drew the sword.
- 2 Samuel 13:37But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. And David mourned for his son day after 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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Commentaries