New English Translation
2 Samuel 15:2
2Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him, “What city are you from?” The person would answer, “I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel.”
2 Samuel 15:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the way of the gate. And when any man had a dispute to come before the king for judgment, Absalom would call to him and say, "From what city are you?" And when he said, "Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel,"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now Absalom would rise early and stand beside the way to the gate. So it was, whenever anyone who had a lawsuit came to the king for a decision, that Absalom would call to him and say, “What city are you from?” And he would say, “Your servant is from such and such a tribe of Israel.”
Context of 2 Samuel 15:2
1Some time later Absalom managed to acquire a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him, “What city are you from?” The person would answer, “I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel.” 3Absalom would then say to him, “Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.” 4Absalom would then say, “If only they would make me a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”
Read all of 2 Samuel 152 Samuel 15:2 word by word
וְהִשְׁכִּים֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם וְעָמַ֕ד עַל־יַ֖ד דֶּ֣רֶךְ הַשָּׁ֑עַר וַיְהִ֡י כָּל־הָאִ֣ישׁ אֲשֶֽׁר־יִהְיֶה־לּוֹ־רִיב֩ לָב֨וֹא אֶל־הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֗ט וַיִּקְרָ֨א אַבְשָׁל֤וֹם אֵלָיו֙ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֵֽי־מִזֶּ֥ה עִיר֙ אַ֔תָּה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מֵאַחַ֥ד שִׁבְטֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53
- rose up earlyשָׁכַםshâkam · to riseH7925
- and stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- besideיָדyâd · hand: toH3027
- the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
- of the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- that when any manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- that had a controversyרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
- cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- to the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- for judgmentמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: judgementH4941
- calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
- unto him, and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Of whatאַי'ay · where?H335
- cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- Thy servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- of oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- of the tribesשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribeH7626
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 15:2
- Job 24:14Before daybreak the murderer rises up; he kills the poor and the needy; in the night he is like a thief.
- Proverbs 4:16For they cannot sleep unless they cause harm; they are robbed of sleep until they make someone stumble.
- Matthew 27:1When it was early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to execute him.
- Exodus 18:14When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this that you are doing for the people? Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”
- 1 Kings 3:16Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 15:2
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Beside the way of the gate - See Rth 4:1 note.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-19Absalom revolted against David eleven years after Amnon violated Tamar (compare 2 Samuel 13:23, 38; 14:28; 15:7). This was around the twenty-fifth year of David's thirty-three-year rule in Jerusalem.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-62-6. Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate--Public business in the East is always transacted early in the morning--the kings sitting an hour or more to hear causes or receive petitions, in a court held anciently, and in many places still, in the open air at the city gateway; so that, as those whose circumstances led them to wait on King David required to be in attendance on his morning levees, Absalom had to rise up early and stand…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 15:2
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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