New International Version
2 Samuel 15:4
4And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”
2 Samuel 15:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Absalom would say, "Oh that I were judge in the land! Then every man with a dispute or cause might come to me, and I would give him justice."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)I wish I were the judge. Then everyone could bring their cases to me for judgment, and I would give them justice!”
Context of 2 Samuel 15:4
2He 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.” 3Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.” And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.” 5Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. 6Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.
Read all of 2 Samuel 152 Samuel 15:4 word by word
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם מִי־יְשִׂמֵ֥נִי שֹׁפֵ֖ט בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְעָלַ֗י יָב֥וֹא כָּל־אִ֛ישׁ אֲשֶֽׁר־יִהְיֶה־לּוֹ־רִ֥יב וּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט וְהִצְדַּקְתִּֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- moreover, Oh that I were madeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
- judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
- in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- that every manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- which hath any suitרִיבrîyb rib · strifeH7379
- or causeמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justiceH4941
- might comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- unto me, and I would do him justiceצָדֵקtsâdaq · to justifyH6663
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 15:4
- Proverbs 25:6Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, and do not claim a place among his great men;
- Luke 14:9If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.
- Proverbs 27:2Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.
- 2 Peter 2:19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.”
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 15:4
- 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 15:4
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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