New King James Version
2 Samuel 15:20
20In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.”
2 Samuel 15:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.
- New International Version (NIV)You came only yesterday. And today shall I make you wander about with us, when I do not know where I am going? Go back, and take your people with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, since I go I know not where? Go back and take your brothers with you, and may the Lord show steadfast love and faithfulness to you."
- New Living Translation (NLT)You arrived only recently, and should I force you today to wander with us? I don’t even know where we will go. Go on back and take your kinsmen with you, and may the Lord show you his unfailing love and faithfulness.”
Context of 2 Samuel 15:20
18Then all his servants passed before him; and all the Cherethites, all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who had followed him from Gath, passed before the king. 19Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you also going with us? Return and remain with the king. For you are a foreigner and also an exile from your own place. In fact, you came only yesterday. Should I make you wander up and down with us today, since I go I know not where? Return, and take your brethren back. Mercy and truth be with you.” 21But Ittai answered the king and said, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in whatever place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also your servant will be.” 22So David said to Ittai, “Go, and cross over.” Then Ittai the Gittite and all his men and all the little ones who were with him crossed over.
Read all of 2 Samuel 152 Samuel 15:20 word by word
תְּמ֣וֹל׀ בּוֹאֶ֗ךָ וְהַיּ֞וֹם אֲנִֽיעֲךָ֤ עִמָּ֙נוּ֙ לָלֶ֔כֶת וַאֲנִ֣י הוֹלֵ֔ךְ עַ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־אֲנִ֖י הוֹלֵ֑ךְ שׁ֣וּב וְהָשֵׁ֧ב אֶת־אַחֶ֛יךָ עִמָּ֖ךְ חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Whereas thou camestבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- yesterdayתְּמוֹלtemôl temôl · yesterdayH8543
- should I this dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- make thee goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- up and downנוּעַnûa‛ · to shakeH5128
- with us? seeing I goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- whither I may, returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- thy brethrenאָח'âch · brother: male-siblingH251
- mercyחֶ֫סֶדchêsêd · kindnessH2617
- and truthאֱמֶת'emeth · truth: faithfulH571
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 15:20
- Psalms 56:8You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?
- Psalms 59:15They wander up and down for food, And howl if they are not satisfied.
- Amos 8:12They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, But shall not find it.
- Hebrews 11:37They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—
- 1 Samuel 23:13So David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah and went wherever they could go. Then it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah; so he halted the expedition.
- 2 Samuel 2:6And now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing.
- Psalms 25:10All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
- Psalms 57:3He shall send from heaven and save me; He reproaches the one who would swallow me up. Selah God shall send forth His mercy and His truth.
- Psalms 61:7He shall abide before God forever. Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him!
- Psalms 85:10Mercy and truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed.
- Psalms 89:14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.
- Proverbs 14:22Do they not go astray who devise evil? But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good.
- John 1:17For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
- 2 Timothy 1:16The Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain;
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 15:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Mercy and truth be with thee - May God ever show thee mercy, as thou showest it to me, and his truth ever preserve thee from error and delusion!Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Thou camest but yesterday - Meaning, “Thou art not a native Israelite, but only a sojourner for a few years, it is not reason therefore that thou shouldst share my calamities. Return to thy place, thy adopted home Jerusalem, and to the king, Absalom” 2 Samuel 15:34-35.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-23Verses 13-23 David determined to quit Jerusalem. He took this resolve, as a penitent submitting to the rod. Before unrighteous Absalom he could justify himself, and stand out; but before the righteous God he must condemn himself, and yield to his judgments. Thus he accepts the punishment of his sin. And good men, when they themselves suffer, are anxious that others should not be led to suffer with them. He compelled none; those whose hearts were with…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 18-2018-20. all the Gittites, six hundred men--These were a body of foreign guards, natives of Gath, whom David, when in the country of the Philistines, had enlisted in his service, and kept around his person. Addressing their commander, Ittai, he made a searching trial of their fidelity in bidding them (2Sa 15:19) abide with the new king.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 15:20
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries