New King James Version
2 Samuel 15:34
34But 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, ‘I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice.
Context of 2 Samuel 15:34
32Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God—there was Hushai the Archite coming to meet him with his robe torn and dust on his head. 33David said to him, “If you go on with me, then you will become a burden to me. 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. 35And do you not have Zadok and Abiathar the priests with you there? Therefore it will be that whatever you hear from the king’s house, you shall tell to Zadok and Abiathar the priests. 36Indeed they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son; and by them you shall send 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 15:20In 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.”
- Joshua 8:2And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its cattle you shall take as booty for yourselves. Lay an ambush for the city behind it.”
- Matthew 10:16“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
- 2 Samuel 16:16And so it was, when Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”
- 2 Samuel 17:5Then Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he says too.”
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries