2 Samuel

2 Samuel 15:2–6

2He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate.

Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,” 3Absalom would say, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king has no deputy to hear you.”

4And he would add, “If only someone would appoint me judge in the land, then everyone with a grievance or dispute could come to me, and I would give him justice.”

5Also, when anyone approached to bow down to him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him. 6Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for justice. In this way he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Read all of 2 Samuel 15

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

2 Samuel 15:2

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Heאַבְשָׁל֔וֹם’aḇ·šā·lō·wmNoun - proper - masculine singularH53 Abshalom
would get up earlyוְהִשְׁכִּים֙wə·hiš·kîmConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH7925 start, rise, early
and standוְעָמַ֕דwə·‘ā·maḏConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH5975 take one's stand, stand
besideעַל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
the roadדֶּ֣רֶךְde·reḵNoun - common singular constructH1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
leading to the city gateהַשָּׁ֑עַרhaš·šā·‘arArticle; Noun - masculine singularH8179 gate
Wheneverוַיְהִ֡יway·hîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
anyoneכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
hadיִהְיֶה־yih·yeh-Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a grievanceרִיב֩rîḇNoun - masculine singularH7379 strife, dispute
to bringלָב֨וֹאlā·ḇō·wPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH935 come in, come, go in, go
beforeאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the kingהַמֶּ֜לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
for a decisionלַמִּשְׁפָּ֗טlam·miš·pāṭPreposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singularH4941 judgment
Absalomאַבְשָׁל֤וֹם’aḇ·šā·lō·wmNoun - proper - masculine singularH53 Abshalom
would call outוַיִּקְרָ֨אway·yiq·rāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7121 call, proclaim, read
and askוַיֹּ֗אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Whatאֵֽי־’ê-InterrogativeH335 where?
cityעִיר֙‘îrNoun - feminine singularH5892 excitement
are you fromאַ֔תָּה’at·tāhPronoun - second person masculine singularH859 thou
And if he repliedוַיֹּ֕אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Your servantעַבְדֶּֽךָ׃‘aḇ·de·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH5650 slave, servant
from oneמֵאַחַ֥דmê·’a·ḥaḏPreposition-m; Number - masculine singular constructH259 one
of the tribesשִׁבְטֵֽי־šiḇ·ṭê-Noun - masculine plural constructH7626 rod, staff, club, sceptre
of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel

2 Samuel 15:3

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Absalomאַבְשָׁל֔וֹם’aḇ·šā·lō·wmNoun - proper - masculine singularH53 Abshalom
would sayוַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Lookרְאֵ֥הrə·’êhVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH7200 see
your claimsדְבָרֶ֖ךָḏə·ḇā·re·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH1697 speech, word
are goodטוֹבִ֣יםṭō·w·ḇîmAdjective - masculine pluralH2896 pleasant, agreeable, good
and rightוּנְכֹחִ֑יםū·nə·ḵō·ḥîmConjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine pluralH5228 straight, right, straightness
but the kingהַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
no deputyאֵין־’ên-AdverbH369 nothing, nought
to hearוְשֹׁמֵ֥עַwə·šō·mê·a‘Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH8085 hear
youלְךָ֖lə·ḵāPreposition; second person masculine singular

2 Samuel 15:4

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Andאַבְשָׁל֔וֹם’aḇ·šā·lō·wmNoun - proper - masculine singularH53 Abshalom
would addוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙way·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
If onlyמִי־mî-InterrogativeH4310 who?
someone would appoint meיְשִׂמֵ֥נִיyə·śi·mê·nîVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singularH7760 put, place, set
judgeשֹׁפֵ֖טšō·p̄êṭVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH8199 judge, govern
in the landבָּאָ֑רֶץbā·’ā·reṣPreposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singularH776 earth, land
then everyoneכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
withאֲשֶֽׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
a grievanceרִ֥יבrîḇNoun - masculine singularH7379 strife, dispute
or disputeוּמִשְׁפָּ֖טū·miš·pāṭConjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singularH4941 judgment
could comeיָב֥וֹאyā·ḇō·wVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
to meוְעָלַ֗יwə·‘ā·layConjunctive waw; Preposition; first person common singularH5921 height
and I would give him justiceוְהִצְדַּקְתִּֽיו׃wə·hiṣ·daq·tîwConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular; third person masculine singularH6663 be just, righteous

2 Samuel 15:5

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Alsoוְהָיָה֙wə·hā·yāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
whenוְהָיָה֙wə·hā·yāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
anyoneאִ֔ישׁ’îšNoun - masculine singularH376 man
approachedבִּקְרָב־biq·rāḇ-Preposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH7126 come near, approach
to bow downלְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֖תlə·hiš·ta·ḥă·wōṯPreposition-l; Verb - Hitpael - Infinitive constructH7812 bow down
to himל֑וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
Absalom would reach outוְשָׁלַ֧חwə·šā·laḥConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH7971 send
his handיָד֛וֹyā·ḏōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH3027 hand
take holdוְהֶחֱזִ֥יקwə·he·ḥĕ·zîqConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH2388 be or grow firm, strong, strengthen
of himל֖וֹlōwPreposition; third person masculine singular
and kissוְנָ֥שַׁקwə·nā·šaqConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularH5401 kiss
himלֽוֹ׃lōwPreposition; third person masculine singular

2 Samuel 15:6

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Absalomאַבְשָׁל֜וֹם’aḇ·šā·lō·wmNoun - proper - masculine singularH53 Abshalom
didוַיַּ֨עַשׂway·ya·‘aśConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH6213 do, make
thisהַזֶּה֙haz·zehArticle; Pronoun - masculine singularH2088 this, that
to allלְכָל־lə·ḵālPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the Israelitesיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
whoאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
cameיָבֹ֥אוּyā·ḇō·’ūVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralH935 come in, come, go in, go
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the kingהַמֶּ֑לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
for justiceלַמִּשְׁפָּ֖טlam·miš·pāṭPreposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singularH4941 judgment
In this way heאַבְשָׁל֔וֹם’aḇ·šā·lō·wmNoun - proper - masculine singularH53 Abshalom
stoleוַיְגַנֵּב֙way·ḡan·nêḇConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1589 steal
the heartsלֵ֖בlêḇNoun - masculine singular constructH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
of the menאַנְשֵׁ֥י’an·šêNoun - masculine plural constructH582 man, mankind
of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃פyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

2 Samuel 15:4 Judges 9:29 · Judges 9:1–5 · Proverbs 25:6 · Luke 14:8–11 · Proverbs 27:2 · 2 Peter 2:19

2 Samuel 15:5 2 Samuel 14:33 · Psalm 55:21 · Psalm 10:9–10 · Proverbs 26:25

2 Samuel 15:6 Romans 16:18 · 2 Peter 2:3

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.