2 Samuel

2 Samuel 15:3–8

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.

7After foura years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I have made to the LORD. 8For your servant made a vow while dwelling in Geshur of Aram, saying: ‘If indeed the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’b”

Footnotes

  • a 15:7 Syriac and some LXX manuscripts; Hebrew forty
  • b 15:8 Some LXX manuscripts; Hebrew does not include in Hebron.

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 15:3

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

2 Samuel 15:7

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Afterמִקֵּ֖ץmiq·qêṣPreposition-m; Noun - masculine singular constructH7093 end
fourאַרְבָּעִ֣ים’ar·bā·‘îmNumber - common pluralH705 forty
yearsשָׁנָ֑הšā·nāhNoun - feminine singularH8141 year
had passedוַיְהִ֕יway·hîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
Absalomאַבְשָׁלוֹם֙’aḇ·šā·lō·wmNoun - proper - masculine singularH53 Abshalom
saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
the kingהַמֶּ֔לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
Pleaseנָּ֗אnāInterjectionH4994 I (we) pray, now
let me goאֵ֣לֲכָה’ê·lă·ḵāhVerb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularH1980 go, come, walk
to Hebronבְּחֶבְרֽוֹן׃bə·ḥeḇ·rō·wnPreposition-b; Noun - proper - feminine singularH2275 Hebron
to fulfillוַאֲשַׁלֵּ֛םwa·’ă·šal·lêmConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singularH7999 be complete, sound
a vowנִדְרִ֛יniḏ·rîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH5088 vow
I have madeנָדַ֥רְתִּיnā·ḏar·tîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH5087 vow
to the LORDלַֽיהוָ֖הYah·wehPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh

2 Samuel 15:8

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Forכִּי־kî-ConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
your servantעַבְדְּךָ֔‘aḇ·də·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH5650 slave, servant
madeנָדַ֣רnā·ḏarVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH5087 vow
a vowנֵ֙דֶר֙nê·ḏerNoun - masculine singularH5088 vow
while dwellingבְּשִׁבְתִּ֥יbə·šiḇ·tîPreposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common singularH3427 sit, remain, dwell
in Geshurבִגְשׁ֛וּרḇiḡ·šūrPreposition-b; Noun - proper - feminine singularH1650 Geshur
of Aramבַּאֲרָ֖םba·’ă·rāmPreposition-b; Noun - proper - feminine singularH758 Aram
sayingלֵאמֹ֑רlê·mōrPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH559 utter, say
Ifאִם־’im-ConjunctionH518 if
indeedיָשִׁיבyå̄·šīḇVerb - Qal - Infinitive absoluteH7725 turn back, return
the LORDיְהוָה֙Yah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
brings me backיְשִׁיבֵ֤נִיyə·šî·ḇê·nîVerb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singularH7725 turn back, return
to Jerusalemיְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔םyə·rū·šā·limNoun - proper - feminine singularH3389 Jerusalem
I will worshipוְעָבַדְתִּ֖יwə·‘ā·ḇaḏ·tîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularH5647 work, serve
the LORDיְהוָֽה׃Yah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh

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

2 Samuel 15:7 Isaiah 58:4

2 Samuel 15:8 2 Samuel 13:37–38 · Genesis 28:20–21 · 1 Samuel 1:11 · Jeremiah 9:3–5

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.