2 Samuel

2 Samuel 3:17–21

17Now Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “In the past you sought David as your king. 18Now take action, because the LORD has said to David, ‘Through My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and of all their enemies.’”

19Abner also spoke to the Benjamites. Then he went to Hebron to tell David all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin. 20When Abner and twenty of his men came to David at Hebron, David held a feast for them.

21Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once, and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.”

So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.

Read all of 2 Samuel 3

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 3:17

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Now Abnerאַבְנֵ֣ר’aḇ·nêrNoun - proper - masculine singularH74 Abner
conferredוּדְבַר־ū·ḏə·ḇar-Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular constructH1697 speech, word
withעִם־‘im-PrepositionH5973 with
the eldersזִקְנֵ֥יziq·nêAdjective - masculine plural constructH2205 old
of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
and saidלֵאמֹ֑רlê·mōrPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH559 utter, say
In the pastתְּמוֹל֙tə·mō·wlAdverbH8543 yesterday
you soughtמְבַקְשִׁ֧יםmə·ḇaq·šîmVerb - Piel - Participle - masculine pluralH1245 seek
Davidדָּוִ֛דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
as your kingלְמֶ֖לֶךְlə·me·leḵPreposition-l; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king

2 Samuel 3:18

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Nowוְעַתָּ֖הwə·‘at·tāhConjunctive waw; AdverbH6258 now
take actionעֲשׂ֑וּ‘ă·śūVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine pluralH6213 do, make
becauseכִּ֣יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
the LORDיְהוָ֗הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
has saidאָמַ֤ר’ā·marVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Davidדָּוִד֙dā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
Throughבְּיַ֣ד׀bə·yaḏPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular constructH3027 hand
My servantעַבְדִּ֗י‘aḇ·dîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH5650 slave, servant
Davidדָּוִ֣דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
I will saveהוֹשִׁ֜יעַhō·wō·šî·a‘Verb - Hifil - Infinitive constructH3467 deliver
My peopleעַמִּ֤י‘am·mîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH5971 people
Israelיִשְׂרָאֵל֙yiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
from the handsמִיַּ֣דmî·yaḏPreposition-m; Noun - feminine singular constructH3027 hand
of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּ֔יםpə·liš·tîmNoun - proper - masculine pluralH6430 Philistine
of allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
their enemiesאֹיְבֵיהֶֽם׃’ō·yə·ḇê·hemVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; third person masculine pluralH341 be hostile to

2 Samuel 3:19

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Abnerאַבְנֵ֖ר’aḇ·nêrNoun - proper - masculine singularH74 Abner
alsoגַּם־gam-ConjunctionH1571 also, moreover, yea
spoke toוַיְדַבֵּ֥רway·ḏab·bêrConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1696 speak
the Benjamitesבִנְיָמִ֑יןḇin·yā·mînNoun - proper - masculine singularH1144 Binjamin
Then he wentוַיֵּ֣לֶךְway·yê·leḵConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
to Hebronבְּחֶבְר֔וֹןbə·ḥeḇ·rō·wnPreposition-b; Noun - proper - feminine singularH2275 Hebron
to tellלְדַבֵּ֞רlə·ḏab·bêrPreposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructH1696 speak
Davidדָוִד֙ḏā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
thatאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
seemed goodטוֹב֙ṭō·wḇVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH2895 pleasing, good
to Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
and to the wholeכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
houseבֵּ֥יתbêṯNoun - masculine singular constructH1004 house
of Benjaminבִּנְיָמִֽן׃bin·yā·minNoun - proper - masculine singularH1144 Binjamin

2 Samuel 3:20

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
When Abnerאַבְנֵ֤ר’aḇ·nêrNoun - proper - masculine singularH74 Abner
and twentyעֶשְׂרִ֣ים‘eś·rîmNumber - common pluralH6242 (a) twenty
of his menאֲנָשִׁ֑ים’ă·nā·šîmNoun - masculine pluralH582 man, mankind
cameוַיָּבֹ֨אway·yā·ḇōConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH935 come in, come, go in, go
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Davidדָּוִד֙dā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
at Hebronחֶבְר֔וֹןḥeḇ·rō·wnNoun - proper - feminine singularH2275 Hebron
Davidדָּוִ֧דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
heldוַיַּ֨עַשׂway·ya·‘aśConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH6213 do, make
a feastמִשְׁתֶּֽה׃miš·tehNoun - masculine singularH4960 feast
for themלְאַבְנֵ֛רlə·’aḇ·nêrPreposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singularH74 Abner

2 Samuel 3:21

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then Abnerאַבְנֵ֣ר’aḇ·nêrNoun - proper - masculine singularH74 Abner
saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
Davidדָּוִ֡דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
Let me go at onceוְֽאֵלֵ֡כָהwə·’ê·lê·ḵāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularH1980 go, come, walk
and I will gatherוְאֶקְבְּצָה֩wə·’eq·bə·ṣāhConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singularH6908 gather, collect
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֗לyiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
toאֶל־’el-PrepositionH413 motion to
my lordאֲדֹנִ֨י’ă·ḏō·nîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH113 lord
the kingהַמֶּ֜לֶךְham·me·leḵArticle; Noun - masculine singularH4428 king
that they may makeוְיִכְרְת֤וּwə·yiḵ·rə·ṯūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine pluralH3772 cut off, cut down
a covenantבְּרִ֔יתbə·rîṯNoun - feminine singularH1285 covenant
with youאִתְּךָ֙’it·tə·ḵāPreposition; second person masculine singularH854 with
and that you may ruleוּמָ֣לַכְתָּ֔ū·mā·laḵ·tāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH4427 be or become king, or queen, reign
over allבְּכֹ֥לbə·ḵōlPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singularH3605 the whole, all
thatאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
your heartנַפְשֶׁ֑ךָnap̄·še·ḵāNoun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
desiresתְּאַוֶּ֖הtə·’aw·wehVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singularH183 incline, desire
So Davidדָּוִ֛דdā·wiḏNoun - proper - masculine singularH1732 David
dismissedוַיְּשַׁלַּ֥חway·yə·šal·laḥConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7971 send
Abnerאַבְנֵ֖ר’aḇ·nêrNoun - proper - masculine singularH74 Abner
and he wentוַיֵּ֥לֶךְway·yê·leḵConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
in peaceבְּשָׁלֽוֹם׃bə·šā·lō·wmPreposition-b; Noun - masculine singularH7965 completeness, soundness, welfare, peace

Cross-references

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

2 Samuel 3:18 1 Samuel 15:28 · Psalm 89:19–23 · Psalm 89:3–4 · 1 Samuel 9:16

2 Samuel 3:19 1 Chronicles 12:29 · 1 Samuel 10:20–21

2 Samuel 3:21 1 Kings 11:37 · 2 Samuel 3:12 · 2 Samuel 3:10

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.