2 Samuel 15:34

but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father’s servant in time past, so will I now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.’

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Other translations

WEBBE

but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.’

BSB

But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’

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.

ASV

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 in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

BBE

But if you go back to the town and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as in the past I have been your father's servant, so now I will be yours: then you will be able to keep Ahithophel's designs against me from being put into effect.

Original Hebrew

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וְאִם־ ve·'im- and if H518 הָעִיר ha·'ir the city H5892 תָּשׁוּב ta·shuv you will return H7725 וְאָמַרְתָּ ve·'a·mar·ta and you will say H559 לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם le·'av·sha·lom to Absalom H53 עַבְדְּךָ 'av·de·kha servant your H5650 אֲנִי 'a·ni I H589 הַמֶּלֶךְ ha·me·lekh O king H4428 אֶהְיֶה 'eh·yeh I will be H1961 עֶבֶד 'e·ved [was] [the] servant of H5650 אָבִיךָ 'a·vi·kha father your H1 וַאֲנִי va·'a·ni (and) I H589 מֵאָז me·'az from then H227 וְעַתָּה ve·'a·tah and now H6258 וַאֲנִי va·'a·ni (and) I H589 עַבְדֶּךָ 'av·de·kha [will be] servant your H5650 וְהֵפַרְתָּה ve·he·far·tah and you will frustrate H6565 לִי li for (the) me H9030 אֵת 'et (marks the object) H853 עֲצַת 'a·tzat [the] counsel of H6098 אֲחִיתֹפֶל 'a·chi·to·fel Ahithophel H302

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 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 wisdom, meekness, candour, and patience, were perfect. Him let us follow, cleave to, and serve, in life and in death.

Read Matthew Henry on 2 Samuel 15 →

Cross-references

7

People & places

AbsalomAhithophel

Topics

FalsehoodAhithophel

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.