David’s Forgiveness, Part 10

David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.1  Absalom was suspicious of Hushai at first, Do you call this loyalty [See Addendum below] to your friend?  Why didn’t you go with your friend?2  Hushai lied or told such a cleverly concealed truth that Absalom failed to unravel the riddle.  No, I will be loyal to the one whom the Lord, these people, and all the men of Israel have chosen. Moreover, whom should I serve?  Should it not be his son?  Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.3  And so Hushai was established as both a spy and false counselor.

Absalom turned to Ahithophel for advice, What should we do?4 In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation.  Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel.5  But when he learned that his trusted adviser had defected to Absalom, David had prayed, Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish (sâkal, סַכֶּל), O Lord!6  Samuel defined the word foolish for Saul: Then Samuel said to Saul, “You have made a foolish (sâkal, נִסְכָּ֑לְתָּ) choice! You have not obeyed the commandment that the Lord your God gave you. Had you done that, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever!”7

Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Have sex with your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace.  All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father.  Then your followers will be motivated to support you.”8  I turned to the Jewish Virtual Library online to see if I could gain some insight how David might have felt about these women.  I still don’t know if they were mistresses or chambermaids he bed a time or two.  But I did find out something about Ahithophel’s advice.

“To lie with a monarch’s concubine was tantamount to usurpation of the throne (II Sam. 3:7; 16:21–22). For this reason Abner took Rizpah (II Sam. 3:7). The same concept stands behind Ahitophel’s advice to Absalom, to ‘go into his father’s concubines’ (16:21)…”9  So Ahithophel’s advice may or may not have been advantageous on the horizontal plane.  Personally, I think it is sort of an open question how Absalom’s followers might have responded.  On the vertical plane, however, Ahithophel advised a usurper of the throne, one not anointed nor chosen by God, to do a foolish thing and disobey one of his commandments10 publicly as his first royal act.

So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom had sex with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.11  The Jewish Virtual Library article I quoted disagrees that this was a violation of God’s law regarding a father’s wife (a capital offence, by the way).  “Nor does living with a man as his concubine create a kinship as an impediment to marriage between herself and any of the man’s relatives, or between the man and her relatives, as would be the case if she would be considered to be his wife (Rosh, Resp. no. 32:1; Oẓar ha-Posekim, EH26, n. 3).”12  The problem I see with this analysis is that there is no legislation concerning concubines in the Bible.  The only way to know what a concubine was and what rights or obligations she had was from foreign law.  Both the Assyrian Code and the Code of Hammurapi are referenced as sources for determining the legal status of a concubine in the above mentioned article.

God prophesied to David [See Addendum below], I will take your wives (Septuagintγυναῖκάς, a form of γυνή) and hand them over to your companion.  He will have sexual relations with your wives (Septuagint: γυναικῶν, another form of γυνή) in broad daylight!  Although you have acted in secret, I will do this thing before all Israel, and in broad daylight.13  I am using the Greek here simply because I recognize the Greek alphabet better than the Hebrew.  (In other words, I don’t know Greek a whole lot less than I don’t know Hebrew.)  Both γυναῖκάς and γυναικῶν are plural forms of γυνή.  Both instances are the same Hebrew word, too, according to the concordance.  Both words can be translated wives or women.

In Ephesians 5:28 (NET) γυναικας was translated wives, In the same way husbands ought14 to love their wives (γυναικας) as their own bodies.  In Matthew 14:21 (NET) γυναικων was translated women, Not counting women (γυναικων) and children, there were about five thousand men who ate.  I won’t make an issue of whether 2 Samuel 12:11 should have been translated wives or women, because γυναικὸς in Leviticus 18:8 (NET) [See Addendum below] was translated wife, You must not have sexual intercourse with your father’s wife (Septuagint: γυναικὸς); she is your father’s nakedness, and in Leviticus 20:11 (NET) [See Addendum below], If a man has sexual intercourse with his father’s wife (Septuagint: γυναικὸς), he has exposed his father’s nakedness.  Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves.

Again, γυναικὸς is a singular form of gunē (γυνή), and the Hebrew word is also the same according to the concordance.  In Matthew 19:10 (NET) [Table] γυναικος was translated wife, The15 disciples said to him, “If this is the case of a husband with a wife (γυναικος), it is better not to marry!”  In John 4:9 (NET) γυνη and γυναικος were both translated woman, So the Samaritan16 woman (γυνη) said to him, “How can you – a Jew – ask me, a Samaritan17 woman (γυναικος), for water to drink?”18

So whether 2 Samuel 12:11 should have been translated David’s wives or women is immaterial, since the same word, both in Greek and Hebrew, was used in Leviticus 18:8 and 20:11.  Since God was apparently satisfied when Absalom had sex with David’s concubines that Nathan’s prophesy about David’s wives or women was fulfilled, and since the only other way to distinguish David’s concubines from his wives or his women was by foreign law, I am going to assume that the category called concubine referred to a traditional practice that probably should not have been part of the thought of the kingdom of Israel.

That being said, however, it seems very likely that what God called Saul’s wives through Nathan the prophet were perceived by many in Israel as the concubines of David’s father-in-law:19  I gave you your master’s house, and put your master’s wives (Septuagint: γυναῖκάς) into your arms,20 when Nathan confronted David on God’s behalf.  It puts some perspective on Absalom’s willingness to fall in with Ahithophel’s advice.  He wanted his father’s concubines just like his father got his father-in-law’s concubines when David received the kingdom after Saul’s death.  It makes me wonder what Absalom heard of his father’s life.

I assume Absalom was told all the stories about David.  But what he heard seems to have been something less than the sum total of what he was told.  He did not hear for instance that David was chosen (anointed) by God when Saul was rejected for his disobedience to God.  Oh, perhaps he heard it in part.  Maybe he assumed that David was, or should have been, rejected by God when he took Bathsheba and murdered Uriah, or if not then, perhaps when he failed to avenge Tamar, as Absalom himself had done.  He certainly heard that Samuel used sacrifices to God as the cover to anoint David as king while Saul yet lived.  He imitated that scene faithfully, minus of course the sanction of God or the presence of his prophet.  He did not hear how his father David respected the Lord’s chosen or anointed one even after he was rejected by God, or he would have behaved differently toward his father.  In fact, if he had any faith whatsoever in God or his choice, Absalom would not have challenged David at all.

The irony here was, though he was born a son of David, though he did everything he could to imitate David’s career outwardly, Absalom proved to be a man after Saul’s own heart:  So Saul feared David, because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.21  And Absalom, like Saul before him, set himself to the task of finding a way to kill David.

 

Addendum: April 28, 2021
I won’t make too much of it since Absalom was speaking, but I was intrigued by loyalty:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
2 Samuel 16:17 (Tanakh) 2 Samuel 16:17 (NET) 2 Reigns 16:17 (NETS)

2 Kings 16:17 (English Elpenor)

And Absalom said to Hushai: ‘Is this thy kindness (חַסְדְּךָ֖) to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?’ Absalom said to Hushai, “Do you call this loyalty (ḥeseḏ, חסדך) to your friend?  Why didn’t you go with your friend?” And Abessalom said to Chousi, “Is this your mercy (ἔλεός) with your companion?  Why did you not go away with your companion?” And Abessalom said to Chusi, [Is] this thy kindness (ἔλεός) to thy friend? why wentest thou not forth with thy friend?

That kindness and mercy are joined in חַסְדְּךָ֖ (ḥeseḏ) makes perfect sense, though I’m not sure I could have accessed it that concretely.  To hear kindness and mercy as loyalty, or faithfulness, is a minor revolution and a great relief in my thinking.  I am too often tempted that I should be tougher than that.

A comparison of 2 Samuel 12:11 translated from the Hebrew of the Masoretic text and the Greek of the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
2 Samuel 12:11 (Tanakh) Table 2 Samuel 12:11 (NET) 2 Reigns 12:11 (NETS)

2 Kings 12:11 (English Elpenor)

Thus saith HaShem: Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives (נָשֶׁ֙יךָ֙) before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives (נָשֶׁ֔יךָ) in the sight of this sun. This is what the Lord has said: ‘I am about to bring disaster on you from inside your own household!  Right before your eyes I will take your wives (‘iššâ, נשיך) and hand them over to your companion.  He will go to bed with your wives (‘iššâ, נשיך) in broad daylight! This is what the Lord says: Behold, I am raising up trouble against you out of your own house, and I will take your wives (γυναῗκάς) before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives (γυναικῶν) before this sun. Thus says the Lord, Behold, I will raise up against thee evil out of thy house, and I will take thy wives (γυναῖκάς) before thine eyes, and will give them to thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives (γυναικῶν) in the sight of this sun.

A comparison of Leviticus 18:8 translated from the Hebrew of the Masoretic text and the Greek of the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
Leviticus 18:8 (Tanakh) Leviticus 18:8 (NET) Leviticus 18:8 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:8 (English Elpenor)

The nakedness of thy father’s wife (אֵֽשֶׁת) shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness. You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife (‘iššâ, אשת); she is your father’s nakedness. You shall not uncover the shame of your father’s wife (γυναικὸς); it is the shame of your father. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s wife (γυναικὸς); it is thy father’s nakedness.

A comparison of Leviticus 20:11 translated from the Hebrew of the Masoretic text and the Greek of the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
Leviticus 20:11 (Tanakh) Table Leviticus 20:11 (NET) Leviticus 20:11 (NETS)

Leviticus 20:11 (English Elpenor)

And the man that lieth with his father’s wife (אֵ֣שֶׁת)–he hath uncovered his father’s nakedness–both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. If a man goes to bed with his father’s wife (‘iššâ, אשת), he has exposed his father’s nakedness.  Both of them must be put to death; their blood guilt is on themselves. And if anyone lies with his father’s wife (γυναικὸς), he has uncovered his father’s shame; let both of them by death be put to death; they are liable. And if any one should lie with his father’s wife (γυναικὸς), he has uncovered his father’s nakedness: let them both die the death, they are guilty.

Tables comparing 2 Samuel 15:37; 16:17; 16:18; 16:19; 16:20; 16:23; 1 Samuel 13:13; 2 Samuel 16:21; 16:22; Leviticus 18:8 and 1 Samuel 18:12 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 15:37; 16:17; 16:18; 16:19; 16:20; 16:23; 1 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 13:13; 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 16:21; 16:22; Leviticus 18:8 and 1 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 18:12 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing Ephesians 5:28 and John 4:9 in the NET and KJV follow.

2 Samuel 15:37 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:37 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:37 (NET)

So Hushai David’s friend came into the city; and Absalom was at the point of coming into Jerusalem. So Hushai David’s friend came into the city, and Absalom came into Jerusalem. So David’s friend Hushai arrived in the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 15:37 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:37 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Χουσι ὁ ἑταῗρος Δαυιδ εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ Αβεσσαλωμ εἰσεπορεύετο εἰς Ιερουσαλημ καὶ εἰσῆλθε Χουσὶ ὁ ἑταῖρος Δαυὶδ εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἄρτι εἰσεπορεύετο εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ

2 Reigns 15:37 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:37 (English Elpenor)

And Chousi, the companion of Dauid, entered into the city, and Abessalom was going into Ierousalem. So Chusi the friend of David went into the city, and Abessalom was lately gone into Jerusalem.

2 Samuel 16:17 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 16:17 (KJV)

2 Samuel 16:17 (NET)

And Absalom said to Hushai: ‘Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend?’ And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not with thy friend? Absalom said to Hushai, “Do you call this loyalty to your friend?  Why didn’t you go with your friend?”

2 Samuel 16:17 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 16:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς Χουσι τοῦτο τὸ ἔλεός σου μετὰ τοῦ ἑταίρου σου ἵνα τί οὐκ ἀπῆλθες μετὰ τοῦ ἑταίρου σου καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς Χουσί· τοῦτο τὸ ἔλεός σου μετὰ τοῦ ἑταίρου σου; ἱνατί οὐκ ἀπῆλθες μετὰ τοῦ ἑταίρου σου

2 Reigns 16:17 (NETS)

2 Kings 16:17 (English Elpenor)

And Abessalom said to Chousi, “Is this your mercy with your companion?  Why did you not go away with your companion?” And Abessalom said to Chusi, [Is] this thy kindness to thy friend? why wentest thou not forth with thy friend?

2 Samuel 16:18 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 16:18 (KJV)

2 Samuel 16:18 (NET)

And Hushai said unto Absalom: ‘Nay; but whom HaShem, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him will I abide. And Hushai said unto Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide. Hushai replied to Absalom, “No, I will be loyal to the one whom the Lord, these people, and all the men of Israel have chosen.

2 Samuel 16:18 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 16:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Χουσι πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ οὐχί ἀλλὰ κατόπισθεν οὗ ἐξελέξατο κύριος καὶ ὁ λαὸς οὗτος καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ αὐτῷ ἔσομαι καὶ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ καθήσομαι καὶ εἶπε Χουσὶ πρὸς ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· οὐχί, ἀλλὰ κατόπισθεν οὗ ἐξελέξατο Κύριος καὶ ὁ λαὸς οὗτος καὶ πᾶς ἀνὴρ ᾿Ισραήλ, αὐτῷ ἔσομαι καὶ μετὰ αὐτοῦ καθήσομαι

2 Reigns 16:18 (NETS)

2 Kings 16:18 (English Elpenor)

And Chousi said to Abessalom, “No, but hereafter he whom the Lord and this people and every man of Israel have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will sit. And Chusi said to Abessalom, Nay, but following whom the Lord, and this people, and all Israel have chosen,– his will I be, and with him I will dwell.

2 Samuel 16:19 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 16:19 (KJV)

2 Samuel 16:19 (NET)

And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence.’ And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the presence of his son? as I have served in thy father’s presence, so will I be in thy presence. Moreover, whom should I serve?  Should it not be his son?  Just as I served your father, so I will serve you.”

2 Samuel 16:19 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 16:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ τὸ δεύτερον τίνι ἐγὼ δουλεύσω οὐχὶ ἐνώπιον τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ καθάπερ ἐδούλευσα ἐνώπιον τοῦ πατρός σου οὕτως ἔσομαι ἐνώπιόν σου καὶ τὸ δεύτερον, τίνι ἐγὼ δουλεύσω; οὐχὶ ἐνώπιον τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ; καθάπερ ἐδούλευσα ἐνώπιον τοῦ πατρός σου, οὕτως ἔσομαι ἐνώπιόν σου

2 Reigns 16:19 (NETS)

2 Kings 16:19 (English Elpenor)

And secondly, to whom will I be subject?  Is it not in the presence of his son?  Just as I was subject in the presence of your father, so I will be in your presence.” And again, whom shall I serve? should I not in the presence of his son? As I served in the sight of thy father, so will I be in thy presence.

2 Samuel 16:20 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 16:20 (KJV)

2 Samuel 16:20 (NET)

Then said Absalom to Ahithophel: ‘Give your counsel what we shall do.’ Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we shall do. Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give us your advice.  What should we do?”

2 Samuel 16:20 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 16:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς Αχιτοφελ φέρετε ἑαυτοῗς βουλὴν τί ποιήσωμεν καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς ᾿Αχιτόφελ· φέρετε ἑαυτοῖς βουλὴν τί ποιήσωμεν

2 Reigns 16:20 (NETS)

2 Kings 16:20 (English Elpenor)

And Abessalom said to Achitophel, “Bring forth counsel among yourselves, what we should do.” And Abessalom said to Achitophel, Deliberate among yourselves concerning what we should do.

2 Samuel 16:23 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 16:23 (KJV)

2 Samuel 16:23 (NET)

Now the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man inquired of the word of G-d; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom. And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom. In those days Ahithophel’s advice was considered as valuable as a prophetic revelation.  Both David and Absalom highly regarded the advice of Ahithophel.

2 Samuel 16:23 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 16:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἡ βουλὴ Αχιτοφελ ἣν ἐβουλεύσατο ἐν ταῗς ἡμέραις ταῗς πρώταις ὃν τρόπον ἐπερωτήσῃ ἐν λόγῳ τοῦ θεοῦ οὕτως πᾶσα ἡ βουλὴ τοῦ Αχιτοφελ καί γε τῷ Δαυιδ καί γε τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ ἡ βουλὴ ᾿Αχιτόφελ, ἣν ἐβουλεύσατο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταῖς πρώταις, ὃν τρόπον ἐπερωτήσῃ τις ἐν λόγῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὕτως πᾶσα ἡ βουλὴ τοῦ ᾿Αχιτόφελ καί γε τῷ Δαυὶδ καί γε τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ

2 Reigns 16:23 (NETS)

2 Kings 16:23 (English Elpenor)

And the counsel of Achitophel, which he counseled in the former days, was as if one were to inquire by a word of God; so was all the counsel of Achitophel, and indeed to Dauid and indeed to Abessalom. And the counsel of Achitophel, which he counseled in former days, [was] as if one should enquire of the word of God: so [was] all the counsel of Achitophel both to David and also to Abessalom.

1 Samuel 13:13 (Tanakh)

1 Samuel 13:13 (KJV)

1 Samuel 13:13 (NET)

And Samuel said to Saul: ‘Thou hast done foolishly; thou hast not kept the commandment of HaShem thy G-d, which He commanded thee; for now would HaShem have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. Then Samuel said to Saul, “You have made a foolish choice!  You have not obeyed the commandment that the Lord your God gave you.  Had you done that, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.

1 Samuel 13:13 (Septuagint BLB)

1 Kings 13:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Σαμουηλ πρὸς Σαουλ μεματαίωταί σοι ὅτι οὐκ ἐφύλαξας τὴν ἐντολήν μου ἣν ἐνετείλατό σοι κύριος ὡς νῦν ἡτοίμασεν κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἕως αἰῶνος ἐπὶ Ισραηλ καὶ εἶπε Σαμουὴλ πρὸς Σαούλ· μεματαίωταί σοι, ὅτι οὐκ ἐφύλαξας τὴν ἐντολήν μου, ἣν ἐνετείλατό σοι Κύριος, ὡς νῦν ἡτοίμασε Κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἕως αἰῶνος

1 Reigns 13:13 (NETS)

1 Kings 13:13 (English Elpenor)

And Samouel said to Saoul, “You have done foolishly, for you did did not keep my commandment, which the Lord commanded you.  As just now the Lord prepared your kingdom over Israel forever, And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly; for thou hast not kept my command, which the Lord commanded thee, as now the Lord would have confirmed thy kingdom over Israel for ever.

2 Samuel 16:21 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 16:21 (KJV)

2 Samuel 16:21 (NET)

And Ahithophel said unto Absalom: ‘Go in unto thy father’s concubines, that he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel will hear that thou art abhorred of thy father; then will the hands of all that are with thee be strong.’ And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong. Ahithophel replied to Absalom, “Sleep with your father’s concubines whom he left to care for the palace.  All Israel will hear that you have made yourself repulsive to your father.  Then your followers will be motivated to support you.”

2 Samuel 16:21 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 16:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Αχιτοφελ πρὸς Αβεσσαλωμ εἴσελθε πρὸς τὰς παλλακὰς τοῦ πατρός σου ἃς κατέλιπεν φυλάσσειν τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκούσεται πᾶς Ισραηλ ὅτι κατῄσχυνας τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ ἐνισχύσουσιν αἱ χεῗρες πάντων τῶν μετὰ σοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αχιτόφελ πρὸς ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· εἴσελθε πρὸς τὰς παλλακὰς τοῦ πατρός σου, ἃς κατέλιπε φυλάσσειν τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκούσεται πᾶς ᾿Ισραὴλ ὅτι κατῄσχυνας τὸν πατέρα σου, καὶ ἐνισχύσουσιν αἱ χεῖρες πάντων τῶν μετὰ σοῦ

2 Reigns 16:21 (NETS)

2 Kings 16:21 (English Elpenor)

And Achitophel said to Abessalom, “Go in to the concubines of your father, whom he left behind to keep his house, and all Israel will hear that you put your father to shame, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” And Achitophel said to Abessalom, Go in to thy father’s concubines, whom he left to keep his house; and all Israel shall hear that thou hast dishonoured thy father; and the hands of all that are with thee shall be strengthened.

2 Samuel 16:22 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 16:22 (KJV)

2 Samuel 16:22 (NET)

So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.– So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Absalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and Absalom slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

2 Samuel 16:22 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 16:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἔπηξαν τὴν σκηνὴν τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς τὰς παλλακὰς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς παντὸς Ισραηλ καὶ ἔπηξαν τὴν σκηνὴν τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἐπὶ τὸ δῶμα, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς τὰς παλλακὰς τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ κατ’ ὀφθαλμοὺς παντὸς ᾿Ισραήλ

2 Reigns 16:22 (NETS)

2 Kings 16:22 (English Elpenor)

And they pitched the tent for Abessalom upon the roof, and Abessalom went in to the concubines of his father in the sight of all Israel. And they pitched a tent for Abessalom on the roof, and Abessalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Leviticus 18:8 (Tanakh)

Leviticus 18:8 (KJV)

Leviticus 18:8 (NET)

The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness. The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness. You must not have sexual relations with your father’s wife; she is your father’s nakedness.

Leviticus 18:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Leviticus 18:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις ἀσχημοσύνη πατρός σού ἐστιν ἀσχημοσύνην γυναικὸς πατρός σου οὐκ ἀποκαλύψεις, ἀσχημοσύνη πατρὸς σού ἐστιν

Leviticus 18:8 (NETS)

Leviticus 18:8 (English Elpenor)

You shall not uncover the shame of your father’s wife; it is the shame of your father. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s wife; it is thy father’s nakedness.

1 Samuel 18:12 (Tanakh)

1 Samuel 18:12 (KJV)

1 Samuel 18:12 (NET)

And Saul was afraid of David, because HaShem was with him, and was departed from Saul. And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and was departed from Saul. So Saul feared David, because the Lord was with David but had departed from Saul.

1 Samuel 18:12 (Septuagint BLB)

1 Kings 18:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐφοβήθη Σαουλ ἀπὸ προσώπου Δαυιδ καὶ ἐφοβήθη Σαοὺλ ἀπὸ προσώπου Δαυίδ

1 Reigns 18:12 (NETS)

1 Kings 18:12 (English Elpenor)

And Saoul was afraid from before Dauid, And Saul was alarmed on account of David.

Ephesians 5:28 (NET)

Ephesians 5:28 (KJV)

In the same way husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies.  He who loves his wife loves himself. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.  He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

οὕτως ὀφείλουσιν [καὶ] οἱ ἄνδρες ἀγαπᾶν τὰς ἑαυτῶν γυναῖκας ὡς τὰ ἑαυτῶν σώματα. ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπᾷ ουτως οφειλουσιν οι ανδρες αγαπαν τας εαυτων γυναικας ως τα εαυτων σωματα ο αγαπων την εαυτου γυναικα εαυτον αγαπα ουτως οφειλουσιν οι ανδρες αγαπαν τας εαυτων γυναικας ως τα εαυτων σωματα ο αγαπων την εαυτου γυναικα εαυτον αγαπα

John 4:9 (NET)

John 4:9 (KJV)

So the Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you—a Jew—ask me, a Samaritan woman, for water to drink?” (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

λέγει οὖν αὐτῷ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ Σαμαρῖτις· πῶς σὺ Ἰουδαῖος ὢν παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ πεῖν αἰτεῖς γυναικὸς Σαμαρίτιδος οὔσης; |(οὐ γὰρ συγχρῶνται Ἰουδαῖοι Σαμαρίταις.)| λεγει ουν αυτω η γυνη η σαμαρειτις πως συ ιουδαιος ων παρ εμου πιειν αιτεις ουσης γυναικος σαμαρειτιδος ου γαρ συγχρωνται ιουδαιοι σαμαρειταις λεγει ουν αυτω η γυνη η σαμαρειτις πως συ ιουδαιος ων παρ εμου πιειν αιτεις ουσης γυναικος σαμαρειτιδος ου γαρ συγχρωνται ιουδαιοι σαμαρειταις

1 2 Samuel 15:37 (NET)

2 2 Samuel 16:17 (NET)

3 2 Samuel 16:18, 19 (NET)  See: David’s command to Hushai, 2 Samuel 15:34 (NET).

4 2 Samuel 16:20b (NET)

5 2 Samuel 16:23 (NET)

6 2 Samuel 15:31 (NET) Table

7 1 Samuel 13:13 (NET)

8 2 Samuel 16:21 (NET)

11 2 Samuel 16:22 (NET)

13 2 Samuel 12:11 (NET) Table

14 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had καὶ (possibly also) following ought.  The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

15 The Stephanus Textus Receptus, Byzantine Majority Text and NA28 had αὐτοῦ (KJV: His) here.  The NET parallel Greek text did not.

20 2 Samuel 12:8 (NET) Table

21 1 Samuel 18:12 (NET)

David’s Forgiveness, Part 9

When David allowed Joab to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem after three years of self-imposed exile for murdering Amnon, he said, Let him go over to his own house.  He may not see my face.1  This seems like an attempt to balance his role as a loving and merciful father with David’s responsibilities for the administration of justice.  Absalom put up with this silent treatment for about two years.  Then Absalom sent a message to Joab asking him to send him to the king, but Joab was not willing to come to him.  So he sent a second message to him, but he still was not willing to come.2

Then Absalom got creative.  Look, Joab has a portion of field adjacent to mine, he told his servants, and he has some barley there.  Go and set it on fire.3  That got Joab’s attention.  He complained to Absalom.  Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent a message to you saying, ‘Come here so that I can send you to the king with this message: “Why have I come from Geshur?  It would be better for me if I were still there.”’ Let me now see the face of the king. If I am at fault, let him put me to death!”4

Joab took this message to King David.  David summoned Absalom.  Absalom bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and the king kissed him.5  Now in all Israel everyone acknowledged that there was no man as handsome as Absalom.  From the sole of his feet to the top of his head he was perfect in appearance.6  And I’m beginning to catch on to David.

One of the Proverbs of Solomon Collected by Hezekiah, says, If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink [Table], for you will heap coals of fire on his head,7 and the Lord will reward you [Table].8  David had no access to these words, but obviously understood them before they were written.  He knew then that Absalom was an excellent actor.  Absalom always knew what words to say and what actions to perform.  David couldn’t tell if Absalom was his repentant and obedient son or his enemy.  So he forgave him.

It was the best way to treat a repentant and obedient son, and the best way to treat an unrepentant enemy, like heaping coals of fire on his head, which a note in the NET indicates is a euphemism for a “searing conscience.”  If Absalom was already David’s repentant and obedient son, so much the better. If not, and everything worked out, David’s unrepentant enemy would become his repentant and obedient son.  If it didn’t, the Lord would reward David as the, yet to be written, Proverb said.  Likewise, Absalom—with his conscience seared by David’s love, mercy and forgiveness—could ease that pain by repenting before God like his father David, or by striving harder to justify himself before God and the people like Jephthah.

Absalom acquired a chariot and horses, and fifty men to serve as his royal guard.  He got up early and stood by the side of the road leading to the city gate.  When people came to King David with a complaint for arbitration, Absalom called them aside, looked at their petition and said, “Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate.  But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you…If only they would make me a judge in the land!  Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”9

Absalom played the part of a populist egalitarian.  When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him.  Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice.  In this way Absalom won the loyalty of the citizens of Israel.10  Who can tell if he was sincere or not?

After four years [See Addendum below] of this Absalom said to his father David, the Lord’s chosen or anointed king, “Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron.  For I made this vow when I was living in Geshur in Aram: ‘If the Lord really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, I will serve the Lord.’”11  David gave him leave.  Absalom went to Hebron where his father had begun his reign as king.  Then Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel who said, “When you hear the sound of the horn, you may assume that Absalom rules in Hebron.”12

Absalom’s conspiracy seems to have been an ill-conceived bluff.  Two hundred of the men who accompanied him from Jerusalem thought they had been invited for free food and drink.  While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s adviser, to come from his city, Giloh. A note in the NET explains that the text is not clear whether Asbalom or Ahithopel was offering sacrifices when Absalom sent for Ahithophel.  It’s also not clear whether Ahithophel knew why he was being summoned.  Nevertheless with the king’s advisor coming over to Absalom the conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom.13

I think it conceivable that Absalom’s true intent was merely to stir up enough trouble to bargain for a judgeship.  But when David heard the report, “The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!” the king himself ratcheted things up a notch.  “Come on!  Let’s escape!” David said, “Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom!  Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring disaster on us and kill the city’s residents with the sword.”14  I believe wholeheartedly that David’s first concern was to protect the lives of those loyal to him while not subjecting the inhabitants of Jerusalem to a siege.  But David’s next command decision offers another clue.

As David and all his household, royal court, servants, loyal warriors fled from Jerusalem (all but ten of David’s concubines who were left to attend to the palace) he noticed and spoke to Ittai the Gittite who had six hundred warriors from Gath.  “Why should you come with us?  Go back and stay with the new king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country.  It seems like you arrived just yesterday.  Today should I make you wander around by going with us?  I go where I must go.  But as for you, go back and take your men with you.  May genuine loyal love protect you!”15

I don’t doubt David’s sincere concern for Ittai and his six hundred men.  And I don’t doubt that David was uncertain of the loyalty of these men, and of any men had he remained in Jerusalem.  Fleeing as he did was as good an impromptu loyalty test as any, and Ittai the Gittite passed the test.  As surely as the Lord lives, Ittai replied, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether dead or alive, there I will be as well!16

Zadok the priest would have brought the ark of the covenant of God and all the Levites who were with him along with David.  Take the ark of God back to the city, David said.  If I find favor in the Lord’s sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again.  However, if he should say, “I do not take pleasure in you,” then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate.17  Again, I don’t doubt David’s sincerity.  The ark of the covenant of God belonged to Israel, not to David, not even to the king.  But David was not shy about asking Zadok for intelligence either.  I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you reaches me.18

When David heard that his adviser had gone over to Absalom, he prayed, Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord!19  When Hushai the Arkite met him at the top of the hill where he used to worship God, David had an inspired thought, “If you leave with me you will be a burden to me.  But you will be able to counter the advice of Ahithophel if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king!  Previously I was your father’s servant, and now I will be your servant.’”20  He also instructed Hushai to pass on any intelligence he gathered to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met them with food and drink.  Mephibosheth was a son of David’s friend Jonathan the son of Saul.  When David became king he began to care for Mephibosheth to show his kindness to Jonathan after Jonathan died in battle against the Philistines.  David inquired about Mephibosheth.  He remains in Jerusalem, Ziba said, for he said, “Today the house of Israel will give back to me my grandfather’s kingdom.”  The king said to Ziba, “Everything that was Mephibosheth’s now belongs to you.”21  (As I said before, it is possible that Ziba lied.)

As they walked on a relative of King Saul’s named Shimei cursed at David and threw stones.  The Lord has punished you for all the spilled blood of the house of Saul,22 Shimei said.  One of David’s men, Abishai son of Zeruiah, practically begged David for leave to kill Shimei (2 Samuel 16:10-12 NET).

But the king said, “What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah?  If he curses because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David!’, who can say to him, ‘Why have you done this?’”  Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son, my very own flesh and blood, is trying to take my life.  So also now this Benjaminite!  Leave him alone so that he can curse, for the Lord has spoken to him.  Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction and this day grant me good in place of his curse.”

 

Addendum: April 6, 2021
NET note 10 reads:

The MT has here “forty,” but this is presumably a scribal error for “four.” The context will not tolerate a period of forty years prior to the rebellion of Absalom. The Lucianic Greek recension (τέσσαρα ἔτη, tessara etē), the Syriac Peshitta (ʾarbaʿ sanin), and Vulgate (post quattuor autem annos) in fact have the expected reading “four years.” Most English translations follow the versions in reading “four” here, although some (e.g. KJV, ASV, NASB, NKJV), following the MT, read “forty.”

Apparently I took this note at face value, but the Masoretic text and the Septuagint agree here:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
2 Samuel 15:7 (Tanakh) 2 Samuel 15:7 (NET) 2 Reigns 15:7 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:7 (English Elpenor)

And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said unto the king: ‘I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto HaShem, in Hebron. After four years Absalom said to the king, “Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron. And it happened at the end of forty years, that Abessalom said to his father, “I will go now and pay my my vows that I vowed to the Lord, in Chebron. And it came to pass after forty years, that Abessalom said to his father, I will go now, and pay my vows, which I vowed to the Lord in Chebron.

My assessment of Absalom’s intentions was based on the assumption that he was still a relatively young man, handsome, a clever actor, playing with a power he didn’t fully understand, not unlike a young woman flirting.  But if he continued this plot for forty years, he grew to understand exactly what he was doing.  I do find it difficult, to say the least, to fit an additional thirty-six years into David’s life and reign at this point.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint
2 Samuel 5:4, 5 (Tanakh) 2 Samuel 5:4, 5 (NET) 2 Reigns 5:4, 5 (NETS)

2 Kings 5:4, 5 (English Elpenor)

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for forty years. Dauid was a son of thirty years when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years, David [was] thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.
In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah. In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. seven years and six months he reigned at Chebron over Ioudas, and thirty-three years he reigned over all Israel and Ioudas at Ierousalem. Seven years and six months he reigned in Chebron over Juda, and thirty-three years he reigned over all Israel and Juda in Jerusalem.

Tables comparing 2 Samuel 14:24; 14:29; 14:30; 14:32; 14:33; 14:25; 15:1; 15:3; 15:4; 15:5; 15:6; 15:7; 15:8; 15:10; 15:12; 15:13; 15:14; 15:19; 15:20; 15:21; 15:25; 15:26; 15:28; 15:31; 15:33; 15:34; 16:3; 16:4; 16:8; 16:10; 16:11; 16:12; 5:4 and 5:5 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 14:24; 14:29; 14:30; 14:32; 14:33; 14:25; 15:1; 15:3; 15:4; 15:5; 15:6; 15:7; 15:8; 15:10; 15:12; 15:13; 15:14; 15:19; 15:20; 15:21; 15:25; 15:26; 15:28; 15:31; 15:33; 15:34; 16:3; 16:4; 16:8; 16:10; 16:11; 16:12; 5:4 and 5:5 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

2 Samuel 14:24 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 14:24 (KJV)

2 Samuel 14:24 (NET)

And the king said: ‘Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face.’  So Absalom turned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face. And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face. But the king said, “Let him go over to his own house.  He may not see my face.” So Absalom went over to his own house; he did not see the king’s face.

2 Samuel 14:24 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 14:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς ἀποστραφήτω εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν μου μὴ βλεπέτω καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν Αβεσσαλωμ εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως οὐκ εἶδεν καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· ἀποστραφήτω εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν μου μὴ βλεπέτω καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως οὐκ εἶδε

2 Reigns 14:24 (NETS)

2 Kings 14:24 (English Elpenor)

And the king said, “Let him return to his house and not see my face.”  And Abessalom returned to his house and did not see the face of the king. And the king said, Let him return to his house, and not see my face.  And Abessalom returned to his house, and saw not the king’s face

2 Samuel 14:29 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 14:29 (KJV)

2 Samuel 14:29 (NET)

Then Absalom sent for Joab, to send him to the king; but he would not come to him; and he sent again a second time, but he would not come. Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king; but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time, he would not come. Then Absalom sent a message to Joab asking him to send him to the king, but Joab was not willing to come to him.  So he sent a second message to him, but he still was not willing to come.

2 Samuel 14:29 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 14:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς Ιωαβ τοῦ ἀποστεῗλαι αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ἐλθεῗν πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἐκ δευτέρου πρὸς αὐτόν καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν παραγενέσθαι καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς ᾿Ιωὰβ ἀποστεῖλαι αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ἐλθεῖν πρὸς αὐτόν· καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἐκ δευτέρου πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησε παραγενέσθαι

2 Reigns 14:29 (NETS)

2 Kings 14:29 (English Elpenor)

And Abessalom sent to Ioab to send him to the king, but he did not want to come to him.  And he sent a second time to him, but he did not want to come. And Abessalom sent to Joab to bring him in to the king, and he would not come to him: and he sent to him the second time, and he would not come.

2 Samuel 14:30 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 14:30 (KJV)

2 Samuel 14:30 (NET)

Therefore he said unto his servants: ‘See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire.’  And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire. Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab’s field is near mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire.  And Absalom’s servants set the field on fire. So he said to his servants, “Look, Joab has a portion of field adjacent to mine and he has some barley there. Go and set it on fire.”  So Absalom’s servants set Joab’s portion of the field on fire.

2 Samuel 14:30 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 14:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς τοὺς παῗδας αὐτοῦ ἴδετε ἡ μερὶς ἐν ἀγρῷ τοῦ Ιωαβ ἐχόμενά μου καὶ αὐτῷ κριθαὶ ἐκεῗ πορεύεσθε καὶ ἐμπρήσατε αὐτὴν ἐν πυρί καὶ ἐνέπρησαν αὐτὰς οἱ παῗδες Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ παραγίνονται οἱ δοῦλοι Ιωαβ πρὸς αὐτὸν διερρηχότες τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν καὶ εἶπαν ἐνεπύρισαν οἱ δοῦλοι Αβεσσαλωμ τὴν μερίδα ἐν πυρί καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ· ἴδετε, ἡ μερὶς ἐν ἀγρῷ τοῦ ᾿Ιωὰβ ἐχόμενά μου, καὶ αὐτῷ ἐκεῖ κριθαί, πορεύεσθε καὶ ἐμπρήσατε αὐτὴν ἐν πυρί· καὶ ἐνέπρησαν οἱ παῖδες ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ τὴν μερίδα. καὶ παραγίνονται οἱ δοῦλοι ᾿Ιωὰβ πρὸς αὐτὸν διερρηχότες τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν καὶ εἶπον· ἐνεπύρισαν οἱ δοῦλοι ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ τὴν μερίδα ἐν πυρί.

2 Reigns 14:30 (NETS)

2 Kings 14:30 (English Elpenor)

And Abessalom said to his servants, “Look, the portion in Ioab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go, and burn it with fire.”  And the servants of Abessalom set them on fire. And the slaves of Ioab came to him with their clothes torn and said, “The slaves of Abessalom burned your portion with fire.” And Abessalom said to his servants, Behold, Joab’s portion in the field [is] next to mine, and he has in it barley; go and set it on fire.  And the servants of Abessalom set the field on fire: and the servants of Joab come to him with their clothes rent, and they said to him, The servants of Abessalom have set the field on fire.

2 Samuel 14:32 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 14:32 (KJV)

2 Samuel 14:32 (NET)

And Absalom answered Joab: ‘Behold, I sent unto thee, saying: Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say: Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it were better for me to be there still; now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there be iniquity in me, let him kill me.’ And Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither, that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now therefore let me see the king’s face; and if there be any iniquity in me, let him kill me. Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent a message to you saying, ‘Come here so that I can send you to the king with this message: “Why have I come from Geshur?  It would be better for me if I were still there.”’  Let me now see the face of the king.  If I am at fault, let him put me to death!”

2 Samuel 14:32 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 14:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς Ιωαβ ἰδοὺ ἀπέστειλα πρὸς σὲ λέγων ἧκε ὧδε καὶ ἀποστελῶ σε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα λέγων ἵνα τί ἦλθον ἐκ Γεδσουρ ἀγαθόν μοι ἦν τοῦ ἔτι εἶναί με ἐκεῗ καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως οὐκ εἶδον εἰ δέ ἐστιν ἐν ἐμοὶ ἀδικία καὶ θανάτωσόν με καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς ᾿Ιωάβ· ἰδοὺ ἀπέστειλα πρός σε λέγων· ἦκε ὧδε, καὶ ἀποστελῶ σε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα λέγων· ἱνατί ἦλθον ἐκ Γεδσούρ; ἀγαθόν μοι ἦν εἶναι ἐκεῖ· καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ τὸ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως οὐκ εἶδον· εἰ δέ ἐστιν ἐν ἐμοὶ ἀδικία, καὶ θανάτωσόν με

2 Reigns 14:32 (NETS)

2 Kings 14:32 (English Elpenor)

And Abessalom said to Ioab, “Behold, I sent to you, saying: Come here, and I will send you to the king, saying, ‘Why did I come from Gedsour?  It were good for me to be there still.  And now, behold, I have not seen the face of the king, but if there is injustice in me, just put me to death!’” And Abessalom said to Joab, Behold, I sent to thee, saying, Come hither, and I will send thee to the king, saying, Why did I come out of Gedsur? it would have been better for me to have remained there: and now, behold, I have not seen the face of the king; but if there is iniquity in me, then put me to death.

2 Samuel 14:33 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 14:33 (KJV)

2 Samuel 14:33 (NET)

So Joab came to the king, and told him; and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom. So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom. So Joab went to the king and informed him.  The king summoned Absalom, and he came to the king.  Absalom bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and the king kissed him.

2 Samuel 14:33 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 14:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Ιωαβ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸν Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ κατεφίλησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ᾿Ιωὰβ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸν ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ. καὶ εἰσῆλθε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ προσεκύνησεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ κατεφίλησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ

2 Reigns 14:33 (NETS)

2 Kings 14:33 (English Elpenor)

And Ioab went in to the king and told him, and he summoned Abessalom.  And he went in to the king and did obeisance to him and fell on his face on the ground in front of the king, and the king kissed Abessalom. And Joab went in to the king, and brought him word: and he called Abessalom, and he went in to the king, and did him obeisance, and fell upon his face to the ground, even in the presence of the king; and the king kissed Abessalom.

2 Samuel 14:25 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 14:25 (KJV)

2 Samuel 14:25 (NET)

Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty; from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. Now in all Israel everyone acknowledged that there was no man as handsome as Absalom.  From the soles of his feet to the top of his head he was perfect in appearance.

2 Samuel 14:25 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 14:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ὡς Αβεσσαλωμ οὐκ ἦν ἀνὴρ ἐν παντὶ Ισραηλ αἰνετὸς σφόδρα ἀπὸ ἴχνους ποδὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕως κορυφῆς αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἦν ἐν αὐτῷ μῶμος καὶ ὡς ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ οὐκ ἦν ἀνὴρ ἐν παντὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ αἰνετὸς σφόδρα, ἀπὸ ἴχνους ποδὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕως κορυφῆς αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἦν ἐν αὐτῷ μῶμος

2 Reigns 14:25 (NETS)

2 Kings 14:25 (English Elpenor)

And in all Israel there was no man quite so praiseworthy as Abessalom; from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. And there was not a man in Israel so very comely as Abessalom: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

2 Samuel 15:1 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:1 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:1 (NET)

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him. And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. Some time later Absalom managed to acquire a chariot and horses, as well as 50 men to serve as his royal guard.

2 Samuel 15:1 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:1 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ Αβεσσαλωμ ἅρματα καὶ ἵππους καὶ πεντήκοντα ἄνδρας παρατρέχειν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ ΚΑΙ ἐγένετο μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἅρματα καὶ ἵππους καὶ πεντήκοντα ἄνδρας παρατρέχειν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ

2 Reigns 15:1 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:1 (English Elpenor)

And it happened after this that Abessalom got himself chariots and horses and fifty men to run along before him. And it came to pass after this that Abessalom prepared for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

2 Samuel 15:3 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:3 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:3 (NET)

And Absalom said unto him: ‘See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.’ And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. Absalom would then say to him, “Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate.  But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.”

2 Samuel 15:3 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Αβεσσαλωμ ἰδοὺ οἱ λόγοι σου ἀγαθοὶ καὶ εὔκολοι καὶ ἀκούων οὐκ ἔστιν σοι παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· ἰδοὺ οἱ λόγοι σου ἀγαθοὶ καὶ εὔκολοι, καὶ ἀκούων οὐκ ἔστι σοι παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως

2 Reigns 15:3 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:3 (English Elpenor)

And Abessalom said to him, “Behold, your claims are good and easy, and there is no one from the king to hear you.” And Abessalom said to him, See, thy affairs [are] right and clear, yet thou hast no one [appointed] of the king to hear thee.

2 Samuel 15:4 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:4 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:4 (NET)

Absalom said moreover: ‘Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!’ Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! Absalom would then say, “If only they would make me a judge in the land!  Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”

2 Samuel 15:4 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ τίς με καταστήσει κριτὴν ἐν τῇ γῇ καὶ ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ ἐλεύσεται πᾶς ἀνήρ ᾧ ἐὰν ᾖ ἀντιλογία καὶ κρίσις καὶ δικαιώσω αὐτόν καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· τίς με καταστήσει κριτὴν ἐν τῇ γῇ, καὶ ἐπ’ ἐμὲ ἐλεύσεται πᾶς ἀνήρ, ᾧ ἐὰν ᾖ ἀντιλογία καὶ κρίσις, καὶ δικαιώσω αὐτόν

2 Reigns 15:4 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:4 (English Elpenor)

And Abessalom said, “Who will make me a judge in the land?  And every man who may have a dispute and a judgment will come to me, and I will give him justice.” And Abessalom said, O that one would make me a judge in the land; then every man who had a dispute or a cause would come to me, and I would judge him!

2 Samuel 15:5 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:5 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:5 (NET)

And it was so, that when any man came nigh to prostrate himself before him, he put forth his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him. And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him.

2 Samuel 15:5 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐγγίζειν ἄνδρα τοῦ προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ καὶ ἐξέτεινεν τὴν χεῗρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπελαμβάνετο αὐτοῦ καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ἐγγίζειν ἄνδρα τοῦ προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ καὶ ἐξέτεινε τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπελαμβάνετο αὐτοῦ καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν

2 Reigns 15:5 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:5 (English Elpenor)

And it happened, when a man came near to do obeisance to him, that he would stretch out his hand and take hold of him, and he kissed him. And it came to pass when a man came near to do him obeisance, that he stretched out his hand, and took hold of him, and kissed him.

2 Samuel 15:6 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:6 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:6 (NET)

And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. Absalom acted this way toward everyone in Israel who came to the king for justice.  In this way Absalom won the loyalty of the citizens of Israel.

2 Samuel 15:6 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐποίησεν Αβεσσαλωμ κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο παντὶ Ισραηλ τοῗς παραγινομένοις εἰς κρίσιν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ ἰδιοποιεῗτο Αβεσσαλωμ τὴν καρδίαν ἀνδρῶν Ισραηλ καὶ ἐποίησεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο παντὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ τοῖς παραγινομένοις εἰς κρίσιν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ ἰδιοποιεῖτο ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ τὴν καρδίαν ἀνδρῶν ᾿Ισραήλ

2 Reigns 15:6 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:6 (English Elpenor)

And Abessalom did according to this thing to all Israel, to those who came to the king for judgment, and Abessalom made the heart of the men of Israel his own. And Abessalom did after this manner to all Israel that came to the king for judgment; and Abessalom gained the hearts of the men of Israel.

2 Samuel 15:7 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:7 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:7 (NET)

And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said unto the king: ‘I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto HaShem, in Hebron. And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron. After four years Absalom said to the king, “Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the Lord while I was in Hebron.

2 Samuel 15:7 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐγένετο ἀπὸ τέλους τεσσαράκοντα ἐτῶν καὶ εἶπεν Αβεσσαλωμ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ πορεύσομαι δὴ καὶ ἀποτείσω τὰς εὐχάς μου ἃς ηὐξάμην τῷ κυρίῳ ἐν Χεβρων καὶ ἐγένετο ἀπὸ τέλους τεσσαράκοντα ἐτῶν καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ· πορεύσομαι δὴ καὶ ἀποτίσω τὰς εὐχάς μου, ἃς ηὐξάμην τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν Χεβρών

2 Reigns 15:7 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:7 (English Elpenor)

And it happened at the end of forty years, that Abessalom said to his father, “I will go now and pay my my vows that I vowed to the Lord, in Chebron. And it came to pass after forty years, that Abessalom said to his father, I will go now, and pay my vows, which I vowed to the Lord in Chebron.

2 Samuel 15:8 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:8 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:8 (NET)

For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Aram, saying: If HaShem shall indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will serve HaShem.’ For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD. For I made this vow when I was living in Geshur in Aram: ‘If the Lord really does allow me to return to Jerusalem, I will serve the Lord.’”

2 Samuel 15:8 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ὅτι εὐχὴν ηὔξατο ὁ δοῦλός σου ἐν τῷ οἰκεῗν με ἐν Γεδσουρ ἐν Συρίᾳ λέγων ἐὰν ἐπιστρέφων ἐπιστρέψῃ με κύριος εἰς Ιερουσαλημ καὶ λατρεύσω τῷ κυρίῳ ὅτι εὐχὴν ηὔξατο ὁ δοῦλός σου ἐν τῷ οἰκεῖν με ἐν Γεδσοὺρ ἐν Συρίᾳ λέγων· ἐὰν ἐπιστρέφων ἐπιστρέψῃ με Κύριος εἰς ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, καὶ λατρεύσω τῷ Κυρίῳ

2 Reigns 15:8 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:8 (English Elpenor)

For your slave vowed a vow when I lived in Gedsour in Syria, saying, ‘If by returning the Lord should return me to Ierousalem, then I will serve the Lord.’” For thy servant vowed a vow when I dwelt at Gedsur in Syria, saying, If the Lord should indeed restore me to Jerusalem, then will I serve the Lord.

2 Samuel 15:10 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:10 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:10 (NET)

But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying: ‘As soon as ye hear the sound of the horn, then ye shall say: Absalom is king in Hebron.’ But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron. Then Absalom sent spies through all the tribes of Israel who said, “When you hear the sound of the horn, you may assume that Absalom rules in Hebron.”

2 Samuel 15:10 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Αβεσσαλωμ κατασκόπους ἐν πάσαις φυλαῗς Ισραηλ λέγων ἐν τῷ ἀκοῦσαι ὑμᾶς τὴν φωνὴν τῆς κερατίνης καὶ ἐρεῗτε βεβασίλευκεν βασιλεὺς Αβεσσαλωμ ἐν Χεβρων καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ κατασκόπους ἐν πάσαις φυλαῖς ᾿Ισραὴλ λέγων· ἐν τῷ ἀκοῦσαι ὑμᾶς τὴν φωνὴν τῆς κερατίνης καὶ ἐρεῖτε· βεβασίλευκε βασιλεὺς ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ ἐν Χεβρών

2 Reigns 15:10 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:10 (English Elpenor)

And Abessalom sent spies among all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the horn, they you will say, ‘Abessalom has been crowned king in Chebron!’” And Abessalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, When ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then shall ye say, Abessalom is become king in Chebron.

2 Samuel 15:12 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:12 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:12 (NET)

And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered the sacrifices.  And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom. And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices.  And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom. While he was offering sacrifices, Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s adviser, to come from his city, Giloh.  The conspiracy was gaining momentum, and the people were starting to side with Absalom.

2 Samuel 15:12 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸν Αχιτοφελ τὸν Γελμωναῗον τὸν σύμβουλον Δαυιδ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως αὐτοῦ ἐκ Γωλα ἐν τῷ θυσιάζειν αὐτόν καὶ ἐγένετο σύστρεμμα ἰσχυρόν καὶ ὁ λαὸς πορευόμενος καὶ πολὺς μετὰ Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸν ᾿Αχιτόφελ τὸν Γελμωναῖον τὸν σύμβουλον Δαυὶδ ἐκ τῆς πόλεως αὐτοῦ ἐκ Γωλὰ ἐν τῷ θυσιάζειν αὐτόν. καὶ ἐγένετο σύστρεμμα ἰσχυρόν, καὶ ὁ λαὸς ὁ πορευόμενος καὶ πολὺς μετὰ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ

2 Reigns 15:12 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:12 (English Elpenor)

And Abessalom sent and summond Achitophel the Gelmonite, the counselor of Dauid, from his city, from Gola, when he was offering sacrifices.  And the conspiracy became strong, and the people, going in great number, were with Abessalom. And Abessalom sent to Achitophel the Theconite,* the counsellor of David, from his city, from Gola, where he was sacrificing: and there was a strong conspiracy; and the people with Abessalom were increasingly numerous.

2 Samuel 15:13 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:13 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:13 (NET)

And there came a messenger to David, saying: ‘The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.’ And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The men of Israel are loyal to Absalom!”

2 Samuel 15:13 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:13 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ παρεγένετο ὁ ἀπαγγέλλων πρὸς Δαυιδ λέγων ἐγενήθη ἡ καρδία ἀνδρῶν Ισραηλ ὀπίσω Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ παρεγένετο ὁ ἀπαγγέλλων πρὸς Δαυὶδ λέγων· ἐγενήθη ἡ καρδία ἀνδρῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ ὀπίσω ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ

2 Reigns 15:13 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:13 (English Elpenor)

And the messenger came to Dauid, saying, “The heart of the men of Israel has gone after Abessalom.” And there came a messenger to David, saying, the heart of the men of Israel is gone after Abessalom.

2 Samuel 15:14 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:14 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:14 (NET)

And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem: ‘Arise, and let us flee; for else none of us shall escape from Absalom; make speed to depart, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.’ And David said unto all his servants that were with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword. So David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come on!  Let’s escape!  Otherwise no one will be delivered from Absalom!  Go immediately, or else he will quickly overtake us and bring disaster on us and kill the city’s residents with the sword.”

2 Samuel 15:14 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πᾶσιν τοῗς παισὶν αὐτοῦ τοῗς μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ τοῗς ἐν Ιερουσαλημ ἀνάστητε καὶ φύγωμεν ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῗν σωτηρία ἀπὸ προσώπου Αβεσσαλωμ ταχύνατε τοῦ πορευθῆναι ἵνα μὴ ταχύνῃ καὶ καταλάβῃ ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐξώσῃ ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς τὴν κακίαν καὶ πατάξῃ τὴν πόλιν στόματι μαχαίρης καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πᾶσι τοῖς παισὶν αὐτοῦ τοῖς μετ’ αὐτοῦ τοῖς ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ· ἀνάστητε καὶ φύγωμεν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν σωτηρία ἀπὸ προσώπου ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· ταχύνατε τοῦ πορευθῆναι, ἵνα μὴ ταχύνῃ καὶ καταλάβῃ ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐξώσῃ ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς τὴν κακίαν καὶ πατάξῃ τὴν πόλιν ἐν στόματι μαχαίρας

2 Reigns 15:14 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:14 (English Elpenor)

And Dauid said to all his servants who were with him in Ierousalem, “Get up, and let us flee, for there is no deliverance for us from before Abessalom.  Be quick to go so that he might not be quick and overtake us and thrust out evil upon us and strike the city with the dagger’s edge.” And David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem, Rise, and let us flee, for we have no refuge from Abessalom: make haste and go, lest he overtake us speedily, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

2 Samuel 15:19 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:19 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:19 (NET)

Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite: ‘Wherefore goest thou also with us? return, and abide with the king; for thou art a foreigner, and also an exile from thine own place. Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou art a stranger, and also an exile. Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come with us?  Go back and stay with the new king, for you are a foreigner and an exile from your own country.

2 Samuel 15:19 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς Εθθι τὸν Γεθθαῗον ἵνα τί πορεύῃ καὶ σὺ μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐπίστρεφε καὶ οἴκει μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ὅτι ξένος εἶ σὺ καὶ ὅτι μετῴκηκας σὺ ἐκ τοῦ τόπου σου καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς ᾿Εθὶ τὸν Γεθθαῖον· ἱνατί πορεύῃ καὶ σὺ μεθ’ ἡμῶν; ἐπίστρεφε καὶ οἴκει μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως, ὅτι ξένος εἶ σὺ καὶ ὅτι μετῴκησας σὺ ἐκ τοῦ τόπου σου

2 Reigns 15:19 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:19 (English Elpenor)

And the king said to Eththi the Geththite, “Why are you also going with us?  Turn back, and live with the king, because you are a stranger and because you have changed your abode from your place. And the king said to Ethi, the Gittite, Why dost thou also go with us? return, and dwell with the king, for thou art a stranger, and thou hast come forth as a sojourner out of thy place.

2 Samuel 15:20 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:20 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:20 (NET)

Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go whither I may? return thou, and take back thy brethren with thee in kindness and truth.’ Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee. It seems as if you arrived just yesterday. Today should I make you wander around by going with us?  I go where I must go.  But as for you, go back and take your men with you.  May genuine loyal love protect you!”

2 Samuel 15:20 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἰ ἐχθὲς παραγέγονας καὶ σήμερον κινήσω σε μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν καί γε μεταναστήσεις τὸν τόπον σου ἐχθὲς ἡ ἐξέλευσίς σου καὶ σήμερον μετακινήσω σε μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν τοῦ πορευθῆναι καὶ ἐγὼ πορεύσομαι οὗ ἂν ἐγὼ πορευθῶ ἐπιστρέφου καὶ ἐπίστρεψον τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου μετὰ σοῦ καὶ κύριος ποιήσει μετὰ σοῦ ἔλεος καὶ ἀλήθειαν εἰ ἐχθὲς παραγέγονας, καὶ σήμερον κινήσω σε μεθ’ ἡμῶν; καί γε μεταναστήσεις τὸν τόπον σου; ἐχθὲς ἡ ἐξέλευσίς σου, καὶ σήμερον μετακινήσω σε μεθ’ ἡμῶν τοῦ πορευθῆναι; καὶ ἐγὼ πορεύσομαι οὗ ἐὰν ἐγὼ πορευθῶ. ἐπιστρέφου καὶ ἐπίστρεψον τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ Κύριος ποιήσει μετὰ σοῦ ἔλεος καὶ ἀλήθειαν

2 Reigns 15:20 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:20 (English Elpenor)

If you had come yesterday, shall I even today move you with us, and indeed will you evade your place?  Yesterday was your going out, and today shall I remove you to go with us?  And I will go wherever I go.  Turn back, and turn back your brothers with you, and the Lord will do mercy and truth with you.” Whereas thou camest yesterday, shall I to-day cause thee to travel with us, and shalt thou [thus] change thy place? thou didst come forth yesterday, and to-day shall I set thee in motion to go along with us?  I indeed will go whithersoever I may go: return then, and cause thy brethren to return with thee, and may the Lord deal mercifully and truly with thee.

2 Samuel 15:21 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:21 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:21 (NET)

And Ittai answered the king, and said: ‘As HaShem liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, even there also will thy servant be.’ And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant be. But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king is, whether it means death or life, there I will be as well!”

2 Samuel 15:21 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἀπεκρίθη Εθθι τῷ βασιλεῗ καὶ εἶπεν ζῇ κύριος καὶ ζῇ ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεύς ὅτι εἰς τὸν τόπον οὗ ἐὰν ᾖ ὁ κύριός μου καὶ ἐὰν εἰς θάνατον καὶ ἐὰν εἰς ζωήν ὅτι ἐκεῗ ἔσται ὁ δοῦλός σου καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ᾿Εθθὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ εἶπε· ζῇ Κύριος καὶ ζῇ ὁ κύριός μου ὁ βασιλεύς, ὅτι εἰς τὸν τόπον, οὗ ἐὰν ᾖ ὁ κύριός μου, καὶ ἐὰν εἰς θάνατον καὶ ἐὰν εἰς ζωήν, ὅτι ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ δοῦλός σου

2 Reigns 15:21 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:21 (English Elpenor)

And Eththi answered the king and said, “The Lord lives, and my lord the king lives, for in the place wherever my lord may be, both if it be for death and if it be for life, for there your slave will be.” And Ethi answered the king and said, [As] the Lord lives and as my lord the king lives, in the place wheresoever my lord shall be, whether it be for death or life, there shall thy servant be.

2 Samuel 15:25 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:25 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:25 (NET)

And the king said unto Zadok: ‘Carry back the ark of G-d into the city; if I shall find favour in the eyes of HaShem, He will bring me back, and show me both it, and His habitation; And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation: Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back to the city.  If I find favor in the Lord’s sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again.

2 Samuel 15:25 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Σαδωκ ἀπόστρεψον τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐὰν εὕρω χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς κυρίου καὶ ἐπιστρέψει με καὶ δείξει μοι αὐτὴν καὶ τὴν εὐπρέπειαν αὐτῆς καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς τὸν Σαδώκ· ἀπόστρεψον τὴν κιβωτὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς τὴν πόλιν· ἐὰν εὕρω χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς Κυρίου, καὶ ἐπιστρέψει με καὶ δείξει μοι αὐτήν καὶ τὴν εὐπρέπειαν αὐτῆς

2 Reigns 15:25 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:25 (English Elpenor)

And the king said to Sadok, “Return the ark of God to the city.  If I find favor in the eyes of the Lord, then he will bring me back and show me it and its beauty. And the king said to Sadoc, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I should find favour in the eyes of the Lord, then will he bring me back, and he will shew me it and its beauty.

2 Samuel 15:26 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:26 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:26 (NET)

but if He say thus: I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him.’ But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him. However, if he should say, ‘I do not take pleasure in you,’ then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate.”

2 Samuel 15:26 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐὰν εἴπῃ οὕτως οὐκ ἠθέληκα ἐν σοί ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι ποιείτω μοι κατὰ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐὰν εἴπῃ οὕτως· οὐκ ἠθέληκα ἐν σοί, ἰδοὺ ἐγώ εἰμι, ποιείτω μοι κατὰ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ

2 Reigns 15:26 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:26 (English Elpenor)

And if he says thus, ‘I have no want in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me according to what is good in his eyes.” But if he should say thus, I have no pleasure in thee; behold, [here] I am, let him do to me according to that which is good in his eyes.

2 Samuel 15:28 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:28 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:28 (NET)

See, I will tarry in the plains of the wilderness, until there come word from you to announce unto me.’ See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me. Look, I will be waiting at the fords of the desert until word from you reaches me.”

2 Samuel 15:28 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἴδετε ἐγώ εἰμι στρατεύομαι ἐν Αραβωθ τῆς ἐρήμου ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῗν ῥῆμα παρ᾽ ὑμῶν τοῦ ἀπαγγεῗλαί μοι ἴδετε, ἐγώ εἰμι στρατεύομαι ἐν ᾿Αραβὼθ τῆς ἐρήμου ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ρῆμα παρ’ ὑμῶν τοῦ ἀπαγγεῖλαί μοι

2 Reigns 15:28 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:28 (English Elpenor)

Look, I am—I am at arms in araboth of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” Behold, I continue in arms in Araboth of the desert, until there come tidings from you to report to me.

2 Samuel 15:31 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:31 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:31 (NET)

And one told David, saying: ‘Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.’  And David said: ‘O HaShem, I pray Thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.’ And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.  And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness. Now David had been told, “Ahithophel has sided with the conspirators who are with Absalom.”  So David prayed, “Make the advice of Ahithophel foolish, O Lord.”

2 Samuel 15:31 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἀνηγγέλη Δαυιδ λέγοντες καὶ Αχιτοφελ ἐν τοῗς συστρεφομένοις μετὰ Αβεσσαλωμ καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ διασκέδασον δὴ τὴν βουλὴν Αχιτοφελ κύριε ὁ θεός μου καὶ ἀνηγγέλη Δαυὶδ λέγοντες· καὶ ᾿Αχιτόφελ ἐν τοῖς συστρεφομένοις μετὰ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· καὶ εἶπε Δαυίδ· διασκέδασον δὴ τὴν βουλὴν ᾿Αχιτόφελ, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου

2 Reigns 15:31 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:31 (English Elpenor)

And it was told Dauid, saying, “Even Achitophel is among the conspirators with Abessalom.”  And Dauid said, “Do scatter abroad the counsel of Achitophel, O Lord my God.” And it was reported to David, saying, Achitophel also [is] among the conspirators with Abessalom.  And David said, O Lord my God, disconcert, I pray thee, the counsel of Achitophel.

2 Samuel 15:33 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:33 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:33 (NET)

And David said unto him: ‘If thou passest on with me, then thou wilt be a burden unto Me; Unto whom David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden unto me: David said to him, “If you leave with me you will be a burden to me.

2 Samuel 15:33 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Δαυιδ ἐὰν μὲν διαβῇς μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ ἔσῃ ἐπ᾽ ἐμὲ εἴς βάσταγμα καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Δαυίδ· ἐὰν μὲν διαβῇς μετ’ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἔσῃ ἐπ’ ἐμὲ εἰς βάσταγμα

2 Reigns 15:33 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:33 (English Elpenor)

And Dauid said to him, “If you cross over with me, then you will be for a burden on me. And David said to him, If thou shouldest go over with me, then wilt thou be a burden to me;

2 Samuel 15:34 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 15:34 (KJV)

2 Samuel 15:34 (NET)

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. 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. But you will be able to counter the advice of Ahithophel if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king!  Previously I was your father’s servant, and now I will be your servant.’

2 Samuel 15:34 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 15:34 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ ἐὰν εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἐπιστρέψῃς καὶ ἐρεῗς τῷ Αβεσσαλωμ διεληλύθασιν οἱ ἀδελφοί σου καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς κατόπισθέν μου διελήλυθεν ὁ πατήρ σου καὶ νῦν παῗς σού εἰμι βασιλεῦ ἔασόν με ζῆσαι παῗς τοῦ πατρός σου ἤμην τότε καὶ ἀρτίως καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ δοῦλος σός καὶ διασκεδάσεις μοι τὴν βουλὴν Αχιτοφελ καὶ ἐὰν ἐπιστρέψῃς ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἐρεῖς τῷ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ· διεληλύθασιν οἱ ἀδελφοί σου, καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς κατόπισθέν μου διελήλυθεν ὁ πατήρ σου, καὶ νῦν παῖς σού εἰμι, βασιλεῦ, ἔασόν με ζῆσαι, παῖς τοῦ πατρός σου ἤμην τότε καὶ ἀρτίως, καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ δοῦλος σός· καὶ διασκεδάσεις μοι τὴν βουλὴν ᾿Αχιτόφελ

2 Reigns 15:34 (NETS)

2 Kings 15:34 (English Elpenor)

And if you return to the city and will say to Abessalom, ‘Your brothers have passed through, and your father the king has passed through behind me, and now I am your servant, O king, permit me to live; I was a servant of your father in the past and recently, and now I am a slave of yours,’ then you will scatter abroad for me the counsel of Achitophel. but if thou shall return to the city, and shalt say to Abessalom, Thy brethren are passed over, and the king thy father is passed over after me: and now I am thy servant, O king, suffer me to live: at one time even of late I was the servant of thy father, and now I [am] thy humble servant– so shalt thou disconcert for me, the counsel of Achitophel.

2 Samuel 16:3 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 16:3 (KJV)

2 Samuel 16:3 (NET)

And the king said: ‘And where is thy master’s son?’  And Ziba said unto the king: ‘Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem; for he said: To-day will the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.’ And the king said, And where is thy master’s son?  And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father. The king asked, “Where is your master’s grandson?”  Ziba replied to the king, “He remains in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today the house of Israel will give back to me my grandfather’s kingdom.’”

2 Samuel 16:3 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 16:3 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς καὶ ποῦ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ κυρίου σου καὶ εἶπεν Σιβα πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ἰδοὺ κάθηται ἐν Ιερουσαλημ ὅτι εἶπεν σήμερον ἐπιστρέψουσίν μοι ὁ οἶκος Ισραηλ τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ πατρός μου καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· καὶ ποῦ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ κυρίου σου; καὶ εἶπε Σιβὰ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα· ἰδοὺ κάθηται ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ, ὅτι εἶπε· σήμερον ἐπιστρέψουσί μοι οἶκος ᾿Ισραὴλ τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ πατρός μου

2 Reigns 16:3 (NETS)

2 Kings 16:3 (English Elpenor)

And the king said, “And where is the son of your master?”  And Siba said to the king, “Behold, he sits in Ierousalem, for he said, “Today the house of Israel will return to me the kingdom of my father.’” And the king said, And where [is] the son of thy master? and Siba said to the king, Behold, he remains in Jerusalem; for he said, To-day shall the house of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father.

2 Samuel 16:4 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 16:4 (KJV)

2 Samuel 16:4 (NET)

Then said the king to Ziba: ‘Behold, thine is all that pertaineth unto Mephibosheth.’  And Ziba said: ‘I prostrate myself; let me find favour in thy sight, my lord, O king.’ Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth.  And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king. The king said to Ziba, “Everything that was Mephibosheth’s now belongs to you.”  Ziba replied, “I bow before you.  May I find favor in your sight, my lord the king.”

2 Samuel 16:4 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 16:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Σιβα ιδοὺ σοὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐστὶν τῷ Μεμφιβοσθε καὶ εἶπεν Σιβα προσκυνήσας εὕροιμι χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῗς σου κύριέ μου βασιλεῦ καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῷ Σιβά· ἰδού σοι πάντα, ὅσα ἐστὶ Μεμφιβοσθέ. καὶ εἶπε Σιβὰ προσκυνήσας· εὕροιμι χάριν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου, κύριέ μου βασιλεῦ

2 Reigns 16:4 (NETS)

2 Kings 16:4 (English Elpenor)

And the king said to Siba, “Behold, everything is yours that belongs to Memphibosthe.”  And doing obeisance Siba said, “May I find favor in your sight, my lord O king.” And the king said to Siba, Behold, all Memphibosthe’s property [is] thine.  And Siba did obeisance and said, My lord, O king, let me find grace in thine eyes.

2 Samuel 16:8 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 16:8 (KJV)

2 Samuel 16:8 (NET)

HaShem hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and HaShem hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son; and, behold, thou art taken in thine own mischief, because thou art a man of blood.’ The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. The Lord has punished you for all the spilled blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you rule.  Now the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom.  Disaster has overtaken you, for you are a man of bloodshed!”

2 Samuel 16:8 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 16:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐπέστρεψεν ἐπὶ σὲ κύριος πάντα τὰ αἵματα τοῦ οἴκου Σαουλ ὅτι ἐβασίλευσας ἀντ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔδωκεν κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν ἐν χειρὶ Αβεσσαλωμ τοῦ υἱοῦ σου καὶ ἰδοὺ σὺ ἐν τῇ κακίᾳ σου ὅτι ἀνὴρ αἱμάτων σύ ἐπέστρεψεν ἐπὶ σὲ Κύριος πάντα τὰ αἵματα τοῦ οἴκου Σαούλ, ὅτι ἐβασίλευσας ἀντ’αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔδωκε Κύριος τὴν βασιλείαν ἐν χειρὶ ᾿Αβεσσαλὼμ τοῦ υἱοῦ σου· καὶ ἰδοὺ σὺ ἐν τῇ κακίᾳ σου, ὅτι ἀνὴρ αἱμάτων σύ

2 Reigns 16:8 (NETS)

2 Kings 16:8 (English Elpenor)

The Lord returned on you all the blood of the house of Saoul, for you became king in his stead, and the Lord gave the kingdom into the hand of Abessalom your son.  And behold, you are in your bad state, for you are a man of blood.” The Lord has returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, because thou hast reigned in his stead; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of Abessalom thy son: and, behold, thou [art taken] in thy mischief, because thou [art] a bloody man.

2 Samuel 16:10 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 16:10 (KJV)

2 Samuel 16:10 (NET)

And the king said: ‘What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah?  So let him curse, because HaShem hath said unto him: Curse David; who then shall say: Wherefore hast thou done so?’ And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David.  Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? But the king said, “What do we have in common, you sons of Zeruiah?  If he curses because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David!,’ who can say to him, ‘Why have you done this?’”

2 Samuel 16:10 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 16:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς τί ἐμοὶ καὶ ὑμῗν υἱοὶ Σαρουιας ἄφετε αὐτὸν καὶ οὕτως καταράσθω ὅτι κύριος εἶπεν αὐτῷ καταρᾶσθαι τὸν Δαυιδ καὶ τίς ἐρεῗ ὡς τί ἐποίησας οὕτως καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεύς· τί ἐμοὶ καὶ ὑμῖν, υἱοὶ Σαρουΐας; ἄφετε αὐτὸν καὶ οὕτως καταράσθω, ὅτι Κύριος εἶπεν αὐτῷ καταρᾶσθαι τὸν Δαυίδ, καὶ τίς ἐρεῖ, ὡς τί ἐποίησας οὕτως

2 Reigns 16:10 (NETS)

2 Kings 16:10 (English Elpenor)

And the king said, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Sarouia?  Leave him alone, and so let him curse, because the Lord told him to curse Dauid, and who shall say, ‘To what end did you do so?’” And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Saruia? even let him alone, and so let him curse, for the Lord has told him to curse David: and who shall say, Why hast thou done thus?

2 Samuel 16:11 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 16:11 (KJV)

2 Samuel 16:11 (NET)

And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants: ‘Behold, my son, who came forth of my body, seeketh my life; how much more this Benjamite now? let him alone, and let him curse; for HaShem hath bidden him. And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him. Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son, my very own flesh and blood, is trying to take my life.  So also now this Benjaminite!  Leave him alone so that he can curse, for the Lord has spoken to him.

2 Samuel 16:11 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 16:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)

καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Αβεσσα καὶ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς παῗδας αὐτοῦ ἰδοὺ ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἐξελθὼν ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας μου ζητεῗ τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ προσέτι νῦν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Ιεμινι ἄφετε αὐτὸν καταρᾶσθαι ὅτι εἶπεν αὐτῷ κύριος καὶ εἶπε Δαυὶδ πρὸς ᾿Αβεσσὰ καὶ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ· ἰδοὺ ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἐξελθὼν ἐκ τῆς κοιλίας μου ζητεῖ τὴν ψυχήν μου, καὶ προσέτι νῦν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ᾿Ιεμινί· ἄφετε αὐτὸν καταρᾶσθαι, ὅτι εἶπεν αὐτῷ Κύριος

2 Reigns 16:11 (NETS)

2 Kings 16:11 (English Elpenor)

And Dauid said to Abessa and to all his servants, “Behold, my son who came out of my belly seeks my life, and now besides, the son of the Iemini!  Leave him alone to curse, because the Lord told him. And David said to Abessa and to all his servants, Behold, my son who came forth out of my bowels seeks my life; still more now may the son of Benjamin: let him curse, because the Lord has told him.

2 Samuel 16:12 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 16:12 (KJV)

2 Samuel 16:12 (NET)

It may be that HaShem will look on mine eye, and that HaShem will requite me good for his cursing of me this day.’ It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day. Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction and this day grant me good in place of his curse.”

2 Samuel 16:12 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 16:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)

εἴ πως ἴδοι κύριος ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει μου καὶ ἐπιστρέψει μοι ἀγαθὰ ἀντὶ τῆς κατάρας αὐτοῦ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ εἴπως ἴδοι Κύριος ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει μου καὶ ἐπιστρέψει μοι ἀγαθὰ ἀντὶ τῆς κατάρας αὐτοῦ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ

2 Reigns 16:12 (NETS)

2 Kings 16:12 (English Elpenor)

If somehow the Lord may look on my humiliation, then he will return to me good things in place of his curse this day.” If by any means the Lord may look on my affliction, thus shall he return me good for his cursing this day.

2 Samuel 5:4 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 5:4 (KJV)

2 Samuel 5:4 (NET)

David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for forty years.

2 Samuel 5:4 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 5:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)

υἱὸς τριάκοντα ἐτῶν Δαυιδ ἐν τῷ βασιλεῦσαι αὐτὸν καὶ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν υἱὸς τριάκοντα ἐτῶν Δαυὶδ ἐν τῷ βασιλεῦσαι αὐτὸν καὶ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν

2 Reigns 5:4 (NETS)

2 Kings 5:4 (English Elpenor)

Dauid was a son of thirty years when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years, David [was] thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

2 Samuel 5:5 (Tanakh)

2 Samuel 5:5 (KJV)

2 Samuel 5:5 (NET)

In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah. In Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.

2 Samuel 5:5 (Septuagint BLB)

2 Kings 5:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἑπτὰ ἔτη καὶ ἓξ μῆνας ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν Χεβρων ἐπὶ τὸν Ιουδαν καὶ τριάκοντα τρία ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐπὶ πάντα Ισραηλ καὶ Ιουδαν ἐν Ιερουσαλημ ἑπτὰ ἔτη καὶ μῆνας ἓξ ἐβασίλευσεν ἐν Χεβρὼν ἐπὶ τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν καὶ τριάκοντα τρία ἔτη ἐβασίλευσεν ἐπὶ πάντα ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ᾿Ιούδαν ἐν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ

2 Reigns 5:5 (NETS)

2 Kings 5:5 (English Elpenor)

seven years and six months he reigned at Chebron over Ioudas, and thirty-three years he reigned over all Israel and Ioudas at Ierousalem. Seven years and six months he reigned in Chebron over Juda, and thirty-three years he reigned over all Israel and Juda in Jerusalem.

1 2 Samuel 14:24 (NET)

2 2 Samuel 14:29 (NET)

3 2 Samuel 14:30 (NET)

4 2 Samuel 14:32 (NET)

5 2 Samuel 14:33 (NET)

6 2 Samuel 14:25 (NET)

7 NET Note: “The imagery of the ‘burning coals’ represents pangs of conscience, more readily effected by kindness than by violence. These coals produce the sharp pain of contrition through regret (e.g., 18:19; 20:22; 24:17; Gen 42-45; 1 Sam 24:18-20; Rom 12:20). The coals then would be an implied comparison with a searing conscience.”

8 Proverbs 25:21, 22 (NET)

9 2 Samuel 15:3, 4 (NET)

10 2 Samuel 15:5, 6 (NET)

11 2 Samuel 15:7, 8 (NET)

12 2 Samuel 15:10 (NET)

13 2 Samuel 15:12 (NET)

14 2 Samuel 15:13, 14 (NET)

15 2 Samuel 15:19, 20 (NET)

16 2 Samuel 15:21 (NET)

17 2 Samuel 15:25, 26 (NET)

18 2 Samuel 15:28 (NET)

19 2 Samuel 15:31 (NET)

20 2 Samuel 15:33, 34 (NET)

21 2 Samuel 16:3, 4 (NET)

22 2 Samuel 16:8 (NET)