Then the woman said, “Please, may your servant speak a word to my lord the king?” “Speak,” he replied.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” He said, “Say on.”
- KJV Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.
- NKJV Therefore the woman said, “Please, let your maidservant speak another word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Say on.”
- NASB Then the woman said, “Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.” And he said, “Speak.”
- NLT “Please allow me to ask one more thing of my lord the king,” she said. “Go ahead and speak,” he responded.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Having secured David's oath, the woman asks permission to speak a further word, and the king grants it. She now turns to apply the case directly to him.
Overview
With David's commitment obtained, the woman seeks to draw the lesson home to the king himself. Her respectful request to speak again signals the pivot from parable to application. The moment recalls Nathan's 'You are the man,' as the staged plea prepares to confront David with his own conduct.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Gen 18:32Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”
- 1 Sam 25:24She fell at his feet and said, “My lord, may the blame be on me alone, but please let your servant speak to you; hear the words of your servant.
- Jer 12:1Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead before You. Yet about Your judgments I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?
- Acts 26:1Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:
- Gen 44:18Then Judah approached Joseph and said, “Sir, please let your servant speak personally to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, for you are equal to Pharaoh himself.
- Gen 18:27Then Abraham answered, “Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord—though I am but dust and ashes—
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 14:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.