And the king said to Joab, “All right, I have granted this thing. Go therefore, bring back the young man Absalom.”
Parallel translations
- WEB The king said to Joab, “Behold now, I have done this thing. Go therefore, and bring the young man Absalom back.”
- KJV And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.
- BSB Then the king said to Joab, “I hereby grant this request. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”
- NASB Then the king said to Joab, “Behold now, I will certainly do this thing; go then, bring back the young man Absalom.”
- NLT So the king sent for Joab and told him, “All right, go and bring back the young man Absalom.”
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
David grants Joab's request and orders Absalom brought back from exile. This decision sets in motion the events that will nearly cost David his throne.
Overview
Persuaded by the parable, David commissions Joab to return Absalom. The reconciliation, however, is partial and procedural rather than a true dealing with Absalom's murder of Amnon. By bringing Absalom back without genuine justice or repentance, David sows seeds of the rebellion to come, illustrating how unresolved sin festers when not rightly addressed.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- 2 Sam 14:11Then she said, “Please let the king remember Yahweh your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son.” He said, “As Yahweh lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the earth.”
- Mark 6:26The king was exceedingly sorry, but for the sake of his oaths, and of his dinner guests, he didn’t wish to refuse her.
- 1 Sam 14:39For, as Yahweh lives, who saves Israel, though it is in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die.” But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.
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 14:21 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.