Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.
Parallel translations
- WEB The king went out, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.
- KJV And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.
- BSB Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace.
- NASB So the king left, and all his household with him; but the king left ten concubines behind to take care of the house.
- NLT So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace.
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 departs with his household but leaves ten concubines to keep the palace. This decision will have tragic consequences as Nathan's prophecy unfolds.
Overview
As David flees, he leaves ten concubines behind, a detail that sets up the fulfillment of Nathan's word that David's wives would be violated in the sight of Israel (12:11). Absalom will publicly take them (16:22), and they will live in seclusion thereafter (20:3). The verse shows the unfolding of divine judgment on David's earlier sin, even as God's mercy preserves him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 2 Sam 16:21–22Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Go in to your father’s concubines that he has left to keep the house. Then all Israel will hear that you are abhorred by your father. Then the hands of all who are with you will be strong.”
- Ps 3:1A Psalm by David, when he fled from Absalom his son. Yahweh, how my adversaries have increased! Many are those who rise up against me.
- 2 Sam 20:3David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody, and provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.
- Rom 12:2Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
- 1 Sam 25:27Now this present which your servant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord.
- 1 Sam 25:42Abigail hurried, and arose, and rode on a donkey, with five ladies of hers who followed her; and she went after the messengers of David, and became his wife.
- Judg 4:10Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali together to Kedesh; and ten thousand men followed him; and Deborah went up with him.
- 2 Sam 12:11“This is what Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 15:16 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.