And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and tarried in a place that was far off.
Parallel translations
- WEB The king went out, and all the people after him; and they stayed in Beth Merhak.
- BSB So the king set out with all the people following him. He stopped at the last house,
- NKJV And the king went out with all the people after him, and stopped at the outskirts.
- NASB The king left, and all the people with him, and they stopped at the last house.
- NLT The king and all his people set out on foot, pausing at the last house
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 and all the people halt at the edge of the city, the last house before the wilderness. The pause marks the start of his exile.
Overview
The fleeing company stops at Beth Merhak, a place at the city's outskirts, to organize the retreat. This staging point underscores the gravity of the king's departure from his own capital. David, the Lord's anointed, goes out as a rejected exile, a low point that magnifies the faithfulness of those who follow him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Eccl 10:7I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth.
- Ps 66:12Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
- Ps 3:1–2Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.
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 15:17 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.