Limitless Word
But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”
2 Samuel 15:26 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB but if he says, ‘I have no delight in you;’ behold, here am I. Let him do to me as seems good to him.”
  • KJV 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.
  • NKJV But if He says thus: ‘I have no delight in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.”
  • NASB But if He says this: ‘I have no delight in you,’ then here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.”
  • NLT But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him.”

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 submits to God's will, even if the Lord no longer delights in him. His surrender shows profound trust amid judgment.

Overview

David declares his readiness to accept whatever God decides, whether restoration or rejection. This is the language of repentant faith, bowing to divine sovereignty even in chastisement. David's submissive "let him do to me as seems good to him" anticipates the greater submission of Christ in Gethsemane, "not my will, but yours" (Luke 22:42).

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 13

  • 1 Sam 3:18So Samuel told him everything and did not hide a thing from him. “He is the LORD,” replied Eli. “Let Him do what is good in His eyes.”
  • 2 Sam 22:20He brought me out into the open; He rescued me because He delighted in me.
  • 1 Kgs 10:9Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD’s eternal love for Israel, He has made you king to carry out justice and righteousness.”
  • Num 14:8If the LORD delights in us, He will bring us into this land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and He will give it to us.
  • 2 Chr 9:8Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you to set you on His throne to be king for the LORD your God. Because your God loved Israel enough to establish them forever, He has made you king over them to carry out justice and righteousness.”
  • Isa 62:4No longer will you be called Forsaken, nor your land named Desolate; but you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be His bride.
  • Jer 32:41Yes, I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.
  • Ps 39:9I have become mute; I do not open my mouth because of what You have done.
  • Matt 1:10Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah,
  • Isa 42:1“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations.
  • Job 1:20–21Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,
  • Judg 10:15“We have sinned,” the Israelites said to the LORD. “Deal with us as You see fit; but please deliver us today!”
  • Jer 22:28Is this man Coniah a despised and shattered pot, a jar that no one wants? Why are he and his descendants hurled out and cast into a land they do not know?

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 2 Samuel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 2 Samuel 15:26YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 2 SamuelMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 15:26 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.