David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people who were with him each covered his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
Parallel translations
- KJV And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
- BSB But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went.
- NKJV So David went up by the Ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. And all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went up.
- NASB And David was going up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, and his head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. Then all the people who were with him each covered his own head, and they were going up, weeping as they went.
- NLT David walked up the road to the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went. His head was covered and his feet were bare as a sign of mourning. And the people who were with him covered their heads and wept as they climbed the hill.
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 ascends the Mount of Olives weeping, barefoot and head covered in mourning. The image captures the depth of his sorrow and humiliation.
Overview
Climbing the Mount of Olives in the postures of grief, David leads a weeping people. His humbled bearing reflects both repentance and sorrow under God's chastening hand. Strikingly, the suffering king on the Mount of Olives prefigures Christ, who would there agonize in Gethsemane before his own betrayal and rejection.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 19
- Esth 6:12Mordecai came back to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried to his house, mourning and having his head covered.
- 2 Sam 19:4The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!”
- Luke 19:41When he came near, he saw the city and wept over it,
- Luke 19:37As he was now getting near, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen,
- Jer 14:3–4Their nobles send their little ones to the waters. They come to the cisterns, and find no water. They return with their vessels empty. They are disappointed and confounded, and cover their heads.
- Luke 22:39He came out, and went, as his custom was, to the Mount of Olives. His disciples also followed him.
- Ezek 24:17Sigh, but not aloud, make no mourning for the dead; bind your headdress on you, and put your shoes on your feet, and don’t cover your lips, and don’t eat men’s bread.
- Luke 21:37Every day Jesus was teaching in the temple, and every night he would go out and spend the night on the mountain that is called Olivet.
- Luke 19:29When he came near to Bethsphage and Bethany, at the mountain that is called Olivet, he sent two of his disciples,
- Zech 14:4His feet will stand in that day on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in two, from east to west, making a very great valley. Half of the mountain will move toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
- Ezek 24:23Your tires shall be on your heads, and your shoes on your feet: you shall not mourn nor weep; but you shall pine away in your iniquities, and moan one toward another.
- Acts 1:12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
- Isa 20:2–4at that time Yahweh spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and loosen the sackcloth from off your waist, and take your shoes from off your feet.” He did so, walking naked and barefoot.
- Ps 42:3My tears have been my food day and night, while they continually ask me, “Where is your God?”
- Ps 43:5Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him: my Savior, my helper, and my God.
- 1 Cor 12:26When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
- Matt 5:4Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
- Rom 12:15Rejoice with those who rejoice. Weep with those who weep.
- Ps 126:5–6Those who sow in tears will reap in joy.
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 15:30 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.