And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
Parallel translations
- WEB Absalom said to him, “Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.”
- BSB Absalom would say, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king has no deputy to hear you.”
- NKJV Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your case is good and right; but there is no deputy of the king to hear you.”
- NASB Then Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but you have no one to listen to you on the part of the king.”
- NLT Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it.
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
Absalom tells each petitioner his case is valid but no royal official will hear him. He subtly discredits David's government.
Overview
Absalom flatters the petitioners and insinuates that David has failed to provide justice. Whether or not the courts were truly neglected, his words sow doubt and discontent toward the king. This manipulation of grievances is a classic strategy of the would-be usurper, turning the people's longing for justice into a weapon against the throne.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Num 16:13–14Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
- Prov 12:2A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked devices will he condemn.
- Exod 21:17And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
- Ps 12:2They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
- 1 Pet 2:17Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
- Exod 20:12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
- Acts 23:5Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
- Ezek 22:7In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow.
- Prov 30:11There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
- Prov 30:17The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
- 2 Sam 8:15And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment and justice unto all his people.
- Num 16:3And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
- 2 Pet 2:10But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
- Dan 11:21And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
- Matt 15:4For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.
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 15:3 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.