Absalom did this with everyone who came to the king for judgment, and so he stole the hearts of all the people of Israel.
Parallel translations
- WEB Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
- KJV And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
- BSB Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for justice. In this way he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
- NKJV In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
- NASB Absalom dealt this way with all Israel who came to the king for judgment; so Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.
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
By these tactics Absalom "stole the hearts" of Israel away from David. His conspiracy succeeds in shifting popular loyalty.
Overview
The narrator summarizes Absalom's campaign: through flattery, false promises, and feigned warmth, he turns the nation's affections toward himself. The phrase "stole the hearts" exposes the theft and deception at the core of his rise. It is a sobering picture of how charm and populist manipulation can subvert legitimate authority, in contrast to the rightful King who wins hearts by truth and love.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 3
- Rom 16:18For those who are such don’t serve our Lord, Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and flattering speech, they deceive the hearts of the innocent.
- 2 Pet 2:3In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old doesn’t linger, and their destruction will not slumber.
- Prov 11:9With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor, but the righteous will be delivered through knowledge.
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 15:6 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.