“Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom got up and went to Hebron.
Parallel translations
- WEB The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose, and went to Hebron.
- KJV And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to Hebron.
- NKJV And the king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.
- NASB The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he got up and went to Hebron.
- NLT “All right,” the king told him. “Go and fulfill your vow.” So Absalom went to Hebron.
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, unaware of the plot, sends Absalom off with a blessing of peace. The trusting father unknowingly releases his rebellious son.
Overview
David grants permission with the words "Go in peace," ironic given the war Absalom is about to ignite. The king's trust reflects both fatherly love and a failure to perceive his son's treachery. The scene poignantly captures how betrayal often wounds most deeply from those closest to us, anticipating the greater betrayal endured by the Son of David.
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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 15:9 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
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