May the Lord be loyal to you in return and reward you with his unfailing love! And I, too, will reward you for what you have done.
Parallel translations
- WEB Now may Yahweh show loving kindness and truth to you. I also will reward you for this kindness, because you have done this thing.
- KJV And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.
- BSB Now may the LORD show you loving devotion and faithfulness, and I will also show you the same favor because you have done this.
- NKJV And now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you. I also will repay you this kindness, because you have done this thing.
- NASB And now may the Lord show kindness and truth to you; and I also will show this goodness to you, because you have done this thing.
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 prays God's loving kindness on them and promises his own reward for their deed. He answers their faithfulness with grace.
Overview
David invokes Yahweh's hesed, His covenant loving kindness and truth, upon the men of Jabesh Gilead. He also pledges to reward them himself, modeling a ruler who honors goodness and reflects God's own faithfulness. Such kindness shown to those loyal to his predecessor reveals the generous heart of the coming kingdom.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Prov 14:22Don’t they go astray who plot evil? But love and faithfulness belong to those who plan good.
- Exod 34:6Yahweh passed by before him, and proclaimed, “Yahweh! Yahweh, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth,
- Matt 5:44But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
- Matt 5:7Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
- Matt 10:16“Behold, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
- 2 Tim 1:16–18May the Lord grant mercy to the house of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain,
- 2 Sam 9:7David said to him, “Don’t be afraid of him; for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father’s sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your father. You will eat bread at my table continually.”
- 2 Sam 9:3The king said, “Is there not yet any of Saul’s house, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “Jonathan still has a son, who is lame in his feet.”
- Ps 57:3He will send from heaven, and save me, he rebukes the one who is pursuing me. Selah. God will send out his loving kindness and his truth.
- 2 Sam 15:20Whereas you came but yesterday, should I today make you go up and down with us, since I go where I may? Return, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you.”
- 2 Sam 10:2David said, “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent by his servants to comfort him concerning his father. David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.
- Phlm 1:18–19But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, put that to my account.
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 2:6 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.