2 Samuel 13:39
in 2 Samuel 13And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnon’s death.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
KJV
And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 13
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAnd the soul of King David longed to go forth unto Absalom,.... In like manner it is supplied and paraphrased in the Targum, because the word rendered "longed" is feminine; though it may be used to denote the effeminateness of David's disposition and carriage on this occasion.
This site's exposition
Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud
on 2 Samuel 13:37-39
Absalom flees to Talmai, the king of Geshur and his mother's father; no city of refuge could shelter him, since the killing was planned. He stays three years while David mourns daily. By verse 39 the king “longed to go to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnon’s death”.
This site's exposition
longed to go to Absalom
King David longed to go to Absalom once he had been consoled over Amnon's death. The Hebrew verb is feminine, and John Gill notes the Targum supplies the soul of David as its subject. Matthew Henry calls the longing David's weakness.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
At first he could not find in his heart to do justice on him; now he can almost find in his heart to take him into his favour again. This was David's infirmity.
Amnon's character, we have reason to think, was bad in other things; if he had not forsaken God, he would never have been given up to these vile affections. Godly parents have often been afflicted with wicked children; grace does not run in the blood, but corruption does.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Longed to go forth - Rather, “longed after Absalom,” literally, was consumed in going forth, with a sense of disappointed hope.
David longed to go forth unto Absalom - We find that he had a very strong paternal affection for this young man, who appears to have had little to commend him but the beauty of his person. David wished either to go to him, or to bring him back; for the hand of time had now wiped off his tears for the death of his son Amnon. Joab had marked this disposition, and took care to work on it, in order to procure the return of Absalom. It would have been well for all parties had Absalom ended his days at Geshur. His return brought increasing wretchedness to his unfortunate father. And it may be generally observed that those undue, unreasonable paternal attachments are thus rewarded.
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתְּכַל֙ | vatekhal | and it [fem] completed | H3615 → | 208 times |
| דָּוִ֣ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ | hamelekh | the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| לָצֵ֖את | latzet | to go out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | against | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אַבְשָׁל֑וֹם | ʾavshalom | Absalom | H53 → | 110 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| נִחַ֥ם | nicham | he was comforted | H5162 → | 108 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אַמְנ֖וֹן | ʾamnon | Amnon | H550 → | 28 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מֵֽת׃ ס | met | he had died | H4191 → | 839 times |
וַתְּכַל֙and it [fem] completed
vatekhalH3615 →208 times
דָּוִ֣דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְthe king
hamelekhH4428 →2525 times
לָצֵ֖אתto go out
latzetH3318 →1067 times
אֶל־against
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אַבְשָׁל֑וֹםAbsalom
ʾavshalomH53 →110 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
נִחַ֥םhe was comforted
nichamH5162 →108 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
אַמְנ֖וֹןAmnon
ʾamnonH550 →28 times
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
מֵֽת׃ סhe had died
metH4191 →839 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 84:2My soul longs, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
it leads to
- Isaiah 26:9
My soul longs for You in the night; indeed, my spirit seeks You at dawn. For when Your judgments come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.
- Psalms 42:1–2
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God.
- Psalms 63:1–2
O God, You are my God. Earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You. My body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water.
- Psalms 119:81
My soul faints for Your salvation; I wait for Your word.
- Psalms 143:6
I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Selah
- Isaiah 26:9
Through
Deuteronomy 28:32Your sons and daughters will be given to another nation, while your eyes grow weary looking for them day after day, with no power in your hand.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 28:41
You will father sons and daughters, but they will not remain yours, because they will go into captivity.
- Joel 3:6
You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, to send them far from their homeland.
- Deuteronomy 28:41
Through
Genesis 24:67And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:22–33
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
- Ephesians 5:22–33
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.