2 Samuel 15:10
in 2 Samuel 15Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel with this message: “When you hear the sound of the horn, you are to say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom is king in Hebron.
KJV
But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 15
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAbsalom sent spies - These persons were to go into every tribe; and the trumpet was to be blown as a signal for all to arise, and proclaim Absalom in every place. The trumpet was probably used as a kind of telegraph by the spies: trumpet exciting trumpet from place to place; so that, in a few minutes all Israel would hear the proclamation.
This site's exposition
sent spies throughout all the tribes
on 2 Samuel 15:10-12
Absalom arranges a single signal, the sound of the trumpet, so that revolt breaks out across all the tribes at once rather than in Jerusalem alone. Two hundred men go with him from the city in their simplicity, lending a conspiracy its numbers without knowing what they carry. Ahithophel, David's own counsellor, is sent for from Giloh, and verse 12 states plainly that the conspiracy grew strong once he had joined it, so respected a name that his defection alone doubles the danger.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
How should a man of such good principles as David, and a man of such corrupt principles as Ahithophel, long agree? A fitter tool Absalom could not find in all the kingdom than one that was so great a statesman, and yet was disaffected to the present ministry. While Absalom was offering his sacrifices, in performance of his pretended vow, he sent for this man.
But Absalom sent spies throughout all the land of Israel,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
As the summons was to be made by the sound of trumpets, it is probable that care had been taken to have trumpeters stationed on the heights, and at convenient stations--a mode of announcement that would soon spread the news over all the country of his inauguration to the throne.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Invited and leaving in innovence. It is explained in the Yerushalmi tractate of Sotah. Chapter, halach. that he [Avsholom] requested of his father that he [Dovid] write [a document] for him that any two people that he request go with him, should go.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח | vaiyishlach | and he sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ | ʾavshalom | Absalom | H53 → | 110 times |
| מְרַגְּלִ֔ים | meragelim | spies | H7270 → | 25 times |
| בְּכָל־ | bekhol | in all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| שִׁבְטֵ֥י | shivtei | [the] tribes of | H7626 → | 190 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| לֵאמֹ֑ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| כְּשָׁמְעֲכֶם֙ | keshameakhem | when hear you | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| ק֣וֹל | kol | [the] sound of | H6963 → | 506 times |
| הַשֹּׁפָ֔ר | hashofar | the ram's horn | H7782 → | 72 times |
| וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם | vaamartem | and you will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| מָלַ֥ךְ | malakh | he has become king | H4427 → | 348 times |
| אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם | ʾavshalom | Absalom | H53 → | 110 times |
| בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן׃ | bechevron | in Hebron | H2275 → | 72 times |
וַיִּשְׁלַ֤חand he sent
vaiyishlachH7971 →845 times
אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙Absalom
ʾavshalomH53 →110 times
מְרַגְּלִ֔יםspies
meragelimH7270 →25 times
בְּכָל־in all
bekholH3605 →5413 times
שִׁבְטֵ֥י[the] tribes of
shivteiH7626 →190 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
לֵאמֹ֑ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
כְּשָׁמְעֲכֶם֙when hear you
keshameakhemH8085 →1159 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
ק֣וֹל[the] sound of
kolH6963 →506 times
הַשֹּׁפָ֔רthe ram's horn
hashofarH7782 →72 times
וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕םand you will say
vaamartemH559 →5305 times
מָלַ֥ךְhe has become king
malakhH4427 →348 times
אַבְשָׁל֖וֹםAbsalom
ʾavshalomH53 →110 times
בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן׃in Hebron
bechevronH2275 →72 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
1 Chronicles 12:23Now these are the numbers of men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, in accordance with the word of the LORD:
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 11:10
Now these were the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who, together with all Israel, bolstered and strengthened his kingdom, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.
- 2 Samuel 2:3–4
David also took the men who were with him, each with his household, and they settled in the towns near Hebron.
- 1 Samuel 16:1
Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending…
- Psalms 89:19–20
You once spoke in a vision; to Your godly ones You said, “I have bestowed help on a warrior; I have exalted one chosen from the people.
- 1 Chronicles 11:10
Through
1 Chronicles 12:38All these men of war, arrayed for battle, came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. And all the rest of the Israelites were of one mind to make David…
it leads to
- Genesis 49:8–10
Judah, your brothers shall praise you. Your hand shall be on the necks of your enemies; your father’s sons shall bow down to you.
- 1 Kings 8:61
So let your heart be fully devoted to the LORD our God, as it is this day, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments.”
- Ezekiel 11:19
And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh,
- Genesis 49:8–10
Through
2 Samuel 2:11And the length of time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 2:11
The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
- 1 Kings 2:11
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; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.