2 Samuel 15:30
in 2 Samuel 15But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up. His head was covered, and he was walking barefoot. And all the people with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And David went up by the ascent of the mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered, and went barefoot: and all the people that were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
KJV
And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 15
Commentary
8 notes on this verseAgain, after Absalom's rebellion, when David was in flight, with many possible routes before him, he chose to make his escape by the Mount of Olives, as good as invoking in his own mind the Deliverer who should from there ascend into the heavens. And when Shimei cursed him bitterly he said, "Let him be."
This site's exposition
wept as he went up
David climbs the ascent of Olivet weeping, his head covered and his feet bare, the marks of a mourner, and every man who follows him covers his own head and weeps the same way. The king who opened this chapter with chariots, horses and runners going before him now walks up a hill on foot with nothing before him but grief. Henry reads the shared weeping, king and people together on one road, as a household's grief rather than a display for onlookers.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
According to the word of God, misfortunes were piled up from this time on. The father suffered long from the treachery of his son.…Is the spectacle of David's flight to be added to this account? Of such a nature was the flight that such a …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
It is our duty to weep with those that weep, especially our superiors, and those that are better than we; for, if this be done in the green tree, what will be done in the dry? We must weep with those that weep for sin. When Hezekiah humbled himself for his sin all Jerusalem joined with him, 2 Chron. xxxii.
And David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Had his head covered - This was not only the attitude of a mourner, but even of a culprit; they usually had their heads covered when condemned. See the case of Haman. When the king had pronounced his condemnation, they immediately covered his face, and led him out to punishment; Est 7:8 (note). See also Quintus Curtius, De Philota, cap. vi.: I, Lictor; caput obnubito.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet--The same pathway over that mount has been followed ever since that memorable day. had his head covered--with a mourning wrapper. The humility and resignation of David marked strongly his sanctified spirit, induced by contrition for his transgressions.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
His head covered - See the marginal references and Jer 14:3-4; Eze 24:17; the sign of deep mourning.
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְדָוִ֡ד | vedavid | and David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| עֹלֶה֩ | ʾoleh | [was] going up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| בְמַעֲלֵ֨ה | vemaaleh | on [the] ascent of | H4608 → | |
| הַזֵּיתִ֜ים | hazeitim | the olive trees | H2132 → | |
| עֹלֶ֣ה׀ | ʾoleh | going up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| וּבוֹכֶ֗ה | uvokheh | and weeping | H1058 → | 114 times |
| וְרֹ֥אשׁ | verosh | and head | H7218 → | 599 times |
| לוֹ֙ | lo | of him | ||
| חָפ֔וּי | chafui | [was] covered | H2645 → | |
| וְה֖וּא | vehu' | and he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| הֹלֵ֣ךְ | holekh | [was] walking | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| יָחֵ֑ף | yachef | barefoot | H3182 → | |
| וְכָל־ | vekhol | and all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעָ֣ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אִתּ֗וֹ | ʾito | [was] with him | H854 → | 929 times |
| חָפוּ֙ | chafu | they covered | H2645 → | |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | each | H376 → | 1663 times |
| רֹאשׁ֔וֹ | rosho | head his | H7218 → | 599 times |
| וְעָל֥וּ | vealu | and they went up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| עָלֹ֖ה | ʾaloh | continuously <to go> | H5927 → | 890 times |
| וּבָכֹֽה׃ | uvakhoh | and wept | H1058 → | 114 times |
וְדָוִ֡דand David
vedavidH1732 →999 times
עֹלֶה֩[was] going up
ʾolehH5927 →890 times
בְמַעֲלֵ֨הon [the] ascent of
vemaalehH4608 →
הַזֵּיתִ֜יםthe olive trees
hazeitimH2132 →
עֹלֶ֣ה׀going up
ʾolehH5927 →890 times
וּבוֹכֶ֗הand weeping
uvokhehH1058 →114 times
וְרֹ֥אשׁand head
veroshH7218 →599 times
לוֹ֙of him
lo
חָפ֔וּי[was] covered
chafuiH2645 →
וְה֖וּאand he
vehu'H1931 →1879 times
הֹלֵ֣ךְ[was] walking
holekhH1980 →1546 times
יָחֵ֑ףbarefoot
yachefH3182 →
וְכָל־and all
vekholH3605 →5413 times
הָעָ֣םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
אִתּ֗וֹ[was] with him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
חָפוּ֙they covered
chafuH2645 →
אִ֣ישׁeach
ʾishH376 →1663 times
רֹאשׁ֔וֹhead his
roshoH7218 →599 times
וְעָל֥וּand they went up
vealuH5927 →890 times
עָלֹ֖הcontinuously <to go>
ʾalohH5927 →890 times
וּבָכֹֽה׃and wept
uvakhohH1058 →114 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
Luke 22:39Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed Him.
it leads to
- Luke 21:37
Every day Jesus taught at the temple, but every evening He went out to spend the night on the Mount of Olives.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 21:37
Through
Acts 1:12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
it leads to
- Matthew 21:1
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 24:52
And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
- Matthew 26:30
And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 21:1
Through
Luke 19:41As Jesus approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it
it leads to
- Luke 13:34–35
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you…
- John 11:35
Jesus wept.
- Psalms 119:136
My eyes shed streams of tears because Your law is not obeyed.
- Jeremiah 13:17
But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.
- Luke 13:34–35
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); Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 2:12, 20; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Salvian the Presbyter, THE GOVERNANCE OF GOD 2.5 and W. G. Blaikie, The Second Book of Samuel (Expositor's Bible).