2 Samuel 12:23

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְעַתָּ֣ה ׀ מֵ֗ת לָ֤מָּה זֶּה֙ אֲנִ֣י צָ֔ם הַאוּכַ֥ל לַהֲשִׁיב֖וֹ ע֑וֹד אֲנִי֙ הֹלֵ֣ךְ אֵלָ֔יו וְה֖וּא לֹֽא־יָשׁ֥וּב אֵלָֽי׃

Transliteration

And now wə-ʿattâ he is mēt, why lāmmâ zeh I ʾănî ṣām? Am I able ha-ʾûkal to bring him back lə-hăšîbô again ʿôd? I ʾănî am hōlēk to him, but he wə-hûʾ will not lōʾ-yāšûb to me.

Grammar Details

*wə-ʿattâ*: waw conjunction + adverb - and now
*mēt*: Qal perfect 3rd masculine singular - he is dead
*lāmmâ zeh*: interrogative + demonstrative pronoun - why this
*ʾănî*: pronoun, 1st common singular - I
*ṣām*: Qal participle masculine singular - fasting
*ha-ʾûkal*: interrogative particle + Qal imperfect 1st common singular - can I/am I able
*lə-hăšîbô*: preposition + Hiphil infinitive construct with 3rd masculine singular suffix - to bring him back/return him
*ʿôd*: adverb - again/still/yet
*hōlēk*: Qal participle masculine singular - going
*wə-hûʾ*: waw conjunction + pronoun, 3rd masculine singular - and he
*lōʾ-yāšûb*: negative particle + Qal imperfect 3rd masculine singular - will not return

Word Meanings

*mēt*: dead/died/is dead
*ṣām*: fasting/abstaining from food
*hōlēk*: going/walking/departing
*yāšûb*: return/come back/turn back

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

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Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Gen 37:35 : 35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning. And his father wept for him.
Job 7:8-9 : 8 The eye of him that seeth me shall behold me no more; Thine eyes shall be upon me, but I shall not be. 9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, So he that goeth down to Sheol shall come up no more. 10 He shall return no more to his house, Neither shall his place know him any more.
Job 30:23 : 23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, And to the house appointed for all living.
Luke 23:43 : 43 And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

2 Sam 12:15-22
8 verses
83%
15And Nathan departed unto his house. And Jehovah struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.
16David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
17And the elders of his house arose, [and stood] beside him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
18And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he hearkened not unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead!
19But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, He is dead.
20Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel; and he came into the house of Jehovah, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.
21Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive; but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.
22And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who knoweth whether Jehovah will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?
2 Sam 13:39
74%
39And [the soul of] king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.
2 Sam 12:24
73%
24And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon. And Jehovah loved him;
Job 16:22
71%
22For when a few years are come, I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
2 Sam 18:33
71%
33And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!
Jer 22:10
71%
10Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him; but weep sore for him that goeth away; for he shall return no more, nor see his native country.
Gen 37:35
70%
35And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down to Sheol to my son mourning. And his father wept for him.
Isa 38:10-11
2 verses
70%
10I said, In the noontide of my days I shall go into the gates of Sheol: I am deprived of the residue of my years.
11I said, I shall not see Jehovah, [even] Jehovah in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.
2 Sam 13:36-37
2 verses
70%
36And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking, that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice, and wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.
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1 Kgs 3:21
70%
21And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead; but when I had looked at it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, whom I did bear.
2 Kgs 4:19-20
2 verses
69%
19And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to his servant, Carry him to his mother.
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1 Kgs 17:20
69%
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2 Sam 19:10
69%
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Job 30:23
69%
23For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, And to the house appointed for all living.
Job 7:9-10
2 verses
69%
9As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, So he that goeth down to Sheol shall come up no more.
10He shall return no more to his house, Neither shall his place know him any more.
2 Sam 11:26-27
2 verses
69%
26And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she made lamentation for her husband.
27And when the mourning was past, David sent and took her home to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased Jehovah.
2 Sam 1:12
69%
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Job 14:14
68%
14If a man die, shall he live [again]? All the days of my warfare would I wait, Till my release should come.
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68%
10And David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
2 Kgs 4:23
68%
23And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to-day? it is neither new moon nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.
Gen 44:29-30
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29and if ye take this one also from me, and harm befall him, ye will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to Sheol.
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2 Sam 1:17
68%
17And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son
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68%
21And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing: go therefore, bring the young man Absalom back.
2 Sam 3:16
68%
16And her husband went with her, weeping as he went, and followed her to Bahurim. Then said Abner unto him, Go, return: and he returned.
Job 7:21
68%
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Job 14:22
68%
22But his flesh upon him hath pain, And his soul within him mourneth.
Ps 39:13
67%
13Oh spare me, that I may recover strength, Before I go hence, and be no more.
2 Sam 19:1
67%
1And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.
2 Sam 19:4
67%
4And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!
2 Sam 15:20
67%
20Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us, seeing I go whither I may? return thou, and take back thy brethren; mercy and truth be with thee.
Job 3:11
67%
11Why died I not from the womb? Why did I not give up the ghost when my mother bare me?
Job 10:21
67%
21Before I go whence I shall not return, [Even] to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;
1 Sam 22:3
67%
3And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth, [and be] with you, till I know what God will do for me.
1 Kgs 3:23
67%
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