2 Samuel 15:34

KJV1611 – Modern English

But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father's servant before, so will I now also be your servant: then you may for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְאִם־הָעִ֣יר תָּשׁ֗וּב וְאָמַרְתָּ֤ לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ עַבְדְּךָ֨ אֲנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶֽהְיֶ֔ה עֶ֣בֶד אָבִ֤יךָ וַֽאֲנִי֙ מֵאָ֔ז וְעַתָּ֖ה וַאֲנִ֣י עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וְהֵפַרְתָּ֣ה לִ֔י אֵ֖ת עֲצַ֥ת אֲחִיתֹֽפֶל׃

Transliteration

But-if-the-ʿîr tāšûb wə-ʾāmartā to-ʾAbšālôm ʿabdəkā I the-melek ʾehyeh ʿebed ʾābîkā and-I from-then and-now and-I ʿabdekā wə-hēpartāh for-me ʾēt ʿăṣat ʾĂḥîtōpel

Grammar Details

• *ʿîr*: noun, feminine singular - city
• *tāšûb*: qal imperfect, 2nd masculine singular - you return
• *wə-ʾāmartā*: conjunction + qal perfect, 2nd masculine singular - and you will say
• *ʾAbšālôm*: proper noun - Absalom
• *ʿabdəkā*: noun, masculine singular + 2nd masculine singular suffix - your servant
• *melek*: noun, masculine singular - king
• *ʾehyeh*: qal imperfect, 1st singular - I will be
• *ʿebed*: noun, masculine singular construct - servant of
• *ʾābîkā*: noun, masculine singular + 2nd masculine singular suffix - your father
• *ʿabdekā*: noun, masculine singular + 2nd masculine singular suffix - your servant
• *wə-hēpartāh*: conjunction + hiphil perfect, 2nd masculine singular - and you will frustrate
• *ʾēt*: direct object marker
• *ʿăṣat*: noun, feminine singular construct - counsel of
• *ʾĂḥîtōpel*: proper noun - Ahithophel

Word Meanings

• *tāšûb*: you return/you go back/you come back
• *ʿabdəkā*: your servant/your slave/your subject
• *melek*: king/ruler/sovereign
• *ʾehyeh*: I will be/I shall become/let me be
• *ʿebed*: servant/slave/subject
• *wə-hēpartāh*: and you will frustrate/you will bring to nothing/you will thwart

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  'But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, “Your servant will serve you, O king; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,” then you can thwart Ahithophel’s advice for me.'

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  but yf thou goest agayne in to the cite, and sayest vnto Absalom: I am thy seruaunt O kynge euen as I was thy fathers seruaunt, so wyll I now be thy seruaunt, Then shalt thou brynge Achitophels councell to naughte.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  But if thou returne to the citie, and say vnto Absalom, I wil be thy seruant, O King, (as I haue bene in time past thy fathers seruant, so will I now be thy seruant) then thou mayest bring me the counsell of Ahithophel to nought.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  But if thou returne to the citie, and say vnto Absalom, I will be thy seruaunt O king: as I haue thus long ben thy fathers seruaunt, so am I nowe thy seruaunt, thou mayest for my sake destroy the counsel of Ahithophel.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; [as] I [have been] thy father's servant hitherto, so [will] I now also [be] thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father's servant in time past, so will I now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and if to the city thou dost turn back, and hast said to Absalom, Thy servant I am, O king; servant of thy father I `am' also hitherto, and now, I `am' also thy servant; then thou hast made void for me the counsel of Ahithophel;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  But if you go back to the town and say to Absalom, I will be your servant, O king; as in the past I have been your father's servant, so now I will be yours: then you will be able to keep Ahithophel's designs against me from being put into effect.

• World English Bible (2000)

  but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, 'I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father's servant in time past, so will I now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.'

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  But you will be able to counter the advice of Ahithophel if you go back to the city and say to Absalom,‘I will be your servant, O king! Previously I was your father’s servant, and now I will be your servant.’

Referenced Verses

• Josh 8:2 : 2 And you shall do to Ai and her king as you did to Jericho and her king, only the spoil and the cattle shall you take for a prey for yourselves; lay an ambush for the city behind it.
• 2 Sam 15:20 : 20 Whereas you came just yesterday, should I this day make you wander with us? seeing I go where I may, return, and take back your brethren: mercy and truth be with you.
• 2 Sam 16:16-19 : 16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, came to Absalom, that Hushai said to Absalom, God save the king, God save the king. 17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend? 18 And Hushai said to Absalom, No; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of Israel chose, his will I be, and with him will I remain. 19 And again, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father's presence, so will I be in your presence.
• 2 Sam 17:5-9 : 5 Then Absalom said, Call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear what he says likewise. 6 And when Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom spoke to him, saying, Ahithophel has spoken in this manner: shall we do as he says? If not, speak you. 7 And Hushai said to Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time. 8 For, said Hushai, you know your father and his men, that they are mighty men, and are angry in their minds, as a bear robbed of her cubs in the field: and your father is a man of war, and will not lodge with the people. 9 Behold, he is hidden now in some pit, or in some other place: and it will come to pass, when some of them are overthrown at the first, that whoever hears it will say, There is a slaughter among the people that follow Absalom. 10 And he also who is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a lion, will utterly melt: for all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men. 11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered to you, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for multitude; and that you go to battle in your own person. 12 So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found, and we will fall upon him as the dew falls on the ground, and of him and all the men that are with him, there shall not be left so much as one. 13 Moreover, if he has entered into a city, then all Israel shall bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until there is not one small stone found there. 14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.
• Matt 10:16 : 16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: therefore, be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.