2 Samuel 15:2 net — Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a…

NET Bible

"Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him,“What city are you from?” The person would answer,“I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel.”"

— 2 Samuel 15:2, NET Bible

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2 Samuel 15:2 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.”

  • ASV

    “And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that, when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. ”

  • WEB

    “Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. It was so, that when any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, "What city are you from?" He said, "Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel."”

  • DRB

    “And Absalom rising up early stood by the entrance of the gate, and when any man had business to come to the king's judgment, Absalom called him to him, and said: Of what city art thou? He answered, and said: Thy servant is of such tribe of Israel.”

  • BBE

    “And Absalom got up early, morning after morning, and took his place at the side of the public meeting-place: and when any man had a cause which had to come to the king to be judged, then Absalom, crying out to him, said, What is your town? and he would say, Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.”

  • KJVA

    “And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.”

2 Samuel 15 — Context

1

Absalom Leads an Insurrection against David Some time later Absalom managed to acquire a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard.

2

Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him,“What city are you from?” The person would answer,“I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel.”

3

Absalom would then say to him,“Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you.”

4

Absalom would then say,“If only they would make me a judge in the land! Then everyone who had a judicial complaint could come to me and I would make sure he receives a just settlement.”

5

When someone approached to bow before him, Absalom would extend his hand and embrace him and kiss him.

2 Samuel 15:2 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 2 Samuel 15:2 say?
2 Samuel 15:2 in the NET Bible reads: “Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him,“What city are you from?” The person would answer,“I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel.””
Where is 2 Samuel 15:2 in the Bible?
2 Samuel 15:2 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 2 Samuel, chapter 15, verse 2.
Who wrote 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Nathan and Gad). It was written c. 930–722 BC.
What is the book of 2 Samuel about?
2 Samuel records David's reign — his rise to the throne, the conquest of Jerusalem, the eternal covenant God makes with his house, and the moral failure with Bathsheba that fractures his family. From the highs of triumph to the depths of repentance, David remains the messianic prototype.
What are the major themes of 2 Samuel?
2 Samuel explores themes including Davidic Covenant, Sin & Repentance, Kingdom, Mercy, Consequences. These themes shape the meaning and context of 2 Samuel 15:2.
What translation should I read 2 Samuel 15:2 in?
2 Samuel 15:2 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 2 Samuel 15:2?
2 Samuel 15:2 reads (NET): “Now Absalom used to get up early and stand beside the road that led to the city gate. Whenever anyone came by who had a complaint to bring to the king for arbitration, Absalom would call out to him,“What city are you from?” The person would answer,“I, your servant, am from one of the tribes of Israel.”” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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