2 Samuel 14:28
New International Version
Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king’s face.

New Living Translation
Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but he never got to see the king.

English Standard Version
So Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, without coming into the king’s presence.

Berean Standard Bible
Now Absalom lived in Jerusalem two years without seeing the face of the king.

King James Bible
So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

New King James Version
And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, but did not see the king’s face.

New American Standard Bible
Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, yet he did not see the king’s face.

NASB 1995
Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, and did not see the king’s face.

NASB 1977
Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, and did not see the king’s face.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, and did not see the king’s face.

Amplified Bible
Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, without seeing the king’s face.

Christian Standard Bible
Absalom resided in Jerusalem two years but never saw the king.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Absalom resided in Jerusalem two years but never saw the king.

American Standard Version
And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem; and he saw not the king's face.

Contemporary English Version
Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing his father.

English Revised Version
And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem; and he saw not the king's face.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Absalom stayed in Jerusalem two full years without seeing the king.

Good News Translation
Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king.

International Standard Version
Meanwhile, Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years, but never saw the king's face.

Majority Standard Bible
Now Absalom lived in Jerusalem two years without seeing the face of the king.

NET Bible
Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing the king's face.

New Heart English Bible
Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem; and he did not see the king's face.

Webster's Bible Translation
So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

World English Bible
Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, and he didn’t see the king’s face.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Absalom dwells in Jerusalem [for] two years of days, and he has not seen the face of the king;

Young's Literal Translation
And Absalom dwelleth in Jerusalem two years of days, and the face of the king he hath not seen;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Absalom dwelt in Jerusalem two years of days, and saw not the king's face.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Absalom dwelt two years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And Absalom remained for two years in Jerusalem, and he did not see the face of the king.

New American Bible
Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without appearing before the king.

New Revised Standard Version
So Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem, without coming into the king’s presence.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
So Absalom dwelt two years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Abishlum dwelt in Jerusalem two years and did not see the face of the King
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem; and he saw not the kings face.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Abessalom remained in Jerusalem two full years, and he saw not the king's face.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Absalom Reconciled to David
28Now Absalom lived in Jerusalem two years without seeing the face of the king. 29Then he sent for Joab to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So Absalom sent a second time, but Joab still would not come.…

Cross References
2 Samuel 13:38-39
After Absalom had fled and gone to Geshur, he stayed there three years. / And King David longed to go to Absalom, for he had been consoled over Amnon’s death.

2 Samuel 15:1-6
Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run ahead of him. / He would get up early and stand beside the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a grievance to bring before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out and ask, “What city are you from?” And if he replied, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,” / Absalom would say, “Look, your claims are good and right, but the king has no deputy to hear you.” ...

2 Samuel 3:27
When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.

2 Samuel 18:33
The king was shaken and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

2 Samuel 19:4
But the king covered his face and cried out at the top of his voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

2 Samuel 13:37
Now Absalom fled and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, the king of Geshur. But David mourned for his son every day.

2 Samuel 15:13-14
Then a messenger came to David and reported, “The hearts of the men of Israel are with Absalom.” / And David said to all the servants with him in Jerusalem, “Arise and let us flee, or we will not escape from Absalom! We must leave quickly, or he will soon overtake us, heap disaster on us, and put the city to the sword.”

1 Kings 1:5-6
At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him. / (His father had never once reprimanded him by saying, “Why do you act this way?” Adonijah was also very handsome, born next after Absalom.)

1 Kings 2:28-34
When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah but not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar. / It was reported to King Solomon: “Joab has fled to the tent of the LORD and is now beside the altar.” So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down!” / And Benaiah entered the tent of the LORD and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But Joab replied, “No, I will die here.” So Benaiah relayed the message to the king, saying, “This is how Joab answered me.” ...

1 Kings 2:13-25
Now Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, and she asked, “Do you come in peace?” “Yes, in peace,” he replied. / Then he said, “I have something to tell you.” “Say it,” she answered. / “You know that the kingship was mine,” he said. “All Israel expected that I should reign, but the kingship has turned to my brother, for it has come to him from the LORD. ...

Genesis 4:8-10
Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. / And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” / “What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.

Genesis 37:34-35
Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days. / All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.

Genesis 45:1-3
Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all his attendants, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me!” So none of them were with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers. / But he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard him, and Pharaoh’s household soon heard of it. / Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But they were unable to answer him, because they were terrified in his presence.

Numbers 35:9-12
Then the LORD said to Moses, / “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, / designate cities to serve as your cities of refuge, so that a person who kills someone unintentionally may flee there. ...

Psalm 32:3-4
When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long. / For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the summer heat. Selah


Treasury of Scripture

So Absalom dwelled two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the king's face.

A.

2 Samuel 14:24
And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.

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2 Samuel 14
1. Joab, suborning a widow of Tekoah to incline the king's heart to fetch Absalom,
21. brings him home to Jerusalem
25. Absalom's beauty, hair, and children
28. After two years, Absalom is brought into the king's presence by Joab














Now Absalom
The name "Absalom" in Hebrew is "אַבְשָׁלוֹם" (Avshalom), meaning "father of peace." This is deeply ironic given Absalom's tumultuous life and eventual rebellion against his father, King David. Absalom's account is a poignant reminder of the complexities of familial relationships and the consequences of unresolved conflict. His name serves as a constant reminder of the peace that was intended but never realized in his life.

lived in Jerusalem
Jerusalem, the city of David, holds significant historical and theological importance. It was the political and spiritual center of Israel. Absalom's presence in Jerusalem signifies his proximity to power and the heart of the kingdom. However, his inability to see the king highlights a separation not just physically but relationally and spiritually. Jerusalem, a place of unity and worship, becomes a backdrop for division and estrangement in this narrative.

two years
The period of two years is significant in biblical narratives, often symbolizing a time of waiting or testing. For Absalom, these two years were a period of unresolved tension and growing resentment. This waiting period can be seen as a test of character and patience, both for Absalom and for David. It reflects the human experience of waiting for reconciliation and the challenges that come with prolonged separation.

without seeing the face of the king
In ancient Near Eastern culture, seeing the face of the king was a sign of favor and acceptance. Absalom's inability to see King David's face symbolizes a broken relationship and a lack of reconciliation. This phrase underscores the emotional and relational distance between father and son. It serves as a powerful metaphor for the spiritual separation that can occur between individuals and God when sin and pride remain unaddressed. The absence of the king's face is a poignant reminder of the need for forgiveness and restoration in relationships.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Now Absalom
אַבְשָׁל֛וֹם (’aḇ·šā·lō·wm)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 53: Absalom -- 'my father is peace', two Israelites

lived
וַיֵּ֧שֶׁב (way·yê·šeḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

in Jerusalem
בִּירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם (bî·rū·šā·lim)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3389: Jerusalem -- probably 'foundation of peace', capital city of all Israel

two
שְׁנָתַ֣יִם (šə·nā·ṯa·yim)
Noun - fd
Strong's 8141: A year

years
יָמִ֑ים (yā·mîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3117: A day

without
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

seeing
רָאָֽה׃ (rā·’āh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

the face
וּפְנֵ֥י (ū·p̄ə·nê)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

of the king.
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king


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OT History: 2 Samuel 14:28 Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 14:27
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