2 Samuel 15:25
New International Version
Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the LORD’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again.

New Living Translation
Then the king instructed Zadok to take the Ark of God back into the city. “If the LORD sees fit,” David said, “he will bring me back to see the Ark and the Tabernacle again.

English Standard Version
Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and his dwelling place.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again.

King James Bible
And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:

New King James Version
Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and show me both it and His dwelling place.

New American Standard Bible
And the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the LORD, then He will bring me back and show me both it and His habitation.

NASB 1995
The king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the LORD, then He will bring me back again and show me both it and His habitation.

NASB 1977
And the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the LORD, then He will bring me back again, and show me both it and His habitation.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of Yahweh, then He will cause me to return and show me both it and His habitation.

Amplified Bible
Then the king told Zadok, “Take the ark of God back to [its rightful place in] the city [of Jerusalem, the capital]. If I find favor in the LORD’S sight, He will bring me back again and let me see both it and His dwelling place (habitation).

Christian Standard Bible
Then the king instructed Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor with the LORD, he will bring me back and allow me to see both it and its dwelling place.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the king instructed Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the LORD’s eyes, He will bring me back and allow me to see both it and its dwelling place.

American Standard Version
And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favor in the eyes of Jehovah, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation:

Contemporary English Version
Then David said: Zadok, take the sacred chest back to Jerusalem. If the LORD is pleased with me, he will bring me back and let me see it and his tent again.

English Revised Version
And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The king told Zadok, "Take God's ark back to the city. If the LORD looks favorably on me, he will allow me to come back and see both it and its dwelling place again.

Good News Translation
Then the king said to Zadok, "Take the Covenant Box back to the city. If the LORD is pleased with me, some day he will let me come back to see it and the place where it stays.

International Standard Version
The king told Zadok, "Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I'm shown favor in the LORD's sight, then he'll bring me back again and show me both it and the place where it rests.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the king said to Zadok, ?Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again.

NET Bible
Then the king said to Zadok, "Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor in the LORD's sight he will bring me back and enable me to see both it and his dwelling place again.

New Heart English Bible
The king said to Zadok, "Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and show me both it and his dwelling place;

Webster's Bible Translation
And the king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation:

World English Bible
The king said to Zadok, “Carry God’s ark back into the city. If I find favor in Yahweh’s eyes, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation;
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the king says to Zadok, “Take back the Ark of God to the city; if I find grace in the eyes of YHWH, then He has brought me back, and shown me it and His habitation;

Young's Literal Translation
And the king saith to Zadok, 'Take back the ark of God to the city; if I find grace in the eyes of Jehovah, then He hath brought me back, and shewn me it and His habitation;

Smith's Literal Translation
And the king will say to Zadok, Turn back the ark of God to the city: if I shall find grace in the eyes of Jehovah, and he turned me back, and caused me to see it and its rest.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king said to Sadoc: Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find grace in the sight of the Lord, he will bring me again, and he will shew me it, and his tabernacle.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the king said to Zadok: “Carry back the ark of God into the city. If I shall find grace in the sight of the Lord, he will lead me back. And he will show it to me in his tabernacle.

New American Bible
Then the king said to Zadok: “Take the ark of God back to the city. If I find favor with the LORD, he will bring me back and permit me to see it and its lodging place.

New Revised Standard Version
Then the king said to Zadok, “Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and the place where it stays.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then the king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city; perhaps I shall find favor in the eyes of the LORD, and he will bring me back again and show me both it and his habitation;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the King said to Tsadoq: “Return the Ark of God to the city. Perhaps I shall find compassion in the eyes of LORD JEHOVAH, and he will return me and will show me himself and his dwelling
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the king said unto Zadok: 'Carry back the ark of God into the city; if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back, and show me both it, and His habitation;

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the king said to Sadoc, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I should find favour in the eyes of the Lord, then will he bring me back, and he will shew me it and its beauty.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Flees Jerusalem
24Zadok was also there, and all the Levites with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. And they set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until the people had passed out of the city. 25Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again. 26But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”…

Cross References
1 Samuel 4:3-4
When the troops returned to the camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has the LORD brought defeat on us before the Philistines today? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Shiloh, so that it may go with us to save us from the hand of our enemies.” / So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the LORD of Hosts, who sits enthroned between the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

1 Samuel 4:21-22
And she named the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel,” because the ark of God had been captured and her father-in-law and her husband had been killed. / “The glory has departed from Israel,” she said, “for the ark of God has been captured.”

1 Samuel 5:1-2
After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod, / carried it into the temple of Dagon, and set it beside his statue.

1 Samuel 6:1-2
When the ark of the LORD had been in the land of the Philistines seven months, / the Philistines summoned the priests and diviners, saying, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us how to send it back to its place.”

1 Samuel 7:1-2
Then the men of Kiriath-jearim came for the ark of the LORD and took it into Abinadab’s house on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to guard the ark of the LORD. / And from that day a long time passed, twenty years in all, as the ark remained at Kiriath-jearim. And all the house of Israel mournfully sought the LORD.

1 Samuel 7:12-13
Afterward, Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” / So the Philistines were subdued, and they stopped invading the territory of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.

1 Samuel 10:25
Then Samuel explained to the people the rights of kingship. He wrote them on a scroll and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the people away, each to his own home.

1 Samuel 12:22
Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.

1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.

1 Kings 8:29-30
May Your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place. / Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.

1 Kings 8:44-45
When Your people go to war against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to the LORD in the direction of the city You have chosen and the house I have built for Your Name, / then may You hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and may You uphold their cause.

1 Kings 8:48-49
and when they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to You in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name, / then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and petition, and may You uphold their cause.

1 Chronicles 13:3
Then let us bring back the ark of our God, for we did not inquire of Him in the days of Saul.”

1 Chronicles 15:1-2
David constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. / Then David said, “No one but the Levites may carry the ark of God, because the LORD has chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister before Him forever.”

1 Chronicles 15:12-13
And he said to them, “You are the heads of the Levitical families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves so that you may bring the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place I have prepared for it. / It was because you Levites were not with us the first time that the LORD our God burst forth in anger against us. For we did not consult Him about the proper order.”


Treasury of Scripture

And the king said to Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favor in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and show me both it, and his habitation:

Carry back

2 Samuel 12:10,11
Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife…

1 Samuel 4:3-11
And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies…

Jeremiah 7:4
Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.

he will bring

Psalm 26:8
LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

Psalm 27:4,5
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple…

Psalm 42:1,2
To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God…

habitation

2 Samuel 6:17
And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

2 Samuel 7:2
That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

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Ark Carry City Dwelling Eyes Favor Favour Find Habitation Lord's Shew Shewn Show Sight Zadok
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Ark Carry City Dwelling Eyes Favor Favour Find Habitation Lord's Shew Shewn Show Sight Zadok
2 Samuel 15
1. Absalom, by fair speeches and courtesies, steals the hearts of Israel.
7. By pretense of a vow, he obtains leave to go to Hebron
10. He makes there a great conspiracy
13. David upon the news flees from Jerusalem
19. Ittai will leave him
24. Zadok and Abiathar are sent back with the ark
30. David and his company go up mount Olivet weeping,
31. He curses Ahithophel's counsel
32. Hushai is sent back with instructions














Then the king said to Zadok
This phrase introduces us to King David, a central figure in the narrative, and Zadok, a priest. The historical context here is crucial; David is fleeing Jerusalem due to Absalom's rebellion. Zadok, a faithful priest, is carrying the Ark of the Covenant, symbolizing God's presence. The Hebrew root for "king" (מֶלֶךְ, melek) emphasizes David's authority and responsibility, even in crisis. His dialogue with Zadok reflects his leadership and spiritual discernment.

Return the ark of God to the city
David's instruction to return the Ark to Jerusalem is significant. The "ark of God" (אֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים, aron ha'elohim) is a sacred object, representing God's covenant and presence with Israel. By sending it back, David demonstrates his trust in God's sovereignty rather than using the Ark as a talisman for personal protection. This act of faith is rooted in the understanding that God's presence is not confined to a physical object or location.

If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD
Here, David expresses a conditional hope, relying on God's grace. The phrase "find favor" (מָצָא חֵן, matsa chen) is a common biblical expression denoting grace or acceptance. David's humility is evident as he submits to God's will, acknowledging that his future is in God's hands. This reflects a deep trust in God's character and a recognition of his own dependence on divine mercy.

He will bring me back
David's confidence in God's ability to restore him is clear. The verb "bring back" (שׁוּב, shuv) is often used in the context of repentance and restoration. David's faith is not in his own strength or strategy but in God's power to redeem and restore. This highlights a key biblical theme: God's ability to bring His people back from exile or adversity.

and let me see both it and His dwelling place
David longs to return to Jerusalem and see the Ark and the "dwelling place" (מִשְׁכָּן, mishkan) of God, which signifies the temple or tabernacle. This desire underscores the importance of worship and communion with God. David's heart is set on being in God's presence, reflecting the psalmist's yearning for the courts of the Lord (Psalm 84:2). It is a reminder of the believer's ultimate hope and joy in being with God.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the king
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

said
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to Zadok,
לְצָד֔וֹק (lə·ṣā·ḏō·wq)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 6659: Zadok -- the name of several Israelites

“Return
הָשֵׁ֛ב (hā·šêḇ)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

the ark
אֲר֥וֹן (’ă·rō·wn)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 727: A chest, ark

of God
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

to the city.
הָעִ֑יר (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement

If
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

I find
אֶמְצָ֥א (’em·ṣā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

favor
חֵן֙ (ḥên)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2580: Graciousness, subjective, objective

in the eyes
בְּעֵינֵ֣י (bə·‘ê·nê)
Preposition-b | Noun - cdc
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

of the LORD,
יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

He will bring me back
וֶהֱשִׁבַ֕נִי (we·hĕ·ši·ḇa·nî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

and let me see
וְהִרְאַ֥נִי (wə·hir·’a·nî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular
Strong's 7200: To see

[both] it
אֹת֖וֹ (’ō·ṯōw)
Direct object marker | third person masculine singular
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

and
וְאֶת־ (wə·’eṯ-)
Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

His dwelling place {again}.
נָוֵֽהוּ׃ (nā·wê·hū)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5116: Abode of shepherd or flocks, habitation


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OT History: 2 Samuel 15:25 The king said to Zadok Carry back (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 15:24
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