2 Samuel 15:34
New International Version
But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can help me by frustrating Ahithophel’s advice.

New Living Translation
Return to Jerusalem and tell Absalom, ‘I will now be your adviser, O king, just as I was your father’s adviser in the past.’ Then you can frustrate and counter Ahithophel’s advice.

English Standard Version
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 in time past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

Berean Standard Bible
But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
But if you return to the city, and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; as I was your father’s servant previously, so I will now also be your servant,’ then you may defeat the counsel of Ahithophel for me.

New American Standard Bible
But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king; even as I was your father’s servant in time past, so now I will also be your servant,’ then you can foil the advice of Ahithophel for me.

NASB 1995
“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 in time past, so I will now be your servant,’ then you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me.

NASB 1977
“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 in time past, so I will now be your servant,’ then you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me.

Legacy Standard Bible
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 in time past, so I will now be your servant,’ then you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me.

Amplified Bible
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 in the past, so I will be your servant now;’ then you can thwart (make useless) the advice of Ahithophel for me.

Christian Standard Bible
but if you return to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Previously, I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can counteract Ahithophel’s counsel for me.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
but if you return to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, my king! Previously, I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can counteract Ahithophel’s counsel for me.

American 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 in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
But return to the city and go to Abishlum and say to Abishlum: ‘I am your Servant, oh King, and the Servant of your father from former time!’ And now, I the King, I beg of you, go destroy the counsel of Akhithuphel

Brenton Septuagint Translation
but if thou shall return to the city, and shalt say to Abessalom, Thy brethren are passed over, and the king thy father is passed over after me: and now I am thy servant, O king, suffer me to live: at one time even of late I was the servant of thy father, and now I am thy humble servant - so shalt thou disconcert for me, the counsel of Achitophel.

Contemporary English Version
Go back into the city and tell Absalom, "Your Majesty, I am your servant. I will serve you now, just as I served your father in the past." Hushai, if you do that, you can help me ruin Ahithophel's plans.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But if thou return into the city, and wilt say to Absalom: I am thy servant, O king: as I have been thy father's servant, so I will be thy servant: thou shalt defeat the counsel of Achitophel.

English Revised 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 in time past, so will I now be thy servant: then shalt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But if you go back to the city and say to Absalom, 'Your Majesty, I'll be your servant. I was your father's servant in the past, but now I'll be your servant,' then you'll [help me by] undoing Ahithophel's advice.

Good News Translation
but you can help me by returning to the city and telling Absalom that you will now serve him as faithfully as you served his father. And do all you can to oppose any advice that Ahithophel gives.

International Standard Version
So go back to the city and tell Absalom, 'I'll be your servant, your majesty! Just as I served your father in the past, I can be your servant now.' That way you can manipulate Ahithophel's advice to my benefit.

JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Literal Standard Version
and if you return to the city and have said to Absalom, I am your servant, O king; I [am] also servant of your father until now, and presently, I [am] also your servant; then you have made void the counsel of Ahithophel for me;

Majority Standard Bible
But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’

New American Bible
but if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘Let me be your servant, O king; I was formerly your father’s servant, but now I will be yours,’ you will thwart for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

NET Bible
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.'

New Revised Standard Version
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 in time past, so now I will be your servant,’ then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

New Heart English Bible
but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, 'Your brothers have left, O king, after your father left, and now I am your servant, O king. Allow me to live. As I have been your father�s servant in the past, so now I am be your servant,' then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

Webster's Bible Translation
But if thou shalt return to the city, and say to 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.

World English Bible
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 I will now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.’

Young's Literal Translation
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;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Weeps at the Mount of Olives
33David said to him, “If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. 34But you can thwart the counsel of Ahithophel for me if you return to the city and say to Absalom: ‘I will be your servant, my king; in the past I was your father’s servant, but now I will be your servant.’ 35Will not Zadok and Abiathar the priests be there with you? Report to them everything you hear from the king’s palace.…

Cross References
2 Samuel 16:16
And David's friend Hushai the Archite went to Absalom and said to him, "Long live the king! Long live the king!"

2 Samuel 16:19
Furthermore, whom should I serve if not the son? As I served in your father's presence, so also I will serve in yours."

2 Samuel 17:14
Then Absalom and all the men of Israel said, "The advice of Hushai the Archite is better than that of Ahithophel." For the LORD had purposed to thwart the good counsel of Ahithophel in order to bring disaster on Absalom.


Treasury of Scripture

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 till now, so will I now also be your servant: then may you for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

return

2 Samuel 15:20
Whereas 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.

Joshua 8:2
And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.

Matthew 10:16
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

as I have been

2 Samuel 16:16-19
And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend, was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the king, God save the king…

then mayest

2 Samuel 17:5-14
Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear likewise what he saith…

Jump to Previous
Able Absalom Ab'salom Advice Ahithophel Ahith'ophel Ahithophel's City Counsel Defeat Designs Effect Father's Help Hitherto Mayest Past Servant Thwart Time Turn Wilt
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Able Absalom Ab'salom Advice Ahithophel Ahith'ophel Ahithophel's City Counsel Defeat Designs Effect Father's Help Hitherto Mayest Past Servant Thwart Time Turn Wilt
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














(34) Say unto Absalom.--David here counsels fraud and treachery, and Hushai willingly accepts the part assigned to him, in order to thwart Ahithophel's counsel and weaken Absalom's rebellion. The narrative simply states the facts without justifying them. But while we cannot too strongly condemn such a stratagem, two things are to be remembered: first, that like frauds in time of war and rebellion have been practised in all ages, and still continue; and, secondly, that David and Hushai had but slender knowledge of the Divine revelation of truth and righteousness which enables us to condemn them, and, therefore, did with a clear conscience many things which we see to be wrong.

Verse 34. - Then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel. David was thus meeting treachery by treachery, and we cannot approve of it, even granting that Ahithophel's conduct was base and selfish, while Hushai was risking his life for his master. Still, he was sent back to tell a falsehood, and his excuse was necessity; for Ahithophel was so sagacious that, if his counsel were not upset, David's cause was lost. It was not Christian morality, but yet it has a sort of nobleness about it in Hushai's devotion to his king. And even now, in war and diplomacy, such acts are not uncommon, and a distinction is unhappily drawn between political and social morality. Even in common life immoral doings are often sanctioned by use. Thus many customs of trade are frauds, considered legitimate because generally practised. Even among ourselves Christian morality is far below the level of our Master's teaching; and the Old Testament must not be taken as approving all that it records. Similar blame does not attach to Zadok and Abiathar. They were known to be David's friends, and had even tried to go with him, bearing with them the ark. They professed no friendship for Absalom, and returned for no covert purpose, looking for protection, not to guile, but to their sacred office. And Absalom would be glad to have them in his power, and would make them continue the customary sacrifices, and, if his rebellion proved successful, would force them to anoint him, and so give his usurpation a religious sanction. But he would tell them none of his plans, nor would they try to insinuate themselves into his confidence. They would have a perfect right to be useful in any way they could to their true master, but would do so at the risk of severe punishment. Hushai's way of defeating Ahithophel was treacherous; but there was no deceit in the young men carrying a message from him, for they were openly David's friends.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
but if
וְאִם־ (wə·’im-)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

you return
תָּשׁ֗וּב (tā·šūḇ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

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

and say
וְאָמַרְתָּ֤ (wə·’ā·mar·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to Absalom,
לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ (lə·’aḇ·šā·lō·wm)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 53: Absalom -- 'my father is peace', two Israelites

‘I
אֲנִ֤י (’ă·nî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

will be
אֶֽהְיֶ֔ה (’eh·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

your servant,
עַבְדְּךָ֨ (‘aḇ·də·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

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

In the past
מֵאָ֔ז (mê·’āz)
Preposition-m | Adverb
Strong's 227: At that time, place, therefore

I
וַֽאֲנִי֙ (wa·’ă·nî)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

was your father’s
אָבִ֤יךָ (’ā·ḇî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

servant,
עֶ֣בֶד (‘e·ḇeḏ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

but now
וְעַתָּ֖ה (wə·‘at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

I
וַאֲנִ֣י (wa·’ă·nî)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 589: I

will be your servant,’
עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ (‘aḇ·de·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

then you can thwart
וְהֵפַרְתָּ֣ה (wə·hê·p̄ar·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6565: To break up, to violate, frustrate

the counsel
עֲצַ֥ת (‘ă·ṣaṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 6098: Advice, plan, prudence

of Ahithophel
אֲחִיתֹֽפֶל׃ (’ă·ḥî·ṯō·p̄el)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 302: Ahithophel -- an adviser of David

for me.
לִ֔י (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 0: 0


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OT History: 2 Samuel 15:34 But if you return to the city (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 15:33
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