2 Samuel 15:7
New International Version
At the end of four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the LORD.

New Living Translation
After four years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron to offer a sacrifice to the LORD and fulfill a vow I made to him.

English Standard Version
And at the end of four years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

Berean Standard Bible
After four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I have made to the LORD.

King James Bible
And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.

New King James Version
Now it came to pass after forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please, let me go to Hebron and pay the vow which I made to the LORD.

New American Standard Bible
Now it came about at the end of four years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have made to the LORD, in Hebron.

NASB 1995
Now it came about at the end of forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

NASB 1977
Now it came about at the end of forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened at the end of forty years that Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have vowed to Yahweh, in Hebron.

Amplified Bible
And after four years, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow which I have made to the LORD at Hebron [my birthplace].

Christian Standard Bible
When four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I made to the LORD.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I made to the LORD.

American Standard Version
And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto Jehovah, in Hebron.

Contemporary English Version
Four years later, Absalom said to David, "Please, let me go to Hebron. I have to keep a promise that I made to the LORD,

English Revised Version
And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said unto the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Four years later Absalom said to the king, "Let me go to Hebron and keep the vow I made to the LORD.

Good News Translation
After four years Absalom said to King David, "Sir, let me go to Hebron and keep a promise I made to the LORD.

International Standard Version
And so it was that forty years after Israel had demanded a king, Absalom asked the king, "Please let me go to Hebron so I can pay my vow that I made to the LORD,

Majority Standard Bible
After four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, ?Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I have made to the LORD.

NET Bible
After four years Absalom said to the king, "Let me go and repay my vow that I made to the LORD while I was in Hebron.

New Heart English Bible
It happened at the end of four years, that Absalom said to the king, "Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said to the king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

World English Bible
At the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to Yahweh, in Hebron.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And it comes to pass, at the end of forty years, that Absalom says to the king, “Please let me go, and I complete my vow that I vowed to YHWH in Hebron,

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, at the end of forty years, that Absalom saith unto the king, 'Let me go, I pray thee, and I complete my vow, that I vowed to Jehovah in Hebron,

Smith's Literal Translation
And it will be from the end of forty years, and Absalom will say to the king, I will go now and complete my vow which I vowed to Jehovah in Hebron.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And after forty years, Absalom said to king David: Let me go, and pay my vows which I have vowed to the Lord in Hebron.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then, after forty years, Absalom said to king David: “I should go and pay my vows, which I have vowed to the Lord at Hebron.

New American Bible
After a period of four years, Absalom said to the king: “Please let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
At the end of four years Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron and pay the vow that I have made to the LORD.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And it came to pass after four years Absalom said to the king, Let me go and fulfil my vow which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And after four years, Abishlum said to the King: “I shall go finish my vows that I have vowed to LORD JEHOVAH in Khebruun
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And it came to pass at the end of forty years, that Absalom said unto the king: 'I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto the LORD, in Hebron.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it came to pass after forty years, that Abessalom said to his father, I will go now, and pay my vows, which I vowed to the Lord in Chebron.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Absalom's Conspiracy
6Absalom did this to all the Israelites who came to the king for justice. In this way he stole the hearts of the men of Israel. 7After four years had passed, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a vow I have made to the LORD. 8For your servant made a vow while dwelling in Geshur of Aram, saying: ‘If indeed the LORD brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’ ”…

Cross References
1 Kings 2:28-35
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 1:5-10
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.) / So Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, who supported him. ...

1 Kings 11:26-40
Now Jeroboam son of Nebat was an Ephraimite from Zeredah whose mother was a widow named Zeruah. Jeroboam was a servant of Solomon, but he rebelled against the king, / and this is the account of his rebellion against the king. Solomon had built the supporting terraces and repaired the gap in the wall of the city of his father David. / Now Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor. So when Solomon noticed that the young man was industrious, he put him in charge of the whole labor force of the house of Joseph. ...

2 Samuel 3:27-30
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. / Afterward, David heard about this and said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. / May it whirl over the head of Joab and over the entire house of his father, and may the house of Joab never be without one having a discharge or skin disease, or one who leans on a staff or falls by the sword or lacks food.” ...

2 Samuel 14:25-33
Now there was not a man in all Israel as handsome and highly praised as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the top of his head, he did not have a single flaw. / And when he cut the hair of his head—he shaved it every year because his hair got so heavy—he would weigh it out to be two hundred shekels, according to the royal standard. / Three sons were born to Absalom, and a daughter named Tamar, who was a beautiful woman. ...

2 Samuel 18:9-15
Now Absalom was riding on his mule when he met the servants of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair. / When one of the men saw this, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!” / “You just saw him!” Joab exclaimed. “Why did you not strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a warrior’s belt!” ...

2 Samuel 19:9-10
And all the people throughout the tribes of Israel were arguing, “The king rescued us from the hand of our enemies and delivered us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled the land because of Absalom. / But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king?”

2 Samuel 20:1-2
Now a worthless man named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjamite, happened to be there, and he blew the ram’s horn and shouted: “We have no share in David, no inheritance in Jesse’s son. Every man to his tent, O Israel!” / So all the men of Israel deserted David to follow Sheba son of Bichri. But the men of Judah stayed by their king all the way from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

1 Chronicles 21:1-8
Then Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. / So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan and bring me a report, so that I may know their number.” / But Joab replied, “May the LORD multiply His troops a hundred times over. My lord the king, are they not all servants of my lord? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?” ...

Psalm 41:9
Even my close friend whom I trusted, the one who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

Psalm 55:12-14
For it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide. / But it is you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend. / We shared sweet fellowship together; we walked with the crowd into the house of God.

Matthew 26:14-16
Then one of the Twelve, the one called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests / and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand Him over to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver. / So from then on Judas looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Matthew 27:3-5
When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. / “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What is that to us?” they replied. “You bear the responsibility.” / So Judas threw the silver into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.

Mark 14:10-11
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. / They were delighted to hear this, and they promised to give him money. So Judas began to look for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

Luke 22:3-6
Then Satan entered Judas Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve. / And Judas went to discuss with the chief priests and temple officers how he might betray Jesus to them. / They were delighted and agreed to give him money. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said to the king, I pray you, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

A.

2 Samuel 13:38
So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

1 Samuel 16:1,13
And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons…

let me go

2 Samuel 13:24-27
And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant…

pay

1 Samuel 16:2
And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.

Proverbs 21:27
The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind?

Isaiah 58:4
Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

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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














After four years
The phrase "after four years" indicates a significant period during which Absalom was building his influence and preparing for his rebellion against King David. The Hebrew word for "years" is "שָׁנִים" (shanim), which underscores the passage of time and the patience Absalom exercised in executing his plan. This period reflects Absalom's strategic planning and the gradual erosion of David's authority, highlighting the importance of vigilance and discernment in leadership.

Absalom said to the king
Absalom, the son of King David, is the speaker here. His approach to the king, his father, is both respectful and deceitful. The Hebrew name "אַבְשָׁלוֹם" (Avshalom) means "father of peace," which is ironic given his rebellious actions. This highlights the theme of betrayal and the complexities of familial relationships, reminding us of the need for integrity and honesty in our dealings with others.

Please let me go to Hebron
Absalom's request to go to Hebron is significant. Hebron is a city with deep historical and spiritual roots in Israel's history, being the place where David was first anointed king (2 Samuel 2:1-4). The Hebrew word "חֶבְרוֹן" (Chevron) means "association" or "alliance," which is fitting as Absalom seeks to form alliances for his rebellion. This request is a strategic move, cloaked in religious devotion, illustrating how sacred spaces can be manipulated for personal gain.

to fulfill a vow I have made to the LORD
Absalom claims a religious motive for his journey, invoking a vow to the LORD. The Hebrew word for "vow" is "נֶדֶר" (neder), a solemn promise made to God. This highlights the misuse of religious language and practices for deceitful purposes. Absalom's manipulation of spiritual commitments serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of using faith as a cover for ulterior motives, urging believers to maintain sincerity in their spiritual lives.

(7) After forty years.--The reading is certainly incorrect. Absalom was born after David began his reign in Hebron, and his whole reign was only forty years. Absalom therefore was not yet forty at his death. The reading found in the Syriac and most MSS. of the Vulgate, and adopted by Josephus, four years, is probably correct. It remains uncertain from what point this four years is to be reckoned; probably it is from Absalom's return to Jerusalem.

Pay my vow . . . in Hebron.--We have no means of knowing whether this vow was real or fictitious; certainly Absalom now uses it as a pretext, and yet there is nothing improbable in his having actually made such a vow during his exile. Hebron was the place of his birth and childhood, as well as a holy city from very ancient times, and was thus a suitable place for the performance of his vow; it was also at a convenient distance from Jerusalem, and had been the royal city of David for the first seven years of his reign. It was thus well adapted to be the starting place of Absalom's rebellion, and it is not unlikely, moreover, that the men of Hebron may have resented the transfer of the capital to Jerusalem, and therefore have lent a willing ear to Absalom. Like many other culprits, Absalom veils his crime under the cloak of religion, pretending submission to his father, and receiving his blessing at the very moment when he is striking at his crown and his life.

Verse 7. - After forty years. As Absalom was born in Hebron after David was made king (2 Samuel 3:3), and as David's whole reign lasted only forty years and six months, the reading "forty" is evidently incorrect. Suggestions, such, for instance, as that the forty years are to be reckoned from the desire of the Israelites to have a king, or from the anointing of David by Samuel, are merely methods of evading a difficulty. The Syriac, however, and the Vulgate - except the Codex Amiatinus, which reads "forty," supported by Josephus and some manuscripts have "four years," which would give ample, yet not too long, time for the growth of Absalom's popularity, and of dissatisfaction at David's tardy administration of justice. In Hebron. Absalom chose this town, beth as being his birthplace, and also because it was on the road to Geshur (1 Samuel 27:8), whither flight might be necessary should the enterprise fail. He hoped also to win to his cause some of the powerful tribe of Judah, though it generally was the mainstay of David's throne. Local sacrifices were still customary (see note on 1 Samuel 16:2), and the visit of the king's son for such a purpose would be celebrated by a general holiday and much feasting at Hebron. As Ewald remarks, David's confidence and want of suspicion were the results of a noble-minded generosity. And besides, there was no state police ever on the watch, and ready to put an unfavourable construction on all that was done; and probably David was even pleased at his son's popularity, and took his professions as proof that he would be a just and wise ruler on succeeding to his father's place. Perhaps, too, he was glad at this indication of religious feeling on Absalom's part; for a father is sure to look on the better side of his son's acts. He had been tardy enough in fulfilling his vow, but it seemed to David that conscience had at last prevailed, and that right was to be done.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
After
מִקֵּ֖ץ (miq·qêṣ)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7093: An extremity, after

four
אַרְבָּעִ֣ים (’ar·bā·‘îm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 705: Forty

years
שָׁנָ֑ה (šā·nāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 8141: A year

had passed,
וַיְהִ֕י (way·hî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

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

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

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

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

“Please
נָּ֗א (nā)
Interjection
Strong's 4994: I pray', 'now', 'then'

let me go
אֵ֣לֲכָה (’ê·lă·ḵāh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

to Hebron
בְּחֶבְרֽוֹן׃ (bə·ḥeḇ·rō·wn)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 2275: Hebron -- 'association, league', a city in southern Judah

to fulfill
וַאֲשַׁלֵּ֛ם (wa·’ă·šal·lêm)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular
Strong's 7999: To be safe, to be, completed, to be friendly, to reciprocate

a vow
נִדְרִ֛י (niḏ·rî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5088: A promise, a thing promised

I have made
נָדַ֥רְתִּי (nā·ḏar·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 5087: To promise

to the LORD.
לַֽיהוָ֖ה (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT History: 2 Samuel 15:7 It happened at the end of forty (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 15:6
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