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the Week of Proper 6 / Ordinary 11
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Contemporary English Version

2 Samuel 15:1

Some time later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses to pull it, and he had fifty men run in front.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ambition;   Candidate;   Electioneering;   Footman;   Usurpation;   Thompson Chain Reference - Ambition;   Worldly;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Chariots;   Judah, the Tribe of;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Chariot;   David;   War;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Guard;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Absalom;   Adonijah;   Ahimaaz;   Guard;   Harosheth of the Gentiles;   Judges;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Abiathar;   Absalom;   Court Systems;   Footman;   Runners;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Absalom;   Chariot;   David;   Footman;   Guard Body-Guard;   Judges;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Trial-At-Law;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Absalom;   David;   Jerusalem;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Ab'salom;   Sol'omon;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Absalom (1);   Decision;   Games;   Horse;   Samuel, Books of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Absalom;   Horse;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
After this, Absalom got himself a chariot, horses, and fifty men to run before him.
Hebrew Names Version
It happened after this, that Avshalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
King James Version
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
Lexham English Bible
It happened afterward that Absalom made himself a chariot with horses and fifty men running before him.
English Standard Version
After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
New Century Version
After this, Absalom got a chariot and horses for himself and fifty men to run before him.
New English Translation
Some time later Absalom managed to acquire a chariot and horses, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard.
Amplified Bible
After this, Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men as runners before him.
New American Standard Bible
Now it came about after this that Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run ahead of him.
Geneva Bible (1587)
After this, Absalom prepared him charets & horses, and fiftie men to runne before him.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened afterwards, that Absalom prepared for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men as runners before him.
Complete Jewish Bible
Some time later, Avshalom prepared himself a chariot and horses, with fifty men to run ahead of him.
Darby Translation
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
Easy-to-Read Version
After this, Absalom got a chariot and horses for himself. He had 50 men run in front of him while he drove the chariot.
George Lamsa Translation
AND after this, Absalom prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
Good News Translation
After this, Absalom provided a chariot and horses for himself, and an escort of fifty men.
Literal Translation
And it happened afterward that Absalom prepared a chariot for himself, and horses, and fifty men running before him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And after this it fortuned that Absalom caused to prepare himselfe chearettes and horses, and fyftye men, which were his fote me.
American Standard Version
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
Bible in Basic English
Now after this, Absalom got for himself a carriage and horses, and fifty runners to go before him.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
After this, Absalo prepared him charettes & horses, and fiftie men to runne before him.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe after this, that Absalom prepared him charets and horses, and fiftie men to runne before him.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass after this that Abessalom prepared for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
English Revised Version
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
Berean Standard Bible
Some time later, Absalom provided for himself a chariot with horses and fifty men to run before him.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor aftir these thingis Absolon made a chaar to hym, and knyytis, and fifti men, that schulden go bifor hym.
Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass afterwards, that Absalom prepareth for himself a chariot, and horses, and fifty men are running before him;
Update Bible Version
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
World English Bible
It happened after this, that Absalom prepared him a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
New King James Version
After this it happened that Absalom provided himself with chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
New Living Translation
After this, Absalom bought a chariot and horses, and he hired fifty bodyguards to run ahead of him.
New Life Bible
After this, Absalom got a war-wagon and horses, and fifty men to run in front of him.
New Revised Standard
After this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run ahead of him.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it came to pass, after this, that Absolom prepared him chariots and horses, - and fifty men, to run before him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Now after these things Absalom made himself chariots, and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
Revised Standard Version
After this Ab'salom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
THE MESSAGE
As time went on, Absalom took to riding in a horse-drawn chariot, with fifty men running in front of him. Early each morning he would take up his post beside the road at the city gate. When anyone showed up with a case to bring to the king for a decision, Absalom would call him over and say, "Where do you hail from?" And the answer would come, "Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now it came about after this that Absalom provided for himself a chariot and horses and fifty men as runners before him.

Contextual Overview

1 Some time later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses to pull it, and he had fifty men run in front. 2 He would get up early each morning and wait by the side of the road that led to the city gate. Anyone who had a complaint to bring to King David would have to go that way, and Absalom would ask each of them, "Where are you from?" If they said, "I'm from a tribe in the north," 3 Absalom would say, "You deserve to win your case. It's too bad the king doesn't have anyone to hear complaints like yours. 4 I wish someone would make me the judge around here! I would be fair to everyone." 5 Whenever anyone would come to Absalom and start bowing down, he would reach out and hug and kiss them. 6 That's how he treated everyone from Israel who brought a complaint to the king. Soon everyone in Israel liked Absalom better than they liked David.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 2980, bc 1024

Absalom: 2 Samuel 12:11, Deuteronomy 17:16, 1 Samuel 8:11, 1 Kings 1:5, 1 Kings 1:33, 1 Kings 10:26-29, Psalms 20:7, Proverbs 11:2, Proverbs 16:18, Proverbs 17:19, Jeremiah 22:14-16

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 22:17 - footmen 2 Samuel 3:3 - Absalom 2 Samuel 16:2 - What meanest 1 Kings 14:27 - guard Psalms 3:1 - when Psalms 86:14 - O God Psalms 132:1 - all his afflictions Proverbs 15:5 - fool John 12:15 - sitting

Cross-References

Genesis 15:1
Later the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision, "Abram, don't be afraid! I will protect you and reward you greatly."
Genesis 15:2
But Abram answered, " Lord All-Powerful, you have given me everything I could ask for, except children. And when I die, Eliezer of Damascus will get all I own.
Genesis 15:3
You have not given me any children, and this servant of mine will inherit everything."
Genesis 15:4
The Lord replied, "No, he won't! You will have a son of your own, and everything you have will be his."
Genesis 15:5
Then the Lord took Abram outside and said, "Look at the sky and see if you can count the stars. That's how many descendants you will have."
Genesis 15:6
Abram believed the Lord , and the Lord was pleased with him.
Genesis 15:10
Abram obeyed the Lord . Then he cut the animals in half and laid the two halves of each animal opposite each other on the ground. But he did not cut the doves and pigeons in half.
Genesis 15:16
Four generations later, your descendants will return here and take this land, because only then will the people who live here be so sinful that they deserve to be punished.
Genesis 15:17
Sometime after sunset, when it was very dark, a smoking cooking pot and a flaming fire went between the two halves of each animal.
Genesis 21:17
When God heard the boy crying, the angel of God called out to Hagar from heaven and said, "Hagar, why are you worried? Don't be afraid. I have heard your son crying.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass after this,.... After the reconciliation of David and Absalom, and the latter was admitted to court again:

that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses; to make himself look grand and respectable among the people; perhaps he got these from his grandfather at Geshur in Syria:

and fifty men to run before him; which added to his pomp and magnificence; and such great personages in later time have had; Nero the Roman emperor never went on a journey with less than a thousand calashes or chariots, and a great number of men that ran before him c: and this was tacitly setting himself up for king, at least preparing for it, as Adonijah afterwards did in the same way and manner, 1 Kings 1:5.

c Suetonius in Vit. Neron. c. 30. Vid. Senecae, Ep. 87. & 123.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass ... - The working out of Nathan’s prophecy (marginal reference) is the clue to the course of the narrative. How long after Absalom’s return these events occurred we are not told.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XV

Absalom conspires against his father, and uses various methods

to seduce the people from their allegiance to their king, 14.

Under pretence of paying a vow at Hebron, he obtains leave from

David to go thither; and, by emissaries sent through the land,

prepares the people for revolt, 7-11.

He gains over Ahithophel, David's counsellor, 12.

David is informed of the general defection of the people; on

which he, and his life-guards and friends, leave the city, and

go towards the wilderness, 13-18.

The steadfast friendship of Ittai, the Gittite, 19-22.

David's affecting departure from the city, 23.

He sends Zadok and Abiathar with the ark back to Jerusalem,

24-29.

He goes up Mount Olivet; prays that the counsel of Ahithophel

may be turned into foolishness, 30-31.

He desires Hushai to return to Jerusalem, and to send him word

of all that occurs, 32-37.

NOTES ON CHAP. XV

Verse 2 Samuel 15:1. Absalom prepared him chariots and horses — After all that has been said to prove that horses here mean horsemen, I think it most likely that the writer would have us to understand chariots drawn by horses; not by mules or such like cattle.

Fifty men to run before him. — Affecting in every respect the regal state by this establishment. Of this man Calmet collects the following character: "He was a bold, violent, revengeful, haughty, enterprising, magnificent, eloquent, and popular prince; he was also rich, ambitious, and vain of his personal accomplishments: after the death of Amnon, and his reconciliation to his father, he saw no hindrance in his way to the throne. He despised Solomon because of the meanness of his birth, and his tender years. He was himself of the blood royal, not only by his father David, but also by his mother Maacah, daughter to Talmai, king of Geshur: and, doubtless, in his own apprehension, of sufficient age, authority, and wisdom, to sustain the weight of government. There was properly now no competitor in his way: Amnon, David's first-born, was dead. Of Chileab, his second son by Abigail, we hear nothing; and Absalom was the third: see 2 Samuel 3:2-5. He, therefore, seemed to stand nearest to the throne; but his sin was, that he sought it during his father's life, and endeavoured to dethrone him in order to sit in his stead."


 
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