2 Samuel 19:13

Christian Standard Bible ®

And tell Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me and do so severely if you don’t become commander of my army from now on instead of Joab!’”

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Say you to `Amasa, Aren't you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren't captain of the host before me continually in the room of Yo'av.

King James Version
And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

Lexham English Bible
To Amasa you shall say: ‘Are you not my bones and my flesh? May God punish me if you are not the commander of my army before me forever, in place of Joab.'"

English Standard Version
And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if you are not commander of my army from now on in place of Joab.'"

New Century Version
And say to Amasa, ‘You are part of my own family. May God punish me terribly if I don't make you commander of the army in Joab's place!'"

New English Translation
Say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my flesh and blood? God will punish me severely, if from this time on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!'"

Amplified Bible
"Say to Amasa [the commander of Absalom's troops], 'Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be commander of my army from now on in place of Joab.'"

New American Standard Bible
"And say to Amasa, 'Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more so, if you will not be commander of the army for me continually, in place of Joab.'"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Also say ye to Amasa, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if thou be not captaine of the hoste to me for euer in the roume of Ioab.

Legacy Standard Bible
And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.'"

Contemporary English Version
And tell Amasa, "You're my nephew, and with God as a witness, I swear I'll make you commander of my army instead of Joab."

Complete Jewish Bible
You are my kinsmen, my flesh and bone; so why are you the last to bring back the king?'

Darby Translation
And say to Amasa, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually instead of Joab.

Easy-to-Read Version
Also tell Amasa, ‘You are part of my family. I swear that I will make you captain of the army in Joab's place.'"

George Lamsa Translation
And he said to Amasa, Behold, you are my flesh and my bone. God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of my army permanently instead of Joab.

Good News Translation
David also told them to say to Amasa, "You are my relative. From now on I am putting you in charge of the army in place of Joab. May God strike me dead if I don't!"

Literal Translation
And say to Amasa, Are you not my bone and my flesh? So shall God do to me, and more so He shall do, if you are not commander of the army before me all the days, instead of Joab.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And saye vnto Amasa: Art not thou my bone and my flesh? God do this & that vnto me, yf thou shalt not be the chefe captayne before me in Ioabs steade, as longe as thou lyuest.

American Standard Version
And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

Bible in Basic English
And say to Amasa, Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God's punishment be on me, if I do not make you chief of the army before me at all times in place of Joab!

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And say ye to Amasa: Art thou not of my bone and of my fleshe? God do so to me and more also, if thou be not captayne of the hoast to me for euer in the roome of Ioab.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Ye are my brethren, ye are my bone and my flesh; wherefore then should ye be the last to bring back the king?

King James Version (1611)
And say ye to Amasa: Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captaine of the hoste before me continually in the roome of Ioab.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And ye shall say to Amessai, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? and now God do so to me, and more also, if thou shalt not be commander of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

English Revised Version
And say ye to Amasa, Art thou not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

Berean Standard Bible
And say to Amasa, 'Aren't you my flesh and blood? May God punish me, and ever so severely, if from this time you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!'"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And seie ye to Amasa, Whether thou art not my boon and my fleisch? God do these thingis to me, and adde these thingis, if thou schalt not be maistir of chyualrye bifore me in al tyme aftir Joab.

Young's Literal Translation
And to Amasa say ye, Art not thou my bone and my flesh? Thus doth God do to me, and thus He doth add, if thou art not head of the host before me all the days instead of Joab.'

Update Bible Version
And say to Amasa, Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not captain of the host before me continually in the place of Joab.

Webster's Bible Translation
And say ye to Amasa, [Art] thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

World English Bible
Say you to Amasa, Aren't you my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you aren't captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab.

New King James Version
And say to Amasa, "Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab."'

New Living Translation
And David told them to tell Amasa, "Since you are my own flesh and blood, like Joab, may God strike me and even kill me if I do not appoint you as commander of my army in his place."

New Life Bible
And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be the captain of my army at all times instead of Joab.'"

New Revised Standard
And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? So may God do to me, and more, if you are not the commander of my army from now on, in place of Joab.'"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, unto Amasa, shall ye say, Art not, thou, my bone and my flesh? So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if thou become not, prince of the army, before me continually, instead of Joab.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And say ye to Amasa: Art not thou my bone, and my flesh? So do God to me and add more, if thou be not the chief captain of the army before me always in the place of Joab.

Revised Standard Version
And say to Ama'sa, 'Are you not my bone and my flesh? God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of my army henceforth in place of Jo'ab.'"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Say to Amasa, 'Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more also, if you will not be commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.'"

Contextual Overview

⁹People throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves, saying, “The king rescued us from the grasp of our enemies, and he saved us from the grasp of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. ¹⁰But Absalom, the man we anointed over us, has died in battle. So why do you say nothing about restoring the king?” ¹¹King David sent word to the priests Zadok and Abiathar: “Say to the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you be the last to restore the king to his palace? The talk of all Israel has reached the king at his house. ¹²You are my brothers, my flesh and blood. So why should you be the last to restore the king?’ ¹³And tell Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me and do so severely if you don’t become commander of my army from now on instead of Joab!’”¹⁴So he won over all the men of Judah, and they unanimously sent word to the king: “Come back, you and all your servants.” ¹⁵Then the king returned. When he arrived at the Jordan, Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and escort him across the Jordan.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Amasa: 2 Samuel 17:25, 1 Chronicles 2:16, 1 Chronicles 2:17, 1 Chronicles 12:18

God: Ruth 1:17, 1 Kings 19:2

room of Joab: 2 Samuel 19:5-7, 2 Samuel 3:29, 2 Samuel 3:30, 2 Samuel 8:16, 2 Samuel 18:11

Reciprocal: Genesis 2:23 - bone Genesis 29:14 - art my Judges 9:2 - your bone 1 Samuel 3:17 - God 1 Samuel 14:44 - God 1 Samuel 20:13 - The Lord do 2 Samuel 3:9 - So do God 2 Samuel 3:39 - too hard 2 Samuel 5:1 - we 2 Samuel 20:4 - Amasa 2 Samuel 20:5 - So Amasa 1 Kings 2:23 - God 2 Kings 4:13 - to the captain 2 Kings 6:31 - God do so 1 Chronicles 11:1 - Behold

Cross-References

Genesis 13:13
(Now the men of Sodom were evil, sinning immensely against the Lord.)

Genesis 18:20
Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is immense, and their sin is extremely serious.

Genesis 19:1
The two angels entered Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in Sodom’s gateway. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them. He bowed with his face to the ground

Genesis 19:5
They called out to Lot and said, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Send them out to us so we can have sex with them!”

Genesis 19:6
Lot went out to them at the entrance and shut the door behind him.

Genesis 19:8
Look, I’ve got two daughters who haven’t been intimate with a man. I’ll bring them out to you, and you can do whatever you want to them. However, don’t do anything to these men, because they have come under the protection of my roof.”

Genesis 19:9
“Get out of the way!” they said, adding, “This one came here as an alien, but he’s acting like a judge! Now we’ll do more harm to you than to them.” They put pressure on Lot and came up to break down the door.

Genesis 19:12
Then the angels said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here: a son-in-law, your sons and daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of this place,

Genesis 19:15
At daybreak the angels urged Lot on: “Get up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.”

Genesis 19:16
But he hesitated. Because of the Lord’s compassion for him, the men grabbed his hand, his wife’s hand, and the hands of his two daughters. They brought him out and left him outside the city.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And say ye to Amasa,.... Who was the general of Absalom's army, and who might fear he should never be pardoned, whoever was, and looked upon his case as desperate; who had led on the army with Absalom against the king's threes, and fought them:

[art] thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? nearly related to him, being his sister's son:

God do so to me, and more also: than he had done to Absalom; or he imprecates the greatest evil upon himself that could be thought of or named:

if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the room of Joab; signifying that he would not only pardon the treason he had been guilty of, but raise him to the highest post in the army; and to assure him of it, of which he might be doubtful, considering what he had done to merit his displeasure, he makes this oath or imprecation. Joab had got his ill will by many instances, as by the murder of Abner, and now by slaying Absalom against his orders; and by his rude and insolent behaviour to him when lamenting the death of his son; he wanted to be rid of him, and now, having an opportunity of putting a valiant man into his place, and thereby attaching him to his interest, he was determined to make use of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Of my bone ... - Render as in preceding verse, “art thou not my bone and my flesh?” It is curious to note how the phrase is used in 2 Samuel 5:1 of common descent from Israel, in 2 Samuel 19:12 of the closer kindred of the tribe of Judah, and in this verse of the yet nearer kindred between David and Amasa his sister’s son.

Captain ... in the room of Joab - It is very plain that David felt the weight of Joab’s overbearing influence to be very oppressive (compare 2 Samuel 19:22; 2 Samuel 3:39; 2 Samuel 16:10). He was, at this time, very angry with Joab for killing Absalom; and so, thinking it of vital importance to win over Amasa and the army of Judah, he did not scruple to offer him Joab’s high post.