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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

2 Samuel 15:16

So the king and his entire household escaped on foot. The king left ten concubines behind to tend to the palace. And so they left, step by step by step, and then paused at the last house as the whole army passed by him—all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and the six hundred Gittites who had marched with him from Gath, went past.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Concubinage;   Cowardice;   David;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Absalom;   Concubine;   Easton Bible Dictionary - David;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ahithophel ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Absalom;   David;   Jerusalem;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Sol'omon;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Household;   Ittai;   Olives, Mount of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Pilegesh;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace.
Hebrew Names Version
The king went forth, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.
King James Version
And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.
Lexham English Bible
The king went out with all his household following him, but the king left behind ten concubines to look after the house.
English Standard Version
So the king went out, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house.
New Century Version
The king set out with everyone in his house, but he left ten slave women to take care of the palace.
New English Translation
So the king and all the members of his royal court set out on foot, though the king left behind ten concubines to attend to the palace.
Amplified Bible
So the king left, and all his household with him. But the king left behind ten women who were concubines to take care of the house (palace).
New American Standard Bible
So the king left, and all his household with him; but the king left ten concubines behind to take care of the house.
Geneva Bible (1587)
So the King departed and all his houshold after him, and the King left ten concubines to keepe the house.
Legacy Standard Bible
So the king went out and all his household with him. But the king left ten concubines to keep the house.
Contemporary English Version
David left behind ten of his wives to take care of the palace, but the rest of his family and his officials and soldiers went with him. They stopped at the last house at the edge of the city.
Complete Jewish Bible
So the king set out, and all his household after him. The king left ten women who were concubines to care for the palace.
Darby Translation
And the king went forth, and all his household after him, and the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.
Easy-to-Read Version
King David left with everyone in his family, except ten of his slave women. He left them to take care of the house.
George Lamsa Translation
So the king went forth and all his household after him. And the king left ten women who were concubines to keep his house.
Good News Translation
So the king left, accompanied by all his family and officials, except for ten concubines, whom he left behind to take care of the palace.
Literal Translation
And the king went out, and all his household at his feet. And the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the kynge wente forth on fote wt all his housholde. But ten concubynes lefte he to kepe the house.
American Standard Version
And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, that were concubines, to keep the house.
Bible in Basic English
So the king went out, taking with him all the people of his house, but for ten of his women, who were to take care of the house.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the king departed, and al his housholde at his feete: And the king left ten concubines to kepe the house.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, that were concubines, to keep the house.
King James Version (1611)
And the king went foorth, and all his houshold after him: and the King left tenne women, which were concubines, to keepe the house.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the king and all his house went out on foot: and the king left ten women of his concubines to keep the house.
English Revised Version
And the king went forth, and all his household after him, And the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.
Berean Standard Bible
Then the king set out, and his entire household followed him. But he left behind ten concubines to take care of the palace.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor the kyng yede out, and al his hous, on her feet; and the king lefte ten wymmen concubyns, `that is, secundarie wyues, to kepe the hous.
Young's Literal Translation
And the king goeth out, and all his household at his feet, and the king leaveth ten women -- concubines -- to keep the house.
Update Bible Version
And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women, that were concubines, to keep the house.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten women [who were] concubines to keep the house.
World English Bible
The king went forth, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.
New King James Version
Then the king went out with all his household after him. But the king left ten women, concubines, to keep the house.
New Living Translation
So the king and all his household set out at once. He left no one behind except ten of his concubines to look after the palace.
New Life Bible
So the king left with all those of his house. But he left ten of his women to take care of the house.
New Revised Standard
So the king left, followed by all his household, except ten concubines whom he left behind to look after the house.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So the king went forth, with all his household attending him, - but the king left ten women who were concubines, to keep the house.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king went forth, and all his household on foot: and the king left ten women his concubines to keep the house:
Revised Standard Version
So the king went forth, and all his household after him. And the king left ten concubines to keep the house.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So the king went out and all his household with him. But the king left ten concubines to keep the house.

Contextual Overview

13 Someone came to David with the report, "The whole country has taken up with Absalom!" 14 "Up and out of here!" called David to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem. "We've got to run for our lives or none of us will escape Absalom! Hurry, he's about to pull the city down around our ears and slaughter us all!" 15 The king's servants said, "Whatever our master, the king, says, we'll do; we're with you all the way!" 16So the king and his entire household escaped on foot. The king left ten concubines behind to tend to the palace. And so they left, step by step by step, and then paused at the last house as the whole army passed by him—all the Kerethites, all the Pelethites, and the six hundred Gittites who had marched with him from Gath, went past. 19The king called out to Ittai the Gittite, "What are you doing here? Go back with King Absalom. You're a stranger here and freshly uprooted from your own country. You arrived only yesterday, and am I going to let you take your chances with us as I live on the road like a gypsy? Go back, and take your family with you. And God's grace and truth go with you!" 21 But Ittai answered, "As God lives and my master the king lives, where my master is, that's where I'll be—whether it means life or death." 22 "All right," said David, "go ahead." And they went on, Ittai the Gittite with all his men and all the children he had with him. 23The whole country was weeping in loud lament as all the people passed by. As the king crossed the Brook Kidron, the army headed for the road to the wilderness. Zadok was also there, the Levites with him, carrying God 's Chest of the Covenant. They set the Chest of God down, Abiathar standing by, until all the people had evacuated the city.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the king: Psalms 3:1, *title

after him: Heb. at his feet, Judges 4:10, 1 Samuel 25:27, 1 Samuel 25:42, *marg.

ten women: 2 Samuel 12:11, 2 Samuel 16:21, 2 Samuel 16:22, 2 Samuel 20:3, Romans 12:2

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 12:2 - exceeding

Cross-References

Genesis 15:5
Then he took him outside and said, "Look at the sky. Count the stars. Can you do it? Count your descendants! You're going to have a big family, Abram!"
Genesis 15:8
Abram said, "Master God , how am I to know this, that it will all be mine?"
Genesis 15:9
God said, "Bring me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, and a dove and a young pigeon."
Exodus 12:40
The Israelites had lived in Egypt 430 years. At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, God 's entire army left Egypt. God kept watch all night, watching over the Israelites as he brought them out of Egypt. Because God kept watch, all Israel for all generations will honor God by keeping watch this night—a watchnight.
Daniel 8:23
"‘As their kingdoms cool down and rebellions heat up, A king will show up, hard-faced, a master trickster. His power will swell enormously. He'll talk big, high-handedly, Doing whatever he pleases, knocking off heroes and holy ones left and right. He'll plot and scheme to make crime flourish— and oh, how it will flourish! He'll think he's invincible and get rid of anyone who gets in his way. But when he takes on the Prince of all princes, he'll be smashed to bits— but not by human hands. This vision of the 2,300 sacrifices, evening and morning, is accurate but confidential. Keep it to yourself. It refers to the far future.'

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the king went forth,.... Which determined the case:

and all his household after him family and his court; they followed his example, and attended him in his flight:

and the king left ten women, [which were] concubines, to keep the house; not to defend it, which they were unable to do, but to look after the household goods and furniture, that they were not damaged by the conspirators; though one would think they could be of little service, and may wonder what he should leave them behind for; but this seems to be ordered by the overruling providence of God, to bring about what was threatened him, 2 Samuel 12:11; and it is much he had not thought of it; but it was hid from his eyes, that it might be fulfilled.


 
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