2 Samuel 13:26

New Living Translation

"Well, then," Absalom said, "if you can't come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?" "Why Amnon?" the king asked.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“If not,” Absalom said, “please let my brother Amnon go with us.”

Hebrew Names Version
Then said Avshalom, If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us. The king said to him, Why should he go with you?

King James Version
Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?

Lexham English Bible
So Absalom said, "But will you not let Amnon my brother go with us?" And the king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

English Standard Version
Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us." And the king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

New Century Version
Absalom said, "If you don't want to come, then please let my brother Amnon come with us." King David asked, "Why should he go with you?"

New English Translation
Then Absalom said, "If you will not go, then let my brother Amnon go with us." The king replied to him, "Why should he go with you?"

Amplified Bible
Then Absalom said, "If not, then at least let my brother Amnon go with us." And the king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

New American Standard Bible
Then Absalom said, "If not, please have my brother Amnon go with us." But the king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then sayd Absalom, But, I pray thee, shall not my brother Amnon goe with vs? And the king answered him, Why should he go with thee?

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us." And the king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

Contemporary English Version
Absalom said, "If you won't go, at least let my brother Amnon come with us." David asked, "Why should he go with you?"

Complete Jewish Bible
Then Avshalom said, "If you won't go, then please let my brother Amnon go with us." The king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

Darby Translation
And Absalom said, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee?

Easy-to-Read Version
Absalom said, "If you don't want to go, please let my brother Amnon go with me." King David asked Absalom, "Why should he go with you?"

George Lamsa Translation
Then said Absalom, Why should not my brother Amnon go with me? The king said to him, Why should he go with you?

Good News Translation
But Absalom said, "Well, then, will you at least let my brother Amnon come?" "Why should he?" the king asked.

Literal Translation
And Absalom said, If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with you?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Absalom sayde: Shall my brother Ammon go with vs then? The kynge sayde vnto him: Wherfore shall he go with the?

American Standard Version
Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?

Bible in Basic English
Then Absalom said, If you will not go, then let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Is there any reason for him to go with you?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then saide Absalom: but I pray thee shall not my brother Amnon go with vs? And the king aunswered him: what needeth it that he go with thee?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then said Absalom: 'If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us.' And the king said unto him: 'Why should he go with thee?'

King James Version (1611)
Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon goe with vs. And the King said vnto him, Why should he goe with thee?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Abessalom said to him, And if not, let I pray thee, my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee?

English Revised Version
Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?

Berean Standard Bible
"If not," said Absalom, "please let my brother Amnon go with us." "Why should he go with you?" the king asked.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Absolon seide to Dauid, If thou nylt come, Y byseche, come nameli Amon, my brother, with vs. And the kyng seide to hym, It is no nede, that he go with thee.

Young's Literal Translation
And Absalom saith, `If not -- let, I pray thee, Amnon my brother go with us;' and the king saith to him, `Why doth he go with thee?'

Update Bible Version
Then Absalom said, If not, I pray you, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with you?

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us. And the king said to him, Why should he go with thee?

World English Bible
Then said Absalom, If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us. The king said to him, Why should he go with you?

New King James Version
Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us." And the king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

New Life Bible
Then Absalom said, "If you will not go, let my brother Amnon go with us." And the king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

New Revised Standard
Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us." The king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Absolom, If not, then, I pray thee, let Amnon my brother go with us. And the king said unto him, Wherefore should he go with thee?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Absalom said: If thou wilt not come, at least let my brother Ammon, I beseech thee, come with us. And the king said to him: It is not necessary that he should go with thee.

Revised Standard Version
Then Ab'salom said, "If not, pray let my brother Amnon go with us." And the king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

THE MESSAGE
Then Absalom said, "Well, if you won't come, at least let my brother Amnon come." "And why," said the king, "should he go with you?" But Absalom was so insistent that he gave in and let Amnon and all the rest of the king's sons go.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Absalom said, "If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us." And the king said to him, "Why should he go with you?"

Contextual Overview

²¹ When King David heard what had happened, he was very angry. ²² And though Absalom never spoke to Amnon about this, he hated Amnon deeply because of what he had done to his sister. ²³ Two years later, when Absalom's sheep were being sheared at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, Absalom invited all the king's sons to come to a feast. ²⁴ He went to the king and said, "My sheep-shearers are now at work. Would the king and his servants please come to celebrate the occasion with me?" ²⁵ The king replied, "No, my son. If we all came, we would be too much of a burden on you." Absalom pressed him, but the king would not come, though he gave Absalom his blessing. ²⁶ "Well, then," Absalom said, "if you can't come, how about sending my brother Amnon with us?" "Why Amnon?" the king asked. ²⁷ But Absalom kept on pressing the king until he finally agreed to let all his sons attend, including Amnon. So Absalom prepared a feast fit for a king. ²⁸ Absalom told his men, "Wait until Amnon gets drunk; then at my signal, kill him! Don't be afraid. I'm the one who has given the command. Take courage and do it!" ²⁹ So at Absalom's signal they murdered Amnon. Then the other sons of the king jumped on their mules and fled.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

let my brother: He urged this with the more plausibility because Amnon was the first-born, and presumptive heir to the crown; and he had dissembled his resentment so long and so well that he was not suspected. 2 Samuel 3:27, 2 Samuel 11:13-15, 2 Samuel 20:9, Psalms 55:21

Reciprocal: Genesis 4:8 - talked Proverbs 23:7 - Eat Daniel 11:27 - shall be to Habakkuk 2:15 - unto James 3:6 - a world

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said Absalom, if not,.... If it is not thy pleasure to go with me, if I cannot have the honour of thy company:

I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go with us; let me have the next mark of honour that can be given me, the presence of the king's eldest son, and heir to the crown; he seems to express affection for him, and a particular desire of his company, as if all ill will towards him was removed from him, and this would be a public declaration of reconciliation between them:

and the king said unto him, why should he go with thee? he particularly, he more than any other; David seems to have suspected some design, and it is strange he should not; and yet if he had, it is much, notwithstanding the pressing arguments used, he should let him go; or he might think it would be more expensive to have him than the rest, and therefore asks why he should desire his company above all others.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He mentions Amnon as being the king’s first-born. If he could not have the king’s company, let him at least have that of the heir apparent, and the king’s other sons.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 13:26. Let my brother Amnon go — He urged this with the more plausibility, because Amnon was the first-born, and presumptive heir to the kingdom; and he had disguised his resentment so well before, that he was not suspected.