King James Version

2 Samuel 15:34

But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

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Hebrew

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וְאִםveimand oh thatאִםconjunction, conjunction — “and oh that”H518used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not(and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), [phrase] but, either, [phrase] except, [phrase] more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, [phrase] save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, [phrase] surely (no more, none, not), t…הָעִ֣ירhairthe cityעִירdefinite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “the city”, the ordinary formH5892a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)Ai (from margin), city, court (from margin), town.תָּשׁ֗וּבtashuvagainשׁוּבverb, qal, imperfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “again”, an unfinished actionH7725to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) [idiom] again, (cause to) answer ([phrase] again), [idiom] in any case (wise), [idiom] at all, averse, bring (again,…וְאָמַרְתָּ֤veamartaand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, a completed actionH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…לְאַבְשָׁלוֹם֙leavshalomto Abishalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹםpreposition, noun, proper name — “to Abishalom”H53Abshalom, a son of David; also (the fuller form) a later IsraeliteAbishalom, Absalom.עַבְדְּךָ֨avdekhaservantעֶבֶדnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “servant”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5650a servant[idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.אֲנִ֤יanimineאֲנִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.הַמֶּ֨לֶךְ֙hamelekhthe kingמֶלֶךְdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the king”, the ordinary formH4428a kingking, royal.אֶֽהְיֶ֔הehyehbeהָיָהverb, qal, imperfect, 1st person, common, singular — “be”, an unfinished actionH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.עֶ֣בֶדevedservantעֶבֶדnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “servant”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5650a servant[idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.אָבִ֤יךָavikhafatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “father”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.וַֽאֲנִי֙vaaniand mineאֲנִיconjunction, pronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “and mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.מֵאָ֔זmeazfrom at which timeאָזpreposition, adverb — “from at which time”H227at that time or place; also as a conjunction, thereforebeginning, for, from, hitherto, now, of old, once, since, then, at which time, yet.וְעַתָּ֖הveatahand this timeעַתָּהconjunction, adverb — “and this time”H6258at this time, whether adverb, conjunction or expletivehenceforth, now, straightway, this time, whereas.וַאֲנִ֣יvaaniand mineאֲנִיconjunction, pronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “and mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.עַבְדֶּ֑ךָavdekhaservantעֶבֶדnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “servant”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5650a servant[idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant.וְהֵפַרְתָּ֣הvehefartahand breakפָּרַרconjunction, verb, hiphil, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “and break”, a completed actionH6565to break up (usually figuratively), i.e. to violate, frustrate[idiom] any ways, break (asunder), cast off, cause to cease, [idiom] clean, defeat, disannul, disappoint, dissolve, divide, make of none effect, fail, frustrate, bring (come) to nought, [idiom] utterly, make void.לִ֔יlitoלִ֔יpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to”toאֵ֖תetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).עֲצַ֥תatsatadviceעֵצָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “advice”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH6098advice; by implication, plan; also prudenceadvice, advisement, counsel(l-(or)), purpose.אֲחִיתֹֽפֶלachitofelAhithophelאֲחִיתֹפֶלnoun, proper name — “Ahithophel”H302Achithophel, an IsraeliteAhithophel.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom: I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

but if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father’s servant in time past, so will I now be thy servant; then wilt thou defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.

Young’s Literal Translation

and if to the city thou dost turn back, and hast said to Absalom, Thy servant I am, O king; servant of thy father I [am] also hitherto, and now, I [am] also thy servant; then thou hast made void for me the counsel of Ahithophel;

World English Bible

but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant; then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.’

Darby Translation

but if thou return to the city, and say to Absalom, I will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant hitherto, so now will I be thy servant; then mayest thou for me defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

Douay-Rheims

But if thou return into the city, and wilt say to Absalom: I am thy servant, O king: as I have been thy father’s servant, so I will be thy servant: thou shalt defeat the counsel of Achitophel.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

but if thou shall return to the city, and shalt say to Abessalom, Thy brethren are passed over, and the king thy father is passed over after me: and now I am thy servant, O king, suffer me to live: at one time even of late I was the servant of thy father, and now I am thy humble servant—so shalt thou disconcert for me the counsel of Achitophel.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

καὶ ἐὰν ἐπιστρέψῃς ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἐρεῖς τῷ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ, διεληλύθασιν οἱ ἀδελφοί σου, καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς κατόπισθέ μου διελήλυθεν ὁ πατήρ σου· καὶ νῦν παῖς σού εἰμὶ, βασιλεῦ, ἔασόν με ζῆσαι· παῖς τοῦ πατρὸς σου ἤμην τότε καὶ ἀρτίως, καὶ νῦν ἐγὼ δοῦλος σός· καὶ διασκεδάσεις μοι τὴν βουλὴς Ἀχιτόφελ.