King James Version

2 Samuel 20:3

And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

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Hebrew

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וַיָּבֹ֨אvayavoand to comeבּוֹאconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and to come”, the next action in the storyH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…דָוִ֣דdavidDavidדָּוִדnoun, proper name — “David”H1732David, the youngest son of JesseDavid.אֶלelamongאֵלpreposition — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).בֵּיתוֹ֮beytvofamilyבַּיִתnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “family”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web,…יְרֽוּשָׁלִַם֒yerushalimJerusalemיְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִםnoun, proper name — “Jerusalem”H3389Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of PalestineJerusalem.וַיִּקַּ֣חvayiqachand takeלָקַחconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and take”, the next action in the storyH3947to take (in the widest variety of applications)accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.הַמֶּ֡לֶךְhamelekhthe kingמֶלֶךְdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the king”, the ordinary formH4428a kingking, royal.אֵ֣תetobject 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).עֶֽשֶׂרesertenעֶשֶׂרadjective, cardinal, feminine, singular, absolute — “ten”, the ordinary formH6235ten (as an accumulation to the extent of the digits)ten, (fif-, seven-) teen.נָשִׁ֣יםnashimeachאִשָּׁהnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “each”, the ordinary formH802a woman(adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.פִּלַגְשִׁ֡יםpilagshimconcubineפִּילֶגֶשׁnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “concubine”, the ordinary formH6370a concubine; also (masculine) a paramourconcubine, paramour.אֲשֶׁ֣רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…הִנִּיחַ֩hinichabestowיָנַחverb, hiphil, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “bestow”, a completed actionH3240to deposit; by implication, to allow to staybestow, cast down, lay (down, up), leave (off), let alone (remain), pacify, place, put, set (down), suffer, withdraw, withhold. (The Hiphil forms with the dagesh are here referred to, in accordance with the older grammarians; but if any di…לִשְׁמֹ֨רlishmorto bewardשָׁמַרpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to beward”, the to-form of the verbH8104properly, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc.beward, be circumspect, take heed (to self), keep(-er, self), mark, look narrowly, observe, preserve, regard, reserve, save (self), sure, (that lay) wait (for), watch(-man).הַבַּ֜יִתhabayitthe familyבַּיִתdefinite article, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “the family”, the ordinary formH1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web,…וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֤םvayitnemand giveנָתַןconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and give”, the next action in the storyH5414to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] wi…בֵּיתbeytfamilyבַּיִתnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “family”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1004a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)court, daughter, door, [phrase] dungeon, family, [phrase] forth of, [idiom] great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter) house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, [phrase] prison, [phrase] steward, [phrase] tablet, temple, web,…מִשְׁמֶ֨רֶת֙mishmeretor to be keptמִשְׁמֶרֶתnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “or to be kept”, the ordinary formH4931watch, i.e. the act (custody), or (concretely) the sentry, the post; objectively preservation, or (concretely) safe; figuratively observance, i.e. (abstractly) duty or (objectively) a usage or partycharge, keep, or to be kept, office, ordinace, safeguard, ward, watch.וַֽיְכַלְכְּלֵ֔םvaykhalkelemand abideכּוּלconjunction, verb, pilpel, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and abide”, the next action in the storyH3557properly, to keep in; hence, to measure; figuratively, to maintain (in various senses)(be able to, can) abide, bear, comprehend, contain, feed, forbearing, guide, hold(-ing in), nourish(-er), be present, make provision, receive, sustain, provide sustenance (victuals).וַאֲלֵיהֶ֖םvaaleyhemand amongאֵלconjunction, preposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “and among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).לֹאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…בָ֑אvato comeבּוֹאverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “to come”, a completed actionH935to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)abide, apply, attain, [idiom] be, befall, [phrase] besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, [idiom] certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, [idiom] doubtless again, [phrase] eat,…וַתִּהְיֶ֧ינָהvatihyeynahand beהָיָהconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, feminine, plural — “and be”, the next action in the storyH1961to 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.צְרֻר֛וֹתtserurotadversaryצָרַרverb, qal, passive participle, absolute — “adversary”, a verb used as a describing wordH6887to cramp, literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitiveadversary, (be in) afflict(-ion), beseige, bind (up), (be in, bring) distress, enemy, narrower, oppress, pangs, shut up, be in a strait (trouble), vex.עַדadevenעַדpreposition — “even”H5704as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-) to, [phrase] how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, ([phrase] as) yet.י֥וֹםyomas long asיוֹםnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “as long as”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3117a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)age, [phrase] always, [phrase] chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), [phrase] elder, [idiom] end, [phrase] evening, [phrase] (for) ever(-lasting, -more), [idiom] full, life, as (so) lon…מֻתָ֖ןmutandeadמָוֶתverb, qal, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, plural — “dead”, the to-form of the verbH4194death (natural or violent); concretely, the dead, their place or state (hades); figuratively, pestilence, ruin(be) dead(-ly), death, die(-d).אַלְמְנ֥וּתalmenutwidowאַלְמָנוּתnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct — “widow”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH491concrete, a widow; abstract, widowhoodwidow, widowhood.חַיּֽוּתchayutlifeחַיּוּתnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “life”, the ordinary formH2424life[idiom] living.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and provided them with sustenance, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, in widowhood, with their husband alive.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

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

American Standard Version (1901)

Young’s Literal Translation

And David cometh in unto his house at Jerusalem, and the king taketh the ten women-concubines — whom he had left to keep the house, and putteth them in a house of ward, and sustaineth them, and unto them he hath not gone in, and they are shut up unto the day of their death, in widowhood living.

World English Bible

David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in custody and provided them with sustenance, but didn’t go in to them. So they were shut up to the day of their death, living in widowhood.

Darby Translation

And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women, concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in a house of confinement and maintained them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

Douay-Rheims

And when the king was come into his house at Jerusalem, he took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, allowing them provisions: and he went not in unto them, but they were shut up unto the day of their death living in widowhood.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And David went into his house at Jerusalem: and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and he put them in a place of custody, and maintained them, and went not in to them; and they were kept living as widows, till the day of their death.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἰσῆλθε Δαυὶδ εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ· καὶ ἔλαβεν ὁ βασιλεὺς τὰς δέκα γυναῖκας τὰς παλλακὰς αὐτοῦ, ἃς ἀφῆκε φυλάσσειν τὸν οἶκον, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτὰς ἐν οἴκῳ φυλακῆς, καὶ διέθρεψεν αὐτὰς, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὰς οὐκ εἰσῆλθε· καὶ ἦσαν συνεχόμεναι ἕως ἡμέρας θανάτου αὐτῶν χῆραι ζῶσαι.