2 Samuel 13:34-39

13:34 In the meantime Absalom fled. When the servant who was the watchman looked up, he saw many people coming from the west ¹  on a road beside the hill. 13:35 Jonadab said to the king, “Look! The king’s sons have come! It’s just as I said!”

13:36 Just as he finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, wailing and weeping. ²  The king and all his servants wept loudly ³  as well. 13:37 But Absalom fled and went to King Talmai son of Ammihud of Geshur. And David ⁴  grieved over his son every day.

13:38 After Absalom fled and went to Geshur, he remained there for three years. 13:39 The king longed ⁵  to go to Absalom, for he had since been consoled over the death of Amnon. ⁶ 

[13:34]  ¹ tn Heb “behind him.”

[13:36]  ² tn Heb “and they lifted their voice and wept.”

[13:36]  ³ tn Heb “with a great weeping.”

[13:37]  ⁴ tc The Hebrew text leaves the word “David” to be inferred. The Syriac Peshitta and Vulgate add the word “David.” Most of the Greek tradition includes the words “King David” here.

[13:39]  ⁵ tc The translation follows 4QSam^a in reading רוּחַ הַמֶּלֶךְ (ruakh hammelekh, “the spirit of the king”) rather than the MT דָּוִד הַמֶּלֶךְ (david hammelekh, “David the king”). The understanding reflected in the translation above is that David, though alienated during this time from his son Absalom, still had an abiding love and concern for him. He longed for reconciliation with him. A rather different interpretation of the verse supposes that David’s interest in taking military action against Absalom grew slack with the passing of time, and this in turn enabled David’s advisers to encourage him toward reconciliation with Absalom. For the latter view, see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 344, and cf. CEV.

[13:39]  ⁶ tn Heb “was consoled over Amnon, because he was dead.”