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Wednesday, August 27th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Read the Bible

New Century Version

2 Samuel 14:24

But King David said, "Absalom must go to his own house. He may not come to see me." So Absalom went to his own house and did not go to see the king.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Absalom;   David;   Exile;   Intercession;   Joab;   Kindness;   Scofield Reference Index - Absalom;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - David;   Joab;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Mediator, Mediation;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Absalom;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Court Systems;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Wisdom;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Absalom;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Face;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Samuel, Books of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Absalom;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
However, the king added, “He may return to his house, but he may not see my face.” So Absalom returned to his house, but he did not see the king.
Hebrew Names Version
The king said, Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Avshalom turned to his own house, and didn't see the king's face.
King James Version
And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.
Lexham English Bible
The king said, "Let him go over to his house, and he may not see my face." So Absalom went over to his house, and did not see the face of the king.
English Standard Version
And the king said, "Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence." So Absalom lived apart in his own house and did not come into the king's presence.
New English Translation
But the king said, "Let him go over to his own house. He may not see my face." So Absalom went over to his own house; he did not see the king's face.
Amplified Bible
However, the king said, "Let him go to his own house, and do not let him see my face." So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the king's face.
New American Standard Bible
However, the king said, "He shall return to his own house, but he shall not see my face." So Absalom returned to his own house and did not see the king's face.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And the King sayde, Let him turne to his owne house, & not see my face. So Absalom turned to his owne house, & saw not the Kings face.
Legacy Standard Bible
However the king said, "Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face." So Absalom turned to his own house and did not see the king's face.
Contemporary English Version
David told Joab, "I don't want to see my son Absalom. Tell him to stay away from me." So Absalom went to his own house without seeing his father.
Complete Jewish Bible
However, the king said, "Let him return to his own house, but he is not to appear in my presence." So Avshalom returned to his own house and did not appear before the king.
Darby Translation
And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. And Absalom withdrew to his own house, and saw not the king's face.
Easy-to-Read Version
But King David said, "Absalom must go back to his own house. He cannot come to see me." So Absalom went back to his own house, but he could not go to see the king.
George Lamsa Translation
And the king said, Let him go to his own house, but let him not be seen in my presence. So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the kings face.
Good News Translation
The king, however, gave orders that Absalom should not live in the palace. "I don't want to see him," the king said. So Absalom lived in his own house and did not appear before the king.
Literal Translation
And the king said, Let him turn to his house, and he shall not see my face. And Absalom turned to his house, and he did not see the king's face.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But the kinge sayde: Let him go againe in to his house, and not se my face. Thus Absalom came agayne to his house, and sawe not ye kynges face.
American Standard Version
And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.
Bible in Basic English
And the king said, Let him go to his house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom went back to his house and did not see the face of the king.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the king sayde: Let him turne to his owne house, & not see my face. And so Absalo returned to his owne house, and sawe not the kinges face.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the king said: 'Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face.' So Absalom turned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.
King James Version (1611)
And the king said, Let him turne to his owne house, & let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his owne house, and sawe not the kings face.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the king said, Let him return to his house, and not see my face. And Abessalom returned to his house, and saw not the king’s face.
English Revised Version
And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house, and saw not the king’s face.
Berean Standard Bible
But the king added, "He may return to his house, but he must not see my face." So Absalom returned to his own house, but he did not see the king.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe the kyng seide, Turne he ayen in to his hows, and se not he my face.
Young's Literal Translation
and the king saith, `Let him turn round unto his house, and my face he doth not see.' And Absalom turneth round unto his house, and the face of the king he hath not seen.
Update Bible Version
And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, but don't let him see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house, and didn't see the king's face.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face.
World English Bible
The king said, Let him turn to his own house, but let him not see my face. So Absalom turned to his own house, and didn't see the king's face.
New King James Version
And the king said, "Let him return to his own house, but do not let him see my face." So Absalom returned to his own house, but did not see the king's face.
New Living Translation
But the king gave this order: "Absalom may go to his own house, but he must never come into my presence." So Absalom did not see the king.
New Life Bible
But the king said, "Let him go to his own house. Do not let him see my face." So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the king's face.
New Revised Standard
The king said, "Let him go to his own house; he is not to come into my presence." So Absalom went to his own house, and did not come into the king's presence.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the king said - Let him go round to his own house, and, my face, let him not see. So Absolom went round, unto his own house, and, the face of the king, saw he not.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But the king said: Let him return into his house, and let him not see my face. So Absalom returned into his house, and saw not the king’s face.
Revised Standard Version
And the king said, "Let him dwell apart in his own house; he is not to come into my presence." So Ab'salom dwelt apart in his own house, and did not come into the king's presence.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
However the king said, "Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face." So Absalom turned to his own house and did not see the king's face.

Contextual Overview

21 The king said to Joab, "Look, I will do what I promised. Bring back the young man Absalom." 22 Joab bowed facedown on the ground and blessed the king. Then he said, "Today I know you are pleased with me, because you have done what I asked." 23 Then Joab got up and went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 24 But King David said, "Absalom must go to his own house. He may not come to see me." So Absalom went to his own house and did not go to see the king. 25 Absalom was greatly praised for his handsome appearance. No man in Israel was as handsome as he. No blemish was on him from his head to his foot. 26 At the end of every year, Absalom would cut his hair, because it became too heavy. When he weighed it, it would weigh about five pounds by the royal measure. 27 Absalom had three sons and one daughter. His daughter's name was also Tamar, and she was a beautiful woman.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

let him not: 2 Samuel 14:28, 2 Samuel 3:13, Genesis 43:3, Exodus 10:28, Revelation 22:4

Reciprocal: Genesis 33:10 - I have seen 2 Samuel 3:3 - Absalom 1 Kings 1:53 - Go to 1 Kings 2:36 - Build 1 Chronicles 15:1 - houses

Cross-References

Genesis 14:7
Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh). They defeated all the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who lived in Hazazon Tamar.
Genesis 14:8
At that time the kings of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Bela went out to fight in the Valley of Siddim. (Bela is called Zoar.)
Genesis 14:13
One of the men who was not captured went to Abram, the Hebrew, and told him what had happened. At that time Abram was camped near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite. Mamre was a brother of Eshcol and Aner, and they had all made an agreement to help Abram.
Genesis 14:14
When Abram learned that Lot had been captured, he called out his 318 trained men who had been born in his camp. He led the men and chased the enemy all the way to the town of Dan.
Genesis 14:15
That night he divided his men into groups, and they made a surprise attack against the enemy. They chased them all the way to Hobah, north of Damascus.
Proverbs 3:27
Whenever you are able, do good to people who need help.
Matthew 7:12
"Do to others what you want them to do to you. This is the meaning of the law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets.
1 Timothy 5:18
because the Scripture says: "When an ox is working in the grain, do not cover its mouth to keep it from eating," and "A worker should be given his pay."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the king said,.... Very probably to Joab, when he informed him of Absalom's being come to Jerusalem:

let him turn to his own house; depart from the king's palace, where Joab had brought him, and go to his own house, which was in Jerusalem; for here he had one before he fled to Geshur; see 2 Samuel 13:20;

and let him not see my face; which he ordered, partly to show his detestation of the crime he had been guilty of, and some remaining resentment in his mind at him on account of it; and partly for his credit among some of the people at least, who might think it was a crime so great as not to go unpunished, though others were of a different mind; and also for the greater humiliation of Absalom, who, the king might think, had not been sufficiently humbled for his sin, or had not truly repented of it:

so Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the king's face; in obedience to his father's orders.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Let him not see my face - We are not told why David adopted this half-measure. Possibly Bath-sheba’s influence may have been exerted to keep Absalom in disgrace for the sake of Solomon.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 14:24. Let him not see my face. — He would not at once restore him to favour, though he had now remitted his crime; so that he should not die for it. It was highly proper to show this detestation of the crime, and respect for justice.


 
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