2 Samuel 16 in Hebrew, English & Transliteration

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Tenakh Study · 2 Samuel 16:1–23

2 Samuel, Chapter 16

שמואל ב טז

On the far side of the Mount of Olives, Tziva brings David bread and a slander against Mefiboshet. At Bachurim, Shimei of the house of Shaul curses David and throws stones, and David will not let Avishai kill him: “let him curse; for Hashem has bidden him.” In Yerushalayim, Chushai joins Avshalom, and on Achitofel’s advice Avshalom takes his father’s concubines in a tent on the roof.

16:1And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Tziva (Ziba) the servant of Mefiboshet (Mephibosheth) met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and a hundred clusters of raisins, and a hundred of summer fruits, and a skin of wine.

VeDavid avar me'at meharosh vehineh Tziva na'ar Mefivoshet likrato vetzemed ḥamorim ḥavushim va'aleihem matayim leḥem ume'ah tzimukim ume'ah kayitz venevel yayin.

אוְדָוִ֗ד עָבַ֚ר מְעַט֙ מֵֽהָרֹ֔אשׁ וְהִנֵּ֥ה צִיבָ֛א נַ֥עַר מְפִיב֖שֶׁת לִקְרָאת֑וֹ וְצֶ֨מֶד חֲמֹרִ֜ים חֲבֻשִׁ֗ים וַעֲלֵיהֶם֩ מָאתַ֨יִם לֶ֜חֶם וּמֵאָ֧ה צִמּוּקִ֛ים וּמֵ֥אָה קַ֖יִץ וְנֵ֥בֶל יָֽיִן׃

16:2And the king said unto Tziva, “What do you mean by these?” And Tziva said, “The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that those who are faint in the wilderness may drink.”

Vayomer hameleḥ el-Tziva mah-eleh laḥ vayomer Tziva haḥamorim leveit-hameleḥ lirkov vehaleḥem vehakayitz le'eḥol hane'arim vehayayin lishtot haya'ef bamidbar.

בוַיֹּ֧אמֶר הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶל־צִיבָ֖א מָה־אֵ֣לֶּה לָּ֑ךְ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר צִ֠יבָא הַחֲמוֹרִ֨ים לְבֵית־הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לִרְכֹּ֗ב וְהַלֶּ֚חֶם (כתיב וְלהַלֶּ֚חֶם) וְהַקַּ֙יִץ֙ לֶאֱכ֣וֹל הַנְּעָרִ֔ים וְהַיַּ֕יִן לִשְׁתּ֥וֹת הַיָּעֵ֖ף בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃

16:3And the king said, “And where is your master’s son?” And Tziva said unto the king, “Behold, he abides at Yerushalayim (Jerusalem); for he said, ‘Today shall the house of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father.’”

Vayomer hameleḥ ve'ayeh ben-adoneḥa vayomer Tziva el-hameleḥ hineh yoshev biRushalayim ki amar hayom yashivu li beit Yisra'el et mamleḥut avi.

גוַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וְאַיֵּ֖ה בֶּן־אֲדֹנֶ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר צִיבָ֜א אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הִנֵּה֙ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בִּירוּשָׁלַ֔םִ כִּ֣י אָמַ֔ר הַיּ֗וֹם יָשִׁ֚יבוּ לִי֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֵ֖ת מַמְלְכ֥וּת אָבִֽי׃

16:4Then said the king to Tziva, “Behold, yours is all that pertained unto Mefiboshet.” And Tziva said, “I bow down; let me find favor in your sight, my lord, O king.”

Vayomer hameleḥ leTziva hineh leḥa kol asher liMfivoshet vayomer Tziva hishtaḥaveiti emtza-ḥen be'eineḥa adoni hameleḥ.

דוַיֹּ֚אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לְצִבָ֔א הִנֵּ֣ה לְךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִמְפִיב֑שֶׁת וַיֹּ֚אמֶר צִיבָא֙ הִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֵ֔יתִי אֶמְצָא־חֵ֥ן בְּעֵינֶ֖יךָ אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

Commentary · 16:1–4

Tziva’s gift

The first man David meets beyond the summit brings exactly what he needs: donkeys for the household, bread and summer fruit for the young men, wine for the faint. With the food comes a story: Mefiboshet stayed behind, expecting the crown back. The Metzudat David hears how plausible it sounded, with David’s sons killing each other and rising against their father, “which never happened among Shaul’s sons” (Metzudat David on 16:3). It was a lie, and David, hungry and grieving, believes it on the spot: “yours is all that pertained unto Mefiboshet.”

The Talmud argues it out. Rav says David accepted slander; Shmuel says he saw evidence for himself (Shabbat 56a). Rav Yehuda in Rav’s name draws the consequence from 19:30, when David tells the two men to divide the land: a heavenly voice said, “Rechav’am and Yarov’am will divide the kingdom,” and had David not accepted slander, the kingdom would not have been divided and Israel would not have gone into exile (Shabbat 56b). The Gemara rules like Shmuel (Yoma 22b), but keeps Rav’s warning on the page. A king on the run is the easiest man in the world to lie to: “he that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him” (Proverbs 18:17).

Shimei’s curse

16:5And when King David came to Bachurim (Bahurim), behold, there came out from there a man of the family of the house of Shaul (Saul), whose name was Shimei the son of Gera; he came forth, and cursed continually as he came.

Uva hameleḥ David ad-Baḥurim vehineh misham ish yotze mimishpaḥat beit-Sha'ul ushemo Shim'i ven-Gera yotze yatzo umekalel.

הוּבָ֛א הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ דָּוִ֖ד עַד־בַּֽחוּרִ֑ים וְהִנֵּ֣ה מִשָּׁם֩ אִ֨ישׁ יוֹצֵ֜א מִמִּשְׁפַּ֣חַת בֵּית־שָׁא֗וּל וּשְׁמוֹ֙ שִׁמְעִ֣י בֶן־גֵּרָ֔א יֹצֵ֥א יָצ֖וֹא וּמְקַלֵּֽל׃

16:6And he threw stones at David, and at all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.

Vayesakel ba'avanim et-David ve'et-kol-avdei hameleḥ David veḥol-ha'am veḥol-hagiborim mimino umisemolo.

ווַיְסַקֵּ֚ל בָּֽאֲבָנִים֙ אֶת־דָּוִ֔ד וְאֶת־כָּל־עַבְדֵ֖י הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֑ד וְכָל־הָעָם֙ וְכָל־הַגִּבֹּרִ֔ים מִימִינ֖וֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלֽוֹ׃

16:7And thus said Shimei when he cursed, “Get out, get out, you man of blood, and you worthless man!

Veḥoh-amar Shim'i bekallo tze tze ish hadamim ve'ish habeliya'al.

זוְכֹֽה־אָמַ֥ר שִׁמְעִ֖י בְּקַֽלְל֑וֹ צֵ֥א צֵ֛א אִ֥ישׁ הַדָּמִ֖ים וְאִ֥ישׁ הַבְּלִיָּֽעַל׃

16:8Hashem has returned upon you all the blood of the house of Shaul, in whose place you have reigned; and Hashem has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Avshalom (Absalom) your son; and behold, you are taken in your own evil, because you are a man of blood.”

Heshiv aleḥa Adonai kol demei veit-Sha'ul asher malaḥta taḥtav vayiten Adonai et-hameluḥah beyad Avshalom beneḥa vehineḥa bera'ateḥa ki ish damim atah.

חהֵשִׁיב֩ עָלֶ֨יךָ יְהֹוָ֜ה כָּ֣ל ׀ דְּמֵ֣י בֵית־שָׁא֗וּל אֲשֶׁ֚ר מָלַ֙כְתָּ֙ תַּחְתָּ֔יו (כתיב תַּחְתָּ֔ו) וַיִּתֵּ֚ן יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־הַמְּלוּכָ֔ה בְּיַ֖ד אַבְשָׁל֣וֹם בְּנֶ֑ךָ וְהִנְּךָ֙ בְּרָ֣עָתֶ֔ךָ כִּ֛י אִ֥ישׁ דָּמִ֖ים אָֽתָּה׃

16:9Then said Avishai (Abishai) the son of Tzeruyah (Zeruiah) unto the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, I pray you, and take off his head.”

Vayomer Avishai ben-Tzeruyah el-hameleḥ lamah yekalel hakelev hamet hazeh et-adoni hameleḥ e'berah-na ve'asirah et-rosho.

טוַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲבִישַׁ֚י בֶּן־צְרוּיָה֙ אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ לָ֣מָּה יְקַלֵּ֞ל הַכֶּ֚לֶב הַמֵּת֙ הַזֶּ֔ה אֶת־אֲדֹנִ֖י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ אֶעְבְּרָה־נָּ֖א וְאָסִ֥ירָה אֶת־רֹאשֽׁוֹ׃

16:10And the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Tzeruyah? So let him curse, because Hashem has said unto him, ‘Curse David.’ Who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’”

Vayomer hameleḥ mah-li velaḥem benei Tzeruyah koh yekalel ki Adonai amar lo kalel et-David umi yomar madua asitah ken.

יוַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ מַה־לִּ֥י וְלָכֶ֖ם בְּנֵ֣י צְרֻיָ֑ה כֹּ֣ה (כתיב כֹּ֣י) יְקַלֵּ֗ל כִּ֚י (כתיב וכֹּ֚י) יְהֹוָה֙ אָ֚מַר לוֹ֙ קַלֵּ֣ל אֶת־דָּוִ֔ד וּמִ֣י יֹאמַ֔ר מַדּ֖וּעַ עָשִֹ֥יתָה כֵּֽן׃

16:11And David said to Avishai, and to all his servants, “Behold, my son, who came forth from my own body, seeks my life; how much more now may this Binyamini (Benjamite) do it? Let him alone, and let him curse; for Hashem has bidden him.

Vayomer David el-Avishai ve'el-kol-avadav hineh veni asher-yatza mime'ay mevakesh et-nafshi ve'af ki-atah ben-hayemini haniḥu lo vikalel ki amar-lo Adonai.

יאוַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֚ד אֶל־אֲבִישַׁי֙ וְאֶל־כָּל־עֲבָדָ֔יו הִנֵּ֥ה בְנִ֛י אֲשֶׁר־יָצָ֥א מִמֵּעַ֖י מְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אֶת־נַפְשִׁ֑י וְאַ֨ף כִּֽי־עַתָּ֜ה בֶּן־הַיְמִינִ֗י הַנִּ֚חוּ לוֹ֙ וִֽיקַלֵּ֔ל כִּ֥י אָֽמַר־ל֖וֹ יְהֹוָֽה׃

16:12It may be that Hashem will look on my affliction, and that Hashem will repay me good for his cursing this day.”

Ulay yir'eh Adonai be'eini veheshiv Adonai li tovah taḥat killato hayom hazeh.

יבאוּלַ֛י יִרְאֶ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה בְּעֵינִ֑י (כתיב בְּעֵונִ֑י) וְהֵשִׁ֨יב יְהֹוָ֥ה לִי֙ טוֹבָ֔ה תַּ֥חַת קִלְלָת֖וֹ הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃

Commentary · 16:5–12

“Let him curse”

Shimei walks the ridge above the road from Bachurim, throwing stones and dust that, Radak notes, could not reach the king (Radak on 16:13). His words are the poison: “man of blood… Hashem has returned upon you all the blood of the house of Shaul.” Radak says he meant Avner and Ish-Boshet (Radak on 16:7); chapters 3–4 show David innocent of both. Shimei was not wrong that David was a man of blood. He named the wrong blood. The Sages remember him as a great man gone wrong: a head of the Sanhedrin (Rashi on 16:10), Shlomo’s teacher (Berakhot 8a), and the author of the “grievous curse,” nimretzet, whose letters the Talmud reads as his five insults (1 Kings 2:8; Shabbat 105a).

Avishai wants to take off “this dead dog’s” head. David sees past Shimei to Hashem: “let him curse, because Hashem has said unto him, ‘Curse David.’” Radak gives two readings: as if God said it, because God wills this exile; or “He stirred his spirit to shame me, as punishment for my iniquity” (Radak on 16:10). In verse 12 the reading is be’eini, “on my eye,” which Rashi takes as the tears of my eye; the written form be’oni Radak reads as “my affliction.” Hebrew lesson: kelalah, “curse,” comes from kal, “light,” the opposite of kavod, “honor,” from “heavy.” Shimei says David weighs nothing now; David leaves his weight in Hashem’s hands, hoping, as at Bilam’s mountain, that “Hashem thy God turned the curse into a blessing” (Deuteronomy 23:5).

16:13And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.

Vayeleḥ David va'anashav badareḥ veShim'i holeḥ betzela hahar le'umato haloḥ vayekalel vayesakel ba'avanim le'umato ve'ipar be'afar.

יגוַיֵּ֧לֶךְ דָּוִ֛ד וַאֲנָשָׁ֖יו בַּדָּ֑רֶךְ וְשִׁמְעִ֡י הֹלֵךְ֩ בְּצֵ֨לַע הָהָ֜ר לְעֻמָּת֗וֹ הָלוֹךְ֙ וַיְקַלֵּ֔ל וַיְסַקֵּ֚ל בָּֽאֲבָנִים֙ לְעֻמָּת֔וֹ וְעִפַּ֖ר בֶּעָפָֽר׃

16:14And the king, and all the people who were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.

Vayavo hameleḥ veḥol-ha'am asher-ito ayefim vayinafesh sham.

ידוַיָּבֹ֥א הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְכָל־הָעָ֥ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֖וֹ עֲיֵפִ֑ים וַיִּנָּפֵ֖שׁ שָֽׁם׃

Commentary · 16:13–14

Dust on the road

The Talmud says of those who are insulted and do not insult back, who hear their disgrace and do not answer: “Let them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might” (Judges 5:31; Shabbat 88b). David is its picture on the Bachurim road. And his restraint reached a thousand years ahead. The Targum says David “looked at him with the spirit of prophecy, and saw that Mordechai and Esther were destined to come from him” (Targum to Esther 2:5), and the Yalkut has Hashem tell David, “you saved Shimei so that he would father the righteous one” (Yalkut Shimoni, Shmuel 151). The Talmud tells it from the other side, as Israel’s complaint that David did not kill Shimei, “from whom Mordechai was born” (Megillah 12b–13a).

Rabbi Palvanov taught us the Pesikta Rabbati’s suffering Messiah, who accepts his sufferings and says, “It is enough for the servant to be like his master,” while “at that hour David was weeping and saying, ‘My strength is dried up like a potsherd’” (Pesikta Rabbati 36, on Psalm 22:15). “David foresaw the suffering of Mashiach,” he said, and the verse goes on, “thou hast brought me into the dust of death.” Yeshua lived what David foresaw: “when he was reviled, reviled not again… but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously” (1 Peter 2:23). David bore the curse as the fruit of his own sin; the Son of David bore it for ours, “being made a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13).

Two counselors

16:15And Avshalom, and all the people, the men of Israel, came to Yerushalayim, and Achitofel (Ahithophel) with him.

Ve'Avshalom veḥol-ha'am ish Yisra'el ba'u Yerushalayim va'Aḥitofel ito.

טווְאַבְשָׁל֗וֹם וְכָל־הָעָם֙ אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בָּ֖אוּ יְרוּשָׁלָ֑םִ וַאֲחִיתֹ֖פֶל אִתּֽוֹ׃

16:16And it came to pass, when Chushai (Hushai) the Arki (Archite), David’s friend, had come unto Avshalom, that Chushai said unto Avshalom, “Long live the king! Long live the king!”

Vayehi ka'asher-ba Ḥushai ha'Arki re'eh David el-Avshalom vayomer Ḥushai el-Avshalom yeḥi hameleḥ yeḥi hameleḥ.

טזוַיְהִ֗י כַּֽאֲשֶׁר־בָּ֞א חוּשַׁ֧י הָאַרְכִּ֛י רֵעֶ֥ה דָוִ֖ד אֶל־אַבְשָׁל֑וֹם וַיֹּ֚אמֶר חוּשַׁי֙ אֶל־אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם יְחִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ יְחִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

16:17And Avshalom said to Chushai, “Is this your kindness to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?”

Vayomer Avshalom el-Ḥushai zeh ḥasdeḥa et-re'eḥa lamah lo-halaḥta et-re'eḥa.

יזוַיֹּ֚אמֶר אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ אֶל־חוּשַׁ֔י זֶ֥ה חַסְדְּךָ֖ אֶת־רֵעֶ֑ךָ לָ֥מָּה לֹֽא־הָלַ֖כְתָּ אֶת־רֵעֶֽךָ׃

16:18And Chushai said unto Avshalom, “No; but whom Hashem, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen, his will I be, and with him will I abide.

Vayomer Ḥushai el-Avshalom lo ki asher baḥar Adonai veha'am hazeh veḥol-ish Yisra'el lo ehyeh ve'ito eshev.

יחוַיֹּ֣אמֶר חוּשַׁי֘ אֶל־אַבְשָׁלֹם֒ לֹ֕א כִּי֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּחַ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה וְהָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה וְכָל־אִ֣ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל ל֥וֹ (כתיב לֹ֥א) אֶהְיֶ֖ה וְאִתּ֥וֹ אֵשֵֽׁב׃

16:19And again, whom should I serve? Should I not serve in the presence of his son? As I have served in your father’s presence, so will I be in your presence.”

Vehashenit lemi ani e'evod halo lifnei veno ka'asher avadti lifnei aviḥa ken ehyeh lifaneḥa.

יטוְהַשֵּׁנִ֗ית לְמִי֙ אֲנִ֣י אֶֽעֱבֹ֔ד הֲל֖וֹא לִפְנֵ֣י בְנ֑וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֚ר עָבַ֙דְתִּי֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ כֵּ֖ן אֶהְיֶ֥ה לִפָנֶֽיךָ׃

16:20Then said Avshalom to Achitofel, “Give your counsel, what we shall do.”

Vayomer Avshalom el-Aḥitofel havu laḥem etzah mah-na'aseh.

כוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם אֶל־אֲחִיתֹ֑פֶל הָב֥וּ לָכֶ֛ם עֵצָ֖ה מַֽה־נַּעֲשֶֹֽה׃

16:21And Achitofel said unto Avshalom, “Go in unto your father’s concubines, whom he has left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that you have made yourself odious to your father; then shall the hands of all who are with you be strong.”

Vayomer Aḥitofel el-Avshalom bo el-pilagshei aviḥa asher hiniaḥ lishmor habayit veshama kol-Yisra'el ki-niv'ashta et-aviḥa veḥazeku yedei kol-asher itaḥ.

כאוַיֹּ֚אמֶר אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙ אֶל־אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם בּ֚וֹא אֶל־פִּלַגְשֵׁ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִנִּ֖יחַ לִשְׁמ֣וֹר הַבָּ֑יִת וְשָׁמַ֚ע כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כִּֽי־נִבְאַ֣שְׁתָּ אֶת־אָבִ֔יךָ וְחָ֣זְק֔וּ יְדֵ֖י כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתָּֽךְ׃

16:22So they spread for Avshalom a tent upon the top of the house; and Avshalom went in unto his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Vayatu le'Avshalom ha'ohel al-hagag vayavo Avshalom el-pilagshei aviv le'einei kol-Yisra'el.

כבוַיַּטּ֧וּ לְאַבְשָׁל֛וֹם הָאֹ֖הֶל עַל־הַגָּ֑ג וַיָּבֹ֚א אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ אֶל־פִּֽלַגְשֵׁ֣י אָבִ֔יו לְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

16:23And the counsel of Achitofel, which he counseled in those days, was as if a man had inquired of the word of God; so was all the counsel of Achitofel, both with David and with Avshalom.

Va'atzat Aḥitofel asher ya'atz bayamim hahem ka'asher yish'al-ish bidvar ha'Elohim ken kol-atzat Aḥitofel gam-leDavid gam le'Avshalom.

כגוַעֲצַ֣ת אֲחִיתֹ֗פֶל אֲשֶׁ֚ר יָעַץ֙ בַּיָּמִ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר יִשְׁאַל־ אִ֖ישׁ (קרי ולא כתיב) בִּדְבַ֣ר הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים כֵּ֚ן כָּל־עֲצַ֣ת אֲחִיתֹ֔פֶל גַּם־לְדָוִ֖ד גַּ֥ם לְאַבְשָׁלֹֽם׃

Commentary · 16:15–23

Two counselors, and a roof

Chushai greets Avshalom, “Long live the king!” and promises to serve “whom Hashem, and this people, and all the men of Israel have chosen.” The Malbim says he spoke as David had put in his mouth. Our own observation: Chushai never says which king he means, and never says Hashem has chosen Avshalom. Achitofel’s advice is as cold as it is shrewd: take your father’s concubines, so that all Israel knows there is no road back. Rashi: the people feared “the son will make peace with his father, and we will be hated by the king” (Rashi on 16:21). The tent goes up “upon the top of the house,” the same roof from which David first saw Bat-Sheva (11:2), and Natan’s word is fulfilled “before all Israel, and before the sun” (12:11–12). The Mishnah counts the cost: for the ten concubines, ten spears (Mishnah Sotah 1:8; 18:15).

“As if a man had inquired of the word of God”: the word ish, “a man,” is read but not written (keri velo ketiv). The Yerushalmi says that when people doubted Achitofel, they checked his counsel by the Urim and Tummim and found it so, and that the verse would not call him a man (Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 10:2); Radak brings the midrash that “he was not a man but an angel” (Radak on 16:23). This is the man David prayed against. Great wisdom without the fear of Heaven is the most dangerous thing in this book.

Sources & method

Hebrew text: The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), as published on Chabad.org. Every verse was checked character by character against Chabad’s Tenakh. Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type.
English translation: The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the familiar English name in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Shaul (Saul)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible.
Transliteration: Produced from the Hebrew with the open-source hebrew-transliteration library, adapted to Sephardic/Israeli pronunciation and reviewed by hand: ḥ for Chet and Chaf, tz for Tzadi, k for Kuf, and the Divine Name read “Adonai.” Names are capitalized.
Commentary: Written for our Wednesday Tenakh study from a Messianic Jewish perspective, in line with the Benei Avraham Statement of Faith. It reads the passage first in its Torah setting, then with the Sages, and then with the witness of the Brit Hadashah. Its sources include the Talmud and Midrash, Rashi, Radak, Metzudat David, Rambam, the First Fruits of Zion End of Days lessons, and teachings of Rabbi Efraim Palvanov and Ariel Cohen Alloro. Numerical readings (gematria) are offered as hints, not proofs. It is shown by default; tap Commentary to hide it.
Hebrew font: SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.

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2 Samuel 16 (Shmuel Bet) in Hebrew, Transliteration and English

2 Samuel, Chapter 16

Sources & method