2 Samuel 15:6

Study note

Setting — The narrator records Absalom intercepting every Israelite who approached King David to seek legal judgments. This follows his established routine of physically greeting petitioners and kissing them to build personal rapport.

The words — The Hebrew verb וַיַּעַשׂ (va.ya‘as) translates literally as “he did,” marking the deliberate repetition of Absalom’s preceding actions. The phrase כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה (ka.davar ha-zeh) means “according to this manner,” underscoring the calculated consistency of his conduct.

The thread — The text describes a pattern of calculated persuasion that aligns with Romans 16:18’s warning about deception through smooth talk, 2 Peter 2:3’s note on exploitation via deceptive words, and Proverbs 11:9’s observation that ungodly speech destroys a neighbor.

Why it lands — The text reports that Absalom systematically intercepted legal petitioners and gained their trust. Interpreters infer this demonstrates how manipulative affection can be weaponized to undermine established authority.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.