2 Samuel 19:7

Now therefore get up! Go out and speak comfort to your servants, for I swear by the LORD that if you do not go out, not a man will remain with you tonight. This will be worse for you than all the adversity that has befallen you from your youth until now!”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Joab speaks to King David after the battle against Absalom, confronting the king for refusing to address his grieving commanders and troops. He issues a direct warning that David must leave his chambers and encourage his soldiers before they abandon him that night.

The words — The Hebrew imperative ק֣וּם (kum) commands the king to arise, while צֵ֔א (Tze') orders him to go out and publicly address his men. The phrase עַל־לֵב עֲבָדֶ֑י/ךָ literally means to speak to the heart of your servants, indicating direct emotional encouragement.

The thread — The warning that a leader’s neglect will cause his people to scatter parallels Proverbs 14:28, which notes that a lack of subjects ruins a prince. David’s immediate compliance in 2 Samuel 19:8 fulfills the command to sit at the gate where the gathered people see him.

Why it lands — The text demands visible, timely leadership over passive grief, establishing that a ruler’s authority depends on addressing the needs of those who serve him. It requires the reader to acknowledge that ignoring the people one leads guarantees their departure.

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.

The Hebrew words

וְעַתָּה֙ve./'a.Tahand/ therefore ק֣וּםkumarise צֵ֔אTze'go out וְדַבֵּ֖רve./da.Berand/ speak עַל־'al-to לֵ֣בlev[the] heart of עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ'a.va.Dei./khaservants/ your כִּי֩kifor בַיהוָ֨הba./Yah.wehby/ Yahweh נִשְׁבַּ֜עְתִּיnish.Ba'.tiI swear כִּי־ki-that אֵינְךָ֣'ei.ne./Khanot/ you יוֹצֵ֗אyo.Tze'[are] coming out אִם־'im-if יָלִ֨יןya.Linhe will lodge אִ֤ישׁ'isha man אִתְּךָ֙'i.te./Khawith/ you הַלַּ֔יְלָהha./Lay.lahthis/ night וְרָעָ֧הve./ra.'Ahand/ it will be badלְךָ֣le./Khafor <the>/ youזֹ֗אתZotthis מִכָּל־mi./kolmore than/ all הָרָעָה֙ha./ra.'Ahthe/ harm אֲשֶׁר־'a.Sher-which בָּ֣אָהBa.'ahit has come עָלֶ֔יךָ'a.Lei./khaon/ you מִנְּעֻרֶ֖יךָmi./ne.'u.Rei./khasince/ youth<s>/ your עַד־'ad-until עָֽתָּה׃ ס'A.tahnow

King James Version

Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the Lord, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

Cross-references

Proverbs 14:28 A large population is a king’s splendor, but a lack of subjects is a prince’s ruin.
Genesis 34:3 And his soul was drawn to Dinah, the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young girl and spoke to her tenderly.
Psalms 71:4 Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and ruthless.
Psalms 71:9 Do not discard me in my old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.
Psalms 71:18 Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, until I proclaim Your power to the next generation, Your might to all who are to come.
Psalms 129:1 A song of ascents. Many a time they have persecuted me from my youth—let Israel now declare—
Proverbs 19:15 Laziness brings on deep sleep, and an idle soul will suffer hunger.
Isaiah 40:1 “Comfort, comfort My people,” says your God.
Hosea 2:14 “Therefore, behold, I will allure her and lead her to the wilderness, and speak to her tenderly.