Bible Strands
2 Samuel 3:13
“Good,” replied David, “I will make a covenant with you. But there is one thing I require of you: Do not appear before me unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see me.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — David addresses Abner during political negotiations to secure the transfer of Israel's monarchy. Abner has just proposed a covenant to bring all Israel under David’s rule, and David responds by setting a single condition for agreement.
The words — The Hebrew term בְּרִית (berit) denotes a formal treaty or covenant, while אַךְ (akh) functions as an exclusive particle meaning "only" or "but." These terms frame David’s acceptance as strictly conditional upon one specific demand.
The thread — This conditional arrangement parallels Joseph’s requirement that his brothers appear before him only with Benjamin (Genesis 43:3; 44:23; 44:26). Both passages use a strict prerequisite to verify loyalty before granting access.
Why it lands — The text requires that political reconciliation be anchored in a concrete act of restitution rather than mere alliance. It asks the reader to recognize that legitimate authority demands justice before it grants access.
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
King James Version
And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face.
Cross-references
- Genesis 43:3 But Judah replied, “The man solemnly warned us, ‘You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.’
- Genesis 44:23 But you said to your servants, ‘Unless your younger brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.’
- Genesis 44:26 But we answered, ‘We cannot go down there unless our younger brother goes with us. So if our younger brother is not with us, we cannot see the man.’
- 1 Samuel 18:20 Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David, and when this was reported to Saul, it pleased him.
- 1 Samuel 19:11 Then Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and kill him in the morning. But David’s wife Michal warned him, “If you do not run for your life tonight, tomorrow you will be dead!”
- 2 Samuel 3:20 When Abner and twenty of his men came to David at Hebron, David held a feast for them.
- 1 Chronicles 15:29 As the ark of the covenant of the LORD was entering the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from a window and saw King David dancing and celebrating, and she despised him in her heart.