2 Samuel 13 · Verse 23

2 Samuel 13:23

And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal–hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.
2 Samuel 13:23, King James Version

2 Samuel 13:23 in other translations

BSBTwo years later, when Absalom’s sheepshearers were at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, he invited all the sons of the king.
WEBAfter two full years, Absalom had sheep shearers in Baal Hazor, which is beside Ephraim; and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.
ASVAnd it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.
YLTAnd it cometh to pass, after two years of days, that Absalom hath shearers in Baal-Hazor, which is with Ephraim, and Absalom calleth for all the sons of the king.
DARBYAnd it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal-Hazor, which is beside Ephraim; and Absalom invited all the king's sons.
BBENow after two full years, Absalom had men cutting the wool of his sheep in Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim: and he sent for all the king's sons to come to his feast.
WebsterAnd it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king's sons.

What does 2 Samuel 13:23 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 13:23-27
23-27. Absalom had sheep-shearers in Baal-hazor, which is beside Ephraim--A sheep-shearing feast is a grand occasion in the East. Absalom proposed to give such an entertainment at his estate in Baal-hazor, about eight miles northeast of Jerusalem near a town called Ephraim (Jos 11:10). He first invited the king and his court; but the king declining, on account of the heavy expense to which the reception of royalty would subject him [2Sa 13:25], Absalom then limited the invitation to the king's sons [2Sa 13:26], which David the more readily agreed to, in the hope that it might tend to the promotion of brotherly harmony and union. 2Sa 13:28-36. Amnon Is Slain.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 23 Absalom had sheep-shearers - These were times in which feasts were made, to which the neighbors and relatives of the family were invited.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 13:21-29

Observe the aggravations of Absalom's sin: he would have Ammon slain, when least fit to go out of the world. He engaged his servants in the guilt. Those servants are ill-taught who obey wicked masters, against God's commands. Indulged children always prove crosses to godly parents, whose foolish love leads them to neglect their duty to God.

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 13:21-29 →

2 Samuel 13:23 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַֽיְהִי֙vay.Hiand it wasH1961
לִשְׁנָתַ֣יִםlish.na.Ta.yimto two yearsH8141
יָמִ֔יםya.MimdaysH3117
וַיִּהְי֤וּvai.yih.Yuand they belongedH1961
גֹֽזְזִים֙go.ze.ZimshearersH1494
לְאַבְשָׁל֔וֹםle.'av.sha.Lomto AbsalomH53
בְּבַ֥עַלbe.Va.'alat BaalH1178
חָצ֖וֹרcha.TzorHazorH1178
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
עִם\־'im-[is] nearH5973
אֶפְרָ֑יִם'ef.Ra.yimEphraimH669
וַיִּקְרָ֥אvai.yik.Ra'and he invitedH7121
אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם'av.sha.LomAbsalomH53
לְכָל\־le.khol<to> allH3605
בְּנֵ֥יbe.Nei[the] sons ofH1121
הַמֶּֽלֶךְ\׃ha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 13:23

  • 1 Samuel 25:4

    And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

  • Genesis 38:12-13

    And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah’s wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.

  • 1 Samuel 25:7

    And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

  • 1 Kings 1:19

    And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.

  • 1 Kings 1:25

    For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.

  • 2 Kings 3:4

    And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.

  • 1 Samuel 25:36

    And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or more, until the morning light.

  • 1 Kings 1:9

    And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En–rogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants:

  • 2 Chronicles 26:10

    Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.

  • 1 Samuel 25:2

    And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel; and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
A.M. 2974. B.C. 1030. An. Ex. Is 461. sheep-shearers.
Ge 38:12,13; 1Sa 25:2,4,36; 2Ki 3:4; 2Ch 26:10
invited.
1Ki 1:9,19,25

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 13:22

    And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad: for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

  • 2 Samuel 13:23

    And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had sheepshearers in Baal–hazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.

  • 2 Samuel 13:24

    And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go with thy servant.

Read all of 2 Samuel 13

2 Samuel 13:23 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y aconteció pasados dos años, que Absalom tenía esquiladores en Bala-hasor, que está junto á Ephraim; y convidó Absalom á todos los hijos del rey.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et il arriva, après deux années entières, qu’Absalom avait les tondeurs à Baal-Hatsor, qui est près d’Éphraïm; et Absalom invita tous les fils du roi.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und es geschah nach zwei vollen Jahren, da hatte Absalom Schafscherer zu Baal-Hazor, das bei Ephraim liegt; und Absalom lud alle Söhne des Königs.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Factum est autem post tempus biennii ut tonderentur oves Absalom in Baalhasor, quæ est juxta Ephraim: et vocavit Absalom omnes filios regis,