2 Samuel 19 · Verse 43

2 Samuel 19:43

And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
2 Samuel 19:43, King James Version

2 Samuel 19:43 in other translations

BSB“We have ten shares in the king,” answered the men of Israel, “so we have more claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of restoring our king?” But the men of Judah pressed even harder than the men of Israel.
WEBThe men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more claim to David than you. Why then did you despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?” The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
ASVAnd the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.
YLTAnd the men of Israel answer the men of Judah, and say, ‘Ten parts we have in the king, and also in David more than you; and wherefore have ye lightly esteemed us, that our word hath not been first to bring back our king?' And the word of the men of Judah is sharper than the word of the men of Israel.
DARBYAnd the men of Israel answered the men of Judah and said, I have ten parts in the king and I have also more right in David than thou; and why didst thou slight me? and was not my advice the first, to bring back my king? And the words of the men of Judah were harsher than the words of the men of Israel.
BBEAnd in answer to the men of Judah, the men of Israel said, We have ten parts in the king, and we are the first in order of birth: why did you make nothing of us? and were we not the first to make suggestions for getting the king back? And the words of the men of Judah were more violent than the words of the men of Israel.
WebsterAnd the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

What does 2 Samuel 19:43 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 19:31-43

31-40. Barzillai the Gileadite--The rank, great age, and chivalrous devotion of this Gileadite chief wins our respect. His declining to go to court, his recommendation of his son, his convoy across the Jordan, and his parting scene with the king, are interesting incidents. What mark of royal favor was bestowed on Chimham has not been recorded; but it is probable that David gave a great part of his personal patrimony…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 19:31-43 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 43 We have ten parts in the king, and - more right - We are ten tribes to one, or we are ten times so many as you; and consequently should have been consulted in this business. The words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel - They had more weight, for they had more reason on their side. It is pleasant when every province, canton, district, and county, vie with each other in personal attachment to the prince, and loyal attachment to his government. From such contentions as these civil wars are never likely to arise. And how blessed it must be for the country where the king merits all this! where the prince is the pastor and father of his people, and in all things the minister of and to them for good! It is criminal in the prince not to endeavor to deserve the confidence and love of his people; and it is highly criminal in the people not to repay such endeavors with the most loyal and affectionate attachment. Where the government is not despotic, the king acts by the counsels of his ministers, and while he does so he is not chargeable with miscarriages and misfortunes; they either came through bad counsels, or directly thwarting providences. On this ground is that political maxim in our laws formed, the king can do no wrong. Sometimes God will have things otherwise than the best counsels have determined, because he sees that the results will, on the whole, be better for the peace and prosperity of that state. "God is the only Ruler of princes." And as the peace of the world depends much on civil government, hence kings and civil governors are peculiar objects of the Almighty's care. Wo to him who labors to bring about a general disaffection; as such things almost invariably end in general disappointment and calamity. It is much easier to unsettle than to settle; to pull down than to build up.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 19:40-43

The men of Israel though themselves despised, and the fiercer words of the men of Judah produced very bad effects. Much evil might be avoided, if men would watch against pride, and remember that a soft answer turneth away wrath. Though we have right and reason on our side, if we speak it with fierceness, God is displeased.

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 19:40-43 →

2 Samuel 19:43 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.

וַיַּ֣עַןvai.Ya.'anand he answeredH6030
אִֽישׁ\־'ish-[the] man ofH376
יִשְׂרָאֵל֩Yis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אִ֨ישׁ'ish[the] man ofH376
יְהוּדָ֜הye.hu.DahJudahH3063
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
עֶֽשֶׂר\־'e.ser-tenH6235
יָד֨וֹתya.DothandsH3027
לִ֣יli[belong] to <the> me
בַמֶּלֶךְ֮va.me.leKhin the kingH4428
וְגַם\־ve.gam-and alsoH1571
בְּדָוִד֮be.da.Vidin DavidH1732
אֲנִ֣י'a.NiIH589
מִמְּךָ֒mi.me.Khamore than youH4480
וּמַדּ֙וּעַ֙u.ma.Du.a'and why?H4069
הֱקִלֹּתַ֔נִיhe.ki.lo.Ta.nidid you treat with contempt meH7043
וְלֹא\־ve.lo'-and notH3808
הָיָ֨הha.Yahwas itH1961
דְבָרִ֥יde.va.Riword myH1697
רִאשׁ֛וֹןri.ShonfirstH7223
לִ֖יliof me
לְהָשִׁ֣יבle.ha.Shivto bring backH7725
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
מַלְכִּ֑יmal.Kiking myH4428
וַיִּ֙קֶשׁ֙vai.Yi.keshand it was hardH7185
דְּבַר\־de.var-[the] word ofH1697
אִ֣ישׁ'ish[the] man ofH376
יְהוּדָ֔הye.hu.DahJudahH3063
מִדְּבַ֖רmi.de.Varmore than [the] word ofH1697
אִ֥ישׁ'ish[the] man ofH376
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל\׃\ \סYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478

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

Cross references for 2 Samuel 19:43

  • Galatians 5:20

    Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

  • 2 Samuel 5:1

    Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

  • 1 Kings 11:30-31

    And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:

  • James 4:1-5

    From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. …

  • James 3:14-16

    But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

  • 1 Kings 12:16

    So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

  • Proverbs 18:19

    A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

  • Galatians 5:15

    But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

  • 2 Samuel 19:9

    And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.

  • Proverbs 13:10

    Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.

  • James 1:20

    For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

  • Judges 8:1

    And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the Midianites? And they did chide with him sharply.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
We have.
20:1,6; 1Ki 12:16
ten parts.
5:1; Pr 13:10
despise us. Heb. set us at light. our advice.
9,14; Ga 5:20,26; Php 2:3
the words.
Jud 8:1; 9:23; 12:1-6; Pr 15:1; 17:14; 18:19; Ro 12:21; Ga 5:15,20
Jas 1:20; 3:2-10,14-16; 4:1-5Whatever value or respect the men of Israel at this time professed for their king, they would not have quarrelled so fiercely about their own credit and interest in recalling him, if they had been truly sorry for their former rebellion.

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

Context

  • 2 Samuel 19:42

    And all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king’s cost? or hath he given us any gift?

  • 2 Samuel 19:43

    And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.

Read all of 2 Samuel 19

2 Samuel 19:43 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Entonces respondieron los varones de Israel, y dijeron á los de Judá: Nosotros tenemos en el rey diez partes, y en el mismo David más que vosotros: ¿por qué pues nos habéis tenido en poco? ¿no hablamos nosotros primero en volver á nuestro rey? Y el razonamiento de los varones de Judá fué más fuerte que el de los varones de Israel.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et tous les hommes de Juda répondirent aux hommes d’Israël: Parce que le roi m’est proche; et pourquoi y a-t-il chez toi cette colère à cause de cela? Avons-nous mangé quelque chose qui vienne du roi, ou nous a-t-il fait des présents?
German
Elberfelder 1871
Aber die Männer von Israel antworteten den Männern von Juda und sprachen: Ich habe zehn Teile an dem König, und habe auch an David mehr Anrecht als du; und warum hast du mich gering geachtet? und ist nicht mein Wort das erste gewesen, meinen König zurückzuführen? Und das Wort der Männer von Juda war härter als das Wort der Männer von Israel.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et respondit vir Israël ad viros Juda, et ait: Decem partibus major ego sum apud regem, magisque ad me pertinet David quam ad te: cur fecisti mihi injuriam, et non mihi nuntiatum est priori, ut reducerem regem meum? Durius autem responderunt viri Juda viris Israël.