2 Samuel 19:4
New International Version
The king covered his face and cried aloud, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

New Living Translation
The king covered his face with his hands and kept on crying, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

English Standard Version
The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Berean Standard Bible
But the king covered his face and cried out at the top of his voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

King James Bible
But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

New King James Version
But the king covered his face, and the king cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

New American Standard Bible
And the king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, “My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!”

NASB 1995
The king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

NASB 1977
And the king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Legacy Standard Bible
But as for the king, he wrapped his face up. Then the king cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Amplified Bible
But the king covered his face and cried out with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Christian Standard Bible
But the king covered his face and cried loudly, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But the king hid his face and cried out at the top of his voice, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”

American Standard Version
And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

Contemporary English Version
David covered his face with his hands and kept on crying loudly, "My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!"

English Revised Version
And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The king covered his face and cried loudly, "My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!"

Good News Translation
The king covered his face and cried loudly, "O my son! My son Absalom! Absalom, my son!"

International Standard Version
Meanwhile, the king veiled his face and kept on crying loudly, "My son Absalom! Absalom my son, my son!"

Majority Standard Bible
But the king covered his face and cried out at the top of his voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

NET Bible
The king covered his face and cried out loudly, "My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!"

New Heart English Bible
The king covered his face, and he cried with a loud voice, "My son Absalom, Absalom, my son."

Webster's Bible Translation
But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

World English Bible
The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son!”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the king has covered his face, indeed, the king cries [with] a loud voice, “My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”

Young's Literal Translation
and the king hath covered his face, yea, the king crieth -- a loud voice -- 'My son Absalom, Absalom, my son, my son.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And the king covered his face, and the king will cry out with a great voice, My son Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king covered his head, and cried with a loud voice: O my son Absalom, O Absalom my son, O my son.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the king covered his head, and he was crying out in a great voice: “My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”

New American Bible
Meanwhile the king covered his face and cried out in a loud voice, “My son Absalom! Absalom! My son, my son!”

New Revised Standard Version
The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But the king covered his face, and cried with a loud voice, saying, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the King covered his face and wailed in a loud voice and said my son: “Abishlum! My son! My son, Abishlum!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice: 'O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the king hid his face: and the king cried with a loud voice, My son Abessalom! Abessalom my son!

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Joab Reproves David
3So they returned to the city quietly that day, as people steal away in humiliation after fleeing a battle. 4But the king covered his face and cried out at the top of his voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!” 5Then Joab went into the house and said to the king, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, of your wives, and of your concubines.…

Cross References
2 Samuel 18:33
The king was shaken and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Genesis 37:34-35
Then Jacob tore his clothes, put sackcloth around his waist, and mourned for his son many days. / All his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. “No,” he said. “I will go down to Sheol mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.

Matthew 26:75
Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Luke 22:62
And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Psalm 6:6
I am weary from groaning; all night I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.

Jeremiah 31:15
This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

John 11:33-35
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. / “Where have you put him?” He asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they answered. / Jesus wept.

1 Kings 19:4
while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”

Job 1:20-21
Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, / saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

Isaiah 22:4
Therefore I said, “Turn away from me, let me weep bitterly! Do not try to console me over the destruction of the daughter of my people.”

Lamentations 1:16
For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears. For there is no one nearby to comfort me, no one to revive my soul. My children are destitute because the enemy has prevailed.

Mark 14:72
And immediately the rooster crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he broke down and wept.

Romans 12:15
Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.

1 Thessalonians 4:13
Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope.

Genesis 50:10
When they reached the threshing floor of Atad, which is across the Jordan, they lamented and wailed loudly, and Joseph mourned for his father seven days.


Treasury of Scripture

But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!

covered

2 Samuel 15:30
And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

O my son.

2 Samuel 18:33
And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

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2 Samuel 19
1. Joab causes the king to cease his mourning
9. The Israelites are earnest to bring the king back
11. David sends to the priest to incite them of Judah
18. Shimei is pardoned
24. Mephibosheth excused
32. Barzillai dismissed, and Chimham his son taken into the king's family
41. The Israelites expostulate with Judah for bringing home the king without them














But the king
The term "king" here refers to King David, a central figure in the history of Israel and a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). David's kingship is marked by both triumph and tragedy, and this moment captures the deep personal sorrow of a ruler who is also a father. The Hebrew word for king, "melek," signifies not just a political leader but one who is supposed to embody the ideals and spiritual leadership of the nation. David's reaction is a reminder of the humanity and vulnerability that even the greatest leaders possess.

covered his face
Covering one's face is a gesture of mourning and deep emotional distress. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, such an act was a public display of grief, often associated with lamentation and sorrow. This action by David signifies his overwhelming grief and perhaps a sense of shame or guilt over the events leading to Absalom's death. It is a poignant reminder of the personal cost of familial and political strife.

and cried out in a loud voice
The phrase "cried out in a loud voice" indicates an intense, audible expression of grief. The Hebrew root "za'aq" often conveys a cry for help or a proclamation of distress. David's loud lamentation underscores the depth of his sorrow and the public nature of his mourning. It reflects the raw, unfiltered emotion of a father who has lost his son, highlighting the personal anguish that transcends his royal status.

O my son Absalom!
The repetition of "my son" emphasizes the personal and familial connection between David and Absalom. Despite Absalom's rebellion, David's love for him remains evident. The name "Absalom" means "father of peace," which is tragically ironic given the conflict he incited. This lamentation reveals the complexity of David's emotions—love, regret, and sorrow intertwined. It serves as a powerful reminder of the enduring bond between parent and child, even amidst betrayal and loss.

O Absalom, my son, my son!
The repetition of "my son" further intensifies the expression of grief. In Hebrew literature, repetition is often used to convey emphasis and emotional depth. David's lament is not just a personal cry but also a reflection of the broader themes of sin, forgiveness, and the consequences of familial discord. This poignant cry echoes through the ages, reminding us of the pain of broken relationships and the hope for reconciliation and redemption through God's grace.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But the king
וְהַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (wə·ham·me·leḵ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

covered
לָאַ֣ט (lā·’aṭ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3813: To muffle

his face
פָּנָ֔יו (pā·nāw)
Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

and cried out
וַיִּזְעַ֥ק (way·yiz·‘aq)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2199: To shriek, to announce, convene publicly

at the top
גָּד֑וֹל (gā·ḏō·wl)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

of his voice,
ק֣וֹל (qō·wl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

“O my son
בְּנִי֙ (bə·nî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1121: A son

Absalom!
אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם (’aḇ·šā·lō·wm)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 53: Absalom -- 'my father is peace', two Israelites

O Absalom,
אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם (’aḇ·šā·lō·wm)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 53: Absalom -- 'my father is peace', two Israelites

my son,
בְּנִ֥י (bə·nî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1121: A son

my son!”
בְנִֽי׃ (ḇə·nî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1121: A son


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OT History: 2 Samuel 19:4 The king covered his face and (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 19:3
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