2 Samuel 13 30

2 Samuel 13:30 kjv

And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and there is not one of them left.

2 Samuel 13:30 nkjv

And it came to pass, while they were on the way, that news came to David, saying, "Absalom has killed all the king's sons, and not one of them is left!"

2 Samuel 13:30 niv

While they were on their way, the report came to David: "Absalom has struck down all the king's sons; not one of them is left."

2 Samuel 13:30 esv

While they were on the way, news came to David, "Absalom has struck down all the king's sons, and not one of them is left."

2 Samuel 13:30 nlt

As they were on the way back to Jerusalem, this report reached David: "Absalom has killed all the king's sons; not one is left alive!"

2 Samuel 13 verses

2 Samuel 13 30 Meaning

This verse details the alarming and exaggerated report that reached King David while his sons were at a sheep-shearing feast. The message, likely a rumor or a deliberate misrepresentation, stated that Absalom had brutally killed all of David's royal sons, leaving none alive. This dire news conveyed total annihilation and catastrophic loss to David, causing immediate distress and confusion, as seen in the subsequent verses.

2 Samuel 13 30 Context

This verse is situated at a critical juncture in the tragic narrative of David’s family, immediately following Absalom’s elaborate plot to avenge Amnon’s rape of Tamar. Absalom had harbored hatred for Amnon for two years after the defilement of his full sister. He meticulously planned Amnon's assassination during a sheep-shearing feast in Baal Hazor, a customary time of feasting and merrymaking for the king's sons. After Amnon's death, the other royal sons fled in fear. As they were making their escape back to Jerusalem, the shocking and grossly exaggerated report arrived at the king's palace. This false report magnified the true event (Amnon’s murder) to a complete annihilation of all David's sons, undoubtedly triggering immense panic and despair in the royal court and especially for David. This domestic calamity stands as a partial fulfillment of Nathan's prophecy against David (2 Sam 12:10-11) following his sin concerning Bathsheba and Uriah, indicating the severe and internal consequences of his transgression.

2 Samuel 13 30 Word analysis

• While they were on the way (בַּדֶּרֶךְ ba-derek – "on the way/road"): Signifies the movement of David's sons returning from the feast after Amnon's murder, emphasizing the immediate aftermath and quick spread of news, even before they reached safety.
• the report came to David (הַשְּׁמֻעָה בָּאָה אֶל־דָּוִד ha-sh’mu’ah ba’ah el-Dawid):
  • Report (שְׁמוּעָה sh’mu’ah): Can mean "rumor," "news," or "hearing." In this context, it suggests an unverified or perhaps even malicious piece of information rather than a precise factual account, later proven to be exaggerated. Its sudden arrival heightens the tension.
  • came (בָּאָה ba’ah): Emphasizes the unexpected and jarring nature of the news reaching the king.
• Absalom has struck down (הִכָּה אַבְשָׁלוֹם hikkah Avshalom – "Absalom struck/smote"):
  • Struck down (הִכָּה hikkah from נָכָה nakah): A strong verb often implying a fatal blow or defeat in battle. Here, it explicitly denotes a violent act leading to death. The immediate attribution to Absalom highlights his known vendetta and decisive action.
• all the king’s sons (כָּל־בְּנֵי הַמֶּלֶךְ kol-b'nei ha-melekh – "all sons of the king"): This is the crux of the exaggeration. Absalom only intended to kill Amnon, yet the report catastrophically expands this to include every royal heir. This likely arose from fear, panic, or deliberate malice, and significantly amplified the tragedy. The title "king's sons" underscores their importance to the line of succession and national stability.
• and not one of them is left (וְלֹא־נוֹתַר אֶחָד מֵהֶם v'lo-notar echad mehem – "and not left one from them"): This phrase powerfully communicates complete and utter destruction, leaving no survivors. It emphasizes the total loss and finality presented in the false report, underscoring the immediate emotional and political fallout it would cause David. The emphasis on "not one" ("אֶחָד" echad) highlights the terrifying magnitude of the presumed disaster.

2 Samuel 13 30 Bonus section

The immediate and wide-reaching panic described in this verse demonstrates the inherent human tendency to catastrophize, especially when news arrives unexpectedly from a volatile situation. The fact that the royal princes, themselves in danger and fleeing, were the initial source of this specific type of rumor (even if relayed by others) implies their own fear or a hasty interpretation of Amnon's singular murder as part of a broader, indiscriminate slaughter by Absalom, who, they knew, hated all his half-brothers by virtue of being Absalom. This incident starkly illustrates how a half-truth, when filtered through fear and exaggeration, can become a more powerful agent of distress than the truth itself, amplifying tragedy and causing immense unnecessary suffering to those who receive it.

2 Samuel 13 30 Commentary

2 Samuel 13:30 is a pivotal moment showcasing the destructive power of rumor, the depth of royal family dysfunction, and the tragic fulfillment of divine judgment within David's house. The initial, deliberately inflated report of all the king's sons being slain plunges David into an abyss of despair, far worse than the truth (that only Amnon was killed). This amplification, whether born of fear, malice, or error, reveals the volatile nature of courtly information and the susceptibility of leaders to such news, particularly in times of crisis. The king's position and the dynastic future hinged upon his sons, making such a report maximally devastating. It foreshadows the continued turmoil that will plague David’s reign and family, serving as a bitter fruit of past sins and an agonizing chapter in his unfolding legacy. The king's emotional agony illustrates the personal cost of the escalating rebellion and familial breakdown.