2 Samuel 16 12

2 Samuel 16:12 kjv

It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.

2 Samuel 16:12 nkjv

It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day."

2 Samuel 16:12 niv

It may be that the LORD will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today."

2 Samuel 16:12 esv

It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing today."

2 Samuel 16:12 nlt

And perhaps the LORD will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today."

2 Samuel 16 verses

2 Samuel 16 12 Meaning

2 Samuel 16:12 conveys King David's profound trust and hope in God amidst severe personal distress and public humiliation. He expresses the possibility that God, who sees his suffering and humble state, will turn the intense cursing and affliction he is experiencing on that very day into a divine blessing and good. It reflects David's spiritual resignation to God's will and his hopeful reliance on God's just and merciful intervention rather than human retaliation.

2 Samuel 16 12 Context

Chapter 16 of 2 Samuel describes King David's humiliating flight from Jerusalem during his son Absalom's rebellion. As David and his loyal followers leave the city, Shimei, a relative of King Saul's house, appears and curses David relentlessly, throwing stones and dust. Shimei claims David is a man of bloodshed, receiving his just deserts for the house of Saul. Abishai, one of David's loyal commanders, offers to execute Shimei immediately. However, David intervenes, understanding this dire situation not merely as Shimei's malice, but as possibly allowed or even instigated by God. This perspective forms the immediate backdrop for verse 12, as David refrains from human vengeance, instead casting his hope upon divine intervention. Historically, David had indeed been guilty of bloodshed and sin (e.g., Uriah's death, 2 Sam 11), for which the prophet Nathan had pronounced divine judgment (2 Sam 12:10-12), including continuous trouble within his own house and public humiliation. David's humility in 2 Samuel 16:12 acknowledges this broader context, interpreting his current suffering as a possible consequence of past sin or as part of God's sovereign, corrective hand.

2 Samuel 16 12 Word analysis

• Perhaps (אולי, 'ulay): This word conveys uncertainty in human perception but certainty in God's ability and potential action. It doesn't imply doubt in God's power, but rather acknowledges the mystery of His will. David expresses hope that God might act in His favor, showing humble reliance rather than demand.
• the Lord (יהוה, YHWH): Refers to the personal, covenant God of Israel. This is not a generic deity but the God who made promises to David and controls all things. David trusts in His specific character as a faithful and just God.
• will look on (יראה, yir'eh): More than merely seeing; it implies active attention, compassion, and intent to respond. God seeing affliction (as in Exod 3:7) often precedes His redemptive action. It speaks of divine awareness coupled with merciful consideration.
• my affliction (בעניי, be'onyi): Refers to David's state of humility, suffering, distress, and public disgrace. The Hebrew root for affliction often points to one's low estate, misery, and vulnerability, akin to the "poor and needy" (עני, 'aniy), whom God often delivers.
• and repay me good (והשיב לי טובה, vehēshiv li tovah):
  • repay (והשיב, vehēshiv): Literally "and return." It signifies a reciprocal action, a reversal of fortunes, or restoration. It speaks of a turning around of the present negative situation.
  • good (טובה, tovah): Denotes blessings, prosperity, well-being, favor, and spiritual benefit. David anticipates not just the cessation of evil but active divine blessing in its place.
• for his cursing (תחת קללתו, taḥat qelālāto):
  • for (תחת, taḥat): Literally "instead of," "under," or "in exchange for." It highlights a direct reversal – good in place of the cursing.
  • his cursing (קללתו, qelālāto): The venomous reviling, contempt, and slander uttered by Shimei. It emphasizes the active and malevolent nature of the words.
• this day (היום, hayyom): Underlines the immediate and acute nature of David's suffering. It's happening now, emphasizing the urgency of his plea and the tangible reality of his humiliation.

2 Samuel 16 12 Bonus section

• David's perspective here demonstrates radical faith, seeing beyond the human agent (Shimei) to the divine hand that allows or directs the events. This ability to interpret personal suffering through the lens of divine sovereignty is a hallmark of profound biblical faith (e.g., Job's perseverance).
• The incident foreshadows Christ's meekness in the face of reviling (1 Pet 2:23), as Jesus did not retaliate when cursed or persecuted, trusting in the Father who judges justly.
• The idea of God repaying "good for cursing" is an ancient principle that finds its fulfillment and deepest meaning in the New Testament command to bless those who curse and do good to those who harm you, confident that God will be the ultimate just judge and provider of good (Rom 12:19; Luke 6:28).

2 Samuel 16 12 Commentary

2 Samuel 16:12 offers a profound glimpse into David's spiritual maturity and reliance on God during a moment of extreme vulnerability and degradation. Faced with baseless and malicious cursing, his response is not one of anger or swift retribution, as his commander Abishai urged. Instead, David chooses humility and patient trust in God's ultimate sovereignty. He refrains from defending himself or seeking human vengeance, accepting that this humiliating ordeal might be part of God's permitted discipline or refining process.

The "perhaps" reveals a spirit of hopeful submission rather than presumption. David does not demand vindication, but humbly prays that God, who "sees" (with compassionate regard) his deep affliction, might choose to intervene. His desire is not merely for the cessation of the evil, but for a positive, divine reversal: God repaying "good for his cursing." This reflects a deep theological understanding that God can transform even the most wicked intentions and actions of people into an instrument for His purposes and for the ultimate good of His faithful (Gen 50:20; Rom 8:28). This moment highlights David's acceptance of suffering as a pathway, or perhaps a consequence, within God's larger redemptive plan, reminding us of God's unwavering control over all circumstances, even hostile ones. It also sets an example for believers to respond to ill-treatment not with bitterness or immediate retaliation, but with patient endurance and prayer, leaving their vindication in the hands of the Lord.