2 Samuel 20 5

2 Samuel 20:5 kjv

So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer than the set time which he had appointed him.

2 Samuel 20:5 nkjv

So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah. But he delayed longer than the set time which David had appointed him.

2 Samuel 20:5 niv

But when Amasa went to summon Judah, he took longer than the time the king had set for him.

2 Samuel 20:5 esv

So Amasa went to summon Judah, but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him.

2 Samuel 20:5 nlt

So Amasa went out to notify Judah, but it took him longer than the time he had been given.

2 Samuel 20 verses

2 Samuel 20 5 Meaning

The verse reveals Amasa's failure to swiftly execute King David's direct command to gather the forces of Judah. Amasa was tasked with assembling these men within three days but significantly exceeded this specified time, demonstrating either his inefficiency, a lack of authority, or a wavering commitment to David's urgent need during a period of national rebellion led by Sheba. This delay would prove to be a pivotal point leading to dire consequences for Amasa.

2 Samuel 20 5 Context

Chapter 20 of 2 Samuel details the continuation of the unrest in Israel after Absalom's rebellion. David has just returned to Jerusalem, having negotiated the allegiance of Judah, which caused tension with the other tribes of Israel. This resentment quickly erupts into a new rebellion led by Sheba, a Benjamite, who calls for secession from David ("We have no portion in David, no inheritance in the son of Jesse!"). Facing another immediate threat, David prioritizes swift action. Having recently stripped Joab of his command and appointed Amasa (who previously commanded Absalom's army) as general of Israel, David charges Amasa with gathering the men of Judah within three days to pursue Sheba. The verse specifically addresses Amasa's critical failure to meet this urgent deadline, setting the stage for Joab's inevitable return to prominence and Amasa's tragic end. This sequence of events underscores David's challenges in maintaining central authority, the volatile nature of tribal loyalties, and the ruthless efficiency required in times of crisis, contrasted with Amasa's incompetence or reluctance.

2 Samuel 20 5 Word analysis

• So Amasa: Amasa ('Amash - עֲמָשָׂא) was David's nephew (son of Abigail, David's sister), but he had sided with Absalom and led his army against David. After Absalom's defeat, David shrewdly promised Amasa the position of army commander, replacing Joab, to win over Judah. His inclusion here highlights David's political maneuvering and attempts at reconciliation.
• went: Indicates an initial movement towards fulfilling the command, but not necessarily its successful completion. Amasa embarked on the task.
• to assemble: The task given was urgent mobilization (lǝqabbēṣ - לְקַבֵּץ), a word suggesting gathering people together, especially for war.
• the men of Judah: This group had been instrumental in Absalom's rebellion and was slow to welcome David back. Assembling them would be a politically sensitive and challenging task, requiring significant persuasive skill and decisive action from Amasa. Their recent defection makes their prompt obedience crucial to David's legitimacy and security.
• but he delayed: The crucial verb vayyōḥer (וַיּוֹחֶר) from the root yāḥar (יָחַר) means "to linger, tarry, wait, delay." It indicates a failure to act with the required speed. This delay is an act of disobedience by omission. It's not just a physical act of lingering, but a failure to meet the exigency of the moment.
• longer than the time appointed him: This specifies the nature of the delay: it was not merely a slowness, but an overstepping of an explicit, three-day deadline set by the king (implied from the preceding verse, 2 Sam 20:4). This shows a clear breach of a direct royal command. It speaks to a potential lack of urgency, inability to enforce authority, or perhaps even an unspoken reluctance or disloyalty on Amasa's part.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah": This phrase describes Amasa's commission and initial action. It underscores the importance of gathering the army from Judah, given their recent turbulent relationship with David after supporting Absalom. It highlights David's hope that Amasa, a son of Judah and former rebel general, could effectively bring this tribe back into full obedience and service.
• "but he delayed longer than the time appointed him": This is the core of the verse, articulating Amasa's fatal flaw. The specific deadline implies urgency and importance. His failure to meet it signifies incompetence or unwillingness to perform the royal command, placing David in jeopardy and ultimately leading to Amasa's removal and demise at Joab's hands. It exposes a profound challenge to David's authority and judgment in choosing Amasa.

2 Samuel 20 5 Bonus section

The historical context of David's fragile kingdom and his political chess game against Joab cannot be overstated. David's choice of Amasa was highly unpopular with Joab and his loyalists, demonstrating David's effort to consolidate Judah's support by favoring one of their own and to remove Joab, who had acted against his direct command by killing Absalom. Amasa's failure justified Joab's view of his own indispensable effectiveness, despite his ruthlessness. Some scholars suggest Amasa's delay could have been deliberate, attempting to gauge the strength of Sheba's rebellion or unsure of Judah's loyalty. Others propose it was due to genuine difficulty in mobilizing a disillusioned populace who had recently sided against David, coupled with Amasa's lack of experience in national leadership compared to Joab's established command. This pivotal verse highlights that divine providence often uses human choices, even failures, to advance its purposes, as Joab's subsequent intervention quickly ended Sheba's rebellion, restoring David's control, albeit at a personal cost.

2 Samuel 20 5 Commentary

2 Samuel 20:5 encapsulates a critical turning point in David's reign, marking Amasa's tragic administrative and military failure. Despite David's deliberate attempt to integrate Amasa into his leadership and depose Joab—a politically shrewd but emotionally risky move after Absalom's rebellion—Amasa proved unable to meet the immediate demands of crisis leadership. His delay in assembling the Judahites to quash Sheba's rebellion was a critical misstep. This tardiness indicated either a significant lack of administrative competence, an inability to command the necessary respect and prompt action from a recently disloyal faction of Judah, or a subtle ambivalence towards David's cause. In the brutal world of ancient Near Eastern politics and warfare, especially during a fresh rebellion, delay was tantamount to disloyalty or fatal weakness. This immediate consequence sets the stage for Joab, David's ruthless but effective nephew, to step back into the vacuum of power, swiftly executing Amasa and quelling the rebellion. The incident highlights the difference between political appointment and demonstrated capability, serving as a sober reminder that God's work, especially in times of spiritual warfare, demands swift obedience and effective leadership, not merely good intentions or delayed action.