2 Samuel 15:26
New International Version
But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”

New Living Translation
But if he is through with me, then let him do what seems best to him.”

English Standard Version
But if he says, ‘I have no pleasure in you,’ behold, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.”

Berean Standard Bible
But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”

King James Bible
But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.

New King James Version
But if He says thus: ‘I have no delight in you,’ here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.”

New American Standard Bible
But if He says this: ‘I have no delight in you,’ then here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.”

NASB 1995
“But if He should say thus, ‘I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.”

NASB 1977
“But if He should say thus, ‘I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him.”

Legacy Standard Bible
But if He should say thus, ‘I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am, let Him do to me as seems good in His sight.”

Amplified Bible
But if He should say, ‘I have no delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me what seems good to Him.”

Christian Standard Bible
However, if he should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am—he can do with me whatever pleases him.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
However, if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am—He can do with me whatever pleases Him.”

American Standard Version
but if he say thus, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.

Contemporary English Version
But if he says he isn't pleased with me, then let him do what he knows is best.

English Revised Version
but if he say thus, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But if he says, 'I'm not pleased with you,' let him do to me what he considers right."

Good News Translation
But if he isn't pleased with me--well, then, let him do to me what he wishes."

International Standard Version
But if he should say something like 'I'm not pleased with you,' well then, here I am—let him do to me whatever seems right to him."

Majority Standard Bible
But if He should say, ?I do not delight in you,? then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.?

NET Bible
However, if he should say, 'I do not take pleasure in you,' then he will deal with me in a way that he considers appropriate."

New Heart English Bible
but if he should say, 'I have no delight in you;' look, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him."

Webster's Bible Translation
But if he shall thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good to him.

World English Bible
but if he says, ‘I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and if thus He says, I have not delighted in you; here I [am], He does to me as [is] good in His eyes.”

Young's Literal Translation
and if thus He say, I have not delighted in thee; here am I, He doth to me as is good in His eyes.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And if he say thus, I delighted not in thee; behold me, he will do to me as is good in his eyes.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But if he shall say to me: Thou pleasest me not: I am ready, let him do that which is good before him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But if he will say to me, ‘You are not pleasing,’ I am ready. Let him do whatever is good in his own sight.”

New American Bible
But if he should say, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ I am ready; let him do to me as he sees fit.”

New Revised Standard Version
But if he says, ‘I take no pleasure in you,’ here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But if he shall say, I have no delight in you; behold, here I am, let him do to me as seems good in his sight.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And if he will say thus: “‘I do not delight in you’, behold, I stay. He shall do to me according to what is beautiful in his eyes”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
but if He say thus: I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let Him do to me as seemeth good unto Him.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
But if he should say thus, I have no pleasure in thee; behold, here I am, let him do to me according to that which is good in his eyes.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David Flees Jerusalem
25Then the king said to Zadok, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the eyes of the LORD, He will bring me back and let me see both it and His dwelling place again. 26But if He should say, ‘I do not delight in you,’ then here I am; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.” 27The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace—you with your son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar with his son Jonathan.…

Cross References
1 Samuel 3:18
So Samuel told him everything and did not hide a thing from him. “He is the LORD,” replied Eli. “Let Him do what is good in His eyes.”

Job 1:21
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.”

Matthew 26:39
Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Luke 22:42
“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me. Yet not My will, but Yours be done.”

Acts 21:14
When he would not be dissuaded, we quieted down and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

Isaiah 39:8
But Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “At least there will be peace and security in my lifetime.”

1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

James 4:15
Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.”

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Hebrews 12:9
Furthermore, we have all had earthly fathers who disciplined us, and we respected them. Should we not much more submit to the Father of our spirits and live?

Genesis 18:25
Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”

Psalm 115:3
Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases.

Psalm 135:6
The LORD does all that pleases Him in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and in all their depths.

Isaiah 46:10
I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’

Daniel 4:35
All the peoples of the earth are counted as nothing, and He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. There is no one who can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”


Treasury of Scripture

But if he thus say, I have no delight in you; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seems good to him.

I have not

2 Samuel 22:20
He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

Numbers 14:8
If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

1 Kings 10:9
Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.

let

Judges 10:15
And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned: do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we pray thee, this day.

1 Samuel 3:18
And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.

Job 1:20,21
Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, …

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2 Samuel 15
1. Absalom, by fair speeches and courtesies, steals the hearts of Israel.
7. By pretense of a vow, he obtains leave to go to Hebron
10. He makes there a great conspiracy
13. David upon the news flees from Jerusalem
19. Ittai will leave him
24. Zadok and Abiathar are sent back with the ark
30. David and his company go up mount Olivet weeping,
31. He curses Ahithophel's counsel
32. Hushai is sent back with instructions














But if He should say
This phrase introduces a hypothetical situation, reflecting David's deep submission to God's will. The Hebrew word for "say" is "אָמַר" (amar), which is often used in the Old Testament to denote God's communication with His people. This highlights the importance of divine guidance and the need for believers to be attentive to God's voice, even when it may not align with their desires.

I do not delight in you
The word "delight" comes from the Hebrew "חָפֵץ" (chaphets), meaning to take pleasure or have favor. David acknowledges the possibility that God might not find favor in him at this moment. This reflects a profound humility and recognition of God's sovereignty. Historically, this is a moment of crisis for David, as he faces the rebellion of his son Absalom. It serves as a reminder that God's favor is not to be presumed upon but is a gift of grace.

then here I am
This phrase signifies David's readiness to accept God's judgment. The Hebrew "הִנְנִי" (hineni) is a term of availability and submission, often used by prophets and patriarchs when responding to God's call (e.g., Abraham in Genesis 22:1). It underscores a posture of obedience and surrender, which is central to the life of faith.

let Him do to me
David's statement here is one of complete surrender to God's will. The Hebrew verb "עָשָׂה" (asah) means to do or make, indicating action. David is willing to accept whatever God decides, trusting in His wisdom and justice. This reflects a deep trust in God's character, even amidst uncertainty and potential suffering.

as He sees fit
The phrase "as He sees fit" is derived from the Hebrew "כַּאֲשֶׁר יִיטַב בְּעֵינָיו" (ka'asher yitav be'enav), meaning according to what is good in His eyes. This emphasizes God's omniscience and perfect judgment. David's faith is evident in his trust that whatever God decides will ultimately be for the best, even if it is not immediately apparent. This is a powerful testament to the belief in God's ultimate goodness and the call for believers to trust in His divine plan.

(26) Let him do to me as seemeth good.--David recognises that he is suffering under the punishment pronounced by Nathan for his sin, and he seeks to throw himself entirely into the hands of God, trusting in His mercy. (Comp. 2Samuel 24:14.) He is, therefore, unwilling to have the ark carried with him lest he should seem to undertake to compel the Divine presence and blessing. He feels sure that if God so will, he shall be brought again in peace; but if not, yet he will perfectly submit himself to God's ordering.

Verse 26. - Let him do to me as seemeth good unto him. David's answer is full, not only of devout resignation and trust in God, but is remarkable also for the absence of superstition. He feels that God will not judge him by any mere outward sign or privilege, but in truth and equity. If he deserves condemnation, he will not escape it by carrying the ark about with him. If, on the contrary, God accepts him, he will restore him to the enjoyment of his spiritual privileges, and bring him back to worship at the place which he has chosen for his dwelling. We must notice that he addresses these words to Zadok, who had remained with the ark. This was natural if Abiathar was occupied in offering, but hard to understand if he had gone up, that is, in advance of the ark, to acquaint David with their purpose.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But if
וְאִם֙ (wə·’im)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

He should say,
יֹאמַ֔ר (yō·mar)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘I do not
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

delight
חָפַ֖צְתִּי (ḥā·p̄aṣ·tî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 2654: To incline to, to bend, to be pleased with, desire

in you,’
בָּ֑ךְ (bāḵ)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

then here I am;
הִנְנִ֕י (hin·nî)
Interjection | first person common singular
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!

let Him do
יַֽעֲשֶׂה־ (ya·‘ă·śeh-)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

to me
לִּ֕י (lî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew

whatever
כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר (ka·’ă·šer)
Preposition-k | Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

seems good
ט֖וֹב (ṭō·wḇ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

to Him.”
בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ (bə·‘ê·nāw)
Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain


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OT History: 2 Samuel 15:26 But if he say thus I have (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 15:25
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