2 Samuel 15:5

5 Whenever someone would treat him with special honor, he'd shrug it off and treat him like an equal, making him feel important.

2 Samuel 15:5 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 15:5

And it was [so], that when any man came nigh [to him] to do him
obeisance
To pay his respects, and bow to him, as being the king's son, a prince of the blood, and heir to the crown, as was supposed:

he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him;
he put out his hand and shook hands with him, or took him about the neck and kissed him, and by this free, familiar, affable, and courteous manner, strangely won upon and gained the affections of the people, as follows. Fortunatus Schacchus F5 thinks he put forth his hand to be kissed by them, and then kissed them, which was more than was usual.


FOOTNOTES:

F5 Eloeochrism. Myrothec. l. 3. c. 34. col. 964.

2 Samuel 15:5 In-Context

3 Then Absalom would say, "Look, you've got a strong case; but the king isn't going to listen to you."
4 Then he'd say, "Why doesn't someone make me a judge for this country? Anybody with a case could bring it to me and I'd settle things fair and square."
5 Whenever someone would treat him with special honor, he'd shrug it off and treat him like an equal, making him feel important.
6 Absalom did this to everyone who came to do business with the king and stole the hearts of everyone in Israel.
7 After four years of this, Absalom spoke to the king, "Let me go to Hebron to pay a vow that I made to God.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.