2 Samuel 15:3

3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.”

2 Samuel 15:3 in Other Translations

3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.

3 Absalom would say to him, "See, your claims are good and right, but there is no man designated by the king to hear you."

3 Then Absalom would say, “You’ve really got a strong case here! It’s too bad the king doesn’t have anyone to hear it.

3 Then Absalom would say, "Look, you've got a strong case; but the king isn't going to listen to you."

3 Absalom said to him, "Look, your claims are good and right, but the king does not have anyone to listen to you."

2 Samuel 15:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 15:3

And Absalom said unto him
After some further talk, and finding he had a suit at law to bring on, and either seeing it drawn up in writing, or hearing his account of it, at once declared, without hearing the other party:

see, thy matters [are] good and right;
thy cause is a good cause, and if it could be heard by proper persons there is no doubt but things would go on thy side, and thou wouldest carry thy cause:

but [there is] no man [deputed] of the king to hear thee;
the king is grown old himself and his sons are negligent, and do not attend to business, and there are none besides them appointed to hear causes; and he suggested, as appears by what follows, that he was not in commission, but if he was, or should he appointed a judge, he would attend to business, and people should not go away after this manner, without having justice administered unto them,

2 Samuel 15:3 In-Context

1 In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him.

2 He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.”

3 Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.”

4 And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”

5 Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him.

Cross References

• 1. Proverbs 12:2