2 Samuel 14:11

9 And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, the iniquity be on me, and on my father’s house: and the king and his throne be guiltless.

10 And the king said, Whosoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

12 Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

13 And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his banished.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
“Please,” she replied, “may the king invoke the LORD your God to prevent the avenger of blood from increasing the devastation, so that my son may not be destroyed!” “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “not a hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.”
KJV
Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.
WEB
Then she said, “Please let the king remember the LORD your God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son.” He said, “As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the earth.”
ASV
Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember Jehovah thy God, that the avenger of blood destroy not any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As Jehovah liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.
DARBY
Then she said, I pray thee, let the king remember Jehovah thy God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy any more, lest they cut off my son. And he said, [As] Jehovah liveth, there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.
BLB
And she said, “Please let the king remember YHWH your God, and do not let add the avenger of blood to destroy. And they do not destroy my son.” And he said, “[As] YHWH lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.”
ÅB
Da sa hun: Kongen komme Herren sin Gud i hu, så ikke blodhevneren skal volde enda mere ulykke, og de ikke får ryddet min sønn av veien. Han svarte: Så sant Herren lever: Det skal ikke falle et hår av din sønns hode til jorden.
OTB
Da sa hun, “Vær så snill, la kongen huske Herren din Gud, at blodhevneren ikke må ødelegge mer, slik at de ikke eliminerer min sønn.” Og han sa, “Så sant Herren lever, ikke et hår av din sønn skal falle til jorden.”
B1930
Da sa hun: Kongen komme Herren sin Gud i hu, så ikke blodhevneren skal volde ennu mere ulykke, og de ikke får ryddet min sønn av veien. Han svarte: Så sant Herren lever: Det skal ikke falle et hår av din sønns hode til jorden.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Samuel 14:45

    And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not.

    Read in context
  • Matthew 10:30

    But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

    Read in context
  • Numbers 35:19

    The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.

    Read in context
  • Acts 27:34

    Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 1:52

    And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.

    Read in context
  • Numbers 35:21

    Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 19:4–10

    And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 20:42

    And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

    Read in context