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2 Samuel 1-2

David Learns of the Deaths of Saul and Jonathan

1 After the death of Saul,^[a] when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites,^[b] he stayed at Ziklag^[c] for two days. ²On the third day a man arrived from the camp of Saul with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.^[d] When he approached David, the man^[e] threw himself to the ground.^[f]

³David asked him, “Where are you coming from?” He replied, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” ⁴David inquired, “How were things going?^[g] Tell me!” He replied, “The people fled from the battle and many of them^[h] fell dead.^[i] Even Saul and his son Jonathan are dead!” ⁵David said to the young man^[j] who was telling him this, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?”^[k] ⁶The young man^[l] said, “I just happened to be on Mount Gilboa and came across Saul leaning on his spear for support. The chariots and leaders of the horsemen were in hot pursuit of him. ⁷When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me. I answered, ‘Here I am!’ ⁸He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ I told him, ‘I’m^[m] an Amalekite.’ ⁹He said to me, ‘Stand over me and finish me off!^[n] I’m very dizzy,^[o] even though I’m still alive.’^[p] ¹⁰So I stood over him and put him to death, since I knew that he couldn’t live in such a condition.^[q] Then I took the crown which was on his head and the^[r] bracelet which was on his arm. I have brought them here to my lord.”^[s]

¹¹David then grabbed his own clothes^[t] and tore them, as did all the men who were with him. ¹²They lamented and wept and fasted until evening because Saul, his son Jonathan, the Lord’s army, and the house of Israel had fallen by the sword.

¹³David said to the young man who told this to him, “Where are you from?” He replied, “I am an Amalekite, the son of a resident foreigner.”^[u] ¹⁴David replied to him, “How is it that you were not afraid to reach out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” ¹⁵Then David called one of the soldiers^[v] and said, “Come here and strike him down!” So he struck him down, and he died. ¹⁶David said to him, “Your blood be on your own head! Your own mouth has testified against you, saying ‘I have put the Lord’s anointed to death.’”

David’s Tribute to Saul and Jonathan

¹⁷Then David chanted this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan. ¹⁸(He gave instructions that the people of Judah should be taught “The Bow.”^[w] Indeed, it is written down in the Scroll of the Upright One.)^[x]

¹⁹“The beauty^[y] of Israel lies slain on your high places!
How the mighty have fallen!
²⁰Don’t report it in Gath,
don’t spread the news in the streets of Ashkelon,^[z]
or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,
the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate!
²¹O mountains of Gilboa,
may there be no dew or rain on you, nor fields of grain offerings!^[aa]
For it was there that the shield of warriors was defiled;^[ab]
the shield of Saul lies neglected without oil.^[ac]
²²From the blood of the slain, from the fat of warriors,
the bow of Jonathan was not turned away.
The sword of Saul never returned^[ad] empty.
²³Saul and Jonathan were greatly loved^[ae] during their lives,
and not even in their deaths were they separated.
They were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions.
²⁴O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,
who clothed you in scarlet^[af] as well as jewelry,
who put gold jewelry on your clothes.
²⁵How the warriors have fallen
in the midst of battle!
Jonathan lies slain on your high places!
²⁶I grieve over you, my brother Jonathan.
You were very dear to me.
Your love was more special to me than the love of women.
²⁷How the warriors have fallen!
The weapons of war^[ag] are destroyed!

David is Anointed King

2 Afterward David inquired of the Lord, “Should I go up to one of the cities of Judah?” The Lord told him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where should I go?” The Lord replied,^[ah] “To Hebron.” ²So David went up, along with his two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelite and Abigail, formerly the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. ³David also brought along the men who were with him, each with his family. They settled in the cities^[ai] of Hebron. ⁴The men of Judah came and there they anointed David as king over the people^[aj] of Judah.

David was told,^[ak] “The people^[al] of Jabesh Gilead are the ones who buried Saul.” ⁵So David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh Gilead and told them, “May you be blessed by the Lord because you have shown this kindness^[am] to your lord Saul by burying him. ⁶Now may the Lord show you true kindness!^[an] I also will reward you,^[ao] because you have done this deed. ⁷Now be courageous^[ap] and prove to be valiant warriors, for your lord Saul is dead. The people of Judah have anointed me as king over them.”

David’s Army Clashes with the Army of Saul

⁸Now Abner son of Ner, the general in command of Saul’s army, had taken Saul’s son Ish Bosheth^[aq] and had brought him to Mahanaim. ⁹He appointed him king over Gilead, the Geshurites,^[ar] Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and all Israel. ¹⁰Ish Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he began to rule over Israel. He ruled two years. However, the people^[as] of Judah followed David. ¹¹David was king in Hebron over the people of Judah for seven-and-a-half years.^[at]

¹²Then Abner son of Ner and the servants of Ish Bosheth son of Saul went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. ¹³Joab son of Zeruiah and the servants of David also went out and confronted them at the pool of Gibeon. One group stationed themselves on one side of the pool, and the other group on the other side of the pool. ¹⁴Abner said to Joab, “Let the soldiers get up and fight^[au] before us.” Joab said, “So be it!”^[av]

¹⁵So they got up and crossed over by number: twelve belonging to Benjamin and to Ish Bosheth son of Saul, and twelve from the servants of David. ¹⁶As they grappled with one another, each one stabbed his opponent with his sword and they fell dead together.^[aw] So that place is called the Field of Flints;^[ax] it is in Gibeon.

¹⁷Now the battle was very severe that day; Abner and the men of Israel were overcome by David’s soldiers.^[ay] ¹⁸The three sons of Zeruiah were there—Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. (Now Asahel was as quick on his feet as one of the gazelles in the field.) ¹⁹Asahel chased Abner, without turning to the right or to the left as he followed Abner.

²⁰Then Abner turned and asked, “Is that you, Asahel?” He replied, “Yes it is!” ²¹Abner said to him, “Turn aside to your right or to your left. Capture one of the soldiers^[az] and take his equipment for yourself!” But Asahel was not willing to turn aside from following him. ²²So Abner spoke again to Asahel, “Turn aside from following me! I do not want to strike you to the ground.^[ba] How then could I show^[bb] my face in the presence of Joab your brother?” ²³But Asahel^[bc] refused to turn aside. So Abner struck him in the abdomen with the back end of his^[bd] spear. The spear came out his back; Asahel^[be] collapsed on the spot and died there right before Abner.^[bf] Everyone who came to the place where Asahel fell dead paused in respect.^[bg]

²⁴So Joab and Abishai chased Abner. At sunset they came to the hill of Ammah near Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. ²⁵The Benjaminites formed their ranks^[bh] behind Abner and were like a single army, standing at the top of a certain hill.

²⁶Then Abner called out to Joab, “Must the sword devour forever? Don’t you realize that this will turn bitter in the end? When will you tell the people to turn aside from pursuing their brothers?” ²⁷Joab replied, “As surely as God lives, if you had not said this, it would have been morning before the people would have abandoned pursuit^[bi] of their brothers.” ²⁸Then Joab blew the ram’s horn and all the people stopped in their tracks.^[bj] They stopped chasing Israel and ceased fighting.^[bk] ²⁹Abner and his men went through the rift valley^[bl] all that night. They crossed the Jordan River^[bm] and went through the whole region of Bitron^[bn] and came to Mahanaim.

³⁰Now Joab returned from chasing Abner and assembled all the people. Nineteen of David’s soldiers were missing, in addition to Asahel. ³¹But David’s soldiers had slaughtered the Benjaminites and Abner’s men—in all, 360 men had died! ³²They took Asahel’s body and buried him in his father’s tomb at Bethlehem. Joab and his men then traveled all that night and reached Hebron by dawn.

Footnotes

2 Samuel 1:1 sn This chapter is closely linked to 1 Sam 31. It should be kept in mind that 1 and 2 Samuel were originally a single book, not separate volumes. Whereas in English Bible tradition the books of Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and Ezra-Nehemiah are each regarded as two separate books, this was not the practice in ancient Hebrew tradition. Early canonical records, for example, counted them as single books respectively. The division into two books goes back to the Greek translation of the OT and was probably initiated because of the cumbersome length of copies due to the Greek practice (unlike that of Hebrew) of writing vowels. The present division into two books can be a little misleading in terms of perceiving the progression of the argument of the book; in some ways it is preferable to treat the books of 1-2 Samuel in a unified fashion.
2 Samuel 1:1 sn The Amalekites were a nomadic people who inhabited Judah and the Transjordan. They are mentioned in Gen 36:15-16 as descendants of Amalek who in turn descended from Esau. In Exod 17:8-16 they are described as having acted in a hostile fashion toward Israel as the Israelites traveled to Canaan from Egypt. In David’s time the Amalekites were viewed as dangerous enemies who raided, looted, and burned Israelite cities (see 1 Sam 30).
2 Samuel 1:1 sn Ziklag was a city in the Negev which had been given to David by Achish king of Gath. For more than a year David used it as a base from which he conducted military expeditions (see 1 Sam 27:5-12). According to 1 Sam 30:1-19, Ziklag was destroyed by the Amalekites while Saul fought the Philistines.
2 Samuel 1:2 sn Tearing one’s clothing and throwing dirt on one’s head were outward expressions of grief in the ancient Near East, where such demonstrable reactions were a common response to tragic news.
2 Samuel 1:2 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man mentioned at the beginning of v. 2) has been specified in the translation to avoid confusion as to who fell to the ground.
2 Samuel 1:2 tn Heb “he fell to the ground and did obeisance.”
2 Samuel 1:4 tn Heb “What was the word?”
2 Samuel 1:4 tn Heb “from the people.”
2 Samuel 1:4 tn Heb “fell and died.”
2 Samuel 1:5 tn In v. 2 he is called simply a “man.” The word used here in v. 5 (so also in vv. 6, 13, 15), though usually referring to a young man or servant, may in this context designate a “fighting” man, i.e., a soldier.
2 Samuel 1:5 tc Instead of the MT “who was recounting this to him, ‘How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?’” the Syriac Peshitta reads “declare to me how Saul and his son Jonathan died.”
2 Samuel 1:6 tc The translation follows the Syriac Peshitta and one ms of the LXX; MT adds “who was telling him this.”
2 Samuel 1:8 tc The present translation reads with the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss “and I said,” rather than the Kethib which has “and he said.” See the LXX, Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate, all of which have the first person.
2 Samuel 1:9 tn As P. K. McCarter (II Samuel [AB], 59) points out, the Polel of the verb מוּת (mut, “to die”) “refers to dispatching or ‘finishing off’ someone already wounded and near death.” Cf. NLT “put me out of my misery.”
2 Samuel 1:9 tn Heb “the dizziness has seized me.” On the meaning of the Hebrew noun translated “dizziness,” see P. K. McCarter, II Samuel (AB), 59-60. The point seems to be that he is unable to kill himself because he is weak and disoriented.
2 Samuel 1:9 tn The Hebrew text here is grammatically very awkward (Heb “because all still my life in me”). Whether the broken construct phrase is due to the fact that the alleged speaker is in a confused state of mind as he is on the verge of dying, or whether the MT has sustained a defect in the transmission process, is not entirely clear. The former seems likely, although P. K. McCarter understands the MT to be the result of conflation of two shorter forms of text (P. K. McCarter, II Samuel [AB], 57, n. 9). Early translators also struggled with the verse, apparently choosing to leave part of the Hebrew text untranslated. For example, the Lucianic recension of the LXX lacks “all,” while other witnesses (namely, one medieval Hebrew ms, codices A and B of the LXX, and the Syriac Peshitta) lack “still.”
2 Samuel 1:10 tn Heb “after his falling”; NAB “could not survive his wound”; CEV “was too badly wounded to live much longer.”
2 Samuel 1:10 tc The MT lacks the definite article, but this is may be due to textual transmission error. It is preferable to read the א (alef) of אֶצְעָדָה (ʾetsʿadah) as a ה (he) giving הַצְּעָדָה (hats^eʿadah). There is no reason to think that the soldier confiscated from Saul’s dead body only one of two or more bracelets that he was wearing (cf. NLT “one of his bracelets”).
2 Samuel 1:10 sn The claims that the soldier is making here seem to contradict the story of Saul’s death as presented in 1 Sam 31:3-5. In that passage it appears that Saul took his own life, not that he was slain by a passerby who happened on the scene. Some scholars account for the discrepancy by supposing that conflicting accounts have been brought together in the MT. However, it is likely that the young man is here fabricating the account in a self-serving way so as to gain favor with David, or so he supposes. He probably had come across Saul’s corpse, stolen the crown and bracelet from the body, and now hopes to curry favor with David by handing over to him these emblems of Saul’s royalty. But in so doing the Amalekite greatly miscalculated David’s response to this alleged participation in Saul’s death. The consequence of his lies will instead be his own death.
2 Samuel 1:11 tc The present translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading “his garments,” rather than “his garment,” the reading of the Kethib.
2 Samuel 1:13 sn Hebrew has more than one word for foreigners. Since the Amalekites were obviously not Israelites and were “inhabitants of the land” (1 Sam 27:8), adding the description ger (גֵּר) must carry more significance than just “foreigner” and “resident.” In Mosaic Law the ger (גֵּר) could join the covenant, be circumcised, offer sacrifices to the Lord, celebrate the festivals with Israel, were given equal protection under the law, and received some social welfare along with the Levites. (See notes at Exod 12:19 and Deut 29:11.) These ger (גֵּר) appear to be converts or naturalized citizens with minimally different rights (they could not own land, just houses). The young man is probably positioning himself as someone loyal to Israel, consistent the description that he came from the camp of Saul/Israel (vss 2-3). He certainly would not want to be considered one of the Amalekites that David had just fought against (vs 1). This may also explain David’s expectation that he should know better than to slay the Lord’s anointed (as Saul’s armor-bearer would not do in the true account in 1 Sam 31:4).
2 Samuel 1:15 tn Heb “young men.”
2 Samuel 1:18 tn Heb “be taught the bow.” The reference to “the bow” is very difficult here. Some interpreters (e.g., S. R. Driver, P. K. McCarter, Jr.) suggest deleting the word from the text (cf. NAB, TEV), but there does not seem to be sufficient evidence for doing so. Others (cf. KJV) understand the reference to be elliptical, meaning “the use of the bow.” The verse would then imply that with the deaths of Saul and Jonathan having occurred, a period of trying warfare is about to begin, requiring adequate preparation for war on the part of the younger generation. Various other views may also be found in the secondary literature. However, it seems best to understand the word here to be a reference to the name of a song (i.e., “The Bow”), most likely the poem that follows in vv. 19-27 (cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV, CEV, NLT); NIV “this lament of the bow.”
2 Samuel 1:18 sn The Scroll of the Upright One (or The Book of Yashar) is a noncanonical writing which has not been preserved. Mentioned here and in Josh 10:12-13, it apparently was “a collection of ancient national poetry” (so BDB 449 s.v. יָשָׁר).
2 Samuel 1:19 sn The word beauty is used figuratively here to refer to Saul and Jonathan.
2 Samuel 1:20 sn The cities of Gath and Ashkelon are mentioned here by synecdoche of part for the whole. As major Philistine cities they in fact represent all of Philistia. The point is that when the sad news of fallen Israelite leadership reaches the Philistines, it will be for these enemies of Israel the occasion of great joy rather than grief.
2 Samuel 1:21 tc Instead of the MT’s “fields of grain offerings” the Lucianic recension of the LXX reads “your high places are mountains of death.” Cf. the Old Latin montes mortis (“mountains of death”).
2 Samuel 1:21 tn This is the only biblical occurrence of the Niphal of the verb גָּעַל (gaʿal). This verb usually has the sense of “to abhor” or “loathe.” But here it seems to refer to the now dirty and unprotected condition of a previously well-maintained instrument of battle.
2 Samuel 1:21 tc It is preferable to read here Hebrew מָשׁוּחַ (mashuakh) with many Hebrew mss, rather than מָשִׁיחַ (mashiakh) of the MT. Although the Syriac Peshitta understands the statement to pertain to Saul, the point here is not that Saul is not anointed. Rather, it is the shield of Saul that lies discarded and is no longer anointed. In ancient Near Eastern practice a warrior’s shield that was in normal use would have to be anointed regularly in order to ensure that the leather did not become dry and brittle. Like other warriors of his day Saul would have carefully maintained his tools of trade. But now that he is dead, the once-cared-for shield of the mighty warrior lies sadly discarded and woefully neglected, a silent but eloquent commentary on how different things are now compared to the way they were during Saul’s lifetime.
2 Samuel 1:22 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form is used here to indicate repeated past action.
2 Samuel 1:23 tn Heb “beloved and dear.”
2 Samuel 1:24 sn Clothing of scarlet was expensive and beyond the financial reach of most people.
2 Samuel 1:27 sn The expression weapons of war may here be a figurative way of referring to Saul and Jonathan.
2 Samuel 2:1 tn Heb “he said.” The referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
2 Samuel 2:3 tc The expression “the cities of Hebron” is odd; we would expect the noun to be in the singular, if used at all. Although the Syriac Peshitta has the expected reading “in Hebron,” the MT is clearly the more difficult reading and should probably be retained here.
2 Samuel 2:4 tn Heb “house.”
2 Samuel 2:4 tn Heb “and they told David.” The subject appears to be indefinite, allowing one to translate the verb as passive with David as subject.
2 Samuel 2:4 tn Heb “men.”
2 Samuel 2:5 tn Or “loyalty.”
2 Samuel 2:6 tn Or “loyalty and devotion.”
2 Samuel 2:6 tn Heb “will do with you this good.”
2 Samuel 2:7 tn Heb “let your hands be strong.”
2 Samuel 2:8 sn The name Ish Bosheth means in Hebrew “man of shame.” It presupposes an earlier form such as Ish Baal (“man of the Lord”), with the word “baal” being used of Israel’s God. But because the Canaanite storm god was named “Baal,” that part of the name was later replaced with the word “shame.”
2 Samuel 2:9 tc The MT here reads “the Ashurite,” but this is problematic if it is taken to mean “the Assyrian.” Ish Bosheth’s kingdom obviously was not of such proportions as to extend to Assyria. The Syriac Peshitta and the Vulgate render the word as “the Geshurite,” while the Targum has “of the house of Ashur.” We should probably emend the Hebrew text to read “the Geshurite.” The Geshurites lived in the northeastern part of the land of Palestine.
2 Samuel 2:10 tn Heb “house.”
2 Samuel 2:11 tn Heb “And the number of the days in which David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.”
2 Samuel 2:14 tn Heb “play.” What is in view here is a gladiatorial contest in which representative groups of soldiers engage in mortal combat before the watching armies. Cf. NAB “perform for us”; NASB “hold (have NRSV) a contest before us”; NLT “put on an exhibition of hand-to-hand combat.”
2 Samuel 2:14 tn Heb “let them arise.”
2 Samuel 2:16 tn Heb “and they grabbed each one the head of his neighbor with his sword in the side of his neighbor and they fell together.”
2 Samuel 2:16 tn The meaning of the name “Helkath Hazzurim” (so NIV; KJV, NASB, NRSV similar) is not clear. BHK relates the name to the Hebrew term for “side,” and this is reflected in NAB “the Field of the Sides”; the Greek OT revocalizes the Hebrew to mean something like “Field of Adversaries.” Cf. also TEV, NLT “Field of Swords”; CEV “Field of Daggers.”
2 Samuel 2:17 tn Heb “servants.” So also elsewhere.
2 Samuel 2:21 tn Heb “young men.” So also elsewhere.
2 Samuel 2:22 tn Heb “Why should I strike you to the ground?”
2 Samuel 2:22 tn Heb “lift.”
2 Samuel 2:23 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Asahel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 Samuel 2:23 tn Heb “the.” The article functions here as a possessive pronoun.
2 Samuel 2:23 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Asahel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 Samuel 2:23 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Abner) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
2 Samuel 2:23 tn Heb “and they stand.”
2 Samuel 2:25 tn Heb “were gathered together.”
2 Samuel 2:27 tn The Hebrew verb נַעֲלָה (naʿalah) used here is the Niphal perfect third person masculine singular of עָלָה (ʿalah, “to go up”). In the Niphal this verb “is used idiomatically, of getting away from so as to abandon…especially of an army raising a siege…” (see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 244).
2 Samuel 2:28 tn Heb “stood.”
2 Samuel 2:28 tn Heb “they no longer chased after Israel and they no longer fought.”
2 Samuel 2:29 sn The rift valley is a large geographic feature extending from Galilee to the Gulf of Aqaba. Here only a section of the Jordan Valley is in view.
2 Samuel 2:29 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
2 Samuel 2:29 tn Heb “and they went, all the Bitron.” The meaning of the Hebrew word “Bitron,” which is used only here in the OT, is disputed. The translation above follows BDB 144 s.v. בִּתְרוֹן in taking the word to be a proper name of an area east of the Jordan. A different understanding was advocated by W. R. Arnold, who took the word to refer to the forenoon or morning; a number of modern scholars and translations have adopted this view (cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, CEV, NLT). See W. R. Arnold, “The Meaning of בתרון,” AJSL 28 (1911-1912): 274-83 and HALOT 167 s.v. In this case one could translate “and they traveled all morning long.”

Luke 14:1-24

Healing Again on the Sabbath

14 Now^[a] one Sabbath when Jesus went to dine^[b] at the house of a leader^[c] of the Pharisees,^[d] they were watching^[e] him closely. ²There^[f] right^[g] in front of him was a man whose body was swollen with fluid.^[h] ³So^[i] Jesus asked^[j] the experts in religious law^[k] and the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath^[l] or not?” ⁴But they remained silent. So^[m] Jesus^[n] took hold of the man,^[o] healed him, and sent him away.^[p] ⁵Then^[q] he said to them, “Which of you, if you have a son^[r] or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” ⁶But^[s] they could not reply^[t] to this.

On Seeking Seats of Honor

⁷Then^[u] when Jesus^[v] noticed how the guests^[w] chose the places of honor,^[x] he told them a parable. He said to them, ⁸“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast,^[y] do not take^[z] the place of honor, because a person more distinguished than you may have been invited by your host.^[aa] ⁹So^[ab] the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your place.’ Then, ashamed,^[ac] you will begin to move to the least important^[ad] place. ¹⁰But when you are invited, go and take the least important place, so that when your host^[ae] approaches he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up here to a better place.’^[af] Then you will be honored in the presence of all who share the meal with you. ¹¹For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but^[ag] the one who humbles^[ah] himself will be exalted.”

¹²He^[ai] said also to the man^[aj] who had invited him, “When you host a dinner or a banquet,^[ak] don’t invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors so you can be invited by them in return and get repaid. ¹³But when you host an elaborate meal,^[al] invite the poor, the crippled,^[am] the lame, and^[an] the blind.^[ao] ¹⁴Then^[ap] you will be blessed,^[aq] because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid^[ar] at the resurrection of the righteous.”

The Parable of the Great Banquet

¹⁵When^[as] one of those at the meal with Jesus^[at] heard this, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone^[au] who will feast^[av] in the kingdom of God!”^[aw] ¹⁶But Jesus^[ax] said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet^[ay] and invited^[az] many guests.^[ba] ¹⁷At^[bb] the time for the banquet^[bc] he sent his slave^[bd] to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’ ¹⁸But one after another they all^[be] began to make excuses.^[bf] The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field,^[bg] and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me.’^[bh] ¹⁹Another^[bi] said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen,^[bj] and I am going out^[bk] to examine them. Please excuse me.’ ²⁰Another^[bl] said, ‘I just got married, and I cannot come.’^[bm] ²¹So^[bn] the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the master of the household was furious^[bo] and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly^[bp] to the streets and alleys of the city,^[bq] and bring in the poor,^[br] the crippled,^[bs] the blind, and the lame.’ ²²Then^[bt] the slave said, ‘Sir, what you instructed has been done, and there is still room.’^[bu] ²³So^[bv] the master said to his^[bw] slave, ‘Go out to the highways^[bx] and country roads^[by] and urge^[bz] people^[ca] to come in, so that my house will be filled.^[cb] ²⁴For I tell you, not one of those individuals^[cc] who were invited^[cd] will taste my banquet!’”^[ce]

Footnotes

Luke 14:1 tn Grk “Now it happened that one.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
Luke 14:1 tn Grk “to eat bread,” an idiom for participating in a meal.
Luke 14:1 tn Grk “a ruler of the Pharisees.” He was probably a synagogue official.
Luke 14:1 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
Luke 14:1 sn Watching…closely is a graphic term meaning to lurk and watch; see Luke 11:53-54.
Luke 14:2 tn Grk “And there.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
Luke 14:2 tn Grk “behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1). Here it has been translated as “right” in the phrase “right in front of him,” giving a similar effect of vividness in the translation.
Luke 14:2 sn This condition called edema or dropsy involves swollen limbs resulting from the accumulation of fluid in the body’s tissues, especially the legs.
Luke 14:3 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the sequence of events (Jesus’ question was prompted by the man’s appearance).
Luke 14:3 tn Grk “Jesus, answering, said.” This is redundant in contemporary English. In addition, since the context does not describe a previous question to Jesus (although one may well be implied), the phrase has been translated here as “Jesus asked.”
Luke 14:3 tn That is, experts in the interpretation of the Mosaic law (traditionally, “lawyers”).
Luke 14:3 sn “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” Will the Pharisees and experts in religious law defend tradition and speak out against doing good on the Sabbath? Has anything at all been learned since Luke 13:10-17? Has repentance come (13:6-9)?
Luke 14:4 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the sequence of events (Jesus’ healing the man was in response to their refusal to answer).
Luke 14:4 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 14:4 tn Grk “taking hold [of the man].” The participle ἐπιλαβόμενος (epilabomenos) has been taken as indicating attendant circumstance.
Luke 14:4 tn Or “and let him go.”
Luke 14:5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
Luke 14:5 tc Here “son,” found in P^45,75 (A) B W M, is the preferred reading. The other reading, “donkey” (found in א K L Ψ ƒ^1,13 33 579 892 1241 2542 al lat bo), looks like an assimilation to Luke 13:15 and Deut 22:4; Isa 32:20, and was perhaps motivated by an attempt to soften the unusual collocation of “son” and “ox.” The Western ms D differs from all others and reads “sheep.”
Luke 14:6 tn καί (kai) has been translated here as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context. The experts, who should be expected to know the law, are unable to respond to Jesus’ question.
Luke 14:6 sn They could not reply. Twice in the scene, the experts remain silent (see v. 4). That, along with the presence of power working through Jesus, serves to indicate endorsement of his work and message.
Luke 14:7 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
Luke 14:7 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 14:7 tn Grk “those who were invited.”
Luke 14:7 tn Or “the best places.” The “places of honor” at the meal would be those closest to the host.
Luke 14:8 tn Or “banquet.” This may not refer only to a wedding feast, because this term can have broader sense (note the usage in Esth 2:18; 9:22 LXX). However, this difference does not affect the point of the parable.
Luke 14:8 tn Grk “do not recline in the place of honor.” 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
Luke 14:8 tn Grk “by him”; the referent (the host) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 14:9 tn Grk “host, and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate this action is a result of the situation described in the previous verse. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
Luke 14:9 tn Or “then in disgrace”; Grk “with shame.” In this culture avoiding shame was important.
Luke 14:9 tn Grk “lowest place” (also in the repetition of the phrase in the next verse).
Luke 14:10 tn Grk “the one who invited you.”
Luke 14:10 tn Grk “Go up higher.” This means to move to a more important place.
Luke 14:11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context, which involves the reversal of expected roles.
Luke 14:11 sn The point of the statement the one who humbles himself will be exalted is humility and the reversal imagery used to underline it is common: Luke 1:52-53; 6:21; 10:15; 18:14.
Luke 14:12 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
Luke 14:12 sn That is, the leader of the Pharisees (v. 1).
Luke 14:12 tn The meaning of the two terms for meals here, ἄριστον (ariston) and δεῖπνον (deipnon), essentially overlap (L&N 23.22). Translators usually try to find two terms for a meal to use as equivalents (e.g., lunch and dinner, dinner and supper, etc.). In this translation “dinner” and “banquet” have been used, since the expected presence of rich neighbors later in the verse suggests a rather more elaborate occasion than an ordinary meal.
Luke 14:13 tn This term, δοχή (dochē), is a third term for a meal (see v. 12) that could also be translated “banquet, feast.”
Luke 14:13 sn Normally the term means crippled as a result of being maimed or mutilated (L&N 23.177).
Luke 14:13 tn Here “and” has been supplied between the last two elements in the series in keeping with English style.
Luke 14:13 sn This list of needy is like Luke 7:22. See Deut 14:28-29; 16:11-14; 26:11-13.
Luke 14:14 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate that this follows from the preceding action. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
Luke 14:14 sn You will be blessed. God notes and approves of such generosity.
Luke 14:14 sn The passive verb will be repaid looks at God’s commendation.
Luke 14:15 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
Luke 14:15 tn The reference to “Jesus” has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 14:15 tn Grk “whoever” (the indefinite relative pronoun). This has been translated as “everyone who” to conform to contemporary English style.
Luke 14:15 tn Or “will dine”; Grk “eat bread.” This refers to those who enjoy the endless fellowship of God’s coming rule.
Luke 14:15 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus’ teaching. The nature of the kingdom of God in the NT and in Jesus’ teaching has long been debated by interpreters and scholars, with discussion primarily centering around the nature of the kingdom (earthly, heavenly, or both) and the kingdom’s arrival (present, future, or both). An additional major issue concerns the relationship between the kingdom of God and the person and work of Jesus himself. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.
Luke 14:16 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 14:16 tn Or “dinner.”
Luke 14:16 sn Presumably those invited would have sent a reply with the invitation stating their desire to attend, much like a modern R.S.V.P. Then they waited for the servant to announce the beginning of the celebration (D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT], 2:1272).
Luke 14:16 tn The word “guests” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
Luke 14:17 tn Grk “And at.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
Luke 14:17 tn Or “dinner.”
Luke 14:17 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.
Luke 14:18 tn Or “all unanimously” (BDAG 107 s.v. ἀπό 6). “One after another” is suggested by L&N 61.2.
Luke 14:18 sn To make excuses and cancel at this point was an insult in the culture of the time. Regardless of customs concerning responses to invitations, refusal at this point was rude.
Luke 14:18 sn I have bought a field. An examination of newly bought land was a common practice. It was this person’s priority.
Luke 14:18 sn The expression Please excuse me is probably a polite way of refusing, given the dynamics of the situation, although it is important to note that an initial acceptance had probably been indicated and it was now a bit late for a refusal. The semantic equivalent of the phrase may well be “please accept my apologies.”
Luke 14:19 tn Grk “And another.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
Luke 14:19 sn Five yoke of oxen. This was a wealthy man, because the normal farmer had one or two yoke of oxen.
Luke 14:19 tn The translation “going out” for πορεύομαι (poreuomai) is used because “going” in this context could be understood to mean “I am about to” rather than the correct nuance, “I am on my way to.”
Luke 14:20 tn Grk “And another.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
Luke 14:20 sn I just got married, and I cannot come. There is no request to be excused here; just a refusal. Why this disqualifies attendance is not clear. The OT freed a newly married man from certain responsibilities such as serving in the army (Deut 20:7; 24:5), but that would hardly apply to a banquet. The invitation is not respected in any of the three cases.
Luke 14:21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the preceding responses.
Luke 14:21 tn Grk “being furious, said.” The participle ὀργισθείς (orgistheis) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
Luke 14:21 sn It was necessary to go out quickly because the banquet was already prepared. All the food would spoil if not eaten immediately.
Luke 14:21 tn Or “town.”
Luke 14:21 sn The poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame. Note how the list matches v. 13, illustrating that point. Note also how the party goes on; it is not postponed until a later date. Instead new guests are invited.
Luke 14:21 tn Grk “and the crippled.” Normally crippled as a result of being maimed or mutilated (L&N 23.177). Καί (kai) has not been translated here and before the following category (Grk “and the blind and the lame”) since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
Luke 14:22 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the order of events within the parable.
Luke 14:22 sn And still there is room. This comment suggests the celebration was quite a big one, picturing the openness of God’s grace.
Luke 14:23 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the master’s response to the slave’s report.
Luke 14:23 tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
Luke 14:23 sn Go out to the highways and country roads. This suggests the inclusion of people outside the town, even beyond the needy (poor, crippled, blind, and lame) in the town, and so is an allusion to the inclusion of the Gentiles.
Luke 14:23 tn The Greek word φραγμός (phragmos) refers to a fence, wall, or hedge surrounding a vineyard (BDAG 1064 s.v. 1). “Highways” and “country roads” probably refer not to separate places, but to the situation outside the town where the rural roads run right alongside the hedges or fences surrounding the fields (cf. J. A. Fitzmyer, Luke [AB], 1057).
Luke 14:23 tn Traditionally “force” or “compel,” but according to BDAG 60 s.v. ἀναγκάζω 2 this is a weakened nuance: “strongly urge/invite.” The meaning in this context is more like “persuade.”
Luke 14:23 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
Luke 14:23 sn So that my house will be filled. God will bless many people.
Luke 14:24 tn The Greek word here is ἀνήρ (anēr), which frequently stresses males or husbands (in contrast to women or wives). However, the emphasis in the present context is on identifying these individuals as the ones previously invited, examples of which were given in vv. 18-20. Cf. also BDAG 79 s.v. ἀνήρ 2.
Luke 14:24 sn None of those individuals who were invited. This is both the point and the warning. To be a part of the original invitation does not mean one automatically has access to blessing. One must respond when the summons comes in order to participate. The summons came in the person of Jesus and his proclamation of the kingdom. The statement here refers to the fact that many in Israel will not be blessed with participation, for they have ignored the summons when it came.
Luke 14:24 tn Or “dinner.”

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Old/New Testament

David Learns of the Deaths of Saul and Jonathan

David’s Tribute to Saul and Jonathan

David is Anointed King

David’s Army Clashes with the Army of Saul

Footnotes

Healing Again on the Sabbath

On Seeking Seats of Honor

The Parable of the Great Banquet

Footnotes