The Meaning of 2 Samuel 3:13 Explained

2 Samuel 3:13

KJV: And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

YLT: And he saith, 'Good -- I make with thee a covenant; only, one thing I am asking of thee, that is, Thou dost not see my face, except thou dost first bring in Michal, daughter of Saul in thy coming into see my face.'

Darby: And he said, Well, I will make a covenant with thee; only I require one thing of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

ASV: And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee; but one thing I require of thee: that is, thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he said,  Well;  I will make  a league  with thee: but one  thing  I require  of thee, that is,  Thou shalt not see  my face,  except thou first  bring  Michal  Saul's  daughter,  when thou comest  to see  my face. 

What does 2 Samuel 3:13 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 3:12-21 - Abner Wins David's Favor
We cannot defend David's request for Michal to be restored to him. It inflicted bitter pain on an apparently happy pair, and Michal's revenge stung him to the quick, 2 Samuel 6:20. But he may have felt it right to insist on his legal status as son-in-law to the late king. It was, however, a needless precaution, as they who wait on God can dispense with expedients which are esteemed by worldly prudence.
With this exception David maintained a passive policy. The overtures for the transference of the kingdom were made by Abner. It was he who communicated with Israel and Benjamin, and then with David. Thus great events may move around us while we live in the center of God's will in perfect peace. We must be willing to respond to the stirring bugle-call to action, but we must also have our waiting-times, when the soul is learning to possess itself in patience. The long summer days are needed to prepare for the autumn ingatherings; and the hours spent in Horeb and Carmel prepare for the stirring part that God's servants must play in the history of their time. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 3

1  During the war David becomes stronger
2  Six sons are born to him in Hebron
6  Abner, displeased with Ishbosheth
7  revolts to David
13  David requires as a condition to bring him his wife Michal
17  Abner confers with the Israelites, feasted by David, and dismissed
22  Joab returning from battle, is displeased with the king, and kills Abner
28  David curses Joab
31  and mourns for Abner

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 3:13 mean?

And [David] said Good I will make with you a covenant but thing one I require of you namely not you shall see - my face except unless before the face of you first bring - Michal daughter of Saul when you come to see my face -
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ט֔וֹב אֲנִ֕י אֶכְרֹ֥ת אִתְּךָ֖ בְּרִ֑ית אַ֣ךְ דָּבָ֣ר אֶחָ֡ד אָנֹכִי֩ שֹׁאֵ֨ל מֵאִתְּךָ֤ לֵאמֹר֙ לֹא־ תִרְאֶ֣ה אֶת־ פָּנַ֔י כִּ֣י ׀ אִם־ לִפְנֵ֣י הֱבִיאֲךָ֗ אֵ֚ת מִיכַ֣ל בַּת־ שָׁא֔וּל בְּבֹאֲךָ֖ לִרְא֥וֹת פָּנָֽי ס

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  [David]  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
ט֔וֹב  Good 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
אֶכְרֹ֥ת  will  make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
אִתְּךָ֖  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
בְּרִ֑ית  a  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
דָּבָ֣ר  thing 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אֶחָ֡ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
שֹׁאֵ֨ל  require 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
מֵאִתְּךָ֤  of  you 
Parse: Preposition-m, second person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
לֵאמֹר֙  namely 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
תִרְאֶ֣ה  you  shall  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
פָּנַ֔י  my  face 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
כִּ֣י ׀  except 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
אִם־  unless 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
לִפְנֵ֣י  before  the  face  of 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הֱבִיאֲךָ֗  you  first  bring 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֵ֚ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מִיכַ֣ל  Michal 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִיכַל  
Sense: daughter of king Saul, sister of Jonathan, wife of king David, and mother of five; given to David as wife for the bride price of 00 Philistine foreskins; while still married to David, her father gave her in marriage to another, Phaltiel; at the death of Saul, David forced her to return.
בַּת־  daughter 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בַּת  
Sense: daughter.
שָׁא֔וּל  of  Saul 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שָׁאוּל  
Sense: a Benjamite, son of Kish, and the st king of Israel.
בְּבֹאֲךָ֖  when  you  come 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לִרְא֥וֹת  to  see 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
פָּנָֽי  my  face 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation