II Samuel 16:14 · Bible study
2 Samuel 16:14 Commentary: Weary or Ayephim? The Resting Place
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore the textual question: is 'weary' in 2 Sam 16:14 a description or a place name, and what does David's refreshment teach us about God's care in crisis?
Research Summary
- Meaning: The verse records David and his men stopping to rest after Shimei's curses, but 'weary' may be a place name (Ayephim) rather than just a description of their condition.
- Key words: ʿăyēp̄îm (H5889, 'exhausted' or a proper name); wayyinnāpēš (H5314 Niphal, 'he refreshed himself', literally 'took breath').
- Main debate: Whether ʿăyēp̄îm is an adjective describing David's state or a toponym for a previously unknown stopping place.
- Theological theme: God provides physical and spiritual refreshment in the midst of humiliation and crisis, even before deliverance arrives.
- Best use: Pastoral comfort for the exhausted; a model of humility and trust in suffering; a reminder that rest is not weakness but wise preparation.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Finally, the king and all the people with him arrived, exhausted. And there he refreshed himself.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary; and he refreshed himself there.
KJV King James Version 1769
And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary; and he refreshed himself there.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And the king cometh in, and all the people who are with him, wearied, and they are refreshed there.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the king and all the people with him came weary, and refreshed themselves there.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y el rey y todo el pueblo que con él estaba, llegaron fatigados, y descansaron allí.
E o rei e todo aquele povo que com ele estava, chegaram exaustos, e descansaram ali.
Le roi et tout le peuple qui était avec lui arrivèrent à Ajephim, et là ils se reposèrent.
Und der König kam hinein mit allem Volk, das bei ihm war, müde und erquickte sich daselbst.
En de koning kwam in, en al het volk, dat met hem was, moede zijnde; en hij verkwikte zich aldaar.
Il re e tutta la gente ch’era con lui arrivarono ad Aiefim e quivi ripresero fiato.
I przyszedł król ze wszystkim ludem, który był przy nim spracowany, i tamże odpoczął.
И пришел царь и весь народ, бывший с ним, утомленный, и отдыхал там.
王 和 跟隨他 的眾 人 疲疲乏乏地 到了一個地方，就在那裡 歇息歇息。
And the king and his people came tired to Jordan, and took their rest there.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Samuel 16:14
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the verse marks a pause in David's flight from Absalom. He and his men are utterly exhausted, physically from the journey, emotionally from Shimei's curses, and spiritually from the betrayal of his son. The word for 'refreshed himself' (wayyinnāpēš, H5314 Niphal) suggests taking breath, like the rest of God on the seventh day (Exodus 31:17). Gill and Matthew Henry read ʿăyēp̄îm as an adjective meaning 'weary' and identify the location as Bahurim, where Shimei had cursed them (v.5). But Keil & Delitzsch and the Cambridge Bible note a grammatical difficulty: the adverb 'there' (שָׁם) requires a specific place, and Bahurim is too far back, 2 Samuel 17:18 places David's rest beyond Bahurim toward the Jordan. They propose reading ʿAyēp̄îm as a proper name, perhaps a wayside station, though no such site is otherwise attested. The consensus is that the text reports a real moment of physical and spiritual recovery, but its exact location remains debated.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Descriptive reading (weary): Parses <em>ʿăyēp̄îm</em> as an adjective; location implied as Bahurim from 2 Sam 16:5; supported by traditional translations (KJV, WEB, BSB) and commentators (Gill, Matthew Henry).
- Place‑name reading (Ayephim): Parses <em>ʿăyēp̄îm</em> as a toponym; the adverb 'there' requires a specific noun; Bahurim is too far back per 2 Sam 17:18; supported by Keil & Delitzsch, Cambridge Bible, Lange.
What is clear: David and his men were exhausted from the flight and curses, stopped at a location (whether named or described), and received physical and spiritual refreshment before continuing their journey.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Place name vs. description | David and his men stopped and were refreshed at a specific location after leaving Bahurim. | Some readers (Gill, Matthew Henry) identify the location as Bahurim and read 'weary' as a description of their state. Others (Keil & Delitzsch, Cambridge) argue that 'weary' (<em>ʿăyēp̄îm</em>) is a place name (Ayephim) because the adverb 'there' demands a named location, and Bahurim is too distant per 2 Sam 17:18. |
| Nature of the refreshment | The verb <em>nāp̄aš</em> (Niphal) denotes physical recuperation, taking breath, resting. | Gill specifies 'food and rest' and cites Josephus's location at the Jordan. Matthew Henry emphasizes spiritual revival. No substantive disagreement on the kind of rest, only on its placement in the journey. |
| David's emotional state | David was deeply affected by Shimei's curses and Absalom's betrayal, yet he remained composed. | Some see David's weariness as primarily physical (JFB, Gill); others highlight the emotional and spiritual exhaustion from the injustice he endured (Matthew Henry). Both are present. |
| Significance of the location | The rest occurs at a strategic point between the humiliation of Shimei and the next stage of flight. | If Bahurim, the rest directly follows the curses, underscoring David's refusal to be consumed by anger. If Ayephim, it marks the approach to the Jordan, a line between Judah and the Transjordan refuge (2 Sam 17:22). |
Historical & Cultural Context
David is fleeing Jerusalem after Absalom's coup (2 Sam 15:13‑16). The journey from the city toward the Jordan crossing would have taken a full day through the Judean wilderness. At Bahurim, a Benjaminite village, Shimei son of Gera met the king with curses and stones, accusing him of bloodshed and claiming God had handed the kingdom to Absalom (16:5‑8). David refused to retaliate, saying 'Yahweh has invited him' to curse (v.11), and expressed hope that God might yet repay him with good (v.12).
After this ordeal, the group arrives 'weary', or, as some argue, at a place called Ayephim. The Hebrew verb nāp̄aš (to refresh) is rare, occurring only four times in the Old Testament; twice of Sabbath rest (Exod 23:12; 31:17). Its use here subtly echoes that holy pattern: even in the chaos of rebellion, God provides a breathing space. The location 'there' (שָׁם) is pivotal in the narrative. If it refers to a named site, the writer underscores the historicity of David's flight; if it refers to Bahurim, the rest comes directly after Shimei's curses, showing David's refusal to let bitterness rob him of needed restoration. Either way, the king receives providential relief, a foretaste of the deliverance he trusts God to bring.
The moment also marks a turning point. The next chapter (17) shifts focus to Absalom's war council, where Ahithophel's counsel is rejected and Hushai's counter‑plan buys David time. At verse 14, David is at his lowest point, but he is not broken. He rests. This brief pause is the hinge between humiliation and eventual victory.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries identify a well‑known textual question. The Masoretic text reads ʿăyēp̄îm, which can be parsed as an adjective (weary) or a proper name (Ayephim). Keil & Delitzsch and the Cambridge Bible argue for the latter because the adverb 'there' (שָׁם) normally refers back to a preceding noun. No ancient manuscript variant is cited in the sources consulted; the issue is grammatical and interpretive, not a result of a known textual corruption. Some older translations (KJV, WEB, BSB) render 'weary,' while Keil and Lange's critical editions supply 'Ayephim.' The question remains open in conservative scholarship, with multiple plausible readings.
Reception History
Early modern commentators such as Matthew Henry (1710) and the Geneva Bible (1599) read the verse straightforwardly as describing David's weariness and refreshment at Bahurim. Gill (1748) follows the same tradition but adds a note from Josephus placing the rest near the Jordan. In the 19th century, critical commentaries, Keil & Delitzsch (1876), the Cambridge Bible (1880), Lange (1857), raised the possibility that ʿăyēp̄îm is a proper name. This reading has been adopted by some modern critical translations (e.g., the NRSV margin notes 'or Ayephim'). The verse has rarely been cited in doctrinal debates; its reception has been predominantly pastoral, a text of comfort for the exhausted faithful, preached during seasons of church conflict or personal loss.
Preaching This Verse
Three‑point outline
- Exhaustion is not unfaith. David was a man after God's own heart, yet he arrived 'weary.' Physical and emotional depletion can coexist with deep trust. The text does not condemn David's tiredness; it records it matter‑of‑factly, inviting pastors and congregations to see their own fatigue as normal in seasons of crisis.
- God's refreshment comes amid the cursing. Shimei's curses still ring in the air (vv.5‑13). But David stops and breathes. The Niphal of nāp̄aš implies active recovery, a choice to receive rest. This is not passive collapse but intentional restoration in the middle of the storm.
- Rest is preparation, not retreat. David refreshes himself 'there,' then moves on to cross the Jordan and regroup (2 Sam 17:22). The pause was strategic. In ministry, rest is often the very thing that makes continued obedience possible, not an escape from it.
Five‑point outline
- David's journey from Jerusalem to the wilderness
- Shimei's curses and David's humility
- The arrival: weary but still present
- The refreshment: God's gift of breath
- Moving forward: rest that fuels the next step
Illustration hooks
- The exhausted parent: After a child's rebellion or a long season of conflict, a parent feels spent. Shimei's curses become the voice of a critic. David's rest shows that simply sitting down to breathe is an act of trust, not surrender.
- The burned‑out leader: A pastor or church leader who has been attacked from within the congregation may feel David's weariness. The verse normalises that condition and gives permission to pause before making the next decision.
Questions your congregation is asking
- 'Why does God let people curse us when we haven't done wrong?' (David's response of humility and hope in vv.11‑12 is a model.)
- 'Is it okay to be physically and emotionally exhausted as a Christian?' (The Bible does not spiritualize tiredness; it shows God's servants at rest.)
- 'Where do I find refreshment when I am in the middle of a difficult season?' (The verse points to the concrete 'there', a specific place, time and action of rest that God honours.)
Leading a Discussion
This short verse sits between intense conflict (Shimei's curses) and the political maneuvering of Absalom's court. It is a quiet moment of physical restoration, but the text makes us ask: where exactly does David rest, and why does it matter? The group can explore the textual ambiguity and its pastoral implications.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What does the text tell us about David's physical and emotional condition when he arrived? List the words used.
- Observation: Where do you think 'there' is? Read 2 Samuel 16:5 and 2 Samuel 17:18‑22. Does the location change the meaning?
- Interpretation: The Hebrew verb for 'refreshed himself' (nāp̄aš) is the same used of God resting on the Sabbath (Exod 31:17). What does this echo tell us about the kind of rest David received?
- Interpretation: David had just refused to defend himself against Shimei, saying 'Yahweh has invited him to curse' (v.11). How does that trust connect with his ability to rest?
- Interpretation: Some scholars read 'weary' as a place name (Ayephim). How does this textual question affect your understanding of the narrative's reliability or its point?
- Application: When have you felt 'weary' in a time of conflict? What helps you to 'refresh yourself' in a way that is faithful rather than escapist?
- Application: The rest happens 'there', in the middle of the crisis, not after it ends. How can your group practise intentional rest even when life is hard?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator points out that the text likely has a missing place name at the end of the verse, since the word "weary" does not fit as a location. They suggest that "weary" may actually be a proper name for a resting place or caravansary, though no such place is known.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note simply records that the king and his people arrived exhausted and took rest. It does not add moral or spiritual commentary, letting the plain fact of human weariness and refreshment stand without elaboration.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that the Hebrew word for "refreshed themselves" means more than a brief rest; it conveys being revived with new life and soul. He further notes that Josephus places this refreshment at the Jordan River, where David strengthened his exhausted men before pressing on.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
refreshed themselves there —that is, in the city of Bahurim.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that Ayephim is a proper place name, not a description of tiredness, because the word "there" points to a specific location. They show that the spot was farther east than Bahurim based on the spies' movements, ruling out any confusion with the earlier mention in the story.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that David handled Shimei's curses better than he handled Ziba's flatteries. The curses forced David to pass a right judgment on himself, whereas the flatteries had led him into a wrong judgment on another. The world's frowns, he concludes, are less dangerous than its smiles.