2 Samuel 15:28
ESV
See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me."
NIV
I will wait at the fords in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me."
NASB
See, I am going to wait at the river crossing places of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.'
CSB
Remember, I’ll wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me."
NLT
I will stop at the shallows of the Jordan River and wait there for a report from you.'
KJV
See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there come word from you to certify me.
NKJV
See, I will wait in the plains of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”
What does 2 Samuel 15:28 mean?
Absalom spent four years turning the men of Israel against his father, King David. He's now marching to Jerusalem, ready to take the throne, which would mean killing his own father. David won't fight in Jerusalem that would risk the lives of the residents. And he can't leave his servants to Absalom's whims. So, he gathers those he can and tells them to flee east to the wilderness (2 Samuel 15:1–15).David is not completely friendless. His personal guards are faithful. So is Ittai, the commander of a 600-man Philistine mercenary army (2 Samuel 15:18–22). The priests Abiathar and Zadok, along with the Levites, are also dedicated to David as king. They bring the ark of the covenant, ready to follow wherever David must go. But David sends them back. He knows God will fulfill His plans no matter where the ark rests. David will submit to God, even if it means his death. God is all-powerful and all-sovereign, and David is His servant (2 Samuel 15:24–26).
Zadok is a seer. He's in a unique position to take what he can learn about Absalom's plans and ask God for more information. Both priests have sons. They will make excellent message runners (2 Samuel 15:27). David will cross the Kidron Brook, climb the Mount of Olives, and go as far as the ford on the near side of the Jordan River. He'll wait there for intelligence about Absalom's plans.
God shows favor on David's plan. When he reaches the top of the Mount of Olives, he meets another ally: the old wise man Hushai. Like the priests, Hushai wants to stay with David, but he'll serve David better as an inside agent. It's Hushai who joins Absalom's advisors and learns their plans. He tells the priests, and the priests send word to their sons. The men nearly get caught but hide in a well with a local woman's help. The woman sends Absalom's guards in the wrong direction, and the priests' sons warn David to cross the river and flee. David and his fighting men have just enough time to regroup and prepare for battle (2 Samuel 15:17–18).
