And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying, Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to the king, even to his house.
King David sent a message to the priests Zadok and Abiathar, telling them: 'Go speak to the leaders of Judah and ask them, "Why are you the last ones to bring the king back to his palace? All the rest of Israel has already spoken up and asked the king to return home."'
King David is reaching out to his own tribe of Judah, wondering why they haven't invited him back home yet when the rest of Israel already has.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs after David's son Absalom's failed rebellion and death, when David was in exile across the Jordan River. The northern tribes of Israel had begun calling for David's return, but his own tribe of Judah remained silent. David was strategically reaching out through the priests to encourage Judah's support for his restoration to the throne.
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