Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.
Now get up, go out, and speak kindly to your servants. I swear by the LORD that if you don't go out to them, not one person will stay with you tonight. And that would be worse for you than all the trouble you've faced from your youth until now.
Joab is urgently warning King David that he must stop mourning and go encourage his troops, or he'll lose everyone's loyalty and face disaster worse than anything before.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs after David's son Absalom died in battle while trying to overthrow his father's kingdom. David was mourning so intensely for Absalom that he ignored his victorious army, causing them to feel ashamed instead of celebrated. Joab, David's military commander, is giving him this stern warning to pull himself together as king.
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