· Translation: KJV

2 Samuel 14:25Now in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.

The setting

Ancient Israel, ~980 BC. The narrator pauses to describe Absalom's legendary beauty that made him famous throughout the kingdom...

The emotion here: ominous admiration, knowing beauty will destroy

The original word

halal (הָלַל) — to praise, boast, shine, literally 'to make a show'

Why it matters

Ancient Near Eastern kings often chose successors based on physical appearance and charisma

Read with care

What most readers miss in 2 Samuel 14:25

This isn't praising Absalom's beauty — it's explaining why people followed a murderer

Common misconceptionPeople read this as celebrating Absalom's beauty, but it's actually explaining the superficial appeal that would soon tear the kingdom apart.

Bible Genome reading

2 Samuel 14:25 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerNarrator
EraUnited Kingdom
Primary emotionresting
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power20%
Quotability60%
Memorability70%
Crisis relevance50%
Standalone40%
Themes:prideappearancereputation

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open 2 Samuel 14

2 Samuel 14:25 comes from the book of 2 Samuel, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is resting, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include pride, appearance, reputation. Notable phrases: praised for his beauty; from sole to crown.

Your reflection

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