David sent out the troops,asent out the troops Some Septuagint mss. read “divided the troops into three.” one-third under the command of Joab, one-third under the command of Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one-third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And David said to the troops, “I myself will march out with you.”
But the troops replied, “No! For if some of us flee, the rest will not be concerned about us; even if half of us should die, the others will not be concerned about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us.byou are worth ten thousand of us So two Heb. mss., Septuagint, and Vulgate; cf. 1 Kings 1.18 and note. Most mss. and the editions read “Now there are ten thousand like us.” Therefore, it is better for you to support us from the town.”
And the king said to them, “I will do whatever you think best.”So the king stood beside the gate as all the troops marched out by their hundreds and thousands.
The king gave orders to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “Deal gently with my boy Absalom, for my sake.” All the troops heard the king give the order about Absalom to all the officers.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויצו
112
המלך
95
אתיואב
420
ואתאבישי
730
ואתאתי
818
לאמר
271
לאטלי
80
לנער
350
לאבשלום
409
וכלהעם
171
שמעו
416
בצות
498
המלך
95
אתכלהשרים
1006
עלדבר
306
אבשלום
379
II Samuel 18:6
Gematria: 2970
ויצאהעםהשדהלקראתישראלותהיהמלחמהביעראפרים
The troops marched out into the open to confront the Israelites,cIsraelites The usual term in this narrative for the supporters of Absalom. and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.dEphraim Some Septuagint mss. read “Mahanaim”; cf. 17.24.
Absalom encountered some of David’s followers. Absalom was riding on a mule, and as the mule passed under the tangled branches of a great terebinth, his hair got caught in the terebinth; he was heldewas held Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Ancient versions and 4QSamᵃ read “was left hanging”; cf. v. 10. between heaven and earth as the mule under him kept going.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויקרא
317
אבשלום
379
לפני
170
עבדי
86
דוד
14
ואבשלום
385
רכב
222
עלהפרד
389
ויבא
19
הפרד
289
תחת
808
שובך
328
האלה
41
הגדולה
53
ויחזק
131
ראשו
507
באלה
38
ויתן
466
בין
62
השמים
395
ובין
68
הארץ
296
והפרד
295
אשרתחתיו
1325
עבר
272
II Samuel 18:10
Gematria: 2809
ויראאישאחדויגדליואבויאמרהנהראיתיאתאבשלםתלויבאלה
One of the men saw it and told Joab, “I have just seen Absalom hanging from a terebinth.”
Joab said to the one who told him, “You saw it! Why didn’t you kill him then and there?fthen and there Lit. “to the ground.” I would have owed you tengten Some Septuagint mss. and 4QSamᵃ read “fifty.” shekels of silver and a belt.”
But the man answered Joab, “Even if I had a thousand shekels of silver in my hands, I would not raise a hand against the king’s son. For the king charged you and Abishai and Ittai in our hearing, ‘Watch over my boy Absalom, for my sake.’hfor my sake So some Heb. mss. and ancient versions. Most mss. and editions read “who”—perhaps meaning “whoever you are.”
Joab replied, “Then I will not wait for you.”jThen I will not wait for you Some Septuagint mss. and Targum read “Therefore, I will begin before you.” He took three darts in his hand and drove them into Absalom’s chest. [Absalom] was still alive in the thick growth of the terebinth,
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויאמר
257
יואב
19
לאכן
101
אחילה
54
לפניך
190
ויקח
124
שלשה
635
שבטים
361
בכפו
108
ויתקעם
626
בלב
34
אבשלום
379
עודנו
136
חי
18
בלב
34
האלה
41
II Samuel 18:15
Gematria: 2758
ויסבועשרהנעריםנשאיכלייואבויכואתאבשלוםוימתהו
when ten of Joab’s young arms-bearers closed in and struck at Absalom until he died.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויסבו
84
עשרה
575
נערים
370
נשאי
361
כלי
60
יואב
19
ויכו
42
אתאבשלום
780
וימתהו
467
II Samuel 18:16
Gematria: 3597
ויתקעיואבבשפרוישבהעםמרדףאחריישראלכיחשךיואבאתהעם
Then Joab sounded the horn, and the troops gave up their pursuit of the Israelites; for Joab held the troops in check.
They took Absalom and flung him into a large pit in the forest, and they piled up a very great heap of stones over it. Then all the Israelites fled to their homes.—
Now Absalom, in his lifetime, had taken the pillar that is in the Valley of the King and set it up for himself; for he said, “I have no son to keep my name alive.” He had named the pillar after himself, and it has been called Absalom’s Monument to this day.
But Joab said to him, “You shall not be the one to bring tidings today. You may bring tidings some other day, but you’ll not bring any today; for the king’s son is dead!”
But Ahimaaz son of Zadok again said to Joab, “No matter what, let me run, too, behind the Cushite.” Joab asked, “Why should you run, my boy, when you have no news worth telling?”kworth telling Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויסף
156
עוד
80
אחימעץ
219
בןצדוק
252
ויאמר
257
אליואב
50
ויהי
31
מה
45
ארצהנא
347
גםאני
104
אחרי
219
הכושי
341
ויאמר
257
יואב
19
למהזה
87
אתה
406
רץ
290
בני
62
ולכה
61
איןבשורה
574
מצאת
531
II Samuel 18:23
Gematria: 2986
ויהימהארוץויאמרלורוץוירץאחימעץדרךהככרויעבראתהכושי
“I am going to run anyway.” “Then run,” he said. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the Plain, and he passed the Cushite.
David was sitting between the two gates.lthe two gates I.e., the inner and outer gateways. The watchman on the roof of the gate walked over to the city wall. He looked up and saw a man running alone.
the watchman saw another man running; and he called out to the gatekeeper, “There is another man running alone.” And the king said, “That one, too, brings news.”
The watchman said, “I can see that the first one runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok”; to which the king replied, “He is a good man, and he comes with good news.”
Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “All is well!” He bowed low with his face to the ground and said, “Praised be the ETERNAL your God, who has delivered up those involved—who raised their hand against my lord the king.”
The king asked, “Is my boy Absalom safe?” And Ahimaaz answered, “I saw a large crowd when Your Majesty’s servant Joab was sending your servant off,ma large crowd … sending your servant off Meaning of Heb. uncertain. but I don’t know what it was about.”
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויאמר
257
המלך
95
שלום
376
לנער
350
לאבשלום
409
ויאמר
257
אחימעץ
219
ראיתי
621
ההמון
106
הגדול
48
לשלח
368
אתעבד
477
המלך
95
יואב
19
ואתעבדך
503
ולא
37
ידעתי
494
מה
45
II Samuel 18:30
Gematria: 1154
ויאמרהמלךסבהתיצבכהויסבויעמד
The king said, “Step aside and stand over there”; he stepped aside and waited.
Just then the Cushite came up; and the Cushite said, “Let my lord the king be informed that GOD has vindicated you today against all who rebelled against you!”
The king asked the Cushite, “Is my boy Absalom safe?” And the Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rose against you to do you harm fare like that young man!”