2 Samuel 18

2 Samuel · Chapter 18

2 Samuel 18:16

1And David numbered the people that were with him, and set captains of thousands and captains of hundreds over them.2And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you myself also.3But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now it is better that thou succour us out of the city.4And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.5And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.6So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;7Where the people of Israel were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.8For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword devoured.9And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.10And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.11And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.12And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.13Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life: for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest have set thyself against me.14Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.15And ten young men that bare Joab’s armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.16And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.17And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king’s dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom’s place.19Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.20And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.21Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.22Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said, Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings ready?23But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.24And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold a man running alone.25And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and drew near.26And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone. And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.27And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.28And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said, Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that lifted up their hand against my lord the king.29And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.30And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he turned aside, and stood still.31And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up against thee.32And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.33And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
16And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab had restrained them.And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and he gave a blastוַיִּתְקַ֤עvai-yit-KA'H8628
to blow

תָּקַע (ta.qa) 1) to blow, clap, strike, sound, thrust, give a blow, blast 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to thrust, drive (of weapon) 1a2) to give a blast, give a blow 1a3) to strike or clap hands 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be blown, blast (of horn) 1b2) to strike or pledge oneself

Joabיוֹאָב֙yo-'AVH3097G
Joab

יוֹאָב (yo.av) A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.26.6; his mother was Zeruiah (H6870); brother of: Abishai (H0052) and Asahel (H6214) § Joab = "Jehovah is father" 1) son of David's sister Zeruiah and general of David's army 2) a Judaite descendant of Kenaz 3) a post exilic family

on the trumpetבַּשֹּׁפָ֔רba-sho-FARH7782
trumpet

שֹׁפָר (sho.phar) horn, ram's horn

and it turned backוַיָּ֣שָׁבvai-YA-shoH7725G
to return: return

שׁוּב (shuv) : return 1) to return, turn back 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to turn back, return 1a1a) to turn back 1a1b) to return, come or go back 1a1c) to return unto, go back, come back 1a1d) of dying 1a1e) of human relations (fig) 1a1f) of spiritual relations (fig) 1a1f1) to turn back (from God), apostatise 1a1f2) to turn away (of God) 1a1f3) to turn back (to God), repent 1a1f4) turn back (from evil) 1a1g) of inanimate things 1a1h) in repetition 1b) (Polel) 1b1) to bring back 1b2) to restore, refresh, repair (fig) 1b3) to lead away (enticingly) 1b4) to show turning, apostatise 1c) (Pual) restored (participle) …

the peopleהָעָ֔םha-'AMH5971KNo entry
from pursuingמִרְדֹ֖ףmir-DOFH7291
to pursue

רָדַף (ra.daph) 1) to be behind, follow after, pursue, persecute, run after 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to pursue, put to flight, chase, dog, attend closely upon 1a2) to persecute, harass (fig) 1a3) to follow after, aim to secure (fig) 1a4) to run after (a bribe) (fig) 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be pursued 1b2) one pursued (participle) 1c) (Piel) to pursue ardently, aim eagerly to secure, pursue 1d) (Pual) to be pursued, be chased away 1e) (Hiphil) to pursue, chase

afterאַחֲרֵ֣י'a-cha-REIH0310A
after

אַחַר (a.char) 1) after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time) 1a) as an adverb 1a1) behind (of place) 1a2) afterwards (of time) 1b) as a preposition 1b1) behind, after (of place) 1b2) after (of time) 1b3) besides 1c) as a conjunction 1c) after that 1d) as a substantive 1d1) hinder part 1e) with other prepositions 1e1) from behind 1e2) from following after

Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYIS-ra-'ELH3478
Jacob

יַעֲקֹב (ya.a.qov) A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26; son of: Isaac (H3327) and Rebekah (H7259); brother of: Esau (H6215); married to Rachel (H7354), Leah (H3812), Zilpah (H2153) and Bilhah (H1090A); father of: Reuben (H7205), Simeon (H8095), Levi (H3878), Judah (H3063), Dan (H1835H), Naphtali (H5321), Gad (H1410), Asher (H0836), Issachar (H3485), Zebulun (H2074), Dinah (H1783), Joseph (H3130) and Benjamin (H1144); also called Jacob frequently Another name of yis.ra.el (יִשְׂרָאֵל "Israel" H3478) § Jacob = "heel holder" or "supplanter" …

forכִּֽי־ki-H3588A
for

כִּי (ki) 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

he restrainedחָשַׂ֥ךְcha-SAKHH2820
to withhold

חָשַׂךְ (cha.sakh) 1) to withhold, restrain, hold back, keep in check, refrain 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to withhold, keep back, keep for oneself, keep from, hold in check, refrain, spare, reserve 1a2) to restrain, check 1b) (Niphal) to assuage, be spared

Joabיוֹאָ֖בyo-'AVH3097G
Joab

יוֹאָב (yo.av) A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Sa.26.6; his mother was Zeruiah (H6870); brother of: Abishai (H0052) and Asahel (H6214) § Joab = "Jehovah is father" 1) son of David's sister Zeruiah and general of David's army 2) a Judaite descendant of Kenaz 3) a post exilic family

the peopleהָעָֽם׃ha-'AMH5971KNo entry

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.