2 Samuel 18

2 Samuel · Chapter 18

2 Samuel 18:24

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
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.Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.Now David was sitting between the two gates: and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man running alone.

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 Davidוְדָוִ֥דve-da-VIDH1732
David

דָּוִד (da.vid) A king of the tribe of Judah living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at Rut.4.17; son of: Jesse (H3448) and Nahash (H5176I); brother of: Eliab (H0446I), Abinadab (H0041I), Shimeah (H8093), Zeruiah (H6870), Abigail (H0026H)(?), Nethanel (H5417H), Raddai (H7288), Ozem (H0684) and Elihu (H0453J); married to Michal (H4324), Abigail (H0026), Ahinoam (H0293H), Maacah (H4601I), Haggith (H2294), Abital (H0037), Eglah (H5698) and Bathsheba (H1339); …

[was] sittingיוֹשֵׁ֖בyo-SHEVH3427
to dwell

יָשַׁב (ya.shav) 1) to dwell, remain, sit, abide 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to sit, sit down 1a2) to be set 1a3) to remain, stay 1a4) to dwell, have one's abode 1b) (Niphal) to be inhabited 1c) (Piel) to set, place 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to sit 1d2) to cause to abide, set 1d3) to cause to dwell 1d4) to cause (cities) to be inhabited 1d5) to marry (give an dwelling to) 1e) (Hophal) 1e1) to be inhabited 1e2) to make to dwell Aramaic equivalent: ye.tiv (יְתִב "to dwell" H3488)

betweenבֵּין־bein-H0996G
between

בַּ֫יִן (ba.yin) : between between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between

[the] twoשְׁנֵ֣יshe-NEIH8147
two

שְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) 1) two 1a) two (the cardinal number) 1a1) two, both, double, twice 1b) second (the ordinal number) 1c) in combination with other numbers 1d) both (a dual number)

the gatesהַשְּׁעָרִ֑יםha-she-'a-RIMH8179G
gate

שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) : gate 1) gate 1a) gate (of entrance) 1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place) 1b1) city, town 1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle) 1d) heaven

and he wentוַיֵּ֨לֶךְvai-YE-lekhH1980I
to go

הוּךְ (hukh) (P'al) to go, come, walk, be brought Aramaic of ha.lakh (הָלַךְ ": walk" H1980)

the watchmanהַצֹּפֶ֜הha-tzo-PEHH6822
to watch

צָפָה (tsa.phah) 1) to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch 1a)(Qal) to keep watch, spy 1b) (Piel) to watch, watch closely

toאֶל־'el-H0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

[the] roof ofגַּ֤גgagH1406
roof

גָּג (gag) 1) roof, top, housetop 1a) roof (of house) 1b) top (of altar of incense)

the gateהַשַּׁ֙עַר֙ha-SHA-'arH8179G
gate

שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) : gate 1) gate 1a) gate (of entrance) 1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place) 1b1) city, town 1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle) 1d) heaven

toאֶל־'el-H0413
to(wards)

אֶל (el) 1) to, toward, unto (of motion) 2) into (limit is actually entered) 2a) in among 3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion) 4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character) 5) in addition to, to 6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of 7) according to (rule or standard) 8) at, by, against (of one's presence) 9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

the wallהַ֣חוֹמָ֔הha-cho-MAHH2346G
wall

חוֹמָה (cho.mah) wall

and he lifted upוַיִּשָּׂ֤אvai-yi-SA'H5375M
to lift: raise

נָשָׂא (na.sa) : raise/take_up 1) to lift, bear up, carry, take 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to lift, lift up 1a2) to bear, carry, support, sustain, endure 1a3) to take, take away, carry off, forgive 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be lifted up, be exalted 1b2) to lift oneself up, rise up 1b3) to be borne, be carried 1b4) to be taken away, be carried off, be swept away 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to lift up, exalt, support, aid, assist 1c2) to desire, long (fig.) 1c3) to carry, bear continuously 1c4) to take, take away 1d) (Hithpael) to lift oneself up, exalt oneself 1e) (Hiphil) 1e1) to cause one to bear (iniquity) …

eyes hisעֵינָיו֙'ei-NAVH5869A
eye

עַ֫יִן (a.yin) : eye 1) eye 1a) eye 1a1) of physical eye 1a2) as showing mental qualities 1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.)

and he sawוַיַּ֔רְאvai-YAR'H7200G
to see: see

רָאָה (ra.ah) : see/show 1) to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to see 1a2) to see, perceive 1a3) to see, have vision 1a4) to look at, see, regard, look after, see after, learn about, observe, watch, look upon, look out, find out 1a5) to see, observe, consider, look at, give attention to, discern, distinguish 1a6) to look at, gaze at 1a7) to provide, choose 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to appear, present oneself 1b2) to be seen 1b3) to be visible 1c) (Pual) to be seen 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to cause to see, show 1d2) to cause to look intently at, behold, cause to gaze at 1e) (Hophal) …

and there!וְהִנֵּה־ve-hi-neh-H2009
behold

הִנֵּה (hin.neh) behold, lo, see, if

a manאִ֖ישׁ'ishH0376G
man

אִישׁ (ish) : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)

[was] runningרָ֥ץratzH7323G
to run: run

רוּץ (ruts) : run/runner/messenger 1) to run 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to run 1a2) runners (participle as subst) 1b) (Polel) to run swiftly, dart 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to bring or move quickly, hurry 1c2) to drive away from, cause to run away

to only himלְבַדּֽוֹ׃le-va-DOH0905H
alone: pole

בַּד (bad) : pole 1) alone, by itself, besides, a part, separation, being alone 1a) separation, alone, by itself 1a1) only (adv) 1a2) apart from, besides (prep) 1b) part 1c) parts (eg limbs, shoots), bars

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