2 Samuel 18:24

2 Samuel 18:24 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And 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.
• New International Version (NIV)While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now David was sitting between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate, to the wall, lifted his eyes and looked, and there was a man, running alone.

Context of 2 Samuel 18:24

22Zadok's son Ahimaaz spoke to Joab again. He said, ‘I am not afraid of what may happen to me. Please let me run after the Ethiopian man.’ But Joab replied, ‘Why do you want to go as well? The king will not give you any gift for this news.’ 23Ahimaaz said, ‘But I do want to go, whatever happens.’ So Joab said, ‘Run after him, then!’ So Ahimaaz ran fast along a road in the Jordan Valley. He arrived near Mahanaim before the Ethiopian man. David was sitting between the two gates of Mahanaim city. A man went up to the top of the wall, on the roof above the gate. He was watching the road. As he looked, he saw a man who was running towards the city. He was running alone. 25So the man on the wall shouted a message to the king, to say what he had seen. The king said, ‘If the man is alone, he is bringing good news.’ The man who was running towards the city came much nearer. 26Then the man on the wall saw another man who was running towards the city. He called down to the guard at the city's gate, ‘Look! There is another man who is running alone!’ The king said, ‘He will bring good news, too.’

2 Samuel 18:24 word by word

וְדָוִ֥ד יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בֵּין־שְׁנֵ֣י הַשְּׁעָרִ֑ים וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ הַצֹּפֶ֜ה אֶל־גַּ֤ג הַשַּׁ֙עַר֙ אֶל־הַ֣חוֹמָ֔ה וַיִּשָּׂ֤א אֶת־עֵינָיו֙ וַיַּ֔רְא וְהִנֵּה־אִ֖ישׁ רָ֥ץ לְבַדּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• satיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• between the twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• gatesשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
• and the watchmanצָפָהtsâphâh · to watchH6822
• went upיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• to the roofגָּגgâg · roofH1406
• unto the wallחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
• and lifted upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: lookH5375
• his eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• and lookedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• and behold a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• runningרוּץrûts · to run: runH7323

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 18:24

• 2 Samuel 18:4The king said to them, ‘I will do whatever you think is good.’ So he stood beside the gate of the city while his army marched out. They marched out in their groups of hundreds and of thousands.
• 1 Samuel 4:13Eli was sitting on his chair by the side of the road in Shiloh. He was waiting for news of the battle. He wanted to know if God's Covenant Box was safe. When the soldier arrived in the city, he told the people what had happened in the battle. All the people started to cry loudly.
• 2 Kings 9:17A guard was standing on the tower in Jezreel to watch for enemies. He saw Jehu's soldiers coming towards the city. He shouted, ‘I can see a group of soldiers who are coming here on horses.’ King Joram said, ‘Send out a man on a horse to meet the soldiers. Ask them. “Are you coming to us as friends?” ’
• Isaiah 21:6This is what the Lord God has said to me: ‘Go! Put someone on the city wall to watch. Tell him to report what he sees.
• Ezekiel 33:2‘Son of man, speak to your people. Say to them, “Think about what might happen if I send an army to attack a country. The people of that country might choose one of their own men to be a guard to warn them about danger.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18:24

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 24David sat between the two gates - He was probably in the seat of justice. Before the gate of the city it is supposed there was an enclosure, which had its gate also; David sat in the space between these two doors. Over the larger gate there appears to have been a turret, on which a sentinel or watchman stood continually, and gave information of what he saw in the country.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-33Verses 19-33 By directing David to give God thanks for his victory, Ahimaaz prepared him for the news of his son's death. The more our hearts are fixed and enlarged, in thanksgiving to God for our mercies, the better disposed we shall be to bear with patience the afflictions mixed with them. Some think David's wish arose from concern about Absalom's everlasting state; but he rather seems to have spoken without due thought. He is to be blamed for showing…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 24-3224-32. David sat between the two gates--that is, in the tower-house on the wall that overhung the gate of Mahanaim. Near it was a watchtower, on which a sentinel was posted, as in times of war, to notify every occurrence. The delicacy of Ahimaaz' communication was made up by the unmistakable plainness of Cushi's. The death of Absalom was a heavy trial, and it is impossible not to sympathize with the outburst of feeling by which David showed that all…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 18:24

• Ahimaaz
• Cushi
• Gates
• Readings, Select
• Watchman

In the dictionaries

• David
• Ahimaaz
• Charge
• Lift
• Pillar
• Rise
• Thrust
• Watches
• Bible, the
• Cushi

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings