English Standard Version
2 Samuel 18:17
17And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every one to his own home.
2 Samuel 18:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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.
- New International Version (NIV)They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled up a large heap of rocks over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their homes.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent.
- New Living Translation (NLT)They threw Absalom’s body into a deep pit in the forest and piled a great heap of stones over it. And all Israel fled to their homes.
Context of 2 Samuel 18:17
15And ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him. 16Then Joab blew the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained them. And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every one to his own home. 18Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar that is in the King's Valley, for he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance." He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom's monument to this day. 19Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, "Let me run and carry news to the king that the Lord has delivered him from the hand of his enemies."
Read all of 2 Samuel 182 Samuel 18:17 word by word
וַיִּקְח֣וּ אֶת־אַבְשָׁל֗וֹם וַיַּשְׁלִ֨יכוּ אֹת֤וֹ בַיַּ֙עַר֙ אֶל־הַפַּ֣חַת הַגָּד֔וֹל וַיַּצִּ֧בוּ עָלָ֛יו גַּל־אֲבָנִ֖ים גָּד֣וֹל מְאֹ֑ד וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נָ֖סוּ אִ֥ישׁ לְאֹהָלָֽיו׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53
- and castשָׁלַךְshâlak · to throwH7993
- him into a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- pitפַּ֫חַתpachath · pitH6354
- in the woodיַ֫עַרya‛ar · woodH3293
- and laidנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
- a veryמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- heapגַּלgal · heapH1530
- of stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
- upon him: and all Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- fledנוּסnûs · to fleeH5127
- every oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- to his tentאֹ֫הֶל'ôhel · tent: homeH168
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 18:17
- Joshua 7:26And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.
- Joshua 8:29And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. And at sunset Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city and raised over it a great heap of stones, which stands there to this day.
- Joshua 10:27But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
- Proverbs 10:7The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
- Jeremiah 22:18Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah: "They shall not lament for him, saying, 'Ah, my brother!' or 'Ah, sister!' They shall not lament for him, saying, 'Ah, lord!' or 'Ah, his majesty!'
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17And laid a very great heap of stones - This was the method of burying heroes, and even traitors, the heap of stones being designed to perpetuate the memory of the event, whether good or bad. The ancient cairns or heaps of stones, in different parts of the world, are of this kind. The various tumuli or barrows in England are the same as the cairns in different parts of Ireland and Scotland. In the former, stones were not plenty; hence they heaped up great…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17A great heap of stones - See the marginal reference. This kind of monument is common to almost all early nations.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-18Verses 9-18 Let young people look upon Absalom, hanging on a tree, accursed, forsaken of heaven and earth; there let them read the Lord's abhorrence of rebellion against parents. Nothing can preserve men from misery and contempt, but heavenly wisdom and the grace of God.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17all the Israelites fled, each to his home: Those who supported Absalom knew their lives were in danger (2 Samuel 17:11; compare 2 Samuel 19:8). They had supported a usurper (a person who tried to take the throne by force), and his attempt to seize the kingdom had failed.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit ... and laid a very great heap of stones upon him--The people of the East indicate their detestation of the memory of an infamous person by throwing stones at the place where he is buried. The heap is increased by the gradual accumulation of stones which passers-by add to it.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 18:17
In the dictionaries
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries