English Standard Version
2 Samuel 18:33
33And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
2 Samuel 18:33 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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!
- New International Version (NIV)The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: “O my son Absalom—my son, my son Absalom—if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!”
- New Living Translation (NLT)The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.”
Context of 2 Samuel 18:33
31And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, "Good news for my lord the king! For the Lord has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you." 32The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man." And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
Read all of 2 Samuel 182 Samuel 18:33 word by word
וַיִּרְגַּ֣ז הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וַיַּ֛עַל עַל־עֲלִיַּ֥ת הַשַּׁ֖עַר וַיֵּ֑בְךְּ וְכֹ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר בְּלֶכְתּ֗וֹ בְּנִ֤י אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ בְּנִ֣י בְנִ֣י אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם מִֽי־יִתֵּ֤ן מוּתִי֙ אֲנִ֣י תַחְתֶּ֔יךָ אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם בְּנִ֥י בְנִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- was much movedרָגַזrâgaz · to trembleH7264
- and went upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- to the chamberעֲלִיָּה‛ălîyâh · upper roomH5944
- over the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- and weptבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058
- and as he wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- thus he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- O my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53
- would God I had diedמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- for theeנָתַןnâthan · to give: if only!H5414
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 18:33
- 2 Samuel 19:4The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, "O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
- 2 Samuel 12:10Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'
- Psalms 103:13As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
- Proverbs 10:1The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
- Proverbs 17:25A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
- James 5:17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18:33
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 33O my son Absalom - It is allowed by the most able critics that this lamentation is exceedingly pathetic. In what order the words were pronounced, for much depends on this, we cannot say. Perhaps it was the following: - בני אבשלום בני Beni Abshalom, beni ! My son Absalom! O my son! אבשלום בני Beni Abshalom ! O my son Absalom! תחתיך אני מותי יתן מי Mi yitten muthi ani thachteicha . O that I had died in thy stead! בני בני אבשלום Abshalom, beni ! beni ! O…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 33There is not in the whole of the Old Testament a passage of deeper pathos than this. Compare Luke 19:41. In the Hebrew Bible this verse commences the nineteenth chapter. The King James Version follows the Greek and Latin versions.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
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 33David was not afraid to show his emotions openly, whether filled with great joy (2 Samuel 6:14–19) or deep sadness. His feelings for Absalom were genuine, not fake.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 18:33
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
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