English Standard Version
2 Samuel 18:5
5And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom.
2 Samuel 18:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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.
- New International Version (NIV)The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, “Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake.” And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.
- New Living Translation (NLT)And the king gave this command to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake, deal gently with young Absalom.” And all the troops heard the king give this order to his commanders.
Context of 2 Samuel 18:5
3But the men said, "You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore it is better that you send us help from the city." 4The king said to them, "Whatever seems best to you I will do." So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. And the king ordered Joab and Abishai and Ittai, "Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about Absalom. 6So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. 7And the men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the loss there was great on that day, twenty thousand men.
Read all of 2 Samuel 182 Samuel 18:5 word by word
וַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ אֶת־י֠וֹאָב וְאֶת־אֲבִישַׁ֤י וְאֶת־אִתַּי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְאַט־לִ֖י לַנַּ֣עַר לְאַבְשָׁל֑וֹם וְכָל־הָעָ֣ם שָׁמְע֗וּ בְּצַוֹּ֥ת הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶת־כָּל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים עַל־דְּבַ֥ר אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- commandedצָוָהtsâvâh · to commandH6680
- Joabיוֹאָבyô'âb · JoabH3097
- and Abishaiאֲבִישַׁי'ăbîyshay 'abshay · AbishaiH52
- and Ittaiאִתַּי'ittay 'îythay · IttaiH863
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- gentlyאַט'aţ · softlyH328
- for my sake with the young manנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- with Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53
- And all the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- gave all the captainsשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
- concerningדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 18:5
- 2 Samuel 16:11And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, "Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.
- 2 Samuel 17:1Moreover, Ahithophel said to Absalom, "Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue David tonight.
- Deuteronomy 21:18"If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them,
- Psalms 103:13As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
- Luke 23:34And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.
- 1 Samuel 18:12Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Deal gently - with the young man - David was the father of this worthless young man; and is it to be wondered at that he feels as a father? Who in his circumstances, that had such feelings as every man should have, would have felt, or acted otherwise?Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5Joab disobeyed David's order to be gentle with young Absalom (2 Samuel 18:11–15). This was the second time Joab killed someone against David's wishes (see 2 Samuel 3:22–37).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom--This affecting charge, which the king gave to his generals, proceeded not only from his overwhelming affection for his children, but from his consciousness that this rebellion was the chastisement of his own crimes, Absalom being merely an instrument in the hand of retributive Providence;--and also from his piety, lest the unhappy prince should die with his sins unrepented of.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 18:5
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