God’s Word Translation
2 Samuel 18:17
17They took Absalom, threw him into a huge pit in the forest, and piled a large heap of stones over him. Meanwhile, all Israel fled and went back to their homes.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of 2 Samuel 18:17
15Then ten of Joab’s armorbearers surrounded Absalom, attacked him, and killed him. 16Joab blew the ram’s horn to stop their ⌞fighting⌟, and the troops returned from pursuing Israel. They took Absalom, threw him into a huge pit in the forest, and piled a large heap of stones over him. Meanwhile, all Israel fled and went back to their homes. 18(⌞While he was still living,⌟ Absalom had taken a rock and set it up for himself in the king’s valley. He said, “I have no son to keep the memory of my name alive.” He called the rock by his name, and it is still called Absalom’s Monument today.) 19Then Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, said, “Let me run and bring the king the good news that the Lord has freed him from 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 7:26They made such a large pile of stones over Achan that it is still there today. Then the Lord withdrew his burning anger. For this reason that place is still called the valley of Achor today.
- Joshua 8:29Joshua hung the king of Ai’s ⌞dead body⌟ on a pole and left him there until evening. When the sun went down, Joshua gave the order to take his body down. They threw it in the entrance of the city and made a large pile of stones over it. That pile is still there today.
- Joshua 10:27When the sun went down, Joshua gave the order to take them down from the poles. Then they threw them into the cave where they had been hiding and put large stones over the mouth of the cave. These stones are still there today.
- Proverbs 10:7The name of a righteous person remains blessed, but the names of wicked people will rot away.
- Jeremiah 22:18This is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim, son of Judah’s King Josiah: People won’t mourn for him and say, “How horrible it is for my brother and sister!” They won’t mourn for him and say, “How horrible it is for my master and his splendor!”
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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