2 Samuel 18:17

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.
• 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.
• 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 of Joab’s armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him. 16Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and the troops stopped pursuing Israel, for Joab halted them. 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. 18During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King’s Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, “I have no son to carry on the memory of my name.” He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom’s Monument to this day. 19Now Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me run and take the news to the king that the Lord has vindicated him by delivering him from the hand of his enemies.”

2 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 7:26Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since.
• Joshua 8:29He impaled the body of the king of Ai on a pole and left it there until evening. At sunset, Joshua ordered them to take the body from the pole and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And they raised a large pile of rocks over it, which remains to this day.
• Joshua 10:27At sunset Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the poles and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, which are there to this day.
• Proverbs 10:7The name of the righteous is used in blessings, but the name of the wicked will rot.
• Jeremiah 22:18Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: “They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!’ They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my master! Alas, 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

• Absalom
• Ephraim

In the dictionaries

• Absalom
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Burial
• Charge
• Lift
• Pillar
• Rise
• Thrust

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