2 Samuel 18:9

2 Samuel 18:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Absalom met the servants of David. Absalom rode on a mule. The mule went under the thick boughs of a great terebinth tree, and his head caught in the terebinth; so he was left hanging between heaven and earth. And the mule which was under him went on.
• New Living Translation (NLT)During the battle, Absalom happened to come upon some of David’s men. He tried to escape on his mule, but as he rode beneath the thick branches of a great tree, his hair got caught in the tree. His mule kept going and left him dangling in the air.

Context of 2 Samuel 18:9

7There Israel’s troops were routed by David’s men, and the casualties that day were great—twenty thousand men. 8The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest swallowed up more men that day than the sword. Now Absalom happened to meet David’s men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s hair got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going. 10When one of the men saw what had happened, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree.” 11Joab said to the man who had told him this, “What! You saw him? Why didn’t you strike him to the ground right there? Then I would have had to give you ten shekels of silver and a warrior’s belt.”

2 Samuel 18:9 word by word

וַיִּקָּרֵא֙ אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם לִפְנֵ֖י עַבְדֵ֣י דָוִ֑ד וְאַבְשָׁל֞וֹם רֹכֵ֣ב עַל־הַפֶּ֗רֶד וַיָּבֹ֣א הַפֶּ֡רֶד תַּ֣חַת שׂוֹבֶךְ֩ הָאֵלָ֨ה הַגְּדוֹלָ֜ה וַיֶּחֱזַ֧ק רֹאשׁ֣וֹ בָאֵלָ֗ה וַיֻּתַּן֙ בֵּ֤ין הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וּבֵ֣ין הָאָ֔רֶץ וְהַפֶּ֥רֶד אֲשֶׁר־תַּחְתָּ֖יו עָבָֽר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53
• metקָרָאqârâ' · to encounter: meetH7122
• the servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• the servantsפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• of Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
• rodeרָכַבrâkab · to rideH7392
• upon a muleפֶּ֫רֶדpered · muleH6505
• wentבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• under the thick boughsשׂוֹבֶךְώôbek · thicketH7730
• of a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• oakאֵלָה'êlâh · oakH424
• and his headרֹאשׁrô'sh · headH7218
• caught holdחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: holdH2388
• and he was taken upנָתַןnâthan · to give: putH5414
• between the heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• and the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• under him went awayעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 18:9

• 2 Samuel 18:14Joab said, “I’m not going to wait like this for you.” So he took three javelins in his hand and plunged them into Absalom’s heart while Absalom was still alive in the oak tree.
• 2 Samuel 14:26Whenever he cut the hair of his head—he used to cut his hair once a year because it became too heavy for him—he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels by the royal standard.
• 2 Samuel 17:23When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.
• Matthew 27:5So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
• Deuteronomy 21:23you must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
• Deuteronomy 27:16“Cursed is anyone who dishonors their father or mother.” Then all the people shall say, “Amen!”
• Job 18:8His feet thrust him into a net; he wanders into its mesh.
• Job 31:3Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong?
• Psalms 63:9Those who want to kill me will be destroyed; they will go down to the depths of the earth.
• Proverbs 20:20If someone curses their father or mother, their lamp will be snuffed out in pitch darkness.
• Proverbs 30:17“The eye that mocks a father, that scorns an aged mother, will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.
• Jeremiah 48:44“Whoever flees from the terror will fall into a pit, whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in a snare; for I will bring on Moab the year of her punishment,” declares the Lord.
• Mark 7:10For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’
• Galatians 3:13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9And his head caught hold of the oak - It has been supposed that Absalom was caught by the hair, but no such thing is intimated in the text. Probably his neck was caught in the fork of a strong bough, and he was nearly dead when Joab found him; for it is said, 2 Samuel 18:14, he was yet alive, an expression which intimates he was nearly dead.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9would seem that the two things which his vain-glory boasted in, the royal mule, and the magnificent head of hair by which he was caught in the “oak” (rather, terebinth or turpentine tree), both contributed to his untimely death.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. 9Absalom, who was very proud of his hair, died because of it. He had set up for himself a pillar (2 Samuel 18:18), but after his death, he was thrown into a pit (2 Samuel 18:17) and did not receive a proper burial. These contrasts highlight the difference between Absalom’s goals and his final outcome.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. Absalom met the servants of David--or was overtaken. "It is necessary to be continually on one's guard against the branches of trees; and when the hair is worn in large locks floating down the back, as was the case with a young man of the party to which I belonged, any thick boughs interposing in the path might easily dislodge a rider from his seat, and catch hold of his flowing hair" [Hartley]. Some, however, think that the sacred historian points not…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 18:9

• Absalom
• Ephraim
• Gilead
• Mule
• Oak

In the dictionaries

• Absalom
• David
• Charge
• Lift
• Mule
• Oak
• Pillar
• Rise
• Thrust
• Absalom (1)

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