New Living Translation
2 Samuel 18:33
33The 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.”
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!”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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!"
- 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!”
Context of 2 Samuel 18:33
31Then the man from Ethiopia arrived and said, “I have good news for my lord the king. Today the Lord has rescued you from all those who rebelled against you.” 32“What about young Absalom?” the king demanded. “Is he all right?” And the Ethiopian replied, “May all of your enemies, my lord the king, both now and in the future, share the fate of that young man!” 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.”
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 with his hands and kept on crying, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”
- 2 Samuel 12:10From this time on, your family will live by the sword because you have despised me by taking Uriah’s wife to be your own.
- Psalms 103:13The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
- Proverbs 10:1The proverbs of Solomon: A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother.
- Proverbs 17:25Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.
- James 5:17Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years!
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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