2 Samuel 18:18

2 Samuel 18:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king’s dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom’s place.
• New International Version (NIV)During 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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar that is in the King's Valley, for he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance." He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom's monument to this day.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King’s Valley. For he said, “I have no son to keep my name in remembrance.” He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.

Context of 2 Samuel 18:18

16Then Joab blew the shofar and the troops returned from pursuing Israel, for Joab held back the troops. 17They took Absalom and threw him into a deep pit in the forest and piled over him a very large heap of stones. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent. (Now Absalom, in his lifetime, had taken and set up for himself a pillar, which is in the King’s Valley, for he said, “I have no son to preserve the memory of my name.” So he called the pillar by his name and it has been called Absalom’s Monument to this day.) 19Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Let me now run and bring the king news that Adonai has vindicated him against the hand of his enemies.” 20But Joab said to him, “You are not to be the bearer of news today. You may do it another day, but today you shall bear no news—for the king’s son is dead.”

2 Samuel 18:18 word by word

וְאַבְשָׁלֹ֣ם לָקַ֗ח וַיַּצֶּב־ל֤וֹ בְחַיָּיו֙ אֶת־מַצֶּ֙בֶת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּעֵֽמֶק־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּ֤י אָמַר֙ אֵֽין־לִ֣י בֵ֔ן בַּעֲב֖וּר הַזְכִּ֣יר שְׁמִ֑י וַיִּקְרָ֤א לַמַּצֶּ֙בֶת֙ עַל־שְׁמ֔וֹ וַיִּקָּ֤רֵא לָהּ֙ יַ֣ד אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now Absalomאֲבִישָׁלוֹם'ăbîyshâlôm 'abshâlôm · AbsalomH53
• in his lifetimeחַיִּיםchay · lifeH2416
• had takenלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• and reared upנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
• for himself a pillarמַצֶּבֶתmatstsebeth · pillarH4678
• in the king’sמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · King'sH4428
• daleעֵ֫מֶק‛êmeq · Valley (of Kings)H6010
• for he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I have no sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• to keep my nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• in remembranceזָכַרzâkar · to rememberH2142
• and he calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
• unto this dayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
• placeיָדyâd · hand: themselvesH3027

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 18:18

• 1 Samuel 15:12Then Samuel rose early in the morning to confront Saul. But it was reported to Samuel saying, “Saul went to Carmel—for some reason, he erected a monument for himself. Then he turned and went down to Gilgal.”
• Genesis 14:17Now after he returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (this is the King’s Valley).
• 2 Samuel 14:27To Absalom were born three sons and one daughter, whose name was Tamar—she was a beautiful woman.
• Job 18:16Below his roots dry up, and above his branches wither.
• Psalms 109:13Let his posterity be cut off, and his name be blotted out in the next generation.
• Jeremiah 22:30Thus says Adonai: “Write this man childless, a man who will not prosper in his days. For no man of his seed will prosper, sitting on the throne of David and ruling again in Judah.”
• Genesis 11:4Then they said, “Come! Let’s build ourselves a city, with a tower whose top reaches into heaven. So let’s make a name for ourselves, or else we will be scattered over the face of the whole land.”
• Psalms 49:11Surely he must see, even wise men die. The fool and the brutish will alike perish, leaving their wealth to others.
• Daniel 4:30Immediately the word about Ne­buchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from men, ate grass like an ox, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.
• Genesis 11:9This is why it is named Babel, because Adonai confused the languages of the entire world there, and from there Adonai scattered them over the face of the entire world.
• Acts 1:18(Now this man Judah bought a field with the reward of his wickedness. Falling headfirst, he burst open in the middle and his intestines splattered out.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 18:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Reared up for himself a pillar - There was a marble pillar in the time of Josephus called Absalom's pillar: and there is one shown to the present day under this name; but it is comparatively a modern structure. Absalom's place - Literally Absalom's Hand. See the note on 1 Samuel 15:12.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18The king‘s dale - Anciently the “valley” of “Shaveh” (marginal reference), and apparently in the near neighborhood of Sodom; but the exact site is not known. It quite agrees with Absalom‘s preference for Hebron 2 Samuel 15:7, that his monument should be reared by him in the south. If Absalom‘s monument be placed in the ravine of the Kedron, the “king‘s dale” here is a different place from the “dale of Shaveh.” Absalom‘s place - literally, “Absalom‘s…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. 18I have no son: See study note on 2 Samuel 14:27. Because Absalom had no heir to continue his family line, he hoped a monument would keep his name and memory alive. to this day: The narrator was probably writing during the reign of Solomon. The location of the monument is now unknown.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Absalom in his lifetime had reared up for himself a pillar--literally, "hand." In the valley of Jehoshaphat, on the east of Jerusalem, is a tomb or cenotaph, said to be this "pillar" or monument: it is twenty-four feet square, dome-topped, and reaches forty feet in height. This may occupy the spot, but cannot itself be the work of Absalom, as it evidently bears the style of a later architecture.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 18:18

• Absalom
• Ambition
• Pillar
• Shaveh

In the dictionaries

• Absalom
• King's Dale
• Burial
• Charge
• Lift
• Pillar
• Rise
• Thrust
• Abijah
• Bible, the

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