2 Samuel 18

1 Then David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] reviewed [numbered, inspected, or visited] his troops [the people with him, his army] and appointed [set, put, or placed] over them [upon, above, or in charge of] commanders [rulers, leaders, or captains] of hundreds [a company of 100] and of thousands [a large number, a multitude]. word study 2 He sent out the troops [divided into three sections], a third under Joab [King David’s nephew and army general], a third under Joab’s brother Abishai [a prominent warrior] son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai [a powerful warrior, with me] the Gittite [from Gath, a city in Palestine]. And the king [the ruler, monarch] said to the troops [the people, nation], “I will surely [certainly, without a doubt] march out with you as well [together, in accompaniment].” word study 3 But the people [the nation, a multitude] pleaded, “You must not go out [into battle, to fight]! For if we have to flee [escape, run away], they will pay no attention to us [not care, be indifferent]. Even if half [a portion, a part] of us die [perish, lose our lives], they will not care [be concerned, show compassion]; but you are worth [valued, esteemed] ten thousand [a multitude, a large number] of us. It is better [more desirable, advantageous] for now [at this time, currently] if you support [help, assist] us from the city [a place of refuge, a town].” word study 4 “I will do whatever [whatever is pleasing to you, whatever seems best] seems best to you,” the king [ruler, monarch] replied. So he stood [took his position, remained] beside the gate [city entrance, doorway], while all [every, the entire] the troops [army, soldiers] marched out by [in groups of, divided into] hundreds [large groups, many] and by [in addition to, along with] thousands [a multitude, a great number]. word study 5 Now the king [ruler, monarch] had commanded [given orders, appointed] Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat [deal gently, be soft with] the young man [youth, son] Absalom [son of King David] gently [softly, with care] for my sake [for my benefit, on my behalf].” And all [every, the whole] the people [nation, crowd] heard [listened, obeyed] the king’s [monarch’s, ruler’s] orders [commands, instructions] to each [every, individual] of the commanders [leaders, captains] regarding [concerning, about] Absalom. word study 6 So David’s army [the people, a mob] marched into the field [a flat area of land, for cultivation or habitation] to engage [meet, encounter] Israel [the descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] in the battle [war, conflict], which took place [existed, came to be] in the forest [a copse of bushes, a wooded area] of Ephraim [doubly fruitful, a tribe of Israel]. word study 7 There the people [nation, a large group of individuals] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants] were defeated [overcome, smitten] by David’s servants [slaves, those who serve a master], and the slaughter [plague, a great destruction] was great [large in size or importance] that day [a literal 24-hour period, a figurative space of time]—twenty [a multiple of ten, a large number] thousand [a company of, a large group of] men. word study 8 The battle [scattered over the face of all the country] spread over the whole countryside, and that day [in that specific time, at that moment] the forest [wood, a copse of bushes, a place of danger] devoured [ate, consumed, destroyed] more people [men, individuals, the nation] than the sword [a cutting instrument, a tool of war]. word study 9 Now Absalom [the son of David, a rebellious prince] was riding on his mule [a hybrid of a horse and a donkey] when he met the servants [attendants, followers] of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches [a dense thicket] of a large oak [a strong, sturdy tree], Absalom’s head [his person, his life] was caught fast [entrapped, suspended] in the tree. The mule under him kept going [continued on its way, departed], so that he was suspended [left hanging, caught] in midair [between heaven and earth, helpless]. word study 10 When one [a certain, specific] of the men saw [perceived, looked upon] this, he told [declared, informed] Joab [Jehovah is father, King David’s nephew], “I just saw [behold, looked upon] Absalom [son of King David] hanging [suspended, dangling] in an oak [strong, sturdy tree] tree!” word study 11 “You just saw him [behold, you were an eyewitness]!” Joab [Jehovah is father, King David’s nephew] exclaimed. “Why [for what reason, how] did you not strike him [smite, hit] to the ground [land, earth] right there [in that very place, then]? I would have given you ten [a decade, tenfold] shekels [pieces, units] of silver [money, wealth] and a warrior’s [soldier’s, fighter’s] belt [girdle, loin-covering]!” word study 12 The man replied, “Even if a thousand [pieces of silver] shekels of silver were weighed out [measured, given] into my hands, I would not raise my hand [stretch out my hand, lift my hand] against the son [child, offspring] of the king [ruler, monarch]. For we heard the king [ruler, monarch] command [charge, order] you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man [youth, boy] Absalom for my sake [for my benefit, on my behalf].’ word study 13 If I had jeopardized [put in danger, risked] my own life [soul, the essence of a person] —and nothing [no matter, affair] is hidden [concealed, unseen] from the king [the ruler, monarch]—you would have abandoned [set yourself against, stood in opposition to] me [left me to face the consequences alone].” word study 14 But Joab declared, “I am not going to wait [be patient, tarry] like this with you!” And he took three spears [darts, sticks] in his hand and thrust them through the heart [innermost being, feelings] of Absalom while he was still [yet, continuing] alive [having life, breathing] in the oak [strong tree, elm] tree. word study 15 And ten [a decade, a group of] young men [youths, from infancy to adolescence] who carried Joab’s [Jehovah is father, the army general] armor [articles, utensils, weapons] surrounded [to turn, compassed about] Absalom [a son of King David], struck [to smite, hit] him, and killed [to die, put to death] him. word study 16 Then Joab [the commander, King David’s nephew] blew the ram’s horn [a trumpet made from a ram’s horn], and the troops [the people, Israel’s army] broke off their pursuit [to chase, to follow after] of Israel [Jacob’s descendants, God’s chosen people] because Joab [Jehovah is father, the leader] had restrained [to withhold, to spare] them [the people, the nation]. word study 17 They took [got, seized] Absalom, cast [threw] him into a large [great, deep] pit [hole, cistern] in the forest [wood, trees], and piled [raised, heaped] a huge [very great, exceedingly large] mound [heap, pile] of stones [rocks, pebbles] over him. Meanwhile, all [every one, the whole] the Israelites [descendants of Jacob, God’s chosen people] fled [ran away, escaped], each to his [own, personal] home [tent, dwelling place]. word study 18 During his lifetime [while he was still alive, in his own life span], Absalom [a son of King David, Abi] had set up for himself a pillar [monumental stone, memorial] in the King’s Valley [the king’s dale, a lowland area], for he had said, “I have no son [descendant, male heir] to preserve the memory [to keep in remembrance, to recall] of my name [identity, reputation].” So he gave the pillar [standing-pillar, the monument] his name [identity, reputation], and to this day [until now, as a lasting legacy] it is called Absalom’s Monument [Absalom’s place, the hand of Absalom]. word study 19 Then Ahimaaz [son of the righteous priest] son of Zadok said, “Please [I pray thee] let me run [with haste, swiftly] and tell the king [the ruler, monarch] the good news [tidings of joy, glad tidings] that the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] has avenged [judged, vindicated] him of his enemies [those who oppose, adversaries].” word study 20 But Joab replied, “You [as a messenger] are not the man [a male person, individual] to take good news [glad tidings, gospel] today [at this present time, in this moment]. You may do it [bear tidings, proclaim] another day [a different time, in the future], but you must not do so [bear no tidings, remain silent] today [on this particular day], because the king’s [belonging to the ruler, sovereign] son [child, descendant] is dead [has died, passed away, perished].” word study 21 So Joab [King David’s nephew and army general] said to a Cushite [a descendant of Cush, from Ethiopia], “Go [to walk, move from one place to another], tell [to declare openly, stand boldly] the king [a royal person, like King David] what you have seen [perceived with your eyes, looked after].” The Cushite [from Cush, a distinct group] bowed [to bow down, as a sign of respect] to Joab [Jehovah is father] and took off running [to run, rush quickly]. word study 22 Ahimaaz [son of the high priest] son of Zadok, however, persisted [continued to ask, was insistent] and said to Joab, “Regardless of whatever may happen [come what may, whatever the outcome], please [I pray thee, if you will] let me also [too, as well] run [rush, hurry] behind the Cushite [Ethiopian, messenger]!” “My son [young man, descendant],” Joab replied, “why [for what reason, what is your motive] do you want to run [hurry, rush], since you will not receive [have, gain] a reward [good news, glad tidings]?” word study 23 “No matter what [regardless of the outcome], I want to run [to rush, to move quickly]!” he replied. “Then run [go, start running]!” Joab told him. So Ahimaaz [my brother is anger] ran by way of the plain [the lowland road, the valley] and outran [overtook, passed by] the Cushite [the Ethiopian, a descendant of Cush]. word study 24 Now David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] was sitting [to dwell, remaining in one place] between [in the midst of, surrounded by] the two [a pair, dual] gates when the watchman [one who observes, a sentinel] went up to the roof [the top, the highest point] of the gateway [the entrance, the door] by the wall [a barrier, a means of protection], looked out [lifted up his eyes, gazed into the distance], and saw [perceived, beheld] a man [an individual, a person] running [moving swiftly, rushing] alone [by himself, solitary, bad]. word study 25 So he called out [to cry aloud, proclaim] and told the king [the royal person, ruler]. “If he is alone [by himself, separate],” the king replied, “he bears [carries, brings] good news [glad tidings, a message of joy].” As the first runner [messenger, one who brings news] drew near [approached, came closer], word study 26 the watchman [one who observes from a distance] saw another man [a male person, an individual] running [to run or rush, moving quickly], and he called out [to cry aloud, to shout] to the gatekeeper [a person responsible for guarding a gate], “Look [behold, pay attention]! Another [different, following] man is running [rushing, moving swiftly] alone [by himself, separate]!” “This one [this person, he] also [too, in addition] brings [to bear, to announce] good news [tidings, a message of joy],” said the king [the ruler, the sovereign]. word study 27 The watchman [observer, one who waits and watches] said, “The first [primary, foremost] man appears to me to be running [with haste, swiftly] like Ahimaaz [my brother is anger, a son of Zadok] son of Zadok [righteous, a high priest].” “This is a good [pleasant, beneficial] man,” said the king [royal ruler, sovereign]. “He comes [approaches, draws near] with good [pleasant, joyful] news [glad tidings, a message of joy].” word study 28 Then Ahimaaz called out [shouted, cried] to the king, “All is well [peace, shalom]!” And he bowed [prostrated himself, fell down] facedown [with his face to the earth, in reverence] before the king. He continued, “Blessed be [praise, honor] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] your God [Elohim, the one true Deity]! He has delivered up [handed over, shut up] the men who raised [lifted, lifted up] their hands [in rebellion] against my lord [master, ruler] the king.” word study 29 The king [the ruler, monarch] asked, “Is the young man [youth, son] Absalom [the son of King David] all right [safe, at peace, shalom]?” And Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab [the king’s general] sent the king’s servant [attendant, messenger] and your servant [slave, bondservant], I saw a great [large, tumultuous] tumult [crowd, commotion], but I do not know [am unaware, have no knowledge] what [the meaning, the outcome] it was [exactly, precisely].” word study 30 “Move [turn, step] aside,” said the king [ruler, monarch], “and stand [present yourself, take your position] here [in this place, thus].” So he stepped [turned, moved] aside [to one side, out of the way]. word study 31 Just then [behold, look] the Cushite [a descendant of Cush, from Ethiopia] came and said, “May my lord [master, ruler] the king [royal person, monarch] hear the good news [tidings, glad announcement]: Today [this day, at this time] the LORD [Yehovah, God’s covenant name] has avenged [judged, vindicated] you of all [everything, every person] who rose up [stood up, rebelled] against you [in opposition to you]!” word study 32 The king [ruler, sovereign] asked the Cushite [Ethiopian, descendant of Cush], “Is the young man [youth, son] Absalom [son of King David] all right [safe, at peace, shalom]?” And the Cushite replied, “May what has become of the young man [happened to Absalom] happen to the enemies [adversaries, those who oppose] of my lord [master, ruler] the king and to all [everything, every person] who rise up [stand against, rebel] against you to harm [do evil, cause bad] you.” word study 33 The king was shaken [moved, troubled] and went up to the gate chamber [upper chamber, room over the gate] and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only [I wish, would that] I had died [given my life, sacrificed myself] instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” word study