2 Samuel 18:15

15 Then Yo'av's ten young armor-bearers surrounded Avshalom, struck him and killed him.

2 Samuel 18:15 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 18:15

And ten young men that bare Joab's armour
That waited upon him in the battle, to carry his armour, and supply him with it as he should have occasion; these, by his orders,

compassed about, and smote Absalom, and slew him;
they enclosed him that none might rescue him, and smote him with their spears or swords, or whatsoever armour they had, until it was a clear case that he was really dead. Joab in this disobeyed the king's order, but provided for the good of the nation, and the safety of the king. The Jews observe {m}, that measure for measure was given to Absalom; he was proud of his hair, ( 2 Samuel 14:25 2 Samuel 14:26 ) , and therefore was hanged by it, ( 2 Samuel 18:9 ) ; he lay with ten concubines of his father, ( 2 Samuel 16:21 2 Samuel 16:22 ) , and therefore was smitten with ten lances or spears by ten young men; and he stole three hearts, the heart of his father, the heart of the sanhedrim, and the heart of the men of Israel, and therefore three darts were fixed in him, ( 2 Samuel 18:14 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 Misn. Sotah, c. 1. sect. 8.

2 Samuel 18:15 In-Context

13 Or, if I had pretended that I didn't know, the king would have known otherwise anyway; and you wouldn't have interceded for me either."

14 Yo'av said, "I can't waste time arguing with you!" He took three darts in his hand and rammed them through Avshalom's heart while he was still alive, hanging from the terebinth.

15 Then Yo'av's ten young armor-bearers surrounded Avshalom, struck him and killed him.

16 Yo'av sounded the shofar, and the people returned from pursuing Isra'el, because Yo'av held back the troops.

17 They took Avshalom and threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled a big heap of stones over him. All Isra'el fled, each one to his tent.