2 Samuel 18:17

17 They took Absalom, cast him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a huge mound of stones over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled, each to his home.

2 Samuel 18:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 18:17

And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the
wood
In the wood of Ephraim, near to which the battle was fought, and into which Absalom fled, and where he was slain:

and laid a very great heap of stones upon him:
his punishment was very exemplary; he was first hanged on an oak, and then thrust through with darts, and swords, and then covered with stones, ( 2 Samuel 18:9 2 Samuel 18:14 2 Samuel 18:15 ) , pointing to the death that a rebellious son, according to the law, ought to die, ( Deuteronomy 21:21 ) ; though this might be done in honour of him as a king's son; for such "tumuli", or heaps of stones or earth, were used by the ancients as sepulchral monuments, and the larger the more honourable ^F14; (See Gill on Joshua 7:26) and (See Gill on Joshua 8:29);

and all Israel fled everyone to his tent;
or to his city, as the Targum; everyone returned to their own house, and to their own business, and so the rebellion ceased.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F14 Homer. Iliad. 23. ver. 245, 257.

2 Samuel 18:17 In-Context

15 And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.

16 Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab had restrained them.

17 They took Absalom, cast him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a huge mound of stones over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled, each to his home.

18 During his lifetime, Absalom had set up for himself a pillar in the King’s Valley, for he had said, “I have no son to preserve the memory of my name.” So he gave the pillar his name, and to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.

19 Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.”