2 Samuel 18:9-18

9 Now Absalom was riding on his mule when he met the servants of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, ^[a] Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair.

10 When one of the men saw this, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”

11 “You just saw him!” Joab exclaimed. “Why did you not strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you ten shekels of silver ^[b] and a warrior’s belt!”

12 The man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels of silver ^[c] were weighed out into my hands, I would not raise my hand against the son of the king. For we heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake. ^[d]’

13 If I had jeopardized my own life ^[e]—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”

14 But Joab declared, “I am not going to wait like this with you!” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak tree.

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.

2 Samuel 18:9-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 18

In this chapter is an account of David's review of his army, preparing it for battle with Absalom, and those with him, 2Sa 18:1-5; and of the defeat and flight of the rebels, 2Sa 18:6-8; and of the death of Absalom, and the manner of it, and of his burial, 2Sa 18:9-18; and of the news of it brought to David by different persons, 2Sa 18:19-32; and of his great grief and sorrow on that account, 2Sa 18:33.

Footnotes

• [a] Or large terebinth or very great tree; similarly in verses 10 and 14
• [b] 10 shekels is approximately 4 ounces or 114 grams of silver.
• [c] 1,000 shekels is approximately 25.1 pounds or 11.4 kilograms of silver.
• [d] A few Hebrew manuscripts, LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts Whoever you may be, protect the young man Absalom. or Let no one touch the young man Absalom.
• [e] Or If I had dealt treacherously against his life