2 Samuel 18:15

15 Ten young men who bore Yo'av's armor compassed about and struck Avshalom, 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 Otherwise if I had dealt falsely against his life (and there is no matter hid from the king), then you yourself would have set yourself against [me].

14 Then said Yo'av, I may not wait thus with you. He took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Avshalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

15 Ten young men who bore Yo'av's armor compassed about and struck Avshalom, and killed him.

16 Yo'av blew the shofar, and the people returned from pursuing after Yisra'el; for Yo'av held back the people.

17 They took Avshalom, and cast him into the great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones: and all Yisra'el fled everyone to his tent.