2 Samuel 18
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
2 Samuel 18
NJB (MT versing) Absalom Slain Absalom's Defeat and Death The Battle in the Forest of Ephraim Absalom Is Defeated and Killed Defeat of Absalom's Party 18:1-5 18:1-5 18:1-5 18:1-2 18:1-8 18:3 18:4-5 18:6-8 18:6-8 18:6-8 18:6-8 The Death of Absalom Death of Absalom 18:9-15 18:9-15 18:9-15 18:9-10 18:9-15 18:11 18:12-13 18:14-15 18:16-18 18:16-18 18:16-18 18:16-17 18:16-17 18:18 18:18 David is Grief-Stricken David Hears of Absalom's Death The Grief of David David is Told of Absalom's Death The News is Brought to David 18:19-23 18:19-23 18:19-23 18:19 18:19-23 18:20-21 18:22a 18:22b 18:23 18:24-27 18:24-32 18:24-27 18:24-25 18:24-27 18:26a 18:26b 18:27 18:28-30 18:28-30 18:28 18:28-30 18:29 18:30 18:31-32 18:31-32 18:31 18:31-33 David's Mourning for Absalom (18:33-19:8) 18:32 18:33 18:33 18:33 18:33 Etc.
2 Samuel 18:1-5
18:1 "Then David numbered the people" The term means "mustered" or "organized for battle" (BDB 823, KB 955, cf. 1 Sam. 11:8). Josephus, Antiq. 7.10.1, tells us that he had four thousand men but this is uncertain. ▣ "thousands" See SPECIAL TOPIC: THOUSAND (eleph). 18:2 NASB, TEV, JPSOA "sent the people out" "sent out" NRSV, NJB, REB, some LXX MSS "divided" "inspected" "placed" The MT has the VERB "sent out" (BDB 1018, KB 1511, Piel IMPERFECT with waw). The LXX translated a similar Hebrew VERB "divided," which is supported by the UBS Text Project, p. 249, with a "C" rating (considerable doubt). ▣ "one third under the command of Ittai" Probably David's army was made up of Israeli and foreign elements. David put the command of the foreigner troops under a loyal foreigner. ▣ "I shall surely go with you" This was normal with kings but David was extremely old and the people thought it best for him to stay in the city (v. 3). This is an intensified grammatical form (i.e., an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and an IMPERFECT VERB of the same root). 18:3 "for if we indeed flee" This is also an emphatic form like the one above. ▣ "But you are worth ten thousand of us" This is from the LXX. The MT has "for now there are ten thousand like us." ▣ "that you be ready to help" The MT has a Hiphil INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT but the Masoretic scholars suggested a Qal INFINITIVE CONSTRUCT. ▣ "the city" Mahanaim was the city where Mephibosheth and later Ishbosheth sought refuge. David's kindness to the same leader in rural Gilead made him want to help David in his time of need. 18:5 "Deal gently for my sake with the young man, Absalom" There is no VERB here but there is in v. 12. Obviously David rememembered the prophecy of doom upon his own house (cf. 2 Sam. 12:11-12). I think he was conscious that his sin related to Bathsheba and Uriah was ripping his own family apart.
2 Samuel 18:6-8
18:6 "the forest of Ephraim" David had a smaller but better trained army. The element of surprise and the terrain were on his side. Apparently this battle occurred on the eastern side of the Jordan in the rocky and treacherous upclimb from the Jordan Rift Valley. Some LXX MSS have "the forest of Mahanaim." The UBS Handbook, p. 1003, mentions that 1 Macc. 5.46, has a village on the eastern bank of the Jordan named "Ephron," which may be the geographical place denoted here. 18:7 Civil wars are terrible things! Again, it is uncertain if the number 20,000 deals with individuals military units total casualties on both sides SPECIAL TOPIC: THOUSAND (eleph) 18:8 "the forest devoured more people that day than the sword devoured" This refers either literally to those who were killed by falling off cliffs, down holes, into marshes as a symbol of the fact that most of Absalom's army were untrained volunteers who, when the battle began, simply deserted into the forest
2 Samuel 18:9-15
18:9 "Absalom happened to meet the servants of David" Obviously Absalom was not prepared for battle. He did not have his bodyguard with him. Apparently he was out in front of the troops, which implied that they were still marching toward the uplands of Gilead when a surprise attack occurred. The NASB, NRSV, NJB, and Peshitta have the word "happened" (BDB 896 II). YHWH was against Absalom, there was no "just happened" (cf. vv. 19,31; 2 Sam. 17:14)! ▣ "his mule" This was probably David's royal mule which Absalom had commandeered as a sign of his kingship. ▣ "his head caught fast in the oak" Josephus, (Antiq. 7.11.1) tells us it was because of his long hair (cf. 2 Sam. 14:26), but also, Absalom was a very tall man and maybe simply his height caused him to be caught, not by the hair, but his neck caught in the forks of the branches. It is all so obvious that his excited hurry to leave the scene caused him to be less cautious than normal. The very things he took pride in (i.e., his height and hair) now result in his death. ▣ "between heaven and earth" Heaven in this context, refers to the atmosphere above the earth. SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN (OT) 18:11 "ten pieces of silver and a belt" This was a significant reward. The word "pieces" refers to shekels of silver. The "belt" (BDB 292) refers to a military girdle which held all other military clothing in place (cf. NIDOTTE, vol. 2, p. 23). SPECIAL TOPIC: ANE WEIGHTS AND VOLUMES 18:12 The man who found Absalom caught in the tree was apparently one of David's servants. He had heard David's command (BDB 1036, KB 1581, Qal IMPERATIVE). The VERB can mean keep watch preserve The JPSOA translates this as "watch over my boy Absalom, for my sake." The footnote mentions that "most Heb. MSS and editions read 'who' ‒perhaps meaning 'whoever you are.'" David wanted Absalom spared! Joab knew he must die. There could be only one king! 18:13 NASB, NRSV, JPSOA "then you yourself would have stood aloof" NKJV, Peshitta "and you yourself would have set yourself against me" "and you would not have defended me" "and you would have disassociated yourself from me" "you would have kept well out of it" "even you shall stand opposed" The MT is like the NASB, NRSV, JPSOA, but the NET Bible prefers the Peshitta's "me." 18:14-15 "Joab. . .took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom" Joab was the first to strike Absalom (i.e., LXX and Targum) but, as we see in v. 15, his loyal military men also struck Absalom so that Joab would not take all the blame from David.
2 Samuel 18:16-18
18:16 "Joab blew the trumpet" This was a way of communicating both religious festivals and military commands in the field. SPECIAL TOPIC: HORNS USED BY ISRAEL ▣ "for Joab restrained the people" This was a gesture of mercy (cf. 2 Sam. 2:28). Joab really cared for the Israelite people and as soon as Absalom was dead he stopped the slaughter of the green Israeli conscripts. 18:17 "a deep pit" The "deep pit" obviously is a well known place (i.e., has the DEFINITE ARTICLE). ▣ "erected over him a great heap of stones" This refers to a sign of reproach (cf. Josh. 7:26. How different from his monument in the King's Valley (2 Sam. 18:18). ▣ "all Israel fled, each to his tent" This is an idiom from the exodus and wandering period. It means they all went home (i.e., 1 Sam. 4:10; 2 Chr. 25:22). 18:18 "set up a pillar" It is irony that the monument (BDB 663) Absalom set up for himself was so different from the monument set up at his death (i.e., a heap of stones). ▣ "the King's Valley" Josephus (Antiq. 7.10.3) tells us it is near Jerusalem but Gen. 14:17 makes it near Sodom. We really do not know the exact location of the King's Valley. ▣ "I have no son to preserve my name" If you compare this statement with 2 Sam. 14:27, it is obvious that Absalom's three sons died at an early age because it is highly unusual for a daughter to be named. See Gleason Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, pp. 184-185.
2 Samuel 18:19-23
18:19-23 David was so emotional about Absalom (cf. v, 12) that anyone who brought bad news was in jeopardy of a reaction! 18:21 "the Cushite" This would refer to an Ethiopian or Sudanese person who was part of David's servants or possibly Joab's slave. Joab must have thought the bad news about Absalom would cause the king to hurt or kill the messenger (i.e., 2 Samuel 1).
2 Samuel 18:24-27
18:24 "between the two gates" This apparently refers to an outer gate and a second inner gate for added security. 18:25 "If he is by himself there is good news in his mouth" Obviously, a mass retreat would involve numerous soldiers running frantically for the protection of the city, therefore, one soldier running probably meant good news.
2 Samuel 18:28-30
18:28 "who has delivered up the men. . ." The VERB in the MT (BDB 688, KB 742, Piel PERFECT) means "shut up the man." This refers to the Hebrew concept of "blessing" as being in a wide unconfined place (cf. 2 Sam. 22:30; Ps. 31:8). 18:30 David's IMPERATIVES show how anxious he was to receive the second messenger's report (i.e., v. 32).
2 Samuel 18:33
18:33 NASB, NKJV, NRSV, REB "deeply moved" "overcome with grief" "shuddered" "shaken" "troubled" "overcome" The MT has the VERB (BDB 919, KB 1182, Qal IMPERFECT with waw) which basically means "to quiver" or "to shake" with emotion (see NIDOTTE, vol. 3, pp. 1045-1046). with fear with anxiety with sorrow ▣ "Would I had died instead of you" David's sorrow is unrestrained. Hie emotional state is almost unexpressionable! This is one of the saddest statements in the OT. I think the intensity of emotion is a result of the recognition of David's own sin and the consequences of his acts in the life of his family. David, though a great man of God and a great soldier and a wonderful musician, was a horrendous father! This verse starts chapter 19 in the MT.