Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2 Samuel 18

80 catchwords320 parallels

← 2 Samuel | ← Ch 17 | Ch 19 →

2 Samuel 18 . 1 , David viewing the armies in their march gives them charge of Absalom; 2 Samuel 18 . 6 , The Israelites are sorely smitten in the wood of Ephraim; 2 Samuel 18 . 9 , Absalom , hanging in an oak is slain by Joab , and cast into a pit; 2 Samuel 18 . 18 , Absalom’s place; 2 Samuel 18 . 19 , Ahimaaz and Cushi bring tidings to David; 2 Samuel 18 . 33 , David mourns for Absalom.

2 Samuel 18:1

Then David reviewed his troops and appointed over them commanders of hundreds and of thousands.

2 Samuel 18:1 · BSB

numbered2 parallels

captains of thousands1 parallel

Reciprocal1 parallel

2 Samuel 18:2

He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I will surely march out with you as well.”

2 Samuel 18:2 · BSB

a third part3 parallels

the hand of Joab1 parallel

Ittai1 parallel

I will surely4 parallels

Reciprocal7 parallels

2 Samuel 18:3

But the people pleaded, “You must not go out! For if we have to flee, they will pay no attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It is better for now if you support us from the city.”

2 Samuel 18:3 · BSB

Thou shalt1 parallel

if we flee3 parallels

worth1 parallel

etc. Heb. as ten thousand of us

succour2 parallels

Heb. be to succour

Reciprocal5 parallels

care for us Heb. set their heart on us

but now The particle attah , Now , is doubtless a mistake for the pronoun attah , Thou , and so it appears to have been read by the LXX , Vulgate , and Chaldee , and by two of Kennicott's and De Rossi's manuscripts.

2 Samuel 18:4

“I will do whatever seems best to you,” the king replied. So he stood beside the gate, while all the troops marched out by hundreds and by thousands.

2 Samuel 18:4 · BSB

by the gate2 parallels

by hundreds2 parallels

David's small company , by this time , was greatly recruited; but what its number was we cannot tell. Josephus says it amounted only to 4 ,000 men

Reciprocal3 parallels

2 Samuel 18:5

Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” And all the people heard the king’s orders to each of the commanders regarding Absalom.

2 Samuel 18:5 · BSB

Deal gently6 parallels

all the people1 parallel

Reciprocal6 parallels

2 Samuel 18:6

So David’s army marched into the field to engage Israel in the battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim.

2 Samuel 18:6 · BSB

wood of Ephraim3 parallels

The wood of Ephraim was evidently beyond Jordan , and apparently not far from Mahanaim; and it is supposed to be the place where the Ephraimites were slain by Jephthah

Reciprocal2 parallels

2 Samuel 18:7

There the people of Israel were defeated by David’s servants, and the slaughter was great that day—twenty thousand men.

2 Samuel 18:7 · BSB

the people3 parallels

a great2 parallels

twenty thousand men5 parallels

Reciprocal5 parallels

2 Samuel 18:8

The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.

2 Samuel 18:8 · BSB

the whole verse7 parallels

in the wood , That is , probably , many more were slain in pursuit through the wood than in the battle , by falling into swamps , pits , etc. , and being entangled and cut down by David's men. Such is the relation of Josephus; but the Chaldee , Syriac , and Arabic state , that they were devoured by wild beasts in the wood

Reciprocal3 parallels

devoured more Heb. multiplied to devour

2 Samuel 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, Absalom's head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair.

2 Samuel 18:9 · BSB

his head4 parallels

Riding furiously under the thick boughs of a great oak , which hung low and had never been cropped , either the twisted branches , or some low forked bough of the tree , caught him by the neck , or , as some think , by the loops into which his long hair had been pinned , which had been so much his pride , and was now justly made a halter for him. He may have hung so low from the bough , in consequence of the length of his hair , that he could not use his hands to help himself , or so entangled that his hands were bound , so that the more he struggled the more he was embarrassed. This set him up as a fair mark to the servants of David; and although David would have spared his rebellious son , if his orders had been executed , yet he could not turn the sword of Divine justice , in executing the just , righteous sentence of death on this traitorous son

taken up12 parallels

Reciprocal7 parallels

2 Samuel 18:10

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

2 Samuel 18:10 · BSB

Reciprocal3 parallels

2 Samuel 18:11

"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 and a warrior's belt!"

2 Samuel 18:11 · BSB

Reciprocal3 parallels

2 Samuel 18:12

The man replied, "Even if a thousand shekels of silver 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.'

2 Samuel 18:12 · BSB

in our hearing1 parallel

Reciprocal4 parallels

receive etc. Heb. weigh upon mine hand

Beware etc. Heb. Beware , whosoever ye be , of the , etc

2 Samuel 18:13

If I had jeopardized my own life—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me."

2 Samuel 18:13 · BSB

wrought3 parallels

for there is no3 parallels

Reciprocal1 parallel

2 Samuel 18:14

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.

2 Samuel 18:14 · BSB

thrust them6 parallels

midst1 parallel

Heb. heart

Reciprocal14 parallels

with thee Heb. before thee

2 Samuel 18:15

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

2 Samuel 18:15 · BSB

Reciprocal6 parallels

2 Samuel 18:16

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

2 Samuel 18:16 · BSB

blew the trumpet4 parallels

Reciprocal1 parallel

2 Samuel 18:17

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 · BSB

laid6 parallels

This was the ancient method of burying , whether heroes or traitors; the heap of stones being designed to perpetuate the memory of the event , whether good or bad. The Arabs in general make use of no other monument than a heap of stones over a grave. Thus , in an Arabic poem , it is related , that Hatim the father , and Adi the grandfather of Kais , having been murdered , at a time before Kais was capable of reflection , his mother kept it a profound secret; and in order to guard him against having any suspicion , she collected a parcel of stone on two hillocks in the neighbourhood , and told her son that the one was the grave of his father , and the other of his grandfather. The ancient cairns in Ireland and Scotland , and the tumuli in England , are of this kind

Reciprocal6 parallels

2 Samuel 18:18

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 18:18 · BSB

reared up1 parallel

the king's1 parallel

I have no son5 parallels

he called4 parallels

Absalom's place4 parallels

Josephus says there was in his time , about two furlongs from Jerusalem , a marble pillar called Absalom's hand , as it is in the Hebrew . see note on

  • 1 Samuel 15:12 and there is one shown to the present day , in the valley of Jehoshaphat , which , though comparatively a modern structure , probably occupies the site of the original one set up by Absalom
  • Genesis 11:9
  • Acts 1:18
  • Acts 1:19

Reciprocal7 parallels

2 Samuel 18:19

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.”

2 Samuel 18:19 · BSB

Ahimaaz4 parallels

avenged him8 parallels

Heb. judged him from the hand , etc

Reciprocal9 parallels

2 Samuel 18:20

But Joab replied, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”

2 Samuel 18:20 · BSB

bear tidings1 parallel

Heb. be a man of tidings

because4 parallels

Reciprocal1 parallel

2 Samuel 18:22

Ahimaaz son of Zadok, however, persisted and said to Joab, “Regardless of whatever may happen, please let me also run behind the Cushite!” “My son,” Joab replied, “why do you want to run, since you will not receive a reward?”

2 Samuel 18:22 · BSB

ready2 parallels

or , convenient

Reciprocal5 parallels

howsoever Heb. be what may

2 Samuel 18:23

“No matter what, I want to run!” he replied. “Then run!” Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.

2 Samuel 18:23 · BSB

overran Cushi1 parallel

Reciprocal3 parallels

2 Samuel 18:24

Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.

2 Samuel 18:24 · BSB

between2 parallels

the watchman5 parallels

Reciprocal3 parallels

2 Samuel 18:26

the watchman saw another man running, and he called out to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!” “This one also brings good news,” said the king.

2 Samuel 18:26 · BSB

Reciprocal1 parallel

2 Samuel 18:27

The watchman said, “The first man appears to me to be running like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” “This is a good man,” said the king. “He comes with good news.”

2 Samuel 18:27 · BSB

thinketh1 parallel

Heb. I see

He is a good5 parallels

Reciprocal6 parallels

2 Samuel 18:28

Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” And he bowed facedown before the king. He continued, “Blessed be the LORD your God! He has delivered up the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.”

2 Samuel 18:28 · BSB

All is well2 parallels

or , Peace be to thee , Heb. Peace , he fell down upon his face , This act was not only in reverence to the king , but in humble adoration of God , whose name he praises for this victory. The more our hearts are fixed and enlarged , in thanksgiving to God for our mercies , the better disposed we shall be to bear with patience the afflictions mixed with them

Blessed9 parallels

delivered up3 parallels

Heb. shut up

Reciprocal5 parallels

2 Samuel 18:29

The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.”

2 Samuel 18:29 · BSB

Is the young man Absalom safe3 parallels

Heb. is there peace to , etc. I saw a great

2 Samuel 18:31

Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: Today the LORD has avenged you of all who rose up against you!”

2 Samuel 18:31 · BSB

the Lord12 parallels

Reciprocal3 parallels

Tidings Heb. Tidings is brought

2 Samuel 18:32

The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And the Cushite replied, “May what has become of the young man happen to the enemies of my lord the king and to all who rise up against you to harm you.”

2 Samuel 18:32 · BSB

The enemies4 parallels

Thus Cushi obliquely and slowly informs David of the death of his son Absalom

Reciprocal4 parallels

2 Samuel 18:33

The king was shaken and went up to the gate chamber and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, "O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"

2 Samuel 18:33 · BSB

O my son1 parallel

would God5 parallels

Reciprocal19 parallels

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge is the classical cross-reference layer — centuries of catchword parallels beneath the site’s quotations, allusions, and echoes. Every reference above also flows into the wider web of connections.

In the wider web3 threads
Trajectories
Absalom (The Rebellious Son)
Chiasms
Shaped 2 Samuel 18:18–18, 2 Samuel 18:33–19:1
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