# 2 Samuel 18 📖: The Death of Absalom [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-2 Samuel Overview]] | [[2 Samuel 17]] | [[2 Samuel 19]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ### The Death of Absalom [[#Verse 01.]] David assembled the army that was with him. He appointed leaders of thousands and leaders of hundreds.  [[#Verse 02.]] David then sent out the army—a third under the leadership of Joab, a third under the leadership of Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under the leadership of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the troops, “I too will indeed march out with you.” [[#Verse 03.]] But the soldiers replied, “You should not do this! For if we should have to make a rapid retreat, they won’t be concerned about us. Even if half of us should die, they won’t be concerned. But you are like 10,000 of us! So it is better if you remain in the city for support.”  [[#Verse 04.]] Then the king said to them, “I will do whatever seems best to you.” So the king stayed beside the city gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands.  [[#Verse 05.]] The king gave this order to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “For my sake deal gently with the young man Absalom.” Now the entire army was listening when the king gave all the leaders this order concerning Absalom. [[#Verse 06.]] Then the army marched out to the field to fight against Israel. The battle took place in the forest of Ephraim.  [[#Verse 07.]] The army of Israel was defeated there by David’s men. The slaughter there was great that day—20,000 soldiers were killed.  [[#Verse 08.]] The battle there was spread out over the whole area, and the forest consumed more soldiers than the sword devoured that day. [[#Verse 09.]] Then Absalom happened to come across David’s men. Now as Absalom was riding on his mule, it went under the branches of a large oak tree. His head got caught in the oak and he was suspended in midair, while the mule he had been riding kept going. [[#Verse 10.]] When one of the men saw this, he reported it to Joab saying, “I saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree.”  [[#Verse 11.]] Joab replied to the man who was telling him this, “What! You saw this? Why didn’t you strike him down right on the spot? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a commemorative belt!” [[#Verse 12.]] The man replied to Joab, “Even if I were receiving 1,000 pieces of silver, I would not strike the king’s son! In our very presence the king gave this order to you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’  [[#Verse 13.]] If I had acted at risk of my own life—and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.” [[#Verse 14.]] Joab replied, “I will not wait around like this for you!” He took three spears in his hand and thrust them into the middle of Absalom while he was still alive in the middle of the oak tree.  [[#Verse 15.]] Then ten soldiers who were Joab’s armor-bearers struck Absalom and finished him off. [[#Verse 16.]] Then Joab blew the trumpet and the army turned back from chasing Israel, for Joab had called for the army to halt.  [[#Verse 17.]] They took Absalom, threw him into a large pit in the forest, and stacked a huge pile of stones over him. In the meantime all the Israelite soldiers fled to their homes. [[#Verse 18.]] Before this Absalom had set up a monument and dedicated it to himself in the King’s Valley, reasoning, “I have no son who will carry on my name.” He named the monument after himself, and to this day it is known as Absalom’s Memorial. ### David Learns of Absalom’s Death [[#Verse 19.]] Then Ahimaaz the son of Zadok said, “Let me run and give the king the good news that the Lord has vindicated him before his enemies.”  [[#Verse 20.]] But Joab said to him, “You will not be a bearer of good news today. You will bear good news some other day, but not today, for the king’s son is dead.” [[#Verse 21.]] Then Joab said to the Cushite, “Go and tell the king what you have seen.” After bowing to Joab, the Cushite ran off. [[#Verse 22.]] Ahimaaz the son of Zadok again spoke to Joab, “Whatever happens, let me go after the Cushite.” But Joab said, “Why is it that you want to go, my son? You have no good news that will bring you a reward.”  [[#Verse 23.]] But he said, “Whatever happens, I want to go!” So Joab said to him, “Then go!” So Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Jordan plain, and he passed the Cushite. [[#Verse 24.]] Now David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, and the watchman went up to the roof over the gate at the wall. When he looked, he saw a man running by himself.  [[#Verse 25.]] So the watchman called out and informed the king. The king said, “If he is by himself, he brings good news.” The runner came ever closer. [[#Verse 26.]] Then the watchman saw another man running. The watchman called out to the gatekeeper, “There is another man running by himself.” The king said, “This one also is bringing good news.” [[#Verse 27.]] The watchman said, “It appears to me that the first runner is Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” The king said, “He is a good man, and he comes with good news.” [[#Verse 28.]] Then Ahimaaz called out and said to the king, “Greetings!” He bowed down before the king with his face toward the ground and said, “May the Lord your God be praised because he has defeated the men who opposed my lord the king!” [[#Verse 29.]] The king replied, “How is the young man Absalom?” Ahimaaz replied, “I saw a great deal of confusion when Joab was sending the king’s servant and me, your servant, but I don’t know what it was all about.”  [[#Verse 30.]] The king said, “Turn aside and take your place here.” So he turned aside and waited. [[#Verse 31.]] Then the Cushite arrived and said, “May my lord the king now receive the good news! The Lord has vindicated you today and delivered you from the hand of all who have rebelled against you!” [[#Verse 32.]] The king asked the Cushite, “How is the young man Absalom?” The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who have plotted against you be like that young man!” [[#Verse 33.]] (19:1) The king then became very upset. He went up to the upper room over the gate and wept. As he went he said, “My son, Absalom! My son, my son, Absalom! If only I could have died in your place! Absalom, my son, my son!” ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. ###### Verse 28. ###### Verse 29. ###### Verse 30. ###### Verse 31. ###### Verse 32. ###### Verse 33. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. The battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim (18:6), likely east of the Jordan despite its name. 2. The forest claimed more lives that day than the sword did (18:8). 3. Absalom was riding a mule, a royal animal, when his head caught in the branches of a large oak (18:9). 4. The soldier who saw Absalom refused Joab's offer of ten pieces of silver and a belt (18:11-12). 5. Joab thrust three spears (or sticks) into Absalom's chest, and ten of Joab's armor-bearers finished him off (18:14-15). 6. Absalom was buried in a pit under a large heap of stones (18:17), a burial associated with judgment (Joshua 7:26). 7. Absalom had set up a pillar in the King's Valley because he had no son to carry on his name (18:18). 8. A monument called "Absalom's Tomb" stands in Jerusalem's Kidron Valley today, but it was built centuries later. 9. Ahimaaz outran the Cushite by taking the route through the plain (18:23). 10. David's cry in 18:33 repeats "my son" five times. ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the Son who died in the place of rebels. David cried that he wished he had died instead of Absalom (18:33), but he could not. Jesus actually did die for rebellious people, the righteous for the unrighteous (1 Peter 3:18; Romans 5:8). ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. David's men insisted he stay out of the battle because he was worth ten thousand of them (18:3). Why is it wise to listen when trusted people say "not this time"? 2. David asked his commanders to deal gently with Absalom (18:5). What does this reveal about a parent's love for a rebellious child? 3. Absalom built a monument to himself (18:18) but ended up under a heap of stones (18:17). What does this teach about making a name for ourselves? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 3: The people urge David to stay in the city. - 📖 verse 5: David commands gentleness toward Absalom. - 📖 verse 33: David weeps and wishes he had died instead of his son. ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 [[Proverbs 16#Verse 18.|Proverbs 16:18]] - Pride goes before destruction. - 🔗 [[Luke 15#Verse 20.|Luke 15:20-24]] - A father's love for a wayward son. - 🔗 [[Romans 05#Verse 08.|Romans 5:8]] - Christ died for us while we were still sinners. - 🔗 [[1 Peter 03#Verse 18.|1 Peter 3:18]] - The righteous for the unrighteous. - 🔗 [[Galatians 06#Verse 07.|Galatians 6:7]] - A person reaps what he sows. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[2 Samuel 18 - SOAP|Listening to Others]] ## 📂 Internal Notes