The Meaning of 2 Samuel 18:33 Explained

2 Samuel 18:33

KJV: And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

YLT: And the king trembleth, and goeth up on the upper chamber of the gate, and weepeth, and thus he hath said in his going, 'My son! Absalom my son; my son Absalom; oh that I had died for thee, Absalom, my son, my son.'

Darby: And the king was much moved, and went up to the upper chamber of the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said thus: O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died in thy stead, O Absalom, my son, my son!

ASV: And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the king  was much moved,  and went up  to the chamber  over the gate,  and wept:  and as he went,  thus he said,  O my son  Absalom,  my son,  my son  Absalom!  would God I had died  for thee,  O Absalom,  my son,  my son! 

What does 2 Samuel 18:33 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 18:31-33 - Mourning Too Late
What an awful day that was for David, seated between the inner and outer gates, scanning the landscape, and speaking now and again to the sentry posted above him. Did not the Spirit work an even deeper repentance than ever before, recalling the self-indulgence, the failure to watch, the lapse of fellowship? But was it not also an hour when David put his finger on the Covenant and asked God, notwithstanding all, to do as he had said, 2 Samuel 7:15?
As David waited, his heart interceded for Absalom. How exactly his attitude is that of many who read these words, who are unable to join in the activities of life, and who spend days and nights in uttering one dear name before God! But he loves our Absaloms more than we do! David wished that he might have died for his son, and you have felt the same. But did not Jesus die for the ungodly? We must leave all with Him, the Judge of all the earth, but also its Redeemer and Savior. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 18

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

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 18:33 mean?

and was deeply moved the king and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept And thus he said as he went my son Absalom my son my son Absalom Oh that given had died I in your place Absalom my son
וַיִּרְגַּ֣ז הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וַיַּ֛עַל עַל־ עֲלִיַּ֥ת הַשַּׁ֖עַר וַיֵּ֑בְךְּ וְכֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר בְּלֶכְתּ֗וֹ בְּנִ֤י אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ בְּנִ֣י בְנִ֣י ! אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם מִֽי־ יִתֵּ֤ן מוּתִי֙ אֲנִ֣י תַחְתֶּ֔יךָ אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם ! בְנִֽי

וַיִּרְגַּ֣ז  and  was  deeply  moved 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָגַז  
Sense: tremble, quake, rage, quiver, be agitated, be excited, be perturbed.
הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וַיַּ֛עַל  and  went  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
עֲלִיַּ֥ת  the  chamber  over 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֲלִיָּה  
Sense: roof-room, roof chamber.
הַשַּׁ֖עַר  the  gate 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
וַיֵּ֑בְךְּ  and  wept 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּכָה  
Sense: to weep, bewail, cry, shed tears.
וְכֹ֣ה ׀  And  thus 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  he  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בְּלֶכְתּ֗וֹ  as  he  went 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בְּנִ֤י  my  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙  Absalom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.
בְּנִ֣י  my  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
בְנִ֣י  my  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
! אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם  Absalom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.
מִֽי־  Oh  that 
Parse: Verb, Pual, Imperfect
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
יִתֵּ֤ן  given 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
מוּתִי֙  had  died 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, first person common singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
תַחְתֶּ֔יךָ  in  your  place 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם  Absalom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.
! בְנִֽי  my  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.