The Meaning of 2 Samuel 18:12 Explained

2 Samuel 18:12

KJV: And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.

YLT: And the man saith unto Joab, 'Yea, though I am weighing on my hand a thousand silverlings, I do not put forth my hand unto the son of the king; for in our ears hath the king charged thee, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, Observe ye who is against the youth -- against Absalom;

Darby: And the man said to Joab, Though I should receive a thousand silver pieces in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Take care, whoever it be of you, of the young man Absalom.

ASV: And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand pieces of'silver in my hand, yet would I not put forth my hand against the king's son; for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the man  said  unto Joab,  Though  I should receive  a thousand  [shekels] of silver  in mine hand,  [yet] would I not put forth  mine hand  against the king's  son:  for in our hearing  the king  charged  thee and Abishai  and Ittai,  saying,  Beware  that none [touch] the young man  Absalom. 

What does 2 Samuel 18:12 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 18:1-15 - The End Of An Unfilial Son
Absalom's army was soon across the river under Amasa, David's nephew, 2 Samuel 17:25-26. Though political reasons constrained David to flight, his heart bled for his wrong-headed and evil-hearted son, and he gave urgent directions for his safety. Let us here learn something of God's own heart of love. We may have been heartless and thoughtless, have defied His authority and refused to give Him His rightful place; but He gives charge concerning us, desires that we may be spared the full results of our actions, and yearns for our return.
The eastern tribes had rallied so enthusiastically around David's standard, that he soon found himself at the head of a great army, which, to judge from 2 Samuel 18:12, was absolutely loyal to him. But Joab saw farther than the ordinary soldiers and knew that there could be no peace while Absalom lived. He had forfeited his life, according to Deuteronomy 21:18; Deuteronomy 21:21; Deuteronomy 21:23. See also 2 Samuel 17:2; 2 Samuel 17:4. His head being caught in the fork of a tree, it seemed, indeed, as if he were cursed according to the law, Galatians 3:13; Deuteronomy 21:23. [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 18:12 mean?

But said the man to Joab - Though I were to receive in my hand a thousand [shekels] of silver not I would raise my hand against son of the king for in our hearing commanded the king you and Abishai Ittai saying Beware who [touches] the young man Absalom
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הָאִישׁ֙ אֶל־ יוֹאָ֔ב [ולא] (וְל֨וּא‪‬) אָנֹכִ֜י שֹׁקֵ֤ל עַל־ כַּפַּי֙ אֶ֣לֶף כֶּ֔סֶף לֹֽא־ אֶשְׁלַ֥ח יָדִ֖י אֶל־ בֶּן־ הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּ֣י בְאָזְנֵ֜ינוּ צִוָּ֣ה הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ אֹ֠תְךָ וְאֶת־ אֲבִישַׁ֤י אִתַּי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר שִׁמְרוּ־ מִ֕י בַּנַּ֖עַר בְּאַבְשָׁלֽוֹם

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  But  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הָאִישׁ֙  the  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
יוֹאָ֔ב  Joab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄואָב  
Sense: son of David’s sister Zeruiah and general of David’s army.
[ולא]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
(וְל֨וּא‪‬)  Though 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: לוּ  
Sense: if, oh that!, if only!.
שֹׁקֵ֤ל  were  to  receive 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שָׁקַל  
Sense: to weigh, weigh out, pay out.
כַּפַּי֙  my  hand 
Parse: Noun, fdc, first person common singular
Root: כַּף  
Sense: palm, hand, sole, palm of the hand, hollow or flat of the hand.
אֶ֣לֶף  a  thousand 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: אֶלֶף 
Sense: a thousand.
כֶּ֔סֶף  [shekels]  of  silver 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
אֶשְׁלַ֥ח  I  would  raise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
יָדִ֖י  my  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
אֶל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ  of  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
בְאָזְנֵ֜ינוּ  in  our  hearing 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, fdc, first person common plural
Root: אֹזֶן  
Sense: ear, as part of the body.
צִוָּ֣ה  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֲבִישַׁ֤י  Abishai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישַׁי 
Sense: grandson of Jesse, nephew of David via his sister Zeruiah, brother of Joab.
אִתַּי֙  Ittai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִיתַי 
Sense: a Gittite commander from Gath in David’s army.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
שִׁמְרוּ־  Beware 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
מִ֕י  who  [touches] 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: מִי  
Sense: who?, whose?, whom?, would that, whoever, whosoever.
בַּנַּ֖עַר  the  young  man 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
בְּאַבְשָׁלֽוֹם  Absalom 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.

What are the major concepts related to 2 Samuel 18:12?

Loading Information...