2 Samuel 18 15

2 Samuel 18:15 kjv

And ten young men that bare Joab's armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him.

2 Samuel 18:15 nkjv

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

2 Samuel 18:15 niv

And ten of Joab's armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him.

2 Samuel 18:15 esv

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

2 Samuel 18:15 nlt

Ten of Joab's young armor bearers then surrounded Absalom and killed him.

2 Samuel 18 verses

2 Samuel 18 15 Meaning

This verse describes the final, decisive action taken to end Absalom's life during his rebellion against King David. After Joab had struck Absalom, ten of Joab's armor-bearers surrounded the incapacitated Absalom and struck him repeatedly, confirming his death. It marks the gruesome culmination of Absalom's attempted coup, solidifying the end of his challenge to David's throne.

2 Samuel 18 15 Context

The immediate context of 2 Samuel 18:15 is the dramatic battle between David's forces and Absalom's rebels in the Wood of Ephraim. Absalom, in his flight, became entangled by his long hair in the branches of a large oak tree (2 Sam 18:9), leaving him suspended and helpless. Despite King David's explicit command to "deal gently with the young man Absalom" (2 Sam 18:5), Joab, David's military commander, disregarded this instruction. After confronting a man who refused to kill Absalom due to David's order, Joab himself took three darts and thrust them into Absalom's heart while he was still alive in the tree (2 Sam 18:14). Verse 15 follows immediately, detailing the final and decisive blows delivered by Joab's armor-bearers, ensuring Absalom's demise and crushing the rebellion. This act solidified Joab's role as a ruthless but effective leader committed to the kingdom's stability, even at the cost of direct disobedience to the king's wishes when he deemed it necessary. Historically, Absalom's rebellion was a major crisis for David's reign, illustrating the destructive power of family conflict and usurpation.

2 Samuel 18 15 Word analysis

• And: A conjunction linking this action directly to Joab's previous assault, indicating a continuation and completion of the fatal blow.
• ten young men: עֲשָׂרָה נְעָרִים (aserah ne'arim). The number "ten" signifies a substantial group, a complete unit for an important task. Ne'arim refers to servants, soldiers, or able-bodied young men, often associated with a retinue. Their number implies collective, overwhelming force, making Absalom's death certain and spreading the responsibility for the act beyond Joab alone.
• that bare Joab's armour: נֹשְׂאֵי כְּלִי יוֹאָב (nose'ey kley Yo'av). These were "armor-bearers," typically trusted, skilled, and loyal personal attendants of a high-ranking commander. They were not merely porters but elite soldiers fighting closely with their leader, embodying his immediate striking force. Their involvement highlights the decisive and official nature of the killing, as an extension of Joab's will.
• compassed about: וַיָּסֹבּוּ (vayyasobbu). From the root sabab, meaning "to turn, to surround." This implies that they encircled Absalom, leaving him no escape or opportunity to fight back. It denotes a planned and thorough execution.
• and smote Absalom: וַיַּכּוּ אֶת־אַבְשָׁלֹום (vayyakku 'et-Absalom). From nakah, meaning "to strike, hit, wound, beat, kill." The plural verb indicates multiple individuals delivering blows. The phrase implies a violent and repeated assault. The choice of "smote" preceding "slew" often describes the initial, damaging impact.
• and slew him: וַיְמִיתֻהוּ (vayemituhu). From mut, "to die, kill, slay." This verb directly signifies "caused to die." The combination with "smote" provides emphatic certainty and finality to the act, highlighting that despite Joab's previous three darts, these blows were what ensured Absalom's death, or perhaps delivered the coup de grace. The Hebrew emphasizes the action as "they caused him to die."

2 Samuel 18 15 Bonus section

• The detail of "ten young men" contributes to the biblical emphasis on definitive actions. Ten can represent a complete or decisive number. Their involvement also distributed the act, emphasizing it as a collective resolve rather than solely Joab's personal defiance of David.
• The death of Absalom contrasts sharply with David's merciful instructions, underscoring the tension between a king's paternal affection and the harsh realities of governance and military command during a civil war. Joab's action prioritizes the survival of the kingdom over the life of a rebellious prince, an enduring ethical dilemma.
• Absalom's fall is steeped in irony. His pride in his long, flowing hair (2 Sam 14:26), a symbol of his vanity and distinctiveness, becomes the very instrument of his capture, hanging him exposed for execution. His death in "Ephraim's Wood" could also carry symbolic weight, implying the entanglement of his plans.

2 Samuel 18 15 Commentary

2 Samuel 18:15 describes the gruesome end of Absalom, concluding his rebellious and arrogant quest for the throne. Joab, understanding the strategic imperative to decisively crush the rebellion and recognizing Absalom as its dangerous heart, went beyond merely wounding him. By ordering his elite armor-bearers to finish Absalom, Joab ensured no room for recovery or renewed threat. This action, though defiant of David's personal wish for Absalom's life, was a pragmatic military decision designed to restore peace and stability to the kingdom. The combined assault of "ten young men" reinforces the finality of Absalom's fate, highlighting the collective determination to eradicate the rebellion. It is a stark depiction of justice, albeit harsh and humanly executed, unfolding against one who dared to challenge God's anointed king and usurp his father's authority. Absalom's death serves as a vivid consequence of his treachery and rebellion, echoing broader biblical principles regarding pride and the ultimate wages of sin.