2 Samuel 18 17

2 Samuel 18:17 kjv

And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent.

2 Samuel 18:17 nkjv

And they took Absalom and cast him into a large pit in the woods, and laid a very large heap of stones over him. Then all Israel fled, everyone to his tent.

2 Samuel 18:17 niv

They took Absalom, threw him into a big pit in the forest and piled up a large heap of rocks over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled to their homes.

2 Samuel 18:17 esv

And they took Absalom and threw him into a great pit in the forest and raised over him a very great heap of stones. And all Israel fled every one to his own home.

2 Samuel 18:17 nlt

They threw Absalom's body into a deep pit in the forest and piled a great heap of stones over it. And all Israel fled to their homes.

2 Samuel 18 verses

2 Samuel 18 17 Meaning

This verse describes the swift, inglorious end of Absalom, the rebellious son of King David, after his death in the forest. It recounts how he was immediately taken and thrown into a large pit, signifying a highly undignified burial. A substantial pile of stones was then placed over him, serving not as a monument of honor, but as a marker of disgrace and judgment. Simultaneously, the verse highlights the immediate collapse of Absalom's rebel forces, as all the Israelite soldiers under him dispersed and fled back to their homes, signaling the decisive end of the rebellion.

2 Samuel 18 17 Context

Chapter 18 of 2 Samuel details the decisive battle in the Forest of Ephraim between David's forces and Absalom's rebel army. Absalom's long hair, a symbol of his vanity and perhaps a vow (like a Nazirite, though broken by his actions), becomes the instrument of his downfall as it gets caught in a tree during his flight, leaving him exposed. Though Joab had been commanded by David to spare Absalom, he directly disobeys, recognizing that Absalom's continued existence posed a direct threat to David's kingdom and continued civil war. This verse immediately follows Absalom's death at the hands of Joab and his armor-bearers. His ignominious burial in a random pit, rather than a place of honor, contrasts sharply with his personal vanity, his ambition to be king, and his earlier erection of a monument for himself, underscoring the completeness of his failure and the divine judgment upon his rebellion. The dispersal of his army signifies the abrupt and total end of his short-lived uprising.

2 Samuel 18 17 Word analysis

• And they took Absalom, and cast him
  • "And they took Absalom": Implies Joab's men, who carried out his orders (2 Sam 18:14). It shows a swift, unceremonious handling of the body.
  • "cast him": (וַיַּשְׁלִכוּהוּ, wayyashlikhuhuhu) - The Hebrew verb conveys a forceful, disdainful, and immediate throwing, like disposing of something unwanted or despised. It is not a respectful burial.
• into a great pit in the forest,
  • "great pit": (הַגּוֹר הַגָּדוֹל, haggôr haggadôl) - A large pit or cistern, often for water or storage. In this context, it functions as an improvised, undignified grave. It signifies a descent into degradation, a common biblical image for destruction or the underworld (e.g., Ps 88:4-6). This is far from a planned or sacred burial ground.
  • "in the forest": (bayya'ar) - A wild, uncultivated, and desolate place. It contrasts with a populated area or family burial plot, further emphasizing the ignominy and isolation of Absalom's end. This immediate, haphazard burial in the wild signifies he was not deemed worthy of proper societal funerary rites.
• and laid a very great heap of stones upon him:
  • "laid a very great heap of stones upon him": (וַיָּשִׂימוּ עָלָיו גַּל-אֶבֶן גָּדוֹל מְאֹד, wayyaśîmû ‘ālāyw gal-‘eben gāḏôl me’ōḏ) - The "heap of stones" (gal-eben) is crucial. This was a custom for those judged cursed or cut off from Israel (e.g., Achan in Josh 7:26; the King of Ai in Josh 8:29). It served as a lasting marker, not of honor, but of condemnation and perpetual infamy. The "very great" emphasis indicates public detestation and a clear declaration of divine judgment against his rebellion and treachery against David and God's anointed. This is the antithesis of the monumental pillar Absalom had built for himself (2 Sam 18:18).
• and all Israel fled every one to his tent.
  • "and all Israel fled": (וְכָל-יִשְׂרָאֵל נָסוּ) - "All Israel" refers to Absalom's forces. Their flight indicates a complete rout and the immediate collapse of the rebellion after the death of its leader. It demonstrates the suddenness and finality of their defeat.
  • "every one to his tent": (אִישׁ לְאֹהָלָיו, 'îš lə'ohalāw) - A proverbial phrase in ancient Israel indicating dispersion or disbandment. It meant returning home from war or public assembly, signifying the complete cessation of the conflict. It emphasizes that the threat was immediately diffused and the kingdom returned to David's control without further organized resistance.

2 Samuel 18 17 Bonus section

The "heap of stones" served a dual purpose in ancient Near Eastern culture. While sometimes used to mark a significant event or covenant (e.g., Gen 31:46-48), here, in a funerary context for a cursed person, it functions as a marker of an accursed or dishonored individual. This contrasts sharply with the "standing pillar" (yad in 2 Sam 18:18) Absalom had built for himself. A yad implies memory and honor, particularly for someone without sons to carry on his name. The fact that Absalom received a gal (heap) instead of a yad powerfully symbolizes that his legacy would be one of shame and not honor. This acts as an ironic polemic against his personal pride and ambition, demonstrating that his earthly achievements and self-commemorations ultimately held no eternal value in the face of God's judgment. The absence of Absalom's sons, despite the narrative noting he had none (2 Sam 18:18), reinforces the ultimate futility of his attempts to establish his name outside of God's blessing.

2 Samuel 18 17 Commentary

This verse encapsulates the definitive, inglorious end of Absalom's rebellion and Absalom himself. His disrespectful disposal into an unmarked, isolated pit, and the placement of a heap of stones traditionally reserved for accursed individuals, powerfully convey the message of divine judgment and the wages of prideful rebellion. This stands in stark contrast to the grand monument he had erected for himself during his lifetime, a symbol of his vanity and desire for lasting fame. The narrative intentionally juxtaposes his self-memorialization with his actual dishonorable burial, highlighting the emptiness of human ambition when pitted against God's ordained order. The immediate dispersal of his entire army, described by the phrase "every one to his tent," signifies not only the military victory for David but the total collapse of Absalom's movement, demonstrating the fleeting nature of support built on rebellion and self-interest. Absalom's end serves as a vivid biblical illustration of the principle that "pride goes before destruction" (Prov 16:18), and that resistance to God-appointed authority often meets with swift and ignominious judgment.