2 Samuel 18 18

2 Samuel 18:18 kjv

Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.

2 Samuel 18:18 nkjv

Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up a pillar for himself, which is in the King's Valley. For he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance." He called the pillar after his own name. And to this day it is called Absalom's Monument.

2 Samuel 18:18 niv

During his lifetime Absalom had taken a pillar and erected it in the King's Valley as a monument to himself, for he thought, "I have no son to carry on the memory of my name." He named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom's Monument to this day.

2 Samuel 18:18 esv

Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself the pillar that is in the King's Valley, for he said, "I have no son to keep my name in remembrance." He called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absalom's monument to this day.

2 Samuel 18:18 nlt

During his lifetime, Absalom had built a monument to himself in the King's Valley, for he said, "I have no son to carry on my name." He named the monument after himself, and it is known as Absalom's Monument to this day.

2 Samuel 18 verses

2 Samuel 18 18 Meaning

This verse explains Absalom's motive for erecting a monumental pillar during his lifetime. Driven by the fear that he had no son who would perpetuate his name and legacy, he built this conspicuous monument in the king's dale to ensure his remembrance. He then named the pillar after himself, which became known as "Absalom's Place" and continued to be recognized as such "unto this day" by the time the biblical account was written. This act underscores Absalom's deep desire for enduring fame and a lasting legacy.

2 Samuel 18 18 Context

This verse provides a crucial flashback, inserted by the narrator just as Absalom meets his inglorious end in the ongoing rebellion against his father, King David. The battle of the Wood of Ephraim has been fought, Absalom's army is defeated, and Absalom himself is about to be slain while caught in a tree. The immediate literary context highlights the tragic irony: Absalom, driven by a deep personal ambition to secure his lasting fame through a monumental pillar, dies suspended between heaven and earth, later to be covered by a pile of stones in an undignified burial, directly contrary to his desire for a glorious and memorable legacy. Culturally, in ancient Israel, the continuation of one's name through male offspring was paramount, reflecting lineage, inheritance, and social standing. Childlessness, especially without male heirs, was a significant personal and familial anguish. The "king's dale," often identified with the Kidron Valley near Jerusalem, was a prominent location for monuments, making Absalom's pillar a highly visible statement of his aspirations. This verse indirectly critiques the human pursuit of self-exaltation and self-made remembrance, especially when pitted against divine order and authority (i.e., God's anointed king, David).

2 Samuel 18 18 Word analysis

• Now Absalom: אַבְשָׁל֣וֹם (Absalom) – "father of peace," deeply ironic given his role as a rebel who brought bloodshed and discord to his kingdom and family.
• in his lifetime: בְחַיָּת֑וֹ (b'chayyato) – Emphasizes that this act was preemptive, during his actual living days, suggesting a profound preoccupation with his posthumous fame while he was still active.
• had taken and reared up for himself a pillar: לָקַ֤ח וַיַּצֶּב־לוֹ֙ אֶת־מַצֵּבָ֔ה (laqach vayyatzav-lo et-matzevah) – מַצֵּבָה (matzevah) refers to an upright standing stone or monument. The phrase "for himself" (lo) accentuates his self-centered motivation for establishing his legacy.
• which is in the king's dale: אֲשֶׁר־בְּעֵ֥מֶק הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ (asher-b'emek hammelekh) – This topographical reference to a specific, well-known public space (often associated with the Kidron Valley) suggests the monument's intended visibility and grandeur, meant for public display and long-term recognition.
• for he said: כִּ֣י אָמַ֗ר (ki amar) – Introduces the explicit reason or inner motivation behind his action.
• I have no son: אֵֽין־לִ֥י בֵן (ein-li ven) – A profound statement of personal distress and a common lament in ancient Israelite society where lineage was paramount. While 2 Sam 14:27 mentions Absalom had "three sons," this statement likely refers to their premature death, lack of a surviving or worthy heir, or their failure to carry his name in a way he deemed fit at the time he erected the pillar. The cultural imperative for male offspring to preserve a family name was intense.
• to keep my name in remembrance: לְהַזְכִּ֥יר אֶת־שְׁמִֽי (l'hazkir et-sh'mi) – This phrase encapsulates his core desire: to prevent his name and identity from perishing into oblivion. He sought to create an artificial continuity for his name, compensating for perceived natural failings.
• and he called the pillar after his own name: וַיִּקְרָ֥א לַמַּצֵּבָ֖ה עַל־שְׁמֽוֹ (vayyiqra lammmatzevah al-sh'mo) – Directly assigns his identity to the monument, leaving no ambiguity about its purpose and patron.
• and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place: וַיִּקָּרֵ֥א לָ֖הּ יַ֣ד אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם (vayyiqare lahh yad Absalom) – יַד (yad) here means a "memorial," "monument," or "place." The phrase עַד־הַיּ֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה (ad-hayyom hazzeh), "unto this day," is a common biblical editorial remark that authenticates the historical duration of the monument's name. Ironically, the "place" for Absalom would forever be associated with his rebellion and death, not his intended glorious legacy.

2 Samuel 18 18 Bonus section

The "Absalom's Tomb" (or "Pillar of Absalom") found in the Kidron Valley in Jerusalem today, while traditionally associated with this verse, is an impressive monolithic monument. However, archaeological evidence dates it to the 1st century AD (Hellenistic or Roman period), many centuries after Absalom's time. This illustrates the enduring power of biblical narratives to attach themselves to specific sites, even if the direct physical link is anachronistic. It continues to serve as a symbolic representation of Absalom's doomed quest for an earthly legacy and his rebellious actions against God's anointed.

2 Samuel 18 18 Commentary

This verse masterfully serves as a poignant and ironic literary device within the larger narrative of Absalom's rebellion and death. It highlights the ultimate futility of human ambition driven by pride and self-exaltation. Absalom, deeply anxious about his name vanishing, took extraordinary measures to secure his remembrance through a physical monument, carefully choosing its prominent location and dedicating it to his own name. Yet, his death, hanging disgracefully in a tree and subsequently buried under a mound of stones rather than honorably in his constructed pillar, utterly subverts his grand design. His chosen "place" for memory thus became not a symbol of triumph but a stark, permanent reminder of his rebellion and ignominious fall. This account implicitly critiques self-made glory, emphasizing that true and lasting legacy rests not in physical monuments or human endeavors, but in God's will and eternal remembrance, often contrasting with the wicked whose names ultimately fade or become infamous.