2 Samuel 18 · Verse 16

2 Samuel 18:16

And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.
2 Samuel 18:16, King James Version

2 Samuel 18:16 in other translations

BSBThen Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab had restrained them.
WEBJoab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held the people back.
ASVAnd Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab held back the people.
YLTAnd Joab bloweth with a trumpet, and the people turneth back from pursuing after Israel, for Joab hath kept back the people;
DARBYAnd Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel; for Joab kept back the people.
BBEAnd Joab had the horn sounded, and the people came back from going after Israel, for Joab kept them back.
WebsterAnd Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing Israel: for Joab restrained the people.

What does 2 Samuel 18:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. Joab blew the trumpet, ... and held back the people--Knowing that by the death of the usurper there was no occasion for further bloodshed, he put an end to the pursuit and thereby evinced the temperate policy of his conduct. However harsh and unfeeling to the king Joab may appear, there can be no doubt that he acted the part of a wise statesman in regarding the peace and welfare of the kingdom more than his master's private inclinations, which were opposed to strict justice as well as his own interests. Absalom deserved to die by the divine law (De 21:18, 21), as well as being an enemy to his king and country; and no time was more fitting than when he met that death in open battle.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Joab blew the trumpet - He knew that the rebellion was now extinguished by the death of Absalom; and was not willing that any farther slaughter should be made of the deluded people.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 18:9-18

Let young people look upon Absalom, hanging on a tree, accursed, forsaken of heaven and earth; there let them read the Lord's abhorrence of rebellion against parents. Nothing can preserve men from misery and contempt, but heavenly wisdom and the grace of God.

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 18:9-18 →

2 Samuel 18:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּתְקַ֤עvai.yit.Ka'and he gave a blastH8628
יוֹאָב֙yo.'AvJoabH3097
בַּשֹּׁפָ֔רba.sho.Faron the trumpetH7782
וַיָּ֣שָׁבvai.Ya.shoand it turned backH7725
הָעָ֔םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
מִרְדֹ֖ףmir.Doffrom pursuingH7291
אַחֲרֵ֣י'a.cha.ReiafterH310
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
חָשַׂ֥ךְcha.Sakhhe restrainedH2820
יוֹאָ֖בyo.'AvJoabH3097
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
הָעָֽם\׃ha.'Amthe peopleH5971

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 18:16

  • 2 Samuel 20:22

    Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab. And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

  • 2 Samuel 2:28

    So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

  • Numbers 10:2-10

    Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. …

  • 1 Corinthians 14:8

    For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
blew the trumpet.
2:28; 20:22; Nu 10:2-10; 1Co 14:8

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 18:15

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

  • 2 Samuel 18:16

    And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing after Israel: for Joab held back the people.

  • 2 Samuel 18:17

    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.

Read all of 2 Samuel 18

2 Samuel 18:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Joab tocó la corneta, y el pueblo se volvió de seguir á Israel, porque Joab detuvo al pueblo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Joab sonna de la trompette, et le peuple revint de la poursuite d’Israël, car Joab retint le peuple.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Joab stieß in die Posaune, und das Volk kehrte um von der Verfolgung Israels; denn Joab hielt das Volk ab.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Cecinit autem Joab buccina, et retinuit populum, ne persequeretur fugientem Israël, volens parcere multitudini.