2 Samuel 18 · Verse 20

2 Samuel 18:20

And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.
2 Samuel 18:20, King James Version

2 Samuel 18:20 in other translations

BSBBut Joab replied, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”
WEBJoab said to him, “You must not be the bearer of news today, but you must carry news another day. But today you must carry no news, because the king’s son is dead.”
ASVAnd Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not be the bearer of tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day; but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.
YLTand Joab saith to him, ‘Thou art not a man of tidings this day, but thou hast borne tidings on another day, and this day thou dost not bear tidings, because the king's son is dead.'
DARBYAnd Joab said to him, Thou shalt not be a bearer of news to-day, but thou shalt carry the news another day; but to-day thou shalt carry no news, because the king's son is dead.
BBEAnd Joab said, You will take no news today; another day you may give him the news, but you will take no news today, because the king's son is dead.
WebsterAnd Joab said to him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king's son is dead.

What does 2 Samuel 18:20 mean?

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 18:19-33

By directing David to give God thanks for his victory, Ahimaaz prepared him for the news of his son's death. The more our hearts are fixed and enlarged, in thanksgiving to God for our mercies, the better disposed we shall be to bear with patience the afflictions mixed with them. Some think David's wish arose from concern about Absalom's everlasting state; but he rather seems to have spoken without due thought. He is…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 18:19-33 →

2 Samuel 18:20 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.

וַיֹּ֧אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
ל֣וֹloto <the> him
יוֹאָ֗בyo.'AvJoabH3097
לֹא֩lo'notH3808
אִ֨ישׁ'ish[are] a man ofH376
בְּשֹׂרָ֤הbe.so.RahnewsH1309
אַתָּה֙'a.TahyouH859
הַיּ֣וֹםhai.Yom<the> dayH3117
הַזֶּ֔הha.Zeh<the> thisH2088
וּבִשַּׂרְתָּ֖u.vi.sar.Taand you will bear newsH1319
בְּי֣וֹםbe.Yomon a dayH3117
אַחֵ֑ר'a.CheranotherH312
וְהַיּ֤וֹםve.hai.Yomand <the> dayH3117
הַזֶּה֙ha.Zeh<the> thisH2088
לֹ֣אlo'notH3808
תְבַשֵּׂ֔רte.va.Seryou will bear [the] newsH1319
כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588
עַל־כֵּ֥ןal-kensince - <thus>H5921
בֶּן\־ben-[the] son ofH1121
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
מֵֽת\׃Methe has diedH4191

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

Cross references for 2 Samuel 18:20

  • 2 Samuel 18:5

    And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.

  • 2 Samuel 18:33

    And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!

  • 2 Samuel 17:16-21

    Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over; lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him. Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by En–rogel; for they might not be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and they went and told king David. Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went both of them away quickly, and came to a man’s house in Bahurim, which had a well in his court; whither they went down. And the woman took and spread a covering over the well’s mouth, and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known. …

  • 2 Samuel 18:29

    And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz answered, When Joab sent the king’s servant, and me thy servant, I saw a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

  • 2 Samuel 18:27

    And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
bear tidings. Heb. be a man of tidings.
17:16-21
because.
5,27,29,33

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

Context

  • 2 Samuel 18:19

    Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the king tidings, how that the Lord hath avenged him of his enemies.

  • 2 Samuel 18:20

    And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear no tidings, because the king’s son is dead.

  • 2 Samuel 18:21

    Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen. And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

Read all of 2 Samuel 18

2 Samuel 18:20 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y respondió Joab: Hoy no llevarás las nuevas: las llevarás otro día: no darás hoy la nueva, porque el hijo del rey es muerto.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Joab lui dit: Tu ne seras pas l’homme qui porteras les nouvelles aujourd’hui, mais tu porteras les nouvelles un autre jour; aujourd’hui tu ne porteras pas les nouvelles, puisque le fils du roi est mort.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Aber Joab sprach zu ihm: Du sollst nicht Bote sein an diesem Tage, sondern du magst an einem anderen Tage Botschaft bringen; doch an diesem Tage sollst du nicht Botschaft bringen, da ja der Sohn des Königs tot ist.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ad quem Joab dixit: Non eris nuntius in hac die, sed nuntiabis in alia: hodie nolo te nuntiare: filius enim regis est mortuus.