2 Samuel 18 · Verse 5

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 18:5, King James Version

2 Samuel 18:5 in other translations

BSBNow the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” And all the people heard the king’s orders to each of the commanders regarding Absalom.
WEBThe king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, “Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.” All the people heard when the king commanded all the captains concerning Absalom.
ASVAnd 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.
YLTand the king chargeth Joab, and Abishai, and Ittai, saying, ‘Gently--for me, for the youth, for Absalom;' and all the people heard in the king's charging all the heads concerning Absalom.
DARBYAnd the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom. And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning Absalom.
BBEAnd the king gave orders to Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Because of me, be gentle to the young man Absalom. And this order about Absalom was given in the hearing of all the people.
WebsterAnd 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.

What does 2 Samuel 18:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. Deal gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom--This affecting charge, which the king gave to his generals, proceeded not only from his overwhelming affection for his children, but from his consciousness that this rebellion was the chastisement of his own crimes, Absalom being merely an instrument in the hand of retributive Providence;--and also from his piety, lest the unhappy prince should die with his sins unrepented of.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 Deal gently - with the young man - David was the father of this worthless young man; and is it to be wondered at that he feels as a father? Who in his circumstances, that had such feelings as every man should have, would have felt, or acted otherwise?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 18:1-8

David's over-sorrow. (19-33) Verses 1-8 How does David render good for evil! Absalom would have only David smitten; David would have only Absalom spared. This seems to be a resemblance of man's wickedness towards God, and God's mercy to man, of which it is hard to say which is most amazing. Now the Israelites see what it is to take counsel against the Lord and his anointed.

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 18:1-8 →

2 Samuel 18:5 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.

וַיְצַ֣וvay.Tzavand he commandedH6680
הַמֶּ֡לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
י֠וֹאָבyo.'oJoabH3097
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
אֲבִישַׁ֤י'a.vi.ShaiAbishaiH52
וְאֶת\־ve.'Etand <obj.>H853
אִתַּי֙'i.TaiIttaiH863
לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
לְאַט\־le.'at-to gentlenessH328
לִ֖יlifor <the> me
לַנַּ֣עַרla.Na.'arto the young manH5288
לְאַבְשָׁל֑וֹםle.'av.sha.Lomto AbsalomH53
וְכָל\־ve.kholand allH3605
הָעָ֣םha.'Amthe peopleH5971
שָׁמְע֗וּsha.me.'Uthey heardH8085
בְּצַוֹּ֥תbe.tza.Votwhen commandedH6680
הַמֶּ֛לֶךְha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הַשָּׂרִ֖יםha.sa.Rimthe commandersH8269
עַל\־'al-onH5921
דְּבַ֥רde.Var[the] matter ofH1697
אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם\׃'av.sha.LomAbsalomH53

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

Cross references for 2 Samuel 18:5

  • Deuteronomy 21:18-21

    If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.

  • 2 Samuel 17:14

    And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the Lord had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom.

  • 2 Samuel 17:1-4

    Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only: And I will bring back all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all returned: so all the people shall be in peace. And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of Israel.

  • 2 Samuel 16:11

    And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him.

  • Luke 23:34

    Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

  • 2 Samuel 18:12

    And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand against the king’s son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.

  • Psalms 103:13

    Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Deal gently.
16:11; 17:1-4,14; De 21:18-21; Ps 103:13; Lu 23:34
all the people.
12

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

Context

  • 2 Samuel 18:4

    And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

  • 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 18:6

    So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;

Read all of 2 Samuel 18

2 Samuel 18:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y el rey mandó á Joab y á Abisai y á Ittai, diciendo: Tratad benignamente por amor de mí al mozo Absalom. Y todo el pueblo oyó cuando dió el rey orden acerca de Absalom á todos los capitanes.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et le roi commanda à Joab, et à Abishaï, et à Itthaï, disant: Usez-moi de douceur envers le jeune homme, Absalom. Et tout le peuple entendit lorsque le roi donna ses ordres à tous les chefs touchant Absalom.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und der König gebot Joab und Abisai und Ittai und sprach: Verfahret mir gelinde mit dem Jüngling, mit Absalom! Und alles Volk hörte es, als der König allen Obersten wegen Absaloms gebot.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et præcepit rex Joab, et Abisai, et Ethai, dicens: Servate mihi puerum Absalom. Et omnis populus audiebat præcipientem regem cunctis principibus pro Absalom.