The Meaning of 2 Samuel 18:17 Explained

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.

YLT: and they take Absalom and cast him in the forest unto the great pit, and set up over him a very great heap of stones, and all Israel have fled -- each to his tent.

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Samuel 18:17 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 18:16-30 - Tidings That Failed To Bring Joy
Ahimaaz was far-famed for his swift running. He had already served the royal cause, and his family was intimate with the king, 2 Samuel 15:36; 2 Samuel 17:17. Joab was therefore unwilling to entrust the youth with tidings which must give the king bitter sorrow, and perhaps cause him to associate them ever after with the bearer. Perhaps Joab also feared that the part which he himself had taken in Absalom's death would be exposed by Ahimaaz. The tidings were therefore entrusted to an Ethiopian slave. He ran along the straight road to Mahanaim, but the young priest took the way of the plain and outran him.
Tidings are constantly pouring in upon us, some by the stranger, some by the friend. But if we trust in the Lord we shall not be afraid of them, Psalms 112:7. Only let our heart be fixed. For us also there shall arise light in the darkness, our heart shall be established, and we shall not be moved. When next you break the seal of the dreaded letter, lift your heart to God. He will bring good out of evil. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 18

1  David viewing the armies in their march gives them charge of Absalom
6  The Israelites are sorely smitten in the wood of ephraim
9  Absalom, hanging in an oak is slain by Joab, and cast into a pit
18  Absalom's place
19  Ahimaaz and Cushi bring tidings to David
33  David mourns for Absalom

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 18:17 mean?

And they took - Absalom and cast him in the woods into a pit large and laid over him a heap of stones large very and all Israel fled everyone - to his tent -
וַיִּקְח֣וּ אֶת־ אַבְשָׁל֗וֹם וַיַּשְׁלִ֨יכוּ אֹת֤וֹ בַיַּ֙עַר֙ אֶל־ הַפַּ֣חַת הַגָּד֔וֹל וַיַּצִּ֧בוּ עָלָ֛יו גַּל־ אֲבָנִ֖ים גָּד֣וֹל מְאֹ֑ד וְכָל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל נָ֖סוּ אִ֥ישׁ [לאהלו] (לְאֹהָלָֽיו) ס

וַיִּקְח֣וּ  And  they  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אַבְשָׁל֗וֹם  Absalom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.
וַיַּשְׁלִ֨יכוּ  and  cast 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁלַךְ  
Sense: to throw, cast, hurl, fling.
בַיַּ֙עַר֙  in  the  woods 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעַר 
Sense: forest, wood, thicket, wooded height.
אֶל־  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַפַּ֣חַת  a  pit 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּחַת  
Sense: pit, hole.
הַגָּד֔וֹל  large 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וַיַּצִּ֧בוּ  and  laid 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הֻצַּב 
Sense: to stand, take one’s stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish.
עָלָ֛יו  over  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
גַּל־  a  heap 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: גַּל 
Sense: heap, spring, wave, billow.
אֲבָנִ֖ים  of  stones 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
גָּד֣וֹל  large 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
מְאֹ֑ד  very 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
וְכָל־  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
נָ֖סוּ  fled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
אִ֥ישׁ  everyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
[לאהלו]  - 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
(לְאֹהָלָֽיו)  to  his  tent 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation