The Meaning of 2 Samuel 18:18 Explained

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.

YLT: And Absalom hath taken, and setteth up for himself in his life, the standing-pillar that is in the king's valley, for he said, 'I have no son to cause my name to be remembered;' and he calleth the standing-pillar by his own name, and it is called 'The monument of Absalom' unto this day.

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

ASV: Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself the 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 Absalom's monument, unto this day.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 2 Samuel 18:18 Mean?

Study Notes

I have no son
The pillar mentioned must have been reared before the birth of sons to Absalom. Cf. 2 Samuel 14:27 . Another view is that his sons died in youth. They are not mentioned in the genealogies.

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 18:18 mean?

and Absalom had taken and set up for himself - in his lifetime - a pillar which [is] in Valley the King's for he said no I have son to keep in remembrance my name And He called the pillar after his own name and is called it Monument Of Absalom to day this -
וְאַבְשָׁלֹ֣ם לָקַ֗ח וַיַּצֶּב־ ל֤וֹ [בחיו] (בְחַיָּיו֙) אֶת־ מַצֶּ֙בֶת֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּעֵֽמֶק־ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ כִּ֤י אָמַר֙ אֵֽין־ לִ֣י בֵ֔ן בַּעֲב֖וּר הַזְכִּ֣יר שְׁמִ֑י וַיִּקְרָ֤א לַמַּצֶּ֙בֶת֙ עַל־ שְׁמ֔וֹ וַיִּקָּ֤רֵא לָהּ֙ יַ֣ד אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם עַ֖ד הַיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה ס

וְאַבְשָׁלֹ֣ם  and  Absalom 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.
לָקַ֗ח  had  taken 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
וַיַּצֶּב־  and  set  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הֻצַּב 
Sense: to stand, take one’s stand, stand upright, be set (over), establish.
ל֤וֹ  for  himself 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
[בחיו]  - 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
(בְחַיָּיו֙)  in  his  lifetime 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
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.
מַצֶּ֙בֶת֙  a  pillar 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַצֶּבֶת 
Sense: pillar, mastaba, stump.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  which  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בְּעֵֽמֶק־  in  Valley 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֵמֶק  
Sense: valley, vale, lowland, open country.
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ  the  King's 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אָמַר֙  he  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵֽין־  no 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
לִ֣י  I  have 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
בֵ֔ן  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הַזְכִּ֣יר  keep  in  remembrance 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
שְׁמִ֑י  my  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
וַיִּקְרָ֤א  And  He  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
לַמַּצֶּ֙בֶת֙  the  pillar 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַצֶּבֶת 
Sense: pillar, mastaba, stump.
עַל־  after 
Parse: Preposition
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.
שְׁמ֔וֹ  his  own  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
וַיִּקָּ֤רֵא  and  is  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
יַ֣ד  Monument 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם  Of  Absalom 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲבִישָׁלֹום 
Sense: father-in-law of Rehoboam.
הַיּ֥וֹם  day 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַזֶּֽה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation